Joseph F. Horning Jr.

1931 - 2024

Horning

Joseph F. Horning Jr.

December 25, 1931 â€" January 8, 2024

Joseph F. Horning, Jr., a builder of homes, relationships, and community, died peacefully surrounded by his family on Monday, January 8, 2024 at his home in Washington, DC. He was 92.



Born in the Brightwood neighborhood of Washington, DC, Joe attended the Nativity School on 13th Street NW, St. Charles Seminary, and Mount Saint Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. His identity was strongly connected to a sense of place.

Proud of his roots, he rarely missed an opportunity to share that he was a native Washingtonian or that three of his grandparents were born in Ireland.



He and his younger brother, Larry, formed their real estate development partnership, Horning Brothers, in 1958. Opening a two-room office in the Tower Building on K Street, they began by constructing a nine-unit walk-up apartment building in Anacostia. Over his sixty-year career, Joe would grow the business, now known as Horning, to over 4,000 housing units and 350,000 square feet of retail, extending from Frederick, MD to Fredericksburg, VA. He built a wide range of housing, both market-rate and affordable, serving diverse communities across nearly every Ward of Washington, DC. Passionately committed to the neighborhoods of his home-town, Joe collaborated with and supported non-profit community development corporations from North Capitol Street to Columbia Heights to Anacostia.



Joe forged numerous public-private partnerships with Mayoral administrations, beginning with Walter Washington up through Muriel Bowser, to build affordable housing in the city. Two of his projects received awards and recognition for their community impact: Tivoli Square, a mixed-use historic redevelopment in Columbia Heights, home to GALA Hispanic Theater, and Stanton Commons, a community center in Anacostia that houses Martha's Table and Community of Hope. In addition, he won architectural awards for several of his multi-family communities.



Joe collaborated with and hired people who shared his commitment to the entire city, particularly Black people and their communities. He actively engaged in social causes, especially education. He served on Boards of the Higher Achievement Program, Live It Learn It, the DC Public Charter School, The Black Student Fund, Washington Middle School for Girls, and his beloved Mount Saint Mary's College, where he majored in History and nurtured his life-long passion for writing with a column called "Good Morning with Joe Horning."



Joe loved his city and its people. He was a man of humility and vision whose compassion guided his commitment to better the lives of his fellow Washingtonians, especially those less fortunate than himself. One family friend said, "Joe walked the talk," caring for his city by investing in neglected neighborhoods, helping bring supermarkets to food deserts, contributing generously of his time and resources to a wide range of organizations, and regularly stopping on his daily walking commute to pick up litter.



Joe and his wife, Lynne, were celebrated as Washingtonians of the Year in 2002 for their active engagement in causes related to social justice, education, and the arts. In 2005, they were recognized by the Washington Interfaith Conference for their dedication to community service.



Joe was a spiritual man grounded in his love of family â€" his greatest pleasure being the "quality time" of a shared meal and the lively conversation that ensued. He was a passionate fan - of the Washington Senators, the Nationals, the Georgetown Hoyas, and any athletic contest, play or concert his children and grandchildren participated in. Joe enjoyed walking the city's neighborhoods, admiring diverse architectural styles and the landscape of trees â€" aesthetic sensitivities that he brought to his development projects.



Joe expressed his gratitude each day for those he loved and who loved him. A man of strong opinions, he valued relationships and worked hard to understand and appreciate the views of others. He had a strong faith born of his Irish Catholic heritage. Joe Horning departed his life with grace and gratitude, having shared his sense of place and deep love for Washington, DC, with so many.



He is survived by his wife, Lynne, and a large family, including his children and their spouses: Joseph Horning III and Fiona Lovell Horning, Missy and Mike Young, Andrew and Genny Horning, John Horning and Terry Flanagan and nine grandchildren, Finn and Wiley Horning, Campbell and MacKenzie Horning, Reed and Brendan Young, Tristan and Nicholas Bruck, and Noah Horning.



A service of remembrance is planned for Friday, February 9, 2024, at 1 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.



In lieu of flowers, Joe would want us all to show up, get involved in our communities, and be generous.