Washington is on the brink of significant advancements in several major development projects this year, reflecting the city’s vibrant real estate landscape, which has experienced substantial growth totaling $81.6 billion in new initiatives since 2000. For commuters navigating through construction disruptions, keeping abreast of ongoing and upcoming developments is essential.

Below are the latest developments on several projects to be expected:

11th Street Bridge Park

• A $92 million park, in development for ten years, will start construction this summer and finish by 2026. Spanning the Anacostia River, it connects neighborhoods with an X-shaped design, offering amenities like an amphitheater, cafe, trails, and spaces for recreation.

The Bridge District

• In early next year, Ward 8’s 8-acre development, The Douglass, will offer over 750 rental units and a large Atlas Brew Works outpost. The project’s second phase, starting later this year, will include 635 residential units and short-term lodging. Additionally, plans for the National Campus for Cyber Leadership for cybersecurity research and training are in the works.

Buzzard Point

In the busy area of Washington, D.C. between Navy Yard and The Wharf, there are a lot of new things being built. Audi Field and The Point restaurant are already there, and there are more new projects on the way.

• Vermeer, a mixed-use community with 501 residential units and 38,000 square feet of retail space, is set to open this year. 45 Q will feature 64 residential units and a Moxy hotel. The Stacks, a vast development including mixed-use spaces, hotels, offices, and green areas, will see phase one completion next year, followed by phase two in 2028.
• Parcel B, another mixed-use community opening next year, will offer affordable senior housing, along with amenities like the Brooklyn Bowl and a Volunteers of America headquarters.

Potomac Yard

• If the arena relocation from D.C. to Alexandria occurs, by 2028, a 70-acre development will house the Wizards and Caps, Monumental Sports’ HQ, a performing arts venue, parking, retail, and residences. Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus begins with an 11-story building this year, and an Inova healthcare facility opens alongside multifamily housing and retail in the Oakville Triangle area.

Reservoir District

• Despite opposition, the McMillan Sand Filtration site near Bloomingdale is becoming the Reservoir District, a mixed-use community. It will include apartments, townhomes, retail, restaurants, a grocery store, a community center with a pool, six acres of green space, and the McMillan Center for Health & Research.
• Historic elements of the site, like filter beds and filtration silos, will also be retained.
• EYA, one of the developers, anticipates delivering some townhomes this year, with the grocery store and restaurants likely to follow by 2026.

St Elizabeth Campus

• The 183-acre former St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast now hosts the Entertainment and Sports arena and a new Whitman-Walker health center.
• A $375 million GW Health hospital is set to open this year, and plans for the Sycamore & Oak mixed-use development, led by the Emerson Collective, include a chef-in-residence program and a variety of amenities such as affordable housing, a hotel, offices, and retail spaces.

Upton Place

• The former Fannie Mae office space near City Ridge on Wisconsin Avenue has been redeveloped into a four-acre site, offering almost 700 apartment units and over 100,000 square feet of retail space. Aimco, one of the developers, has confirmed that Onelife Fitness will open in April, followed by the arrival of a Lidl store in May.

Source: Montgomery, M. (2024, January 9). Development projects to watch in the D.C. area in 2024 – Axios … Development projects in the D.C. area to watch in 2024. https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/01/09/development-projects-dc-2024