Downtown East Re-Urbanization Strategy

A gateway to the heart of the city, the project is on the doorstep of Union Station and the crossroads of several downtown neighborhoods. With development pressure focused toward downtown and as a neighborhood defined by a sunken highway, the area needed a holistic urban strategy for its continued growth. Ongoing private development of air rights projects over I-395 and the rail yards adjacent to Union Station seek to reconnect this scarred part of DC's urban fabric.

Significant engagement with outside stakeholders was undertaken to shape the strategy, including government agencies, land owners, the local workforce, and residents. Centered around the topics of urban design, sustainability, economic development, housing, transportation, and equity, the framework process created a dialog among federal and city agencies, community groups, and other large stakeholders. BBB, alongside the DC Office of Planning and a team of expert consultants, developed this cohesive vision and unified strategic plan to foster connectivity and diverse, yet targeted, growth for this significant area of the city. With new mixed land uses, community public spaces, and well defined networks of streetscapes, among many other proposals, the area will be able to capitalize on its location and support the city's larger planning objectives.

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