Small Businesses Get Big Encouragement: Georgetown Main Streets Initiative Kicks Off

Ana Harvey of D.C.’s Department of Small and Local Business Development and Philippe Lanier of developer EastBanc headlined the Georgetown Business Association’s monthly networking reception at District Doughnuts in Cady’s Alley Nov. 16.

With GBA involvement, Harvey announced the kickoff of a Georgetown Main Streets initiative, part of a program with her department, which describes it this way: “DC Main Streets is a comprehensive program that promotes the revitalization of traditional business districts in the District of Columbia. Created in 2002 through the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Main Streets serves as the citywide coordinating program that provides services and funding for the ten Main Streets found in the District of Columbia. Main Streets mission is to support the traditional retail corridors in the District.”

Harvey’s department has $500 million slated to help small businesses, she said, adding that 1,200 companies have registered with D.C. but that she wanted more to get involved. She has 50 staffers in her agency, she said. As a business entrepreneur herself, Harvey applauded the work of Main Streets groups and talked about the other D.C. neighborhoods succeeding, too.

Lanier’s father Anthony founded the real estate development company EastBanc, which has been operating in Georgetown and the rest of Washington, D.C., since 1987. EastBanc has a long list of projects in town, including Cady’s Alley, which is south of M Street between 33rd and 34th Streets. While acknowledging D.C.’s hot neighborhoods, the younger Lanier said, “A lot of businesses want to be in Georgetown.”

Meanwhile, the GBA crowd enjoyed glazed, apple cinnamon and mocha doughnuts and other treats, including beer and wine.