Penn Quarter - Revitalization

Revitalization

Penn Quarter's initial growth occurred under the auspices of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation whose Pennsylvania Avenue Plan called for a mixed-use neighborhood. It was to include residences, offices, theaters and other cultural venues, retail, hotels, and restaurants in both new and renovated buildings framing new parks and plazas. Revitalization started with a number of developments west of the FBI Building to 15th Street, most significantly the renovation of what today is the Willard Intercontinental Hotel, and the creation of new parks and plazas, including Pershing Park, Freedom Plaza, and the Navy Memorial. Market Square, The Pennsylvania, and the former flagship store of Lansburgh's department store on 7th Street were at the forefront of the revitalization efforts east of the FBI Building beginning in the mid-1980s. The nearby Verizon Center, which opened in 1997, stimulated the revitalization of adjacent blocks to the north and east and the Penn Quarter neighborhood to the south.

Penn Quarter is home to many restaurants, cultural, and entertainment venues in Washington, D.C. On Thursday afternoons in spring, summer, and fall, the FRESHFARM Penn Quarter farmers market is open on 8th Street, just south of E Street. The Newseum is located at the intersection of 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. The building also includes offices and television studio space, The Source restaurant by Wolfgang Puck, and the Newseum Residences, an apartment rental community. The neighborhood is served by a variety of recreational and entertainment facilities including seven theaters, Lucky Strike bowling and several exercise clubs. Other neighborhood amenities include several coffee shops and a teahouse / restaurant on 8th Street; three salons with day spas; Penn Quarter Sports Tavern; the nearby Landmark E Street Cinema, which screens independent films; Regal Theater; and shops selling clothing, jewelry, ice cream, and books, among other things. Over the past thirty years the neighborhood has transformed from a sleepy, nondescript part of downtown into a vibrant 24-hour residential and commercial community.