Shaw–Howard University station

Shaw – Howard University
Shaw – Howard University
	Shaw-Howard U. station in October 2022
General information
Location	1701 8th Street NW; Washington, D.C.
Owned by	Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Connections	Metrobus: 70, 79, G8
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Bicycle facilities	Capital Bikeshare, 6 racks
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Station code	E02
History
Opened	May 11, 1991; 33 years ago
Previous names	Shaw
Passengers
2023	2,306 daily
Rank	46 out of 98
Services
Former services
Location
Location

Shaw–Howard University station is a Washington Metro station in Washington, D.C., on the Green Line. The station primarily serves Washington's Shaw neighborhood, the home of Howard University.

The station is located within the neighborhood of the same name in the Northwest quadrant of the city, on 7th Street between R and S Streets. It lies just outside the defined boundaries of the Shaw Historic District, which encompasses much the area to the southwest.^[2]

Transit-oriented development

Like other stations along the stretch of the Green Line between Gallery Place and Fort Totten, Shaw has been revitalized by transit-oriented development, increasing economic development, residential density, and—controversially—accelerating the pace of gentrification.

Among other projects, Progression Place and CityMarket at O catalyzed development in the area in the early 2010s. The former occupies previously vacant land on the same block as the northern entrance to the station. It contains 115,000 sq ft (10,700 m²) of office space (with the UNCF being the anchor tenant),^[3] 205 apartments labeled as "7th Flats,"^[4] and 19,000 sq ft (1,800 m²) of retail.^[5]

CityMarket at O, located between 7th, 9th, O, and P Streets NW, renovated the long-neglected O Street Market and added 87,000 sq ft (8,100 m²) of retail and 629 residential units.^[6]

History

Part of the original Metro plan, the station was initially referred to simply as "Shaw". It opened on May 11, 1991, as part of a northward extension of the Green Line from Gallery Place–Chinatown to U Street. The central route under 7th Street, below which the station sits, was added in 1967 primarily to serve the "inner city."^[7] The downtown segment of the line was initially projected to open in September 1977,^[8] but the first Green Line stations did not open until 1991.^[9] While a cut-and-fill tunnel for the Green Line was built under 7th Street and U Street, maintaining vehicle traffic and pedestrian access on those streets was difficult.^[10] The result was the loss of the traditional retail businesses along the route.

Since May 7, 2023, the northeastern terminus of the Yellow Line was truncated from Greenbelt to Mount Vernon Square, following its reopening after a nearly eight-month-long major rehabilitation project on its bridge over the Potomac River and its tunnel leading into L'Enfant Plaza. Thus, it no longer services this station.^[11]

Station layout

Like most underground Metro stations, Shaw–Howard University is an island-platformed station lying directly below street level. There are two entrances, one to the north at the corner of 7th and S Streets and the other to the south on R Street between 7th and 8th Streets.

References

^ "Metrorail Ridership Summary". Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
^ Shaw heritage trail Archived July 23, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Shaw Main Streets Retrieved February 13, 2011
^ UNCF Headquarters Project DC Government Retrieved February 13, 2011
^ 7th Flats at Progression Place Progressive Place Retrieved February 13, 2011
^ The Shops at Progression Place Progression Place Retrieved February 13, 2011
^ CityMarket at O CityMarket at O Retrieved February 13, 2011
^ Schrag at p. 112.
^ Schrag at p. 214.
^ Schrag at p. 213
^ Schrag at p. 217.
^ "Metro's Yellow Line reopens Sunday with controversial turnback". WJLA-TV. Sinclair Broadcast Group. May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.