DC buzzes with new developments, renovations and neighborhood enhancements.
With $10.2 billion in development, investment in the city continues to surge. Learn more about upcoming projects across the city.
Georgetown
The shuttered Georgetown Market will get a new life in 2024. Partners Stephen Starr (of Le Diplomate and St. Anselm’s) and Michelin-star chef Nancy Silverton open the new 20,000-square foot Osteria Mozza restaurant and market. The market will have a pizza grill and bars dedicated to granita and juice, mozzarella, salumi and cocktails, as well as a produce and grocery area. Seating is available throughout at tables, bars and in the solarium lounges.
After closing in 2011, Barnes & Noble reopened in November 2024 at its former location on M Street. The store occupies three floors, offering books, toys and a café.
Downtown
City officials unveiled the Downtown Action Plan, a $400 million economic development strategy for DC’s downtown area over the next five years. The investment is aimed at attracting more residents and businesses. Among the proposed initiatives are new apartments, public safety enhancements, added space for pedestrians, green spaces and cultural hubs.
Pennsylvania Avenue
Plans are underway for a reimagined Pennsylvania Avenue. DC and federal agencies are launching a new effort to replan a famed stretch as a livelier urban corridor. Reimagining Pennsylvania Avenue is an objective of the city's five-year "comeback plan" for downtown, and the agencies hope to finish renovations by 2027.
Yards West
Intended to be the downtown for the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood, Yards West includes plans for 1.8 million square feet of office and 33,000 square feet of waterfront park space. Taken with the first phase, the full development encompasses 1.8 million square feet of office, 500,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space, 3,400 residential units and 7.5 acres of public green space. Phase II of The Yards has added new tenants including Maman, Playa Bowls and Jungle and Loom. In total, the area has grown with more than 40 bars, restaurants and retailers.
Buzzard Point
Buzzard Point, located at the confluence of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers in Washington, DC, is undergoing a significant transformation from its industrial past into a vibrant, mixed-use waterfront community. Historically characterized by industrial facilities and underutilized spaces, the area is now the focus of extensive redevelopment efforts aimed at creating a dynamic urban environment. Key projects include The Stacks, a substantial mixed-use development featuring residential units, retail spaces, and public amenities, scheduled for completion in 2025.
11th Street Bridge Park (Opening 2026)
Washington, DC’s first elevated public park (130,0000 sq. ft.) is being built on the piers of the old 11th Street Bridge spanning the Anacostia River. Visitors and locals will enjoy an amphitheater, picnic gardens, interactive art and waterfalls among many other attractions and events that help create a public gathering space. The park, designed by Oma + Olin, is a project of nonprofit Building Bridges Across the River. Once complete, it’s expected to draw 1 million visitors a year, while connecting the Anacostia Park and Navy Yard banks of the river. DC-based artist Martha Jackson Jarvis and her daughter, Njena Surae Jarvis, have been commissioned for a piece of artwork entitled “Anacostia’s Sunrise/Sunset Portals.” The portals artwork is the largest of five total that will be part of the 11th Street Bridge Park’s opening in 2026.
The historic McMillan Sand Filtration Site, a water purification facility in North Capitol Street, is being redeveloped to become a new urban landmark. The 25-acre site will turn into new residences, retail, restaurants, a public park, a community center and healthcare and research centers by 2027. The plans intend to preserve historical features of the water filtration facility and aim to obtain LEED Gold certification for Neighborhood Development.
The Wharf continues to add new retail and restaurants. The renowned Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão and the family-owned café and cocktail bar Urban Roast announced plans to open new locations in the area, and the Intercontinental Wharf Hotel is preparing to open a new restaurant led by Chef Jeffrey Williams by the end of the year. Other recent openings include Kinfolk Southern Kitchen and Milk and Honey.
Union Market, NoMa
A wave of new tenants have signed lease agreements for Union Market, expanding the 45-acre area with three new restaurants from New York including recently opened Starr Restaurant Group’s Pastis, a storied Manhattan restaurant, Minetta Tavern and Maman, a French bakery chain. Recent openings include Hotel Nell, a larger Politics and Prose location, Apapcho Taqueria, Cordelia Fishbar, and La’Shukran. Chai Pani, a new Indian restaurant by acclaimed chef Meherwan Irani, is coming to the Gables Union Market building in spring of 2025.
Catholic University
Catholic University of America has dedicated its new 25-acre campus solar array, the largest ground-mounted urban solar farm in the U.S., located in the Brookland neighborhood. The 7.5 megawatt array, which began producing power earlier this year, supports Washington, DC's goal of 100% renewable energy by 2032.
Museums
Go-Go Museum and Cafe (Opening in 2024)
Located in Anacostia, the 3,000 sq. foot museum will include digital and interactive exhibitions to guide visitors through go-go’s roots, pivotal moments, best songs, landmark music venues and community impact. Go-go’s history will also be woven into the cafe’s offerings. The food will be a blend of African, Caribbean, Latin and mumbo-sauced dishes.
The People’s House (Opened September 2024)
A new interactive replica of the White House offers visitors an immersive educational experience about the executive mansion. This project from the White House Historical Association spans 32,000 square feet inside the Mills Building at 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue. The exhibits on permanent display feature a look into the Rose Garden and a replica of the Oval Office. Although admission is free to the public, reserved passes are required for entry.
National Museum of Women the Arts (Opened October 2023)
The world’s only major museum solely dedicated to championing women artists closed to the public for a two-year renovation of its historic building. The building’s first full renovation since 1987, the $70 million project preserves the structure’s history while transforming its interior spaces. Key improvements include enlarged gallery space, a new Learning Commons, featuring an education and public programs studio, an improved research library and reading room, and an updated 200-seat performance hall. There are also upgraded technologies, enhanced amenities and accessibility for visitors. The museum now includes more exhibit space, a studio for educational programs and a library center with a reading room. The performance hall also has accessibility upgrades. The building's Great Hall — a popular event venue has been preserved throughout the renovation process. The museum's inaugural exhibit, "The Sky’s The Limit," features large-scale sculptures by contemporary women artists.
The Museum of Failure (Opened September 2023)
Opened in Georgetown Park on Sept. 7, The Museum of Failure showcases funny fails from familiar brands including Coca-Cola, Google, DeLorean, Nokia and more.
Capital Jewish Museum (Opened June 2023)
The new Capital Jewish Museum juxtapose the story of Jewish Washington with exhibits on the American Jewish community’s history of activism and the struggle for civil rights and racial justice for all Americans. The building itself merges old and new, incorporating the original brick building of one of the DC’s oldest synagogues, Adas Israel, into a more modern structure of metal, glass and concrete. A glass sky bridge connects the new construction and new museum galleries across to the historic building. It is designed by the Smith Group, the same architecture firm that designed Washington, DC’s Museum of the Bible and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. An education space features hands-on objects and activities for school groups and families. There are also event spaces available. The museum occupies 31,000 square feet on the corner of 3rd and F streets, a few blocks from the Judiciary Square metro.
National Mall
The National Mall will get an estimated $500 million in improvements ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration in 2026. The city anticipates an influx of tourists and is preparing with renovations to the Lincoln Memorial, which will boast a new 15,000-square-foot exhibit space beneath the memorial. Constitution Gardens will also get a revamp. The new project will add an events plaza and new spaces for visitors. The Jefferson Memorial and Tidal Basil are also undergoing repairs to fix the seawall. The repairs resulted in the removal of 158 cherry trees, which will be replaced by 274 new trees upon the project’s completion in 2027.
New Smithsonian Museums: The Smithsonian Institution has narrowed its search for a pair of new museums, the American Women’s History Museum and American Latino Museum, to two sites on the National Mall. The exact location is pending Congressional approval. In 2023, the Smithsonian Institution revealed that it has raised upwards of $55 million towards the development of the American Women’s History Museum.
Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden Revitalization
The nearly 50-year-old Hirshhorn Museum (2024) is undergoing a multi-year renovation of its sunken sculpture garden designed by artists and architect Hiroshi Sugimoto. The new garden design is anticipated to open in 2026.
National Air and Space Museum Renovation
An extensive, multi-year renovation of the entire museum includes a new learning center, ground-floor restaurant and a third-floor terrace with views of the National Mall and U.S. Capitol. In 2022, eight revamped galleries and 23 reimagined exhibitions opened, including two with themes new to the museum. Of the 1,240 artifacts on display, 55 percent of them have never been on display in the museum before. Another 12 galleries are undergoing renovation and are expected to be completed by 2026, ahead of the museum’s 50th anniversary and the United States 250th birthday.
A Jeff Bezos-funded addition will add a 50,000-square-foot learning center to the museum. The futuristic Bezos Center will house programs and activities related to innovation and careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. It will include a ground-floor restaurant, second-floor space for programs, and a third-floor terrace (with space for 100-150 people) with views of the National Mall and U.S. Capitol. The center will open in 2027.
National Archives Renovation
A new 9,700 square-foot permanent gallery will transform the space that houses the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Emancipation Proclamation. An educational center with interactive content will also be added ahead of 2026.
National World War I Memorial (Opening September 2024)
The U.S. World War One Centennial Commission finished construction on a dedicated U.S. WWI Memorial. The memorial commemorates the 100th anniversary of the war’s end and honors its 4.7 million servicemen and women. Years in the making, the centerpiece of the National World War I Memorial is a bronze sculpture titled A Soldier’s Journey by Sabin Howard. Howard’s immense frieze tells the story of an American reluctantly answering the call to war. Across five scenes and 38 larger-than-life-size human figures, it is nearly 60 feet long and 10 feet high. Located in Pershing Park in front of the Willard InterContinental Hotel, the memorial’s massive sculpture is the highest free-standing bronze sculpture in the Western hemisphere.
Folger Shakespeare Theater (Opened June 2024)
The Folger’s 1932 building is undergoing an $80.5 million renovation to expand public space, improve accessibility and enhance the experience for visitors. The renovation project will add a 12,000-square-foot public pavilion under the Folger’s front lawn with fully accessible entry plazas for all visitors on both the east- and west-facing sides of the building. The landscaped entry plazas will connect with walkable gardens on either side of the building. Its inaugural permanent exhibition will showcase the library’s 82-copy collection of First Folios, the first published copies of Shakespeare’s works. Produced in 1623, the books represented the first time that roughly half of the Bard’s plays appeared in print; Folger’s collection of copies is the largest in the world. When the Folger reopens this fall, it will display its entire collection of folios for the first time in a 20-foot vault. The Great Hall will transform from an exhibition space to a public gathering place. A new Education Laboratory will provide a flexible space for hands-on demonstrations and interactive workshops. Visitor amenities will include café services in the Great Hall and an expanded gift shop.
Airports
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has selected two dozen new retail and restaurant concessions to fill spaces at Reagan National and Dulles International airports. The phased concessions redevelopment program will provide a greater sense of place, more variety and more healthy options for the traveling public. By the end of 2026, more than 80 new retail and restaurant options will be open at both airports.
At DCA
- Connector between Terminals 1 and 2: Atlas Brew Works, Zeke’s Coffee and Inside the Beltway, a grab-and-go convenience and souvenir shop
- National Hall: BOSS, The Neighborgoods DC gift shop and DC Arts District Market (travel essentials and local products)
- Concourse B: Half Moon Empanadas
- Concourse C: Compass Coffee, Cava Mezze and Dos Toros Taqueria
Plans are underway for a 1,500-space, three-story modular parking garage, which would be built on the existing economy lot at DCA. It's estimated to be operational in 2025. The airport is also in the early stages of planning a new concourse to replace Terminal 1. This would be the most significant construction project at DCA since the 14-gate terminal that opened in 2021.
At IAD
- Concourse A: Sfoglina, Hudson/Hudson Nonstop (travel essentials, grab-and-go), Union Kitchen grab-and-go
- Concourse A/B: Starbucks, Rappahannock Oyster Co., Brookstone
- Concourse B: Ink by Hudson (bookstore concept), Freshii
- Concourse C: Gatsby (full-service “reimagined American diner" and bar with desserts by Mah Ze Dahr bakery), Auntie Anne’s, Hudson
- Concourse D: Potbelly, Market 1962, Hudson
Dulles Metrorail Project – Silver Line
The 11.4-mile extension of Metro’s Silver Line opened to passengers in November 2022 connecting Dulles to downtown DC. Washington Metro riders now have access to six new stations stretching between Fairfax and Loudoun counties: Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Dulles International Airport, Loudoun Gateway and Ashburn. The Silver line is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Construction of a new concourse at Dulles Airport began in December of 2023 and it’s expected to cost between $500 million and $800 million. It will be four times bigger than the concourse it’s replacing, and it’s anticipated to be completed in 2026. The 400,000 square-foot, 14-gate concourse will include new retail and dining options, more seating, airline lounges and other amenities. It also improves the backend operations for servicing planes and moving baggage. Officials hope to build it to the eco-friendly LEED Silver standard.
Future Developments
Union Station Expansion Project
Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration and the Union Station Redevelopment Corp. have joined efforts to expand and modernize Union Station, the landmark transit hub and Amtrak’s second busiest location. The $8.8 billion project as currently envisioned includes a new east-west train hall and new passenger concourse. The project area is spread across 53 acres and includes the station building, as well as infrastructure such as a parking garage, rail terminal, bus facility, railroad infrastructure and the H Street Bridge. Construction is expected to take from 11 to 14 years.
Navy Museum (Breaking ground in 2025)
Five major architecture firms have given the U.S. Navy their designs for a new National Museum of the U.S. Navy. The new facility is meant to replace the Navy’s aging museum in a massive warehouse across the street from Willard Park in Navy Yard. The 270,000-square-foot museum campus will include a new building, 100,000 square feet of gallery space, a ceremonial courtyard, and a marque gallery space. Development is slated to cost around $475 million.
Therme Spa Resort
In 2023, plans were shared by Therme, an Austria-based operator of well-being resorts, to identify a space somewhere in Washington, DC for a spa/waterpark resort facility ranging in size from 450,000 to 600,000 square feet. Described by Therme executive Omar Toro-Vaca as “an urban oasis housed in extraordinary architecture and beautiful surroundings,” the planned resort would include a spa, “next-generation waterpark,” and dining options. Currently there are Therme facilities in Romania and Germany. Toro-Vaca said the one in D.C. would create more than 5,000 construction jobs and 700 permanent jobs and add $1.1 billion in tax revenue to city coffers over 25 years. Potential locations under consideration include the RFK Stadium site and Poplar Point.
National Geographic Society – Base Camp (opening 2026)
The global science organization broke ground on extensive renovations to its headquarters campus near Scott Circle. The $250-million rehabilitation will modernize the three-building block that serves as a headquarters, museum and event space. The future of "Base Camp," as it calls the campus, will tell the story of National Geographic and be an inviting destination for visitors and residents alike. Renovations will include a 23,500-square-foot entry pavilion and plaza that would give the three buildings a more cohesive identity and allow for more outdoor presentations and gatherings, plus an attraction for the museum's users. There will also be a new educational center and interactive displays and media. Green efforts include using recycled materials from the existing buildings, solar panels that provide 25 percent of the campus power and a "gray water" HVAC system that will lessen its environmental impact. National Geographic built its original headquarters, Hubbard Hall, at 16th and M streets in 1904, followed by a 10-story addition around 1963 and a large M Street building in 1984.
Connected DMV Hydrogen Hub
The District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (the DMV) are in the early stages of a major energy transition. Fueled by climate change, technical and process innovation, and a population committed to responsibly stewarding our natural resources, the result will be a healthy and prosperous environment for all who live and work in the region. The DMV can demonstrate strong regional and national leadership in meeting climate goals and objectives by delivering the next generation of the energy ecosystem. The plan will create economic growth and establish thousands of high-quality jobs and safer environments throughout the region, including for the most distressed communities. Deploying hydrogen in the DMV region can abate almost 1.5% of regional carbon emissions in less than a decade, the equivalent of taking 700,000 cars off the road, with greater gains from 2030 and beyond (Source: hydrogengreenprint.org)
Brooklyn Bowl (Opening in 2026)
With locations in Las Vegas New York City and Philadelphia, Brooklyn Bowl will develop an all-in-one entertainment venue with bowling lanes, a restaurant and a concert venue next to Audi Field. The two story, 38,000 square foot complex next to the soccer stadium will have a 1,200-person capacity, 14 lanes of bowling and a bar with a Southern-inspired menu overseen by New York City’s Blue Ribbon Restaurant Group. The space is available for group rentals. At the 80,000 square foot Las Vegas location, Nike once converted the space into a basketball court.
photo credit - The People's House
photo credit - Ian Karchmer