City leaders marked a milestone in the redevelopment of the historically significant “Barry Farm” community in Southeast D.C. on Thursday as a building filled with new affordable housing officially opened its doors.
It is part of a yearslong effort to fix up the neighborhood and start a new chapter in the area.
“All of us have a big task,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said. “We have a big task to live up to, to reflect the history of Barry Farm.”
Established in 1867, Barry Farm was created to provide formerly enslaved Black families with the opportunity to own land and build a community after the Civil War.
“Barry Farm, for so many years, represented what freedom looks like,” Bowser said. “Our promise under our ‘New Communities Initiative’ is that we return good quality, safe, affordable housing to our deserving residents of Ward 8.”
Deteriorating conditions in the mid-2000s led the D.C. Housing Authority to begin considering redevelopment plans, and on Thursday, city leaders celebrated the grand opening of “The Asberry.”
The 108-unit building is the first apartment complex to open as part of the Barry Farm redevelopment project. It includes more than 70 units specifically set aside for former residents who had to leave the area due to the construction.
“Residents will be coming home, and new residents will be joining them,” Bowser said.
Keith Pettigrew, executive director of the DCHA, called it a “watershed moment.”
“The Asberry creates a foundation for reestablishing the vibrant, spirited Barry Farm community for generations to come,” Pettigrew said.
City leaders also broke ground on the second building of the overall project, a 139-unit property called “The Edmonson,” which will include 50 units specifically for former residents.
Once completed, the entire Barry Farm redevelopment will have at least 900 new rental and for-sale housing units.
“Altogether, it is our hope that the revitalized Barry Farm neighborhood provides fertile ground for new and returning residents to plant their roots and reestablish this vibrant community,” said Pettigrew.
