Axios D.C.

March 06, 2025
Happy Thursday.
⛅️ Today's weather: Partly sunny. High of 50.
🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios D.C. member Anne Dow!
Today's newsletter is 913 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: Federal real estate whiplash
New Trump administration moves to shrink the federal footprint are creating whiplash in an already confused and scrambling Washington.
Why it matters: The administration's push to sell government buildings and end government leases could disproportionately affect Washington's economy.
- Stunning stat: The federal government owns or leases a third of D.C.'s office space.
The directives are also causing chaos among stressed federal workers — some of whom are being told they must work in office, but also that their agencies' leases are being terminated.
The latest: The General Services Administration (GSA) on Tuesday announced that hundreds of federal buildings were for sale, with about a third concentrated in the DMV.
- The list featured about 17 million square feet of D.C. property, including well-known sites like the Justice Department's headquarters and the Department of Agriculture's building near the National Mall.

But then the GSA seemed to shift course: Later that day, all of the D.C. properties, and many in Virginia and Maryland, had been removed from its list.
- And by Wednesday, the entire list had been removed from GSA's website.
- GSA plans to republish the list after it evaluates the "overwhelming amount of interest" it received in the targeted properties, it said in a release shared with Axios.
Meanwhile, a GSA representative didn't show for a Congressional hearing on federal buildings Wednesday.
- Several members of Congress expressed concern about how quickly GSA is targeting buildings for disposal, as well as what they see as a lack of communication from GSA.
- Many said they'd found out that important civic buildings in their districts had been targeted via the news or word of mouth.
Plus: Elon Musk's DOGE is working to slash government leases.
- Agencies have until mid-April to submit plans for moving D.C.-area offices to less expensive parts of the country, and to identify properties that can have their leases terminated.
- And DOGE says they've already terminated or let expire several government leases around the region, according to a list published by the group. They include a Department of Homeland Security office in Arlington and a Bureau of Labor Statistics site in D.C.
👀 Some area landlords reported receiving termination notices even though contractually their leases can't be cut at this time, Washington Business Journal reports.
2. Exclusive: Hot new restaurants debut at this fest
Long-running food festival New Kitchens on the Block is back, and the preview party for upcoming DMV bars and restaurants is as exciting as ever.
Why it matters: NKOTB is a rare chance to try local businesses before they open — some from star chefs and others from rising talents you should know.
How it works: Co-founders Al Goldberg of Mess Hall — which hosts the Saturday, April 26 event — and food writer Nevin Martell curate a lineup of forthcoming bars and restaurants for their 11th festival. Some will open soon, others are still searching for spaces.
- Guests will sample food and drinks from nearly a dozen vendors. Limited early-bird passes (starting at $99 or $139 VIP) are now available via Eventbrite.

We got an exclusive sneak peek at who's coming.
Marcus DC, a seafood-focused brasserie from celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson (Harlem's Red Rooster), is opening by Union Market. ETA: Spring
- Samuelsson, an Ethiopian-born, Swedish-American chef, has taken over three venues in The Morrow Hotel (deets coming soon). The brasserie will serve global fin fare—raw, cured, and dry-aged—plus steaks and comfort food classics.
Barbouzard, a French-Mediterranean restaurant helmed by chef Cedric Maupillier (ex-Convivial), is opening near Farragut Square. ETA: Spring/Summer.
3. 🗣️ D.C.'s melting pot of languages

President Trump on Saturday issued an executive order declaring English the official language of the United States, but the U.S. is a "melting pot" of languages spoken.
Zoom in: Nearly 20% of the D.C. population spoke a language other than English at home.
- 8.7% spoke Spanish, while 2% spoke French.
4. Around the Beltway: WorldPride's musical headliner
💰 As D.C. braces for budget cuts, Mayor Bowser is proposing increasing funding for schools, hoping it will keep residents from moving out of the city. Her proposal would spend $2.9 billion on public schools, up $123 million from this year's budget. (Washington Post)
📍 D.C. is planning a job fair for civil servants looking for new jobs amid federal cuts and threats of layoffs. The event will be at Gallaudet University on March 14. (WTOP)
🎤 Cynthia Erivo, the star of "Wicked," will headline WorldPride DC's festival on Saturday, June 7 on Pennsylvania Avenue. (NBC4)
❌ Broadway musical "Hamilton" canceled plans to bring the show to the Kennedy Center next year after Trump's takeover. (AP)
New jobs to check out
🏛️ See who's hiring around D.C.
- Retail Associate at Washington Nationals.
- Officer, Clean Energy Policy at Pew Charitable Trusts.
- Director of Infrastructure, Energy and Permitting at Arnold Ventures.
- Director, Legislative Affairs at NACWA.
- Director of Marketing & Communications at Indiana University Hamilton Lugar School.
Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.
Hiring? Post a Job.
5. 🚘 MD drivers register cars in cheaper VA
Maryland is laying the horn on residents registering their cars in Virginia, where insurance and fees are less expensive.
Why it matters: Maryland says it loses millions of dollars in revenue, but there's little the state can do to go after the vehicle owners, the Baltimore Banner reports.
By the numbers: Virginia notified Maryland about 107,000 vehicles registered in Virginia but tied to an address in Maryland, according to a Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration report last June.
- The MVA whittled the list down to 46,000 people whose vehicles were previously registered in Maryland. About 30% of the vehicles were linked to neighboring Prince George's County.
Context: A Virginia loophole had allowed drivers to register their car in the state without insurance by paying a one-time fee. Lawmakers closed the long-exploited provision last July.
Between the lines: Maryland is in a budget crunch, so it needs every dollar.
What we're watching: Maryland House lawmakers want to pass a law allowing the city to tow or impound such vehicles.
❤️ Anna is aware that D.C.'s pandas are stars, but her energy is currently aligned with Sherman the screaming hairy armadillo (he's adorbs).
📺 Cuneyt is watching "White Lotus."
🐶 Mimi is looking for doggie daycare suggestions now that Bark Social is no longer with us (RIP 🙏🏻). Anyone have good recs for a local spot where the dogs actually play outside?
Want more Axios D.C. content? Check out our Instagram for extra stuff to do, behind-the-scenes photos, videos and more!
Today's newsletter was edited by Alexa Mencia Orozco.
Sign up for Axios D.C.







