The Promise of

Anacostia

A look at the past, present, and future of Washington, DCs

most undervalued asset

2 Advance

Anacostia is the next big thingor at least that has been

a second look, and now is the time to re-learn what the

the rumor for the last twenty-five years, as developers and

neighborhood was, is, and promises to become.

the government have passed it by to focus their efforts

elsewhere. Long the stepchild of a region that prides itself

Long history

on its historic and cultural attractions, the once-thriving

Anacostia has had two major phases of development. The

Anacostia neighborhood has suffered in recent decades

first, which began in 1854, was the Union Land Companys

under bad pressbeing categorically lumped together with

development of the Uniontown neighborhood just across

every other neighborhood east of the Anacostia Riveras

the Anacostia River from Washingtons Navy Yard. The

well as by its physical separation from the downtown core,

area was advertised for its easy access to downtown

courtesy of its riparian namesake as well as the system of

Washington, as well as for its affordability to blue collar

highways along the river built in the mid-20th century. But

workers at the Navy Yard. Often called Washingtons first

although it may have been easy to casually forget about

suburb, Uniontown developed at a lower density than

that part of the city until now, the veil over Anacostia is finally

other areas in the city and still boasts most of its original

lifting. Millions of square feet of office and retail development,

Italianate, Queen Anne, and cottage-style homes.

thousands of new residential units, and major infrastructure

changes and improvements are either under construction or

By the outbreak of the Civil War, however, Uniontown

planned in Anacostia. With every development parcel in the

had experienced little growth due to reduced hiring by

Ballpark District now claimed, the region is beginning to look

the Navy Yard and other nearby employers, as well as

toward this high-potential neighborhood. Its easy highway

the sale of low cost properties in Washington City. By the

access, close proximity to Capitol Hill and Downtown,

late 1870s, the Union Land Company had failed and John

and excesses of developable land are finally being given

Van Hook, one of the companys founders, was forced

Anacostia Gateway
Looking north toward the Navy
Yard, the photographer stood at
the current location of Anacostia
Gateway. In the forefront is the
Navy Yard Bridge, since realigned
as the 11th Street Bridges.

Advance 3

Inside Anacostia
to sell his grand home, Cedar Hill, due to foreclosure.

Good Hope Road

Frederick Douglass, Anacostias most well-known resident,

Good Hope Road, the oldest road east from the Anacostia

purchased Cedar Hill in 1877.

River, travels from the rivers edge uphill where it

ends at its intersection with Naylor Road and Alabama

Development soon came to either side of Uniontown, in

the neighborhoods of Barry
Farmthe first residential

Avenue. The corridor is bookended by the Gateway area

and Poplar Point at its

Anacostia today

westernmost end, and by

community developed

At present, Anacostia is a study in contrasts. Known

the Skyland Town Center

specifically for African

for its beautifully-restored homes as much as for its

redevelopment in the

Americans, Fairlawn,

empty storefronts, the neighborhood is on the verge of

east. Where Good Hope

Randle Highlands, and

a magnitude of changes that will bring new residents,

runs through Anacostia,

Congress Heightshome

more daytime employees, as well as millions of square

it is characterized by one

to the St. Elizabeths

feet of new development. In the meantime, however, it

to two-story commercial

Hospital campus.

bears more resemblance to small-town America than it

buildings, and gradually

does to the metropolis it sits in the middle of, and is often

transitions to both single

However, despite the

negatively associated with neighborhoods further towards

and multi-family residential

proximity of Anacostia to

the citys Southeastern and Northeastern boundaries.

outside of Anacostia.

downtown Washington,

Although much of the Anacostia neighborhood is part of

Recent developments along

it was the areas natural

a historic district, the area as a whole is developing as an

Good Hope Road include

and man-made boundaries

eclectic mix of old and new, traditional and avant-garde, all

the Homes at Woodmont,

that excluded it from ever

with the subtle understanding that what it looks like now is

an enclave of 35 high

receiving the same kind of

far removed from how it will appear with each coming year.

end single-family houses,

and the new Anacostia

development attention as
neighborhoods to its north and west.

Neighborhood Library, which is expected to deliver in 2010.

The areas second major era of development came

Gateway

at the end of World War II, during which time the

The Gateway is located just across the 11th Street

population of Far Southeast doubled. With its

Bridges from the Navy Yard and Barracks Row area

abundance of cheap land, the Anacostia area was

of Capitol Hill. Although two projects have already

targeted for most of the citys low-income apartment

branded themselves with the Gateway moniker, the

projects. By the 1950s, what was once a mostly

area is defined as the redevelopment zone within one

homeowner population fast became one dominated

block of the intersection of Martin Luther King Avenue

by the citys poor. The 1950s saw the construction

and Good Hope Road just at the foot of the bridge. The

of the Suitland Parkway through Barry Farm and the

Gateway area benefits from its direct access to I-395 via

Anacostia Freeway along the river, which to this day

the adjacent 11th Street Bridges, as well as its location

represent significant physical and psychological barriers

within one block of the Anacostia waterfront and Poplar

to Anacostias integration with the rest of the city. The

Point development.

combination of 1960s FHA loans that covered up to 90

percent of the development cost of apartment projects

Martin Luther King Avenue

and the early 1970s rezoning of roughly 75 percent of

Long the primary commercial main street of Far Southeast,

the land in the area for apartments also considerably

the east side Martin Luther King Ave is still characterized

changed the character and quality of Anacostia.

by mostly low-rise buildings, most of which are protected

under the Anacostia Historic District. However, the west

4 Advance

Nationals Park

Washington
Navy Yard

Anacostia River
SC

api
tol

Downtown
Anacostia

Anacostia
Park

295

Gateway

St S
W

Fort McNair

Poplar Point
ANACOSTIA
Anacostia
Metro Station Area

Anacostia
Historic District

Pen
ns y

295

ta
so
ne
Min

e
Av

SE

FA I R L AW N

Go

od

Ho
pe

Rd
S

MLK Jr Ave SE

Anacostia Naval
Station

25th St SE

BUENA
V I S TA

St. Elizabeths

Highlighted on the left, Anacostia

is the oldest neighborhood east of
the Anacostia River, and benefits
from a convenient Metro station
and easy access to local and
regional highways.
.

B A R RY FA R M
295

lva
nia
Ave
SE

Skyland
Town Center

HILLCREST
Suitlan
d Pkwy SE

CONGRESS HEIGHTS

side of the street is home to acres of surface parking, as

well as the Anacostia Professional Building, a two-building
complex set back from the street between V and W Streets
SE. Most of the developable land along Martin Luther King
Avenue in Anacostia is owned by the Curtis Companies,
once a prominent furniture company. It was announced
in spring 2008 that Four Points LLC will be redeveloping
the Curtis Companies holdings along Martin Luther
King, which will total 1.6 million square feet of mixed-use
development over nine acres.
Anacostia Metro Station
The Anacostia Metro station is just one stop away from
the Ballpark district in the Near Southeast submarket

Anacostia by property type

Residential
As is the case in many areas of the country, residential
sales in the 20020 zip code, which encompasses Anacostia,
have dropped dramatically in the last year. Sales of both
condominiums and houses in the first quarter of 2008 fell
63 percent over last year, from 111 units to 40 units. More
dramatic has been the decline of condo sales, which dropped
from 78 units in the first quarter of last year to only 15 units
this year, a drop of nearly 81 percent. Largely ignoring the
slowdown in sales, developers continue to deliver more
condos, most of which are in the form of conversions from
existing multi-unit rental properties. Selling points often

The view toward downtown

Anacostia from V Street
shows the streets terminus
at the Anacostia Professional
Building. Slated for demolition
as part of the Four Points LLCs
mixed-use redevelopment and
complete reconfiguration of the
site, the class C office building
currently houses a collection of
non-profits, medical and local
government offices.

across the river. The station has two entrances: the

first, adjacent to a 1,133-space Metro parking garage,
opens directly into the future Poplar Point neighborhood,
while the second is located at the intersection of Martin
Luther King Avenue and Howard Road, an area also
planned for major new development as well as the
possible relocation site for the Washington Metro Area
Transit Authority (WMATA) headquarters. The Metro site
boasts easy access to the Southeast Freeway / I-295,
the Suitland Parkway, as well direct access to the future
light rail line originating at the station.

Advance 5

include views across downtown Washington, as well as

affordable luxury, where buyers are taking a hit, temporarily
at least, on neighborhood amenities while capitalizing on
large and finely detailed spaces while prices east of the
Anacostia River are still low.
But although prices east of the river are still lower
than in many other developing areas of the city, and
despite the slowdown in volume, home prices in and
around Anacostia continue to rise. In only a year, the
median sold-for price rose 33 percent, from $202,116 to
$269,333. Also on the rise are new home listings, which,
mostly in the form of condo-conversions, have continued
to hit the market. While only 40 homes sold in the first
quarter of 2008, 147 came to market.
Buyers in Anacostia are a mix of owner-occupiers and
investors. Drawn by its low prices and upside potential, the
neighborhood has seen an influx of young professionals
over the last five years. With major developments seemingly
sprouting up overnight in the Ballpark District across
the river, many see Anacostia as the natural next big
opportunity. Unfortunately, it is the investors that are doing
more to slow development than to support it. Anacostia
investors have trended more towards buying cheap, then
waiting for the next boom to happen before making any true
effort to make their properties presentable. In the last year,
however, the city has begun to tax vacant properties at a
much higher rate than others, finally giving wait-and-see
investors the incentive to either sell or develop.
Office
The Anacostia Commercial district is composed of
approximately 420,000 square feet of office space in 36
buildings. Defined mostly by small-scale older buildings,

Retail
Once known locally as the Southeast Shopping District,
the main streets of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther
King Avenue in Anacostia have suffered in recent decades
from an almost complete lack of investment by the retail
community. Home to only one chain store, a Subway
restaurant, the corridors are characterized mostly by service
retail, banks, and not-for-profit institutions. Most recently,
Industrial Bank has signed a lease for ground-level space
along Good Hope Road at the Anacostia Gateway Building.
The continued redevelopment and interest in Anacostia will
likely bring in a more diverse set of retailers. Four Points
LLC and Curtis Companies redevelopment of downtown
Anacostia is expected to bring 165,000 square feet of new
retail, which will include a grocery store and a movie theater.
In addition to their redevelopment plans for the north side of
the street, the partner companies hold a majority of the one
and two-story assets along Martin Luther King Avenue, and
are currently marketing the spaces in the hopes of bringing
in desirable retail before their flagship project delivers.

the neighborhoods only Class A building is the recently-

Infrastructure

completed Anacostia Gateway Building, which accounts

The approaches into Anacostia have never been

for 15 percent of the existing stock. Of the remainder of the

anything to celebrate. Long hidden behind aging

space, 38 percent is Class C and 47 percent is Class B.

infrastructure in the form of unimpressive bridges, an

Although the median rental rate is $26.50 per square foot

elevated freeway, and a maze of access ramps most

gross, the most recent transactions have been at Anacostia

of which were built in the height of the highways first

Gateway, which is asking $34.00 per square foot, triple net,

1960s, Anacostia is ripe for some significant pedestrian-

the equivalent of a high $40s full-service rent.

oriented and eye-catching changes.

The general land use plan for

Anacostias new downtown,
as proposed by Four Points
LLC. While still in the approval
process, the development
will transform this stretch of
Martin Luther King Avenue and
surrounding streets with:
855,000 square feet of office
500 residential units
165,000 square feet of retail
8-10 screen movie theater
Full-service grocery store

6 Advance

Anacostia Historic District

Frederick Douglas Bridge

Although its ultimate transformation wont be the first to deliver

One of Anacostias selling points is its historic district,

this side of the river, the South Capitol Street / Frederick

the neighborhood closest to the waterfront between the

Douglas Bridge is planned for a complete replacement. Given

South Capitol Street and 11th Street Bridges. One of

the status of one of DCs signature bridges, the span will

the Districts thirty-three designated historic districts, the

provide a new identity and sense of arrival for this part of the

Anacostia neighborhood is an eclectic mix of brightly-

city. Although interim repairs and pedestrian improvements

colored townhouses, elaborately-detailed Queen Annes,

were completed in 2007, the replacement is not planned to

and Folk Victorian cottages, and has in recent years been

happen for at least another ten years.

given a greater set of resources for the preservation of

its historic assets. Last years completion of the National

11th Street bridges project

Park Services $2.7 million restoration of Frederick

The 11th Street Bridges serve as the northern gateway

Douglas Cedar Hill estate, which sits atop a hill in the

into Anacostia. The current configuration connects 395 and

center of Anacostia and averages over 42,000 visitors

points west with Anacostia, but also includes ramps on to

annually, serves as an inspiration for homeowners in the

295 / Southeast freeway. Because of capacity constraints

surrounding blocks, many of which have a view of the

as a result of commuters traveling towards Maryland, the

now-glowing manse. Additionally, the DC Office of Historic

bridges do more to serve those outside the city than they

Preservation set up a program last summer that provides

do the adjacent Anacostia and Capitol Hill neighborhoods.

grant money for historically-accurate exterior renovations

With construction imminent, the new spans will be divided

within the district. The first phase of the program awarded

in a commuter bridge and a local bridge, and will more

53 homeowners in the Anacostia Historic District a total

efficiently serve those coming into and out of Anacostia. At

of $900,000. The first restoration projects began in the

present, designers and engineers are working to decrease

summer of 2008.

Pictured below is a perfect

example of the contrast that still
exists in Anacostia between old
and new, worn and restored.
Many of the homes in the historic
district have benefited from the
citys Historic Homeowners Grant
Program which provided up to
$35,000 for historically accurate
exterior renovations and repairs.

Advance 7

the visual effects of the new bridges on Anacostia, and

are looking into burying its flyover overpass ramps
underground, thus giving the bridges a more urban and
pedestrian-friendly look and feel. The 11th Street Bridges
project is anticipated to begin in late 2009, although official
start and finish dates have not yet been set.
Streetcar demonstration project
On track to begin work this year is the Anacostia Streetcar
Demonstration Line, part of DCs drive to create transit
alternatives throughout otherwise underserved sections
of the city. First in line for the new above-ground light rail
system is the stretch between the Anacostia Metro Station,
the Navy Annex, and Bolling Air Force Base, with a later
phase planned to travel up Martin Luther King Avenue
through the center of Anacostia.
a general renewal of streetscapes that often define the
Great Streets

neighborhoods they are in.

Although it is the heavy infrastructure that will do most to

improve the commutes and driving times in and around

Parks

Anacostia, planned infrastructure improvements along

Anacostia is hemmed in to the north and east by parkland.

Anacostias main streets will do more to spruce up the

Located directly between the Southeast Freeway and

neighborhood and attract office and retail tenants, as well

the Anacostia River is the massive 1,200-acre Anacostia

as new residents to the area.

Park, home to sports fields, tennis courts, playgrounds,

picnic areas, and hundreds of acres dedicated to habitat

The District of Columbias Great Streets initiative was created

restoration and passive recreation. Anacostia Park is also

as a tool for stimulating economic development along some

adjacent to the Poplar Point development, which is to

of the citys struggling commercial corridors. The first street

include a 70-acre urban waterfront park.

transformed by the program was Barracks Row along 8th

Street SE on Capitol Hill, just across the 11th Street Bridges

To Anacostias east is Fort Stanton Park. Built in 1861

from Anacostia, where new sidewalks, streetlamps, and

as the first of approximately 64 forts surrounding the

trees revived an area than had long been home to vacant

city charged with defending the city from Confederate

storefronts and crumbling street infrastructure. Now a

attacks, the 367-acre park is part of a string of fort-

destination in its own right, the success of the Barracks Row

turned-parks lining the eastern edge of the city.

renovations have given steam to similar projects throughout

the city, including in and around Anacostia.

On a much smaller scale is Logan Park (also called

Old Market House Square), which is located along 14th

As part of the citys Great Streets program, Martin Luther

Street between U and V Streets in the heart of the historic

King Avenue, Good Hope Road, and Minnesota Avenue

district. Long the home of the Anacostia farmers market, a

will see major streetscape and pedestrian-friendly urban

neighboring church has raised over $1.5 million for the linear

design improvements in the coming years. The program

parks complete restoration, which will include an expanded

seeks to redesign neighborhood commercial corridors to

public plaza, as well as new lighting, seating and landscaping.

include wider brick sidewalks, new street furniture, and

A rendering of the proposed

streetscape improvements along
Martin Luther King Avenue
as part of the Great Streets
initiative. Intended as a way
to boost business intrest and
new investment in the Districts
commercial corridors, the
improvements will include new
and restored brick sidwalks, new
street trees and lighting, and a
more efficient parking system.

8 Advance

Despite giving it a much-needed

facelift in advance of the opening
of Nationals Park, the city is
planning to completely reorient
and replace the Frederick
Douglas Bridge in the next
decade.
Designed to become one of
Washingtons signature bridges,
it will provide a grand entrance to
Poplar point and the Anacostia
neighborhood.

Where will development thrive?

Short term
Over the next five years, growth will be most concentrated
at sites already slated for redevelopment. Because of
the tremendous effect that the Poplar Point development
is anticipated to have, the future of Anacostia will come
in two distinct stages: before Poplar Point delivers and
after Poplar Point delivers. The Gateway intersection of
Martin Luther King and Good Hope is likely to see the
most development in the next few years, as both the
Government Center and the planned Anacostia Square
mixed-use development get underway. It is expected that
the retail spaces on Good Hope and Martin Luther King
will fill in as more office workers and residents fill the site.
Additionally, development will concentrate around the
intersections of V and W Streets with Martin Luther King
Avenue with the Four Points and Curtis Companies
projects there. Known locally as downtown Anacostia,

these blocks are planned to become the most densely

built of any of the pre-Poplar Point neighborhood
redevelopment zones.
Long term
Over the next several years areas surrounding the
Anacostia Metro entrances will see the greatest
development. Because the blocks surrounding the station
are currently underutilized or vacant, it is likely that this will
become a hub of high-density development. Considered
a squeeze play based on its central location between
the redevelopment of Barry Farm, Poplar Point, Martin
Luther King Avenue, and Sheridan Terrace, as well as the
introduction of DCs first light rail system at the station and
the planned replacement of the Frederick Douglas / South
Capitol Street Bridge, the Anacostia Metro Station area
will become a natural center for communities east of the
Anacostia River.

Advance 9

Situated on the hill directly below

St. Elizabeths west campus,
Barry Farm is one of the citys
planned New Communities.
Heavily developed after World
War II as temporary housing for
returning veterans, the historic
community fell into disrepair
during years of neglect as
subsidized housing.
Total demolition and
redevelopment of the site will
yield 1,110 residential units, as
well as a new elementary school
and community recreation center.

New Development
Anacostia landowners have until recently taken a very
piecemeal, wait and see approach to development. While
the area has yet to see any distinct boom in construction
and development, the development boom just across the
river in the Ballpark District over the past three years has
proven a worthwhile incentive for property owners east of
the Anacostia River to either sell or develop their mostly
vacant and underutilized assets. At present, absentee
landlords present one of the largest threats to the further
redevelopment of the Anacostia business district.

Although most of the readily-developable land in Anacostia

has been spoken for, not all of it has a timeline for completion.
At Anacostias gateway at Good Hope and Martin Luther
King, Douglas Development / AEDCs Anacostia Square
development is a prominent example of the wait and see
approach. Situated on a full city block diagonally across from
AEDCs Anacostia Gateway building, Anacostia Square is
preliminarily advertised as a four-story 222,384 square foot
mixed-use development, comprising 20,000 square feet of
office, 40,000 square feet of retail and 80 condominiums. At
present, the project is going through the approvals process,
but no definitive timeline has been set.

The most striking new development to deliver was the

Anacostia Economic Development Corporations (AEDC)

The project that will most dramatically alter the landscape

63,000 square foot Anacostia Gateway Building. AEDCs

in Anacostia is Four Points LLC / Curtis Companies

building is leased to the DC Department of Housing and

redevelopment of nine acres of land along Martin Luther

Community Development, with move-in expected in early

King. The Curtis Companies has been holding and

2009. Adjacent to AEDCs site will be the DC Governments

acquiring the land since the 1920s, when they set up shop

350,000 square foot Anacostia Gateway Government

in downtown Anacostia as a furniture dealer. Located along

Center, which is currently out for construction bids.

this stretch is the landmark Big Chair, a 20-foot tall dining

chair that was once used to advertise the companys wares.

On the residential side, Four Points LLC was recently

Situated across from the historic Anacostia neighborhood,

approved to build a 40-unit townhouse and condominium

the site will play an important role in the revitalization of

project on W Street between Martin Luther King and 13th

the area through the development and rehabilitation of

Street. The first new-construction residential development of

1.5 million square feet of mixed-use buildings, including

any magnitude in the Anacostia Historic District in over half

new retail, housing, and office uses. Planned for

a century, the project will do much to transform the block,

development in two phases, the project is currently in the

which is now used as overflow parking for a nearby church.

Planned Unit Development (PUD) process with the citys

10 Advance

The first all-new multifamily

residential project to hit
Anacostia will be Four Points
LLCs development of 40
condominiums at the corner of W
and 13th Streets.

zoning commission. Included in the site is the Anacostia

St. Elizabeths

Professional Building, a two-building 84,000 square foot

Encompassing 336 acres on both sides of Martin Luther King

complex of Class C offices that will be replaced in phase two.

Avenue, the St. Elizabeths campus is just up the hill from

Anacostia in Congress Heights, and represents a remarkable

Poplar Point

opportunity to bring thousands of new employees and residents

In January 2008 Clark Realty Capital was awarded

east of the Anacostia River. Plans are underway for the West

master development rights to Poplar Point, the 110-acre

Campus of the historic hospital grounds overlooking the federal

triangle of land just between downtown Anacostia and the

city to be restored and redeveloped into the consolidated

river. Currently home to a variety of National Park Service

headquarters for both the Department of Homeland Security and

and police headquarter buildings, as well as access

the Coast Guard, and for the East Campus to be redeveloped

ramps for the South Capitol Street / Frederick Douglas

into a mixed-use residential, retail, and commercial center.

Bridge that will eventually be realigned into a traffic circle,

the parcel represents the largest development opportunity

Because of the campus status as a national historic landmark

in the citys history. Tasked with bringing Anacostia back

and its very visible location atop a hill overlooking the federal city,

to its waterfront, the Clark team became the favorite of

a variety of planning agencies have criticized the GSAs intent to

a handful of competing development groups when they

develop up to 6.3 million on the 176-acre West Campus. In an

unveiled their plan to build a deck over the Southeast

effort to reduce negative impact of new construction on the site

freeway, essentially erasing the barrier that has for half a

and to disperse the economic benefits of the 14,000 employees

century serves as a wall between the heart of Anacostia

expected to work at the federal complex, the National Capital

and its greatest asset.

Planning Commission and the DC Office of Planning have

teamed up to offer sections of the East Campus as a secondary

Although still very much in the planning stages, Clark

location for DHSs necessary office space. Construction and

intends to build approximately six million square feet

renovation of the site is expected to be completed in three

at the site, with a mix of office, residential, retail, and

phases over 12 years, beginning with a new Coast Guard

recreation. The Preserve, a 70-acre park at the

headquarters, and is projected to cost $4.1 billion.

developments center, will restore now-contaminated

wetlands, as well as serve as the hub of what many

Whats nearby

expect to become one of Washingtons landmark

Close-in or comparable areas to Anacostia

waterfront destinations.

The grand plans and considerable transformation of Anacostia

is similar to the redevelopment of other DC neighborhoods.

Urban-City Ventures LLC owns an additional ten acres

Although notable for its location across the Anacostia River, its

on Poplar Point along Howard Road, and is working with

revival is comparable to that of the

both Clark and the city to plan their three million square

Capitol Riverfront and the Southwest Waterfront in both regional

feet of allowable development on the site.

perception and pure magnitude of new construction.

Designed to compliment the

historic housing stock in the
neighborhood, the project will be
built as a mix of 3 and 4-story
townhomes. Groundbreaking is
scheduled for the first half of 2009.

Advance 11

The site that changes everything

Poplar Point will create an
entirely new destination on
the Anacostia waterfront. The
120-acre site is expected to be
developed with upwards of nine
million square feet of offices,
retail, residential, and cultural
uses, and is required to include
70 acres of parkland for both
active and passive recreation.

Capitol Riverfront

Southwest Waterfront

The Capitol Riverfront (also called the Ballpark District,

The Southwest waterfront neighborhood, the area

Navy Yard, and Near Southeast) is located directly across

surrounding the Washington Channel across from Hains

the river from Anacostia, and is home to the Washington

Point was one of the citys first major redevelopment

Nationals new baseball stadium, which opened in April

areas. Bordered by the imposing LEnfant Plaza area

2008. Long known only for its blocks of public housing and

to its north, the neighborhood is known for its mid-

industrial waterfront, the neighborhood has seen a massive

century modern architecture and largely underutilized

transformation over the last five years. When fully built out,

and unimpressive waterfront. Dominated by federal

Capitol Riverfront is expected to include 12 to 15 million

government tenants, this Southwest enclave lacks the kind

square feet of office space, 9,000 residential units, over

of retail and entertainment to attract workers to stay in the

1,200 hotel rooms, 800,000 square feet of retail, and four

neighborhood past five oclock, as well as attract others

public parks. Most likely to define the neighborhood in the

currently put off by the neighborhoods empty sidewalks

next few years is Forest Citys The Yards project, which

and uninviting landscape. The city is currently making

is the redevelopment of the western half of the Navy Yard,

plans with private developers to remake the waterfront

and will be characterized by its mix of 19th century industrial

area into a vibrant mixed-use destination that takes

buildings and modern structures, all nestled against the

much better advantage of its channel-side location and

Anacostia River and a new destination waterfront park.

views over the river. Designed after the highly-successful

National Harbor development in Prince Georges County,
the current plans call for 767 residential units, 400,000
square feet of office space, 280,000 square feet of retail,

12 Advance

and 675 hotel rooms. Also under construction is the

redevelopment of the old Waterside Mall into Waterfront,
a 2.5 million square feet office, residential and retail project
surrounding the green lines Waterfront Metro station.
NoMa
NoMa, the 35-block neighborhood in Northeast Washington
between Union Station and New York Avenue, was until
the last few years home only to industrial warehouses
and distribution lots that once served Union Station. The
construction of the New York Avenue metro station along
NoMas eastern edge in 2004 proved a major incentive for
the neighborhoods resurgence.
At present, NoMas development pipeline includes over
20 million square feet of new office, residential, retail, and
hotel space. NoMa is home to the headquarters of both XM
Satelite Radio and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms, as well as the future headquarters for National
Public Radio and a branch of the U.S. Department of Justice.
A Business Improvement District (BID) was approved for the
neighborhood in March of 2007.
Skyland Town Center

Located at the southern crest of Good Hope Road

overlooking the city, Skyland is currently home to a
jumble of parking lots, stand-alone retail stores, and
aging strip malls. However, plans are underway for the
18.5-acre site to be completely redeveloped into a mixeduse residential and retail destination. Lead developer
The Rappaport Companies has teamed up with local
design firm Torti Gallas and Partners, whose portfolio
includes Bethesda Row, the Village at Shirlington,
CityVista, and the upcoming Poplar Point development.
The development, re-branded as Skyland Town Center,
will be situated along a new main street, and will feature
280,000 square feet of retail with structured parking, 475
residential units, and a town square.
Barry Farm

Located directly west of the Anacostia Metro Station

and directly east of the St. Elizabeths campus, the 37acre Barry Farm neighborhood is part of the Districts
New Communities initiative, which exists to redevelop

troubled public housing projects into healthier mixeduse, mixed-income communities. The plan seeks to
improve the communitys public facilities, access to
commercial and retail opportunities, urban design,
parks and open space and transportation system, and
will include a total of 1,110 housing units.
Specific elements in the plan include the creation
of a vibrant mixed-use main street at Firth Sterling
Avenue, rebuilding and enlarging Birney Elementary
school, rebuilding the communitys recreation center,
and the addition of a new linear park with sweeping
views of the citys skyline.
Hill East

Situated along the Anacostia River between RFK

Stadium and the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge,
Hill East is the citys latest major private sector
redevelopment effort. In May of 2008, the Office
of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic
Development announced a solicitation for a Master
Developer to transform the area, the 50-acre former
site of DC General Hospital. The RFEI states that
the development could include up to 3,000 new
housing units, over two million square feet of office
and institutional uses, and over 100,000 square feet of
retail space.

Located just east of Anacostia

at the intersection of Good Hope
Road and Alabama Avenue
SE, the Rappaport Companies
Skyland Town Center will
bring much-needed mixed-use
destination in the tradition of
Shirlington and Bethesda Row.

13 Advance

Advance 13

Key Players:

Company

Company

Four Points LLC

Anacostia Economic Development Corporation

Description

Description

Four Points LLC, which began as a spin-off of The

West Group out of Tysons Corner, is currently
in the pre-development stage of its first major
project: the 327,000 SF mixed-use Broadcast
Center One, a residential/retail/office development
located directly above the Shaw/Howard
University Metro Station in Northwest D.C

The AEDC has been involved in the Anacostia/

Far Southeast area for over 35 years, focusing
primarily on increasing the retail base of the
area as well as developing projects that seek to
further economic development on this side of the
Anacostia River.

Local Projects

Local Projects

Broadcast Center One, Shaw

W Street Townhomes, Anacostia
Curtis Properties development, Anacostia

Good Hope Marketplace, a 97,100 SF retail strip

that includes a Safeway
Homes at Woodmont, a high end 26-home
development along Good Hope Road just uphill
from Anacostia
Anacostia Gateway

14 Advance

Advance
Advance 14

Key Players:

Company

Company

Salvation Army

Douglas Development Corporation

Description

Description

Founded in 1878, the Salvation Army is one of

the worlds largest providers of social aid, helping
more than 32 million people in the US alone. In
addition to community centers and disaster relief,
the organization does work in refugee camps,
especially among displaced people in Africa.

Douglas Development is known for its

redevelopment projects throughout the city that
have transformed forlorn areas into magnets of
activity. Most notable is their work in the Penn
Quarter area of downtown, where the companys
restoration and redevelopment of many or the
neighborhoods historic buildings is credited with
turning the crumbling area into a tourism and
entertainment destination.

Local Projects
Solomon G. Brown Corps Community Center

Local Projects
The Historic Row
(home of the International Spy Museum)
The Woodies Building
The Georgetown Car Barn
700 block of 7th Street NW
(across from the Verizon center)
The Ventana condos
The Atlantic Building

15 Advance

Advance 15

Company

Company

William C. Smith & Co.

DC Government

Description

Local Projects

A multidisciplinary real estate firm with 35 years

of experience, William C. Smith & Co.s has
developed more than 5,000 units of housing,
worth $250 million, in the District of Columbia.

Local Projects
Asheford Court, a suburban-style community of
75 single family homes in Congress Heights
Park Vista Condominiums, an 81-unit
development in Congress Heights
Archer Park, a 240-unit condominium
development in Congress Heights

Anacostia Gateway Government Center

11th Street Bridges
South Capitol Street Bridge
Anacostia Streetcar
Great Streets Initiative
Barry Farm redevelopment

16 Advance

Advance 16

Key Players:

Company

Company

The Rappaport Companies

Clark Realty Capital

Description

Description

With a portfolio of over 13 million SF of retail

space, the McLean, VA based company is one
of the leading retail real estate companies in the
Mid-Atlantic.

Established in 1992, Clark Realty Capital is a

multidisciplinary real estate firm with expertise
development, capital markets, real estate
strategies, investment management.

Local Projects

Local Projects

More than 13 million square feet in roughly 150

suburban-style shopping centers

Ft. Belvoir Family Housing

Ft. Totten Park Apartments
MetroWest
The Clarendon apartments

17 Advance
Advance

Advance 17

Developer

Project

Four Points LLC

W Street Residential

Completion Date

Size

2009

40 Units

AEDC

Anacostia Gateway

2008

63,000 SF

Salvation Army

Community Center

2008

45,000 SF

Douglas Development

Anacostia Square

N/A

222,384 SF

WCSmith

Sheridan Terrace

N/A

342 Units

DC Government

Anacostia Gateway
Government Center

N/A

350,000 SF

11th Street Bridge

N/A

South Capitol Street

Bridge

N/A

Streetcar

2010

The Rappaport
Companies

Skyland Town Center

N/A

Clark Realty Capital

Poplar Point

N/A

8000,000 SF
475 Units

Conclusion
For an area known mostly over the past halfcentury for its disinvestment, poor management,
and poverty, Anacostia is finally on the verge of
becoming a remarkable story of success. New
city leadership has given increased focus to the
redevelopment areas around the Anacostia River,
all of the city and regional infrastructure leading into
the neighborhood is being upgraded or replaced,
and the development community has snatched up
most of the downtowns best real estate. Long the

subject of vague promises and grand restoration

plans, Anacostias new offices, new residents, and
growing civic pride are transforming it from a maybe
someday neighborhood into one that has been
dubbed the next hot spot. Although it hasnt arrived
yet, now is definitely the time to give Anacostia
another look.

With the old Anacostia

Neighborhood Library already
demolished, the new Freelon
Group-designed modern library
building is expected to be
completed in Fall 2010.

Jones Lang LaSalle offices

1801 K Street, NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20006
+1 202 719 5000
575 7th Street, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004
+1 202 783 8181
1600 Tysons Boulevard
Suite 1000
McLean, VA 22102
+1 703 485 8800
www.us.joneslanglasalle.com

With 180 offices worldwide, and

operations in more than 700
cities
in over 60 countries, Jones
Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL) is
the worlds leading real estate
services and money management
firm, committed to delivering
exceptional strategic, fullyintegrated services for property
owners, investors and occupiers.
With 2007 revenue of more than
$2.7 billion, the company
provides comprehensive
integrated real estate and
investment management
expertise to clients on a local,
regional and global level.

Jones Lang LaSalle is an industry

leader in property and corporate
facility management services,
with a portfolio of approximately
1.2 billion square feet worldwide.
In 2007, the firm completed
capital markets sales and
acquisitions, debt financing, and
equity placements on assets and
portfolios valued at $70.9 billion.
LaSalle Investment Management,
the companys investment
management business, is
one of the worlds largest
and most diverse real estate
money management firms, with
approximately $54 billion of
assets under management.

2008 Jones Lang LaSalle IP, Inc. All rights reserved. All information contained herein from sources
deemed reliable; however, no represntation or warrenty is made to the accuracy thereof..