Events aren’t successful on their own. Someone has to do the hard work of getting the event publicity in the newspapers and on television. That's the job of Jim Byers, who lives on 37th Place SE in Ward Seven’s Fort DuPont Park neighborhood. Not only does he have a lovely house outside, but the inside is full of collectibles and mementoes of his busy, varied life.

After living in the Hillcrest area for over six years, Byers just moved to the Fort DuPont area in 2004.                 “It’s important for people throughout the region to be reminded how many great residential areas there are in southeast," says the new homeowner. "This section of the Fort DuPont Park neighborhood took shape in the late 1950s, not long after this portion of Massachusetts Avenue was first paved!”  As more and more homebuyers rediscover the quiet charms of Southeast, home prices have increased dramatically.  “I paid just over $250,000 for this brick rambler in 2003, and it was recently appraised for more than $520,000,”Byers adds as an example.

Built in 1962 on a corner lot nestled between Fort DuPont Park and Pope Branch Park, Byers’ home sits on a hill affording multi-season views of the Capital Dome and the Washington Monument.  “I can see most of the fireworks from my back yard above the summer foliage,” he adds.

Prior to moving to Fort Dupont, the 38-year-old Northern Virginia-raised resident was an elected ANC Commissioner in Ward 7's Hillcrest neighborhood. There, he worked with other young, professional residents to illuminate the socio-economic diversity to be found in some Southeast neighborhoods.  The group garnered feature articles in the Washington City Paper, The Washington Post and Washington Times, as well as on TV channels WUSA TV 9, WTTG Fox 5 and WRC TV 4.  Their work is credited with helping in the effort to spur long-stalled economic development interest in Ward 7, including current plans for a new Target store in long-neglected Skyland Shopping Center.

Now Byers wants to show the world that Fort Dupont is another southeast neighborhood that makes a great home.

Byers' taste runs to a clean, airy ‘Mid-Century Modern’ look, mixing 1950’s and contemporary furniture.  “I found my vintage barrel chairs and floor lamps at Eastern Market, and the new mahogany and leather bench at  Vastu on 14th St.. I am using mellow greens in the living room, Ralph Lauren’s Willow Hedge, and Oatlands Gold Buff from Lowe’s. It was nice to start fresh with a ‘new’ house.  I’ve added a new roof, a new air conditioning and heating system, and a new bathroom that my father helped install. I am working on decorating my full basement. I am almost getting there.”

Beyond the paint and furniture, the interior of the house is decorated with diverse touches, from bold contemporary artwork to classic photographs. The success of the design reflects Byers' own intensely varied interests.

Byers has worked as Marketing Director for Arlington Cultural Affairs Division since 1996, where he provides marketing assistance for over 30 theatre, music and dance organizations supported through Arlington County’s ‘Arts Incubator.’ The Arts Incubator is the first arts program ever to win Harvard University’s Innovations in American Government Award, and Byers promotes and helps program such   County-sponsored activities as the Rosslyn Jazz Festival and the Arts al Fresco Outdoor Concert Series. He also works as a freelance arts marketing consultant, with clients such as the Maryland State Arts Council and DC’s Reel Affirmations Gay/Lesbian Film Festival.

And if this isn’t enough, you might know Byers' voice from the radio. If you like Latin music, you know he is on air every Friday evening from 9-10 PM. Using his collection of more than 10,000 vintage Latin-jazz recordings, Byers hosts WPFW 89.3 FM’s “Latin Flavor/Classic Friday Edition." The jazz connoisseur was called “a rare creative gem on local airwaves” by Washington Post radio critic and columnist Marc Fisher.  He is one of several national authorities interviewed for the fall, 2005 BET cable TV documentary on jazz, "Pasos Latinos: a Mambo-mentary."

Byers also enjoys and studies other mid-century popular music genres.  In his collecting music, he ran across  the story of vocalist Joyce Bryant, America’s first dark-skinned African-American love goddess, known in the early 1950’s for her 5-octave voice, metallic silver hair and skin-tight gowns. Byers first began work on a documentary film about Joyce Bryant, but found it impossible to find vintage film clips.  He is now focusing on a book as authorized biographer for Bryant. “Bryant is especially powerful because it speaks to our capacity to re-invent ourselves.  She  left a stellar pop music career for religion in 1955, only to re-emerge as a starring classical vocalist  under contract to New York City Opera in the mid to late-1960’s,”Byers said. 

All of these passions are reflected in the accoutrements of the Byers house. And the final, perfect detail? Some days you may spot an impeccably restored 1960 Imperial LeBaron hardtop sedan or a 1970 Chrysler 300 convertible parked outside. On top of all his other passions, this contemporary renaissance man is also president of the Baltimore/DC region of Lambda Car Club International, the largest National organization for Gay and Lesbian automobile hobbyists.