WASHINGTON, D.C.— The DowntownDC Foundation on Thursday announced a sponsorship from Amazon for Franklin Park, which reopened to the public on Sept. 24 following a $21 million renovation invested by the District of Columbia under Mayor Muriel Bowser.
“This historic park was renovated to serve the community for the next 100 years and it’s the success of public-private partnerships such as this anchor support from Amazon that will ensure Franklin’s Park future for all to enjoy,” said Rachel Rose Hartman, executive director of the DowntownDC Foundation.
Amazon stepped in as Franklin Park’s Greenery and Beautification Sponsor for its first year of operations, funding turf maintenance, tree care and seasonal plantings as well as community programming. The DowntownDC Foundation’s parent organization, the DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) is responsible for operations and maintenance of this 4.79 acre U.S. National Park Service (NPS) park, which is located at 1315 I Street NW.
“We’re growing roots here in the DC region and in partnership with the DowntownDC Foundation, we’re excited to support the improvement of Franklin Park for all the members of our community,” said Brian Kenner, director of public policy, Amazon.
The one-year renovation of Franklin Park by the District of Columbia, included restoration and enhancement of the historic central fountain, the addition of a Children’s Play Garden, ADA accessible walkways, seating, repaired pavers, plantings and an improved tree canopy and the addition of a restaurant, which is slated to open in Spring 2022.
[Click here to learn more about Franklin Park.]
This federal park was once the site of a water source for the White House. It had remained largely unchanged since its last renovation in 1936 and had fallen into disrepair. A planning partnership was formed in 2012 between NPS, the BID and the DC Government to transform the site and establish sustainable maintenance, operation and programming of the park in perpetuity. Following the city’s decision to fund the renovation, federal law in 2019 enabled the District of Columbia to invest in the reconstruction of the park through a cooperative management agreement with NPS.
The DowntownDC Foundation, a registered 501c3, was launched in 2019 to increase support and awareness of Franklin Park as well as for its three additional program areas: homeless services, public space revitalization and events and programming.
About the DowntownDC Foundation
The DowntownDC Foundation is a registered 501c3 non-profit launched in 2019 to support the DowntownDC Business Improvement District’s (BID) philanthropic initiatives. Its mission is to enhance the DowntownDC community for all by elevating services in four key areas: homeless services, Franklin Park, public space revitalization and events and programming. For more information and to find out how you can get involved, please visit DowntownDCFoundation.org.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.
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