The redevelopment of NoMa — the area north of Massachusetts Avenue in Northeast Washington — has brought hope of economic revitalization to the area, but has sparked a debate about whether revitalization would destroy the neighborhood’s historic character.
NoMa is defined as the land bounded by Massachusetts Avenue in the south, Q and R streets to the north, and North Capitol Street to the west. It extends east past the CSX tracks behind Union Station.
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The area, still downtrodden in many places, will receive an infusion of $1.2 billion in private development in the next two years.
This includes 1.5 million square feet of office space, more than 1,500 apartments, a 350-room hotel and 55,000 square feet of food service and retail space.
The area has been a target of developers because the recently renovated New York Avenue Red Line Metro station provides easy access to the area.
Also, there isn’t any space closes to the Capitol or downtown available for development.
“It’s going to be one of the District’s new neighborhoods,” said Liz Price, president of the NoMa business improvement district. “It’s not going to be a K Street environment. It will be mixed use.”
“There are very few opportunities left like [this] in the city,” she added.
The area has already proven popular with private and public sector clients. XM Satellite Radio and CNN have offices in the area. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is expected to move into a building there next month, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is agreeing to move into the area next summer.
Not all in the area have been pleased with the changes occurring in the neighborhood.
“There’s mixed feelings,’ said Terrence Heubert, chair of the local ANC’s licensing and economic development committee. “There’s clearly a feeling among some that any development is a good thing. Others are concerned about the historic character of the neighborhood.”
Heubert said many of the disputes are over the size of new development. Large office buildings are being built next to town houses, dwarfing homes and changing the historic character of the neighborhood.
