(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), and teams at Hoffman Associates and Madison Marquette celebrated the completion of The Wharf. The second phase of the mile-long waterfront neighborhood on the Potomac River will deliver nearly 3,000 additional jobs, 351 new homes, and an additional 1.15 million square feet of mixed-use space, including new restaurants, hotels, parks, a marina, and office, residential, and retail spaces.
“Since we opened The Wharf five years ago, it has become a place for residents and visitors alike to come together, shop and dine out, and enjoy our city’s waterfront. The Wharf is yet another example of the District’s ability to work with residents and businesses to transform underutilized land into new opportunities for our community,” said Mayor Bowser. “Today, we’re celebrating even more jobs, housing, and opportunity for DC residents and businesses. And we’re celebrating Washington, DC as a world-class waterfront city.”
Mayor Bowser has worked on the development of The Wharf throughout her career as a public servant, first as a Councilmember and then as Mayor. Under her leadership, the District has invested approximately $200 million in tax increment financing and secured agreements with The Wharf to hire at least 51 percent District residents – 20 percent designated for residents of Ward 8 and 30 percent of apprenticeships for residents of Wards 7 and 8. The Wharf also invested $1 million in workforce training for DC residents.
In 2017, Mayor Bowser celebrated the opening of the first phase of The Wharf, which transformed the Southwest Waterfront by delivering a mix of residential, retail, office space, maritime activities, and entertainment—simultaneously creating over 800 apartments and nearly 3,000 jobs and cementing DC’s status as a waterfront city. The now complete Phase 2 of The Wharf will deliver 255 apartments, 96 condominiums, 131 hotel rooms, a 1.5-acre park, over 570,000 square feet of office space, over 100,000 square feet of retail space, new dining options, and two garages with over 1,000 parking spaces.
“In 2019, DC had 25 million visitors; last year, 19 million. The Wharf is part of our comeback with jobs for DC residents and an even bigger destination for residents and visitors to enjoy,” said Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio. “It serves as a model for the District revitalizing federal and DC waterfront land to create destinations that produce jobs, housing & more. If you like The Wharf, imagine what we can do together with other federal properties.”
Before the development of The Wharf, the land adjacent to the Southwest Waterfront was vastly underutilized. Since the development of The Wharf, the waterfront has transformed into a vibrant community and destination close to downtown DC. Additionally, The Wharf Marina allows boaters to enjoy easy access to shops, restaurants, cultural uses, hotels, music venues, free events, and public areas including waterfront parks, promenades, piers, and docks.
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