D.C. floats a downtown wellness district and international food hall
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Downtown D.C.'s next chapter could include a wellness district, an international food hall and a transportation loop for tourists.
Why it matters: The plans build on Mayor Muriel Bowser's 2024 downtown revitalization plan — but will be up to a new mayor to carry out.
Driving the news: City officials announced new neighborhood-level proposals at a conference last week.
Zoom in: The Golden Triangle BID is eyeing a five-block area near Dupont Circle with a high concentration of old office buildings, making it prime for redevelopment into parks, housing or grocery stores.
- Also proposed: A wellness district featuring a luxury wellness hotel, a destination fitness center or spaces for medical innovation to build on the area's high concentration of medical sites.
- Another idea: An international food hall called the World Table, which would be a global food market and event space.
Meanwhile: Downtown's transportation network could get updates too, making it better suited to a place where people live, not just commute.
- Think: tech that could communicate curbside parking and delivery rules to drivers, as well as help drivers find and reserve parking spots.
- Also floated: a hop-on, hop-off transportation loop connecting the National Mall and downtown, with the goal of coaxing tourists to spend time downtown.
Plus: Plans to reshape Southwest D.C. are moving forward.
- Deputy Mayor Nina Albert previously told Axios she wants to transform the area into three neighborhoods focused on housing, culture and offices.
- A master plan is now in development, with an early version expected next year, reports BisNow.
- And officials at the conference said they want D.C. and the feds to identify federal properties for potential disposal within the next two years.
What else: Officials said new drawings of the Pennsylvania Avenue overhaul are expected by the end of this year, with a finished plan anticipated by 2027.
Reality check: Many of the ideas discussed at the conference weren't new, and several still lack concrete plans, funding or timelines.
- Previous proposals include demolishing federal buildings such as the Forrestal Building, and making Gallery Place-Chinatown more pedestrian-friendly with a greater emphasis on its Chinese heritage.
What we're watching: Much of the redevelopment will depend on the new mayor and congressional delegate working with the federal government to turn the proposals into reality.