(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Uber is opening its first D.C. resource center in Ward 7.
Mayor Muriel Bowser announced last week that the ridehailing company will open a “Greenlight Hub” at the East River Park Shopping Center in Northeast.
“We are excited to work hand-in-hand with Uber to spread prosperity and create more pathways to the middle class for D.C. residents,” Bowser said in a release.
About 42,000 Uber drivers live in the D.C. region, according to Uber spokesperson Bill Gibbons. One third of drivers who are D.C. residents live in Wards 7 and 8. The closest hub to the city is in Forestville, Md., and there are pop-up centers in Tysons Corner, Va. and Takoma Park, Md.
The new 8,200 square-foot space will allow prospective drivers to get more information about the company and current drivers to get in-person help, as communication with company representatives has been a nationwide complaint among drivers.
Uber expects thousands of people to come through the multi-million center each week when it opens next spring. Meanwhile, officials hope that the tech giant’s entry will spur more employment opportunities and development east of the Anacostia River.
The center will bring 25 full-time jobs to the ward, which has one of the highest unemployment rates in the city. For the outpost’s construction, Uber is only accepting contracting bids from small businesses in D.C.
“We see exponential growth potential for the community, not only for jobs, but also setting a precedent for our vision of long-term success for East River Park,” said Robin Zeigler, executive VP of Cedar Realty Trust, the company that owns the shopping center, in a release.
East River Park Shopping Center is home East River Strengthening Collaborative, a non-profit that supports local residents with meals, wellness programs, case management, and more. It also has one of two grocery stores in the entire ward, where residents recently had to contend with decaying food, poor customer service, and lengthy waits to check out, among other issues. Ray’s the Steaks made its exit from the plaza in 2012, leaving only fast-food options along the Minnesota Avenue corridor.
