Arts groups trying to re-open Dupont’s underground tunnels
Former entrance to Dupont Down Under. Photo by buschap on Flickr.
A coalition of arts groups is trying to raise money and get a lease from the city to re-open the old trolley tunnels under Dupont Circle as a new art gallery and event space. Here’s their flyer.
The tunnels form two semicircles on either side of the underpass. They were built in the 1940s for trolley cars to stop on their way up and down Connecticut Avenue. When trolley service ended in 1962, the tunnels became abandoned until 1995, when the Dupont Down Under food court tried to reuse the space. It closed within a year, and became tied up in litigation between the developer and the city.
In 2003, the Business Journal reported that a sports club was trying to reopen in the space. Nothing came of that. When ballpark construction displaced several adult gay clubs in Southeast, Councilmember Jim Graham suggested relocating some of them to the tunnels. Community opposition predictably killed that idea. WashCycle suggested a bicycle station for bicycle commuters to park-and-ride onto Metro. GGW commenters discussed the idea here.
An art gallery and event space could be a great use for the area. Galleries don’t need so many windows, and the odd shape shouldn’t be a deterrent. The space exists; we should take advantage of it to bring more life to Dupont Circle.