Dennis Chestnut gives reporters a tour of the Center for Green Urbanism.

In the May issue of the East of the River Magazine, Groundwork Anacostia River DC’s Center for Green Urbanism was featured as one of the Ward 7 community’s newest additions. Executive Director Dennis Chestnut gave the magazine an exclusive tour of the Center in its opening phases.

Located at 3938 Benning Road NE, the Center for Green Urbanism (CGU) is positioned primely between both Minnesota Avenue and Benning Road Metro Stations. In addition, it sits directly across from the recently completed Benning Neighborhood Library.

This summer the Center has played a central role in the implementation of Project Dream Green – the program collaboration between Groundwork and Dreaming Out Loud. With 72 youth participants reporting and working from the Ophelia Egypt Center, Ward Memorial AME Church and SEED Public Charter School the CGU provides a central meeting point.

Important program activities such as training the Team Leaders responsible for supervising the youth participants; communications and video-camera training for youth media teams; and tool-safety training have been hosted at this historic building. In the coming months, the CGU will also play a key role in hosting high-school green teams from local charter schools as Project Dream Green enters a new phase.

A view from the front.