A D.C. panel has rejected plans for a $425 million development that would cover the intersection of Interstate 395 and Massachusetts Avenue’s web of paved roads and freeway signs with a hub of offices, retail and residences. The District’s Zoning Commission took issue with the project’s retail plan and massive building sizes, saying the 2-million-square-foot development seemed more like a fortress for workers and residents than a destination.

“It does not feel like it’s going to be an inviting, attractive space,” said Commissioner Peter May. “There’s no real reason to be in [there] except to go get whatever it is that you need … so I’m just not convinced that it’s laid out the way that it should be.”