D.C. plans to revitalize downtown with new hubs and green spaces
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Renderings courtesy of the Downtown Action Plan report
D.C. is rethinking downtown with a plan to invest $400 million over five fiscal years and create new districts dedicated to culture, universities, and green spaces.
Why it matters: D.C.'s Downtown Action Plan aims to build up the residential base downtown, and look beyond Capital One Arena if the Capitals and Wizards do leave the city.
State of play: The 42-page plan, released yesterday, includes the first concrete proposals coming from downtown groups after a long process.
- It aims to follow through on Mayor Muriel Bowser's year-old "comeback plan" to grow downtown's population by 15,000 people — emphasizing restoring public safety and improving the pedestrian experience.
Among the proposals:
- More space for festivals and pedestrians in Penn Quarter/Chinatown.
- A lush green boulevard for I Street north of the White House, with wider sidewalks on Connecticut and Vermont avenues.
- A new entertainment venue (not yet determined) to anchor a new entertainment and cultural district in Downtown West, roughly between the nightlife area of Dupont Circle and Midtown Center on M and 15th streets.
- Building on GW University's presence, Pennsylvania Avenue west of the White House would be labeled as a district for higher education, tech, and policy groups.
The big picture: Downtown's annual tax revenue is down by $240 million since 2019, according to city stats.
- The plan calls for $401 million invested into downtown, starting with $39 million in the next fiscal year.
- "It will only get worse if we don't intervene," said Gerren Price, head of the Downtown Business Improvement District, at the plan's unveiling.
What's ahead: The plan document has the stamp of support from Bowser, which makes it likely that in her next budget she will adopt the proposed downtown investments.
- But the $400 million proposal will also need approval from council members who must balance helping downtown's economy alongside housing, education, and social services programs.