The DC Chamber of Commerce awarded Abe and Irene Pollin a Lifetime Business Legacy Award this past weekend for the work they as a family have done to develop and support the DC economy.
No one has made a bigger impact in downtown DC than Abe and Irene. Building the Verizon Center was the catalyst that gave everyone permission to believe in downtown DC once again. Their courage and vision of what the city could be is a testament to their love of our city.
Here is a list of the winners. We were also honored for our work with the Capitals and the Mystics, teams that Abe and Irene Pollin founded and sold to us ten years ago. This lifetime achievement award was long over due and most deserved. Congratulations.
I used to work at 7th and H in the late 80′s and the neighborhood was run-down and a bit shady, a collection of old businesses that survived the rioting of the 60′s and several crappy DC government office buildings. Abe Pollin deserves a Lifetime Citizen Legacy Award as his efforts on Verizon Center have truly benefited all in DC and the suburbs with jobs, entertainment and dining/culture. All Caps fans owe him a debt of gratitude too, without him, no Capitals at all! Go Abe Go!
Amen to that! I bet a lot of people don’t know Mr. Pollin put his own money on the line to build the Verizon Center in a neighborhood that was a wasteland at the time. We have him to thank for being the catalyst that spurred the development of the vibrant Chinatown we all enjoy and take for granted.
Now if someone would just build a decent restaurant other than Five Guys and Subway within a 10-block radius of Nationals Park….