Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024, Mount Vernon Triangle is considered to be one of Washington DC’s best examples of a mixed-use community.
Established to enhance the overall quality of life for residents, employees, visitors, and property owners in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood of Downtown DC.
Under District law, the MVT CID is legally defined as a Business Improvement District (BID). The concept of a Community Improvement District is based on that of a Business Improvement District, but emphasizes the inclusion of commercial and residential properties. BIDs have proven to be successful in hundreds of cities throughout the United States and 12 BIDs have now been established in the District of Columbia: Adams Morgan Partnership, Anacostia BID, Capitol Hill BID, Capitol Riverfront BID, DowntownDC BID, Dupont Circle BID, Friendship Heights Alliance, Georgetown BID, Golden Triangle BID, Mount Vernon Triangle CID, NoMa BID, and Southwest BID.
Our Mission – The ingredients for achieving the vision for Mount Vernon Triangle are:
- PEOPLE: A diverse and energetic group, eager to be part of the community
- DESIGN: A lively mix of uses with residential, retail and office projects. Outstanding architecture, historic places, public art, parks and plazas that engage people and are enjoyed by the community
- RETAIL: A wide variety of restaurants, shops, services, and amenities that provide for needs of the neighborhood and create great experiences
- TRANSPORTATION: Walkable neighborhood, proximity to Metrorail at Gallery Place/Chinatown, Mt. Vernon Square/Convention Center, Judiciary Square, and Union Station. Circulator and Metro bus access, Bikeshare, Amtrak & MARC Train and access to I-395. Plans for streetcar on K Street connecting Union Station and Georgetown.
- PARTNERSHIPS: An innovative, public-private collaboration
Boundaries
Mount Vernon Triangle is at the heart of the city—both geographically and culturally. Its boundaries include 17 blocks within the east end of downtown, bordered by 7th Street to the west, Massachusetts Avenue to the south, New York Avenue to the north and New Jersey Avenue to the east. Mount Vernon Triangle is a welcoming, authentic, and centered neighborhood that mirrors the City’s unique mix of historic and modern buildings, longtime and new residents, and diverse cultures, restaurants, and experiences.
MVT CID BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Officers & Executive Committee
- Chairman: Berk Shervin
- Vice Chairman: Tessa Hall
- Treasurer: Aubrey Stephenson
- Secretary: Rahul Vinod
- At-Large: Anthony Brown, Samantha Margolis, Rev. Dr. James E. Terrell, Dr. Ivory Toldson & Drew Turner
As Ratified during the September 2023 Meeting of the MVT CID Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Anthony Brown, Safety & Community Engagement Coordinator
Bible Way Church
term expires 2025
Matthew Butler, Chief Operating Officer
D.C. Bar
term expires 2026
Jimmy Dodson, Partner
Paradigm Companies
term expires 2026
Abby Elbaum, Principal
Ogden CAP Properties, LLC
term expires 2027
Barbara Finan, Associate Director, Asset Services
Cushman & Wakefield
term expires 2026
Clarence Fluker, Director of Community Engagement
Association of American Medical Colleges
term expires 2025
David Germakian, Senior Vice President – Regional Lead, Mid-Atlantic Region
EDENS
term expires 2026
Lynn Hackney, Co-owner/Principal
Community Three
term expires 2027
Tessa Hall, Director of Construction
Dantes Partners
term expires 2027
Samantha Margolis, Chief Administrative Officer & Chief of Staff
AIPAC
term expires 2025
Tom McDowell, Director of Operations
K Street Development Company, LLC
term expires 2026
Vera McPherson, Vice President
W.H.H. Trice & Co.
term expires 2026
Berkeley Shervin, President, Co-Owner & Chief Operating Officer
The Wilkes Company
term expires 2025
Aubrey Stephenson, President
Federal Management Systems
term expires 2026
Elizabeth “Anne” Smoot, Member Representative
Mount Carmel Baptist Church
term expires 2027
Sean Sullivan, Vice President of Development
Boston Properties
term expires 2026
Rev. Dr. James E. Terrell, Reverend
Second Baptist Church
term expires 2026
Drew Turner, Senior Development Manager
Douglas Development
term expires 2027
Rahul Vinod, Co-Owner
RASA
term expires 2027
Kenyattah Robinson
President & CEO
Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District
kr@mvtcid.org
As President & CEO of the MVT CID, Kenyattah Robinson is responsible for overall management of the organization, including leading operations, planning, program development, financial management, communications, marketing and branding, special events, community advocacy, fundraising, public speaking and reporting; vendor management; working with District of Columbia and Federal government, Advisory Neighborhood Commission and National Park Service partners; managing all staff including a seven-person crew of Clean Team Ambassadors; and managing a 19-member Board of Directors. With 20+ years of combined public- and private-sector management, real estate finance and advisory, policy, public affairs, and urban placemaking experience, Kenyattah previously served as a Senior Vice President | National Director on the Public Institutions team at Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) where his primary responsibilities included developing strategies to help public-sector organizations achieve their mission objectives through public-private partnerships and other venture opportunities to maximize the value of their real property assets. A New Orleans native of the Upper Ninth Ward and graduate of the “blue ribbon” Benjamin Franklin Senior High School, he earned his B.A. in liberal arts and business from Louisiana State University (LSU) and an M.B.A. from the Johnson School at Cornell University where he was a Roy H. Park Leadership and Robert Toigo Foundation fellow. A former Mount Vernon Triangle resident property owner, Kenyattah lives in northwest Washington with his son Markus and wife Marnique Heath Robinson, a Principal in the Washington, DC office of STUDIOS Architecture (where she also serves as firm-wide Chair of the Board), previous Chair of DC’s Board of Zoning Adjustment, and current Chair of DC’s Historic Preservation Review Board. He is a proud Eagle Scout.
Grace Aucella
Marketing & Events Manager
Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District
grace@mvtcid.org
As Marketing & Events Manager, Grace is focused on the branding and marketing efforts of the neighborhood, engaging with MVT CID businesses to promote their specials and events, and creating dynamic community activations. Grace previously worked as the Events and Programming Manager at the Capitol Riverfront BID in Southeast DC where she was responsible for creating monthly programming that fit the branding and marketing needs of the neighborhood, as well as overseeing annual tent pole events, and coordinating external rentals of the two neighborhood parks. Grace earned her BA in International Affairs from The George Washington University and is proud to call DC home. She is passionate about exploring and promoting all the wonderful neighborhoods, restaurants, and sites that make DC a unique place to live, work, and visit.
Kaitlin Demonbreun
Opperations & Programs Coordinator
Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District
kaitlin@mvtcid.org
Joining in March 2024, as Operations and Program Coordinator, Kaitlin’s role will help ensure the fulfillment of the CID’s essential objectives. Kicking off her role with the preparations and celebration of MVT20, Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District’s 20th Anniversary, she lead point on the street closure and permitting of activities on the 600 block of K Street NW. Along with a degree in Organizational Communication and Political Science from Middle Tennessee State University, Kaitlin also brings 10+ years of elevated customer service. As a former hospitality employee within the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood, her perspective on community provides a fresh and welcoming approach on communication and relationship building among stakeholders. A Washingtonian since January 2021, she has enjoyed learning about the historical and cultural signifigance of DC’s various neighborhoods and institutions. Joined by her two cats- Theodore and Franklin, the trio plan to call DC home for the foreseeable future.
Clean Team Ambassadors
Clean team, from left to right: Charles, Dewey, William, “Mr. Brown,” Parnell, Jimmie (Supervisor) & Sam
The MVT CID Clean Team Ambassadors consist of six crew members working daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The team is funded in part by a grant from the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development. The team is contracted through Ready, Willing & Working, which empowers individuals to break the cycles of homelessness, welfare dependency and criminal recidivism through a paid-work rehabilitation program. The MVT CID supports the enhancement of government services, working closely with our team and partners to ensure a clean and safe neighborhood.
