Economic Development Gets Boost in DC

WASHINGTON, DC-The District has launched a new economic development initiative to support a trend already under way in the city–development of its outer core neighborhoods. Called Center City Action Agenda ’08, its goal is to spur development in emerging neighborhoods that surround Downtown. These include NoMa, the Southwest Waterfront, the Capitol Riverfront and Anacostia.

Hoping to inspire by example, the District is moving its Department of Housing and Community Development to Anacostia Gateway, a building that the District owns in the Southeast. Now the agency’s 178 employees work in the Union Station area. Their new 63,000-sf headquarters, where they will be moving in September, is located at 1800 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.

“This agenda provides a compelling vision and a strategic implementation plan for growing the District’s economic base and providing employment opportunities, better services and ultimately an improved quality of life for the residents of nation’s capital,” Mayor Adrian Fenty says. “And we are leading this effort by example.”

The agenda’s goals call for the development of 3.9 million sf of retail, office, housing annually; the creation of 6,000 office-related jobs, 700 retail jobs and 500 hospitality industry jobs annually; a focus on affordable housing; new retail and entertainment attractions such as high-quality parks and open space; sustainable design features and green-oriented job growth; and streetcars and improved streetscapes.

The DC Office of Planning and the Downtown Business Improvement District BID is leading the development of the Center City Action Agenda. Participation also includes multiple District agencies, federal partners and neighborhood business improvement districts and community groups.