NOMA: The Wilkes Company Pledges $10,000 Annual Fellowship in Support of NoMa Parks Foundation

Leading Washington, DC developer and community-builder, The Wilkes Company, has announced the establishment of a $10,000 per year endowed fellowship to further the realization of the goals set for the NoMa Parks Foundation. The Foundation, an affiliate of the NoMa Business Improvement District, was established to foster the creation of a network of great parks and green spaces within the vibrant and quickly developing NoMa neighborhood.

One of D.C.’s fastest growing neighborhoods, NoMa is severely limited in publicly-accessible parks, playgrounds and plazas. The D.C. City Council awarded the NoMa Parks Foundation $50 million in 2013 for the purpose of developing new parks. The Foundation has recently acquired a parcel at the corner of L Street and 3rd Street, NE and a parcel from Pepco, in an area bounded by Harry Thomas Way, NE, the popular Metropolitan Branch Trail and New York Avenue, NE.

Charles (Sandy) Wilkes, Chairman of the Wilkes Company, is a founder and Vice Chairman of the NoMa BID. In 2012, Wilkes led the NoMa BID in the establishment of the NoMa Parks Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the stated goal of establishing welcoming, sustainable, beautiful spaces where people can play, refresh and connect in NoMa. He also serves as the Foundation’s Chairman.

Wilkes commented on his company’s funding of the fellowship, saying, “The Wilkes Company recognizes this moment as an unprecedented opportunity to create parks and green spaces in NoMa. With public funding in place, there’s an opportunity for the private sector to step forward and play an important, civic-minded role in order to ensure that NoMa continues to develop not only as a vibrant place to work and live but one graced by beautiful green spaces — places to play, to celebrate, to walk and refresh. With the establishment of the fellowship, The Wilkes Company is pleased to commit its resources towards this goal.”

The NoMa Parks Fellowship will be tasked with conducting research on park precedents and best practices, identifying grant opportunities and assisting with planning activities for the NoMa Parks projects. Soon, the NoMa Parks Foundation will unveil an interactive website where community members can share their ideas for the parks in NoMa. Wilkes added, “We are excited to provide members of the city’s graduate school community a meaningful opportunity to be involved in city-building and place-making at a critical moment in the evolution of this great neighborhood. Funding this fellowship will further energize the work of the NoMa Parks Foundation and greatly enhance the ability of staff to properly deploy our public funding and facilitate community involvement.”

Established in 1980, The Wilkes Company specializes in transit-oriented, mixed-use development in Washington, DC. The company has also completed and owns several million square feet of office, industrial, and retail projects throughout the Washington, DC area. For more information, please visit www.thewilkescompany.com.