Park View, D.C.

Bank of America on the northwest corner of Georgia and Park Road

One of the things I’ve noticed in looking at the businesses on Georgia Avenue is how under-served the communities along Georgia Avenue are when it comes to banks. Sure, most of us want restaurants, a new grocery store, and other goods and services, but I think having more banking options is going to be key if we are to attract any of those things have a healthy business corridor again.

Many small business prefer not to take credit cards and don’t like the risk that comes with checks. This leaves cash … yet for residents to have cash in their pockets they either need to leave the neighborhood to go to their bank, go to a third party ATM which charges a fee, or bank at one of the very few banks along the strip.

In Park View, all we have is the Bank of America at Park Road and Georgia Avenue. B of A also has a number of ATMs at Howard. As you move north on Georgia Avenue, you eventually find Industrial Bank at 4812 Georgia and then you don’t hit another bank until you get as  far north as Piney Branch Road. That’s where you’ll find a Suntrust Bank and an M&T. Before hitting Maryland, the final bank is at 7601 Georgia, that being a PNC Bank branch.

I know that the paucity of banks on Georgia Avenue isn’t merely a city thing since the Columbia Heights and U Street Metro Station areas both have about four banks within walking distance to them.

In the map below I’ve indicated the bank branches that I’m aware of. This map does not include ATMs which could be inside of other businesses.