Creating a Corridor for All
On February 23, 2013, local Civic Association Presidents and members met at the Langston Brown Community Center to discuss the need for a County plan for the 4.6 mile stretch of Langston Boulevard (the Lee Highway) from Rosslyn to East Falls Church. This group became a grassroots coalition known as the "Lee Highway Presidents Breakfast" (LHPB) that advocated for a comprehensive land use and urban design plan for Langston Boulevard.
Their 4-part strategy was simple and effective:
1.
Organize monthly meetings and develop a strategic partnership with County Planning staff
2.
Educate the public on relevant planning topics through forums and walking tours
3.
Identify activity nodes and a vision for Langston Boulevard as a "Main Street"
4.
Establish a formal task force to work with the County on updating the General Land Use Plan (GLUP)
By 2015, the LHPB had grown to include all 18 civic associations along Langston Boulevard. The coalition was renamed the Lee Highway Alliance (LHA) - later becoming Langston Boulevard Alliance (LBA) - and a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) was formed to establish Guiding Principles for the new organization. On June 29, 2016, LBA was incorporated as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization.
LBA's original incorporating board members were Alexandra Bocian, Ginger Brown, Sandi Chesrown, Deirdre Dessingue, and Karen Kumm Morris.