The Curbed Cup, our annual award for the Washington, D.C. neighborhood of the year, is kicking off with 16 areas vying for the prestigious (fake) trophy. This week we'll have two matchups per day, and all the results and the full tournament bracket will be reviewed on Friday. Voting for each pairing ends 24 hours after it begins. Let the eliminations commence!
Over the past few years, Shaw and NoMa have undergone huge revitalizations, renovations, and sometimes even conversions. For the first round of the Curbed Cup, these two neighborhoods will face off, and it's up to you to decide which one was the best this past year. If interested in voting on if Georgetown is better than Bloomingdale or vice versa, be sure to vote in this poll as well before it closes in 24 hours. Don't expect the full bracket to be revealed until Friday, December 18. As the birthplace of Duke Ellington, Shaw is known for being one of the main thoroughfares of Washington, D.C.'s food and nightlife scenes. According to We Love DC, the area used to be a hotbed for jazz in the 1920s and 1930s and was later negatively affected by the riots in the 1960s and the crack epidemic in the 1990s. Since then, the neighborhood has been in the process of renewal with large-scale redevelopment projects, renovations, and new government-funded projects. For the year 2016, Mayor Muriel Bowser has allocated $100 million to housing projects and homeless services with the goal to also maintain affordable housing in Shaw. If you enter the neighborhood today, you will find a bustling retail hub and a restored Howard Theater. Be sure to check out Curbed's sister site, Eater, for news on the food scene.
NoMa is one of the newest neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. It wasn't until the late 1990s that the neighborhood's identity was born. Before then, the area was fairly desolate, save for a Greyhound station. Today, the hip and bustling community houses a Harris Teeter, Union Market, 18 blocks of free outdoor Wi-Fi, and soon a new park and movie theater. Currently, there are over 7,000 residential units either planned or currently under construction. A variety of long abandoned warehouses are also planned for conversion for new hotels, offices, and apartments. If interested in checking out what restaurants you should know about or look out for, be sure to check out Curbed's sister site, Eater.
Cast your vote as soon as possible! The poll will close on Tuesday, December 15 at 10 a.m. EST
· Shaw coverage [Curbed DC]
· NoMa coverage [Curbed DC]
· All Curbed Cup 2015 coverage [Curbed DC]
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