Southwest Waterfront
Plans are underway to redevelop the neighborhood that stretches along the Potomac River from the Maine Street Fish Wharf to Ft. McNair. The waterfront area is currently home to Arena Stage, Capital Yacht Clubs and Gangplank Marinas, several restaurants and a few nightclubs. Urban renewal plans will create a mixed-use riverfront community with restaurants, shops, condominiums, hotels, marinas, a waterfront park, and an expanded riverfront promenade with public access to the water.
Anacostia Waterfront
Redevelopment of this part of Washington DC began with the building of Washington’s baseball stadium, Nationals Park, in 2008. New housing, office space, retail space, hotels and restaurants have been built and more are expected to be added in the coming years. The area continues to be revitalized although the progress has been slower than anticipated due to the national economic crisis. Capitol Riverfront is a vibrant mixed-use riverfront community that is located along the Anacostia River near the Navy Yard.
NoMa - North of Massachusetts Avenue
The opening of the New York Avenue Metro station in 2004 sparked the improvement of NoMa, the Washington, DC, neighborhood located just north of the U.S. Capitol and Union Station. Private developers have invested over $3 billion and built over 15.7 million SF of office, residential, hotel, and retail space in the 35-block NoMa area. The neighborhood now boasts a daytime population of 40,000; more than 2,800 residential units are either occupied or under construction. Future development plans will bring an additional 16 million SF of office, hotel, residential and retail space to the NoMa area.
H Street
The redevelopment of this neighborhood was kicked-off with the opening of the Atlas Performing Arts Center, an art-deco 1930s movie theater that was converted into an arts complex with multiple theaters and dance spaces. The vibrant community along H Street is an arts and entertainment district with unique bars, restaurants and shops. Many redevelopment projects are still underway. The installation of a streetcar (expected to begin operating in 2012) will make the area more accessible.
Penn Quarter
This Downtown DC neighborhood began its revitalization in 1997 with the construction of Washington’s entertainment area, the MCI Center” (now the Verizon Center). The neighborhood, with its prime location near the Washington Convention Center and Chinatown, attracts tourists and locals to explore its museums, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, art galleries, theaters and trendy stores. The area continues to grow and has become an entertainment hot spot in the city.
Columbia Heights
This neighborhood was destroyed in the 1968 riots that followed Martin Luther King Jr.‘s assassination. The area had many abandoned homes and shops but has dramatically changed in the past decade. In 2008, DC USA, a 546,000 square-foot retail complex, opened with major retailers such as Target, Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond and Washington Sports Club. There are several restaurants and an underground parking garage. The community is made up a diverse population and is still undergoing many changes.
See also, Washington DC Construction Update to learn about major construction projects that are currently underway.
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