2018 ANNUAL REPORT CAPITOL RIVERFRONT BID i Contents WELCOME 12 Mobility and Connectivity 14 Parks and Placemaking 1 Letter from the President 16 Development and Economy 3 Capitol Riverfront at a Glance 18 Dialogue and Engagement 20 A Quality Public Realm OUR RIVERFRONT COMMUNITY ABOUT THE BID 4 Returning to the River 24 BID Financials/Board Members 6 82 Blocks of Community 25 BID Team 8 Life at the Riverfront 10 An Innovative Office Environment STATE OF THE BID 26 The Future Lives Here 28 Residential 30 Retail and Hospitality 32 Office WELCOME Letter from the President Greetings from the Capitol Riverfront BID: clean-ups, boat tours, and creek restoration. We thank these public and nonprofit partners for their Happy New Year and best wishes for a successful 2019! On behalf of our BID past and continuing efforts. Board of Directors and staff we bring you greetings from Capitol Riverfront, the District’s fastest growing neighborhood. What have these efforts and the Anacostia River itself meant to the Capitol Riverfront 2018 was designated as the Year of the Anacostia, so it is only fitting that we neighborhood? We are first and foremost a celebrate one of the foundations of the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood’s growth – riverfront community, one that enjoys easy access access to the Anacostia River and its recreational opportunities. to the Anacostia and its parks. Water is magic, and our residents, employees, and businesses The functionality of the Anacostia River has changed over time from a natural enjoy the Anacostia as a daily backdrop to their habitat and source of food to Native Americans; to a manufacturing and shipping activities. Our riverfront location has leveraged over $3 billion dollars in private corridor; to an industrial sewer; and now to a vibrant recreational corridor and open investment in new housing, office, retail, and hotel development while also space system. Many partners have been involved in the river’s ongoing clean-up attracting new sports stadiums and world-class public parks. The Anacostia and restoration, and those efforts are bringing incredible change to the Anacostia. is one reason Capitol Riverfront is DC’s fastest growing neighborhood, rapidly We at the Capitol Riverfront BID often refer to the Anacostia River and its 1,800 approaching 65% build-out on our way to 37.5 million square feet of new acres of public park lands as our version of Rock Creek Park on this side of the development. city. The public is beginning to understand this concept and what the river corridor What started as an industrial backyard has become a desirable riverfront means as a recreational opportunity and environmental habitat. More and more destination for urban living, working, and leisure. The Anacostia River and people are using the riverwalk trail system to visit Anacostia Park, Yards Park, the neighborhood’s parks remain our foundation of success and create an the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Kingman and Heritage Islands, and the National outdoor ethos. Come and join us by the water, as our city and Capitol Riverfront Arboretum. There is more interaction with the river through kayaking, canoeing, neighborhood renew a relationship with the Anacostia. stand-up paddle boarding, sailing, boating, and cycling the trail. Public investment in the DC Clean Rivers Project, new bridge systems, the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail system and new parks have helped rebrand the river and provide all important public access to the Anacostia while improving its water quality. Numerous nonprofit groups have worked on habitat restoration, shoreline Michael Stevens, AICP President 1 “ We love living here, and so does our dog! It is like a vacation year-round, and I don’t feel like I have to leave the area to be constantly entertained. ” Capitol Riverfront Resident - 2018 Annual Perception Survey 2 CAPITOL RIVERFRONT Annual Report 2018 CAPITOL RIVERFRONT AT A GLANCE CAPITOL RIVERFRONT POPULATION 50 DOCK SLIPS TODAY 2021 9,500 17,000 360 3.1 M RESIDENTIAL UNITS EVENTS ANNUAL VISITORS UNDER CONSTRUCTION 5,200 TODAY IN 2021 SQ FT OF OFFICE 480,000 900,000 SPACE TODAY SQ FT OF RETAIL SPACE SQ FT OF RETAIL SPACE 6.5 M HOTELS SQ FT OF OFFICE 4 TODAY SPACE IN 2021 HOTEL HOTELS 2 6 IN 2021 ROOFTOP FARMS 7.1 M 3 OUR RIVERFRONT COMMUNITY Returning to the River A Maturing Neighborhood Growth Driven by Demand Twenty years ago, the land on the western shore of the Anacostia River in A desire among residents and businesses to return to the riverfront and recapture Southeast DC was a tired and deteriorating collection of nightclubs, light industrial this underutilized land spurred a new era of growth and development. Through facilities, taxi cab and bus lots, and the Washington Navy Yard. Five years ago, the public and private investment and vision, Capitol Riverfront has transformed from area was in the midst of a dramatic transition marked by new construction, office a dilapidated area of light industrial properties on a long-neglected river into a space and business growth. Today, Capitol Riverfront is a dynamic, cohesive, and neighborhood full of new energy and boundless potential. rapidly growing community along a river that is, itself, experiencing a rebirth. Over the past five years, the rate of growth in the neighborhood has markedly In 2018, Capitol Riverfront saw several developments that solidified its status as a increased. The combination of attractive new buildings, rich and varied entertainment place where people want to live, work, and visit. The newly opened Whole Foods options, public parks, and an unbeatable riverfront location has driven new office, became the neighborhood’s second grocery store, alongside the Harris Teeter retail, and residential demand. supermarket. Audi Field, home to D.C. United soccer club, joined Nationals Park, Canal Park, Yards Park, and other popular locales where neighbors — and visitors from around the region and world — gather to enjoy this vibrant, flourishing community. On the Horizon A variety of new projects and developments will help define the future of the Capitol Business Dynamism Riverfront neighborhood over the next decade. It is fitting that the largest public infrastructure project in the neighborhood — the and Urban Life South Capitol Street/Frederick Douglass Bridge reconstruction — begins at the Anacostia River. A sweeping new bridge is under construction, and by 2021 it will Tucked between the peaceful flow of the Anacostia and the bustle of the Capitol improve the connection between Ward 6 and East of the River neighborhoods complex, Capitol Riverfront is an attractive destination for urban living — whether one while serving as a stunning welcome to the neighborhood. This project will then is looking to make their home, establish a business, or enjoy diverse entertainment, move inland with the construction of a new Memorial Ellipse, which will include an dining, cultural, and recreational experiences. additional three acres of new parks and open space. Each weekday, more than 34,000 workers enter the neighborhood, and each Concurrent with the South Capitol Street construction, more than 5,200 new evening nearly 10,000 residents return to their homes here. Year-round visitors residential units are being built across more than 20 apartment and condominium flock to Capitol Riverfront to take advantage of its variety of urban amenities, projects. This growth will bring nearly 10,000 new residents to the neighborhood including world-class parks, restaurants, sports venues, and water activities on a over the next five years, further strengthening the market for retail and office space revitalized Anacostia River. throughout the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood. 4 CAPITOL RIVERFRONT Annual Report 2018 2 PROFESSIONAL SPORTS STADIUMS 55 RESTAURANTS 32 RETAIL AND SERVICE SHOPS 5 82 Blocks of Community Between easy navigation, beautifully maintained parks and sidewalks, and A Lively, Vibrant Neighborhood pedestrian-friendly streets teeming with activity, it is no surprise that more than eighty percent of employees, residents, and visitors surveyed in the Annual Already a popular regional destination, Capitol Riverfront was introduced to the Perception Survey consider the neighborhood to be both clean and safe. nation and the entire world of baseball when it hosted Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week festivities in July. During All-Star Week the neighborhood also welcomed D.C. United home to Audi Field, and with it a new and diverse Something for Everyone fan base that will come to call Capitol Riverfront their sports home. These two events put an unprecedented spotlight on the Anacostia River and the From summer night concerts and movies to the winter ice skating rink, from neighborhood this year. baseball games to oyster festivals, the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood continues to be a destination for families and nightlife-seeking adults alike. A rapidly While this area was drawing global recognition with its vibrancy, it continued diversifying restaurant scene saw several fast-casual and sit-down restaurants to establish its local appeal as a livable community. In 2018, the neighborhood open their doors in 2018, including the tacos and tequila bar Mission at mixed-use opened its second grocery store and installed its third dog park for its furrier residential building 1221 Van. Experiencing the Anacostia River became easier residents. The addition of new wayfinding kiosks helps individuals navigate local than ever this year. Public docks offered family-friendly canoe and paddleboard attractions and amenities — creating the familiarity and accessibility any true rentals, while Due South Dockside and Morini Piccolo opened to bring tasty food neighborhood requires. and drinks to the boardwalk for riverside happy hours. 6 CAPITOL RIVERFRONT Annual Report 2018 What Non-Sports Events Did You Attend in Capitol Riverfront? A United Front 26% In fall of this year, the Arthur Capper Senior Center endured a devastating fire and, while no serious injuries were involved, 20% over 150 senior residents were left without homes.