Takoma Langley Crossroads : Keeping and Making Place in a Purple Line Community

Abstract

Creative Placemaking (CRPM) architecture students partnered with CRPM studio arts students and worked under the supervision of faculty and planning students to imagine a future for the Takoma Langley Crossroads, part of the ongoing work to expand the benefits of public investment in the Purple Line. With the goal of supporting the area’s small businesses, the project was designed to help stakeholders envision a future where people walk and bike to the businesses from the Purple Line and surrounding neighborhoods, enjoying a shared community space with a series of oases, places for people to stop and play, relax, or dine. The studio developed designs and activities to spark public conversation to imagine what this might look like. The Takoma Langley Crossroads commercial district at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard is home and haven for many first- and second-generation Americans. The businesses in this first ring suburb of Washington, D.C. serve the needs of immigrant groups who have settled in the area. They sell clothing, share cuisine, and provide the services that different groups look for in their community. It is a diverse ethnic enclave and the “hub of immigrant entrepreneurship here in Takoma Park and in Maryland,” says Javier Rivas, Executive Director of The Takoma Langley Crossroads Development Authority. In the Spring of 2025, a Metro system extension, the Purple Line light rail line, is currently under construction and disrupting commerce, adversely affecting many small businesses and contributing to a sense of uncertainty and vulnerability. While the hope is that the new light rail and subsequent development will eventually contribute to the “creation of vibrant and sustainable communities that enhance health, culture, and a sense of place,” (PLCC) it is difficult to envision this future right now. The area is built at a car scale and lacks public amenities, but this international area currently has a rich culture and sense of place, to which the local small businesses contribute. The current challenge is to alleviate the stress on businesses and help them attract customers to ensure their survival. The opportunity here is the chance for people to imagine the positive impact of the completed Purple Line, including new customers and a more pedestrian-oriented public realm.