Monroe Street Market, Catholic University of America

Torti Gallas was part of the development team for Catholic University’s University Village, creating a dramatic “Gateway Village” to enhance the value and amenities of the campus. Our design created a vibrant, mixed-use village that would contribute significantly to the overall success of the Campus and its surroundings. The site is one of the most highly visible locations on Campus. Extending the rich quality of the campus to the south side of Michigan Avenue in a pedestrian-friendly village atmosphere represents a substantial “sea change” for this portion of the Catholic University Campus. This opportunity enables the University to have a strong hand in delivering a high quality living and learning experience to its students, faculty, alumni, staff and neighbors through this endeavor.

Our vision for this unique site was threefold centering around the notions of offering the University Campus a Village Center that strengthens campus life, reinventing Monroe Avenue as a vital main street environment, and enriching the surrounding residential and commercial communities. It is a vision of a place that is woven into the history and tradition of the Campus architecture and landscape. At this inviting “front door” to the University, we have designed an active, market-oriented center with strong connections to Michigan Avenue, Monroe Avenue, to the Campus itself, the Brookland/CUA Metro Station (Metro), and to the residential neighborhoods to the east and south. By embracing the surrounding neighborhood and creating a finely grained mix of uses that complement its surroundings (including the 12th Street commercial corridor), we can leverage the dynamic possibilities of this gateway location in a way that will both give and gain value.