Downtown DC: Shopping and Entertainment Mecca
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Anonymous
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This morning’s Washington Post has a nice article on the thriving upscale shopping district downtown that’s doing more business post-pandemic than pre. Near City Center, the flagship Apple Store and a flagship Macys bookend the shopping district.
Not far away the National Theatre, Warner Theatre, and Ford’s Theatre round out the bustling theater scene. And now with the reinvestment by Monumental in the downtown arena, the sports entertainment scene will thrive for decades to come. The FBI site redevelopment should bring in even more retail, entertainment and food options worthy of a world class city. And the bloop (blue line loop), an innovative K Street Transitway, and all the office to residential conversions in the pipeline will further strengthen the downtown customer base. So much for all the doomsayers. |
Anonymous
| If only you didn’t carjacked outside the store.. |
Anonymous
| Is that the apple store that got hoisted? |
Anonymous
I thought that was the Bethesda one? I know the downtown Chanel store had a smash n grab a while back. But aren’t the mayor, councilors, etc finally getting tough on crime again though, especially in and around downtown? |
Anonymous
| If crime is brought under control, there is no reason that area can’t succeed as a shopping district. |
Anonymous
| What is the FBI site being redeveloped into? |
Anonymous
I don’t think there are any specifics, but I’m sure DC is coordinating with the GSA to obtain the land with the move happening within the decade. It’s the biggest redevelopment opportunity for downtown on “America’s Main Street” in over 50 years. Currently I believe the National Capital Planning Commission is studying a comprehensive redesign of the street: The New Penna Ave Plan will be unveiled in 2026. Going back decades, the Champs Elysees was always the goal, an impossible one, but I imagine a future Penna Ave lined with sidewalk cafes and retail. Maybe some showrooms to show off American design and engineering prowess like the Renault one on the Champs Elysees. |
Anonymous
| Good to know i'm going to the National Building museum soon and that might be a good option for lunch. |
Anonymous
| This has to be an AI Bot. |
Anonymous
| What the booster didn’t mention is that many of the stores at City Center have locked door access to control the looter flash mobs and the street thugs. |
Anonymous
The next Trump International Hotel, financed by the Saudi/MBS Soverign Wealth Fund. |
Anonymous
| I wouldn't discount the doomsayers. I just met a business owner in LA looking to expand a popular non-chain tea/coffee shop in the DC area. He said he was advised to open up in Tysons because DC doesn't have anyone downtown and has steadily increasing crime. Basically other cities are turning around while DC remains an outlier. |
Anonymous
Sounds like his loss. |
Anonymous
This and don’t let the robbers who flash mob the stores knock you over as they run out. No thanks. I don’t go to dc for fun anymore. |
Anonymous
I don’t know who is advising him. But Tyson’s is bland. It has more urban amenities now but it’s still bland. Blue Bottle has only opened its trendy specialty coffee shops in and around downtown DC. It is doing robust business and recently reopened the cafe off of K Street near Franklin Park. I think DC finally woke up to reality when it looked like Monumental/Caps/Wizards was going to leave for Va. The downtown outlook is wildly different than just a month ago. And (to reply to a PPP) of course the downtown retail shops have had to lock their doors, otherwise it would be utter chaos, both for the shoppers and employees. At least they are doing great business which is good news. |