In an area of Southwest D.C. near L’Enfant Plaza that stretches between the National Mall and the waterfront lies a zone dominated by federally owned buildings.
The landscape is defined by monolithic, often Brutalist鈥憇tyle federal buildings, with wide streets and few ground鈥憀evel amenities. But the recent sale of one building to private developers, along with the listing of others, is sparking conversation about whether a new D.C. neighborhood could take shape.
Urban geographer Lisa Benton鈥慡hort, a professor emerita at the George Washington University, believes moments like this have helped shape D.C. neighborhoods before.
She points to the transformation of the Navy Yard, where shrinking federal operations in the late 1990s and early 2000s freed up land that was later redeveloped.
鈥淚 used to live in Navy Yard, which was a huge release of federal property in the late 1990s and early 2000s as the Navy Yard significantly shrunk what it needed, and a lot of buildings and space became available and were purchased by private developers,鈥� Benton鈥慡hort said.
Now, the Navy Yard is home to businesses, retail, restaurants and entertainment venues, and anchored by Nationals Park, where the Washington Nationals play.
Recently, the General Services Administration announced the sale of the former Department of Homeland Security headquarters at 301 7th St. SW, its former regional office building that also once housed DHS operations. The building is now in the hands of a private developer and is expected to be converted into a mixed鈥憉se development with housing.
Listed on a GSA website for 鈥渁ccelerated disposition鈥� are both the nearby Robert C. Weaver and Wilbur J. Cohen buildings.
The Liberty Loan Building on the western edge of so-called “Fedlandia” is listed as 鈥渦nder contract.鈥�
With those potential sales, Benton鈥慡hort said redevelopment in the area could help a city struggling with a housing crisis.
鈥淒.C. is in desperate need of more housing, that鈥檚 for sure, particularly redevelopment that would bring housing, especially if it鈥檚 affordable housing. That would be really what D.C. needs more of,鈥� Benton鈥慡hort said.
But what remains unknown is whether any housing would include affordable options, especially in an area with close Metro access and walking-distance proximity to iconic landmarks and the waterfront.
She said history shows that whether this moment adds up to a new neighborhood depends on how redevelopment unfolds.
鈥淲hat we really need to see is some large, comprehensive plan for federal spaces, particularly in and around the core,鈥� she said.
But she said it does not appear that a clear plan has been presented, pointing out that D.C. has not seen a comprehensive master plan update since the early 20th century.
She believes that for a new neighborhood to emerge in an area currently without residential buildings, grocery stores and other everyday amenities, all stakeholders need to be part of a transparent planning process.
鈥淧iecemeal planning is not going to get you the connectivity, nor the kind of thoughtful redesign that an area like this really needs,鈥� Benton鈥慡hort said.
She said redevelopment efforts can move forward with little public awareness, leaving communities reacting to plans instead of helping shape them.
鈥淲e could end up with Fedlandia being converted into upscale, very expensive, luxury residential areas, but do very little to help the housing crisis that鈥檚 in D.C.,” Benton鈥慡hort said.
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