Mayor Bowser Hosts 12th Annual DMPED March Madness, Highlighting Transformational Projects Across All 8 Wards

(Washington, DC) - Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) hosted the 12th annual DMPED March Madness, the District's yearly business showcase of new real estate, housing, and workforce support initiatives, and an annual tradition where the District connects residents, business owners, and investors with opportunities on the horizon. This year's event, hosted at Nationals Park, featured multiple upcoming development opportunities for DC businesses to help grow the District's economy and build a stronger DC.

"For 12 years, we have been working together to deliver transformational projects across all eight wards - housing, jobs, and economic opportunity that residents can see and feel in their neighborhoods," said Mayor Bowser. "The projects we're celebrating today didn't happen by accident. They happened because we brought the right partners to the table, pushed through the hard problems, and refused to let great opportunities sit on the shelf. That's been our playbook - and we're running it again, with new opportunities at St. Elizabeths, the Wharf, and 180 acres at RFK that are going to define DC's future for generations."

As a special feature of this year's event, Mayor Bowser recognized the District's Elite 8-public-private partnerships that have delivered transformational projects in all eight wards over the past 12 years. Throughout her tenure, the Mayor has continued to find new ways to unstick stuck projects and deliver housing, jobs, and economic growth for all of DC.

The eight featured projects included:

Ward 1: The Faircliff / NOVEL 14th Street

The Faircliff and NOVEL 14th Street replaced the former 80-unit Faircliff Plaza East apartment complex, quadrupling the total number of housing units on site. The Faircliff, a joint venture of Somerset Development Company, Jonathan Rose Companies, and Housing Up, delivered 125 homes, including replacement units for former Faircliff Plaza residents. NOVEL 14th Street, developed by Crescent Communities, is the market-rate component of the development, delivering 197 new homes.

Ward 2: Station U & O

Station U & O-formerly known as Parcel 42-is a joint venture between Dantes Partners, the H Street Community Development Corporation, Irving Development, and Group 360. The development features 108 units of affordable housing and two market rate units, and was the first project to undergo the "OurRFP" process to incorporate the community's perspective and priorities through early public engagement in the request for proposals process.

Ward 3: Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home/The Louise on Western

The joint project includes the modernization of Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home's Assisted Living Residence, delivering modernized rooms, community spaces, and amenities for residents. The Louise on Western, developed by Urban Atlantic, is a new four-story expansion that added 93 affordable senior apartments. The project was the first development west of Rock Creek Park to receive financing from the District's Housing Production Trust Fund.

Ward 4: The Parks at Walter Reed

Developed by a partnership of Hines, Urban Atlantic, and Triden Development, The Parks at Walter Reed transformed the former Walter Reed Medical Hospital campus into a thriving mixed-use community. At full build-out once complete, The Parks at Walter Reed will include 3.1 million square feet of mixed-use development; over 2,200 units of townhomes, condos, and apartments; adaptive reuse of existing historic buildings; new construction; and over 20 acres of open space.

Ward 5: Reservoir District
Reservoir District is a public-private partnership between the District of Columbia and Vision McMillan Partners that is transforming the former McMillan Sand Filtration Site into a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood. The District delivered the Reservoir Park Recreation Center and Aquatic Center and a 6.2-acre park in June 2024. EYA is delivering 146 for-sale townhomes, of which 22 are affordable. Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners is leading the development of two mixed-use residential communities within Reservoir District to create nearly 600 new housing units, a grocery store, and approximately 22,000 square feet of neighborhood retail.

Ward 6: The Wharf

The Wharf, managed by a joint venture between Hoffman & Associates and Madison Marquette, consists of over 3.5 million square feet of mixed-use development, including over 1,000 units of housing, 84 restaurants and retailers, 821 hotel rooms, multiple live entertainment venues-including 6,000-person performance venue The Anthem-and 17.5 acres of parks, open spaces, and civic areas, including four public piers. The redevelopment of the Southwest Waterfront was aided by the District's issuance and sale of $198 million of Tax Increment Financing revenue bonds, which were fully repaid in June 2025-15 years ahead of schedule.

Ward 7: Skyland Town Center

Skyland Town Center is a decade-long, multi-phase development supported with public and private financing that has created an entirely new residential and retail community in Ward 7. Skyland Town Center is a joint development project of WC Smith, Rappaport, Skyland DC, Washington East Foundation, and Marshall Heights Community Development Organization. Phase 1 delivered 263 homes-79 of which are affordable at 80 percent of Median Family Income (MFI)-along with 84,000 square feet of retail. Phase 2 delivered a new retail center, including the District's first Lidl grocery store. In addition to the townhomes, Phase 3 will deliver 126 for-sale townhomes, including seven affordable homes, as well as a public park and additional homeownership opportunities.

Ward 8: St. Elizabeths East

St. Elizabeths East is a muti-decade project to redevelop the historic St. Elizabeths Hospital campus. Mayor Bowser has committed over $1 billion to transform the campus into a thriving mixed-use neighborhood with a new hospital, a sports and entertainment arena, housing, retail, and other amenities. Delivered projects include Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health, CareFirst Arena, The Residences at St. Elizabeths East, District Towns at St. Elizabeths East, Whitman-Walker Max Robinson Center, the Ward 8 Advanced Technical Center, Sycamore & Oak retail village, the 801 East Men's Shelter replacement facility, and a 750-space parking garage.

"We're incredibly proud of what Mayor Bowser and all of our partners have delivered over the past 12 years - but we're not done yet," said Deputy Mayor Nina Albert. "We're continuing our progress at St. Elizabeths East and Walter Reed with new opportunities. We're repositioning Downtown to create a dynamic mix of uses that will help us diversify our economy. And we're laying the foundation for 180 acres of opportunity at RFK that will ensure DC wins."

At the event, DMPED and the DC Department of General Services shared upcoming solicitations and development opportunities:

Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED)

• St. Elizabeths Parcel 1
  • Address: 2724 1/2 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, Ward 8
  • Land Area: 292,800 sq ft
  • RFP Release: March 19, 2026
  • Submission Deadline: May 18, 2026
• Emery Heights/Brightwood Properties
  • Address 5760-5812 Georgia Avenue NW, Ward 4
  • Land Area: 35,868 sq ft
  • RFP Release: March 19, 2026
  • Submission Deadline: May 18, 2026
• St. Elizabeths Parcel 16
  • Address: 1100 Alabama Avenue SE, Ward 8
  • Land Area: 60,076 sq ft (approximately)
  • RFP Release: April 2026
• 3720 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, Ward 8
  • Land Area: 31,120 sq ft
  • RFP Release: Summer 2026
• DDOT Sign Depot
  • Address: 1338 G Street SE, Ward 6
  • 46,064 sq ft
    

Department of General Services (DGS)

• The Heritage - New York Avenue Shelter
  • Address: 1201 New York Avenue, Ward 5
  • Budget: $68 million
  • RFP Release Spring 2026
  • Substantial Completion: Summer 2028
• The RFK SportsPlex
  • Address: 2400 East Capitol Street SE, Ward 7
  • Budget: $77 million
  • RFP Release: Spring 2026
  • Substantial Completion: Fall 2030
• Anacostia Pool Modernization
  • Address: 1900 Anacostia Drive SE, Ward 8
  • Budget: $15 million
  • RFP Release: Spring 2026
  • Substantial Completion: Spring 2028
• PM/CM RFK Infrastructure and Roadway Construction
  • Address: 2400 East Capitol Street NE, Ward 7
  • Budget: $10 million/multi-year award
  • RFP Release: Spring 2026
  • Substantial Completion: Fall 2030
• The Wharf East Pier
  • Address: 760 Maine Avenue SW, Ward 6
  • Budget: $6 million
  • RFP Release: Spring 2026
  • Substantial Completion: Spring 2027

For the full set of resources shared at March Madness, visit ObviouslyDC.com/mm26.

Last month, Mayor Bowser and the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development released the FY26 Green Book, the District's official Small Business Enterprise Opportunity Guide, which serves as a critical planning tool for small businesses seeking to do business with the District. Since taking office, the Bowser Administration has consistently grown the District's annual spending goal with local businesses, from $317 million in FY16 to $1.5 billion in FY26-a nearly fivefold increase in just 10 years. And the administration has regularly exceeded its annual goals, having dedicated more than $11 billion since Mayor Bowser took office in 2015, with a more than $1 billion investment each year since FY20.

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