What’s New in the Nation’s Capital

Washington, DC is in the midst of a modern-day renaissance.

As international and American investment creates more game-changing developments, and as neighborhoods sprout new restaurants and attractions, DC is becoming even more exciting and event-worthy.

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NEW URBAN HUBS

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - The REACH Expansion
Opening September 7, 2019
The Kennedy Center’s $175 million expansion project, the REACH, will be open to the public on September 7, 2019. New offerings include 72,000 square feet of performance and events space, 130,000 square feet of landscaping and gardens, terrace seating for up to 1,600 people and a scenic walkway leading to nearby monuments and memorials. 

CityCenterDC
Phase II opened spring 2019
Spread across 10 acres downtown near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, CityCenterDC features a wealth of retail and dining options. Shops include Burberry, kate spade new york and Louis Vuitton, while restaurants like Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, DBGB Kitchen & Bar and Centrolina satisfy taste buds.Phase II opened in spring 2019 and includes 30,000 square feet of additional retail space, including a Tiffany & Co., and the $250 million, 360-room Herzog & de Meuron-designed Conrad Hotel with a restaurant brothers Bryan and Michael Voltaggio. 

The Wharf

Phase II opening 2022
Phase I of this $2.5 billion mixed-use development opened in October 2017. Phase II broke ground in early 2019 with an estimated delivery of 2022. It will feature an additional 1.15 million square feet of mixed-use development, including office, residential, marina, and retail space, as well as parks and public spaces, across an approximate half mile of the waterfront. Visitors can still enjoy The Anthem, a 150,000-square-foot music venue that also serves as a convention facility, with flexible capacity up to 6,000. The Wharf currently offers 3.2 million square feet of hotel and retail space, rentable waterfront piers and a water taxi service to and from Georgetown and Old Town Alexandria. Restaurants currently total over 20, including offerings from Fabio Trabocchi, Mike Isabella and Nicholas Stefanelli. 

Capitol Crossing
Phase I opened 2018; scheduled completion in 2022 
The 2.2 million-square-foot LEED sustainable development will create three new city blocks between Union Station and Capital One Arena. The mixed-use $1.3 billion development will open in phases, with its first delivery in 2018 and schedule completion in 2022. Capital Crossing will feature five mixed-use buildings on a seven-acre site, totaling 2.2 million square feet and 70,000 square feet of retail space.

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HOTELS - NEW/COMING SOON

The Conrad Washington, DC 

Opened March 2019
A 360-room hotel from Hilton Worldwide adds more luxury to CityCenterDC. Features include two outdoor terraces, a rooftop bar, conference rooms and 30,000 square feet of luxury retail space. 

Hilton Washington DC National Mall
Opened April 2019
Located at L’Enfant Plaza between The Wharf and the National Mall, this renovated property re-opened with 367 rooms, 23,000 square feet of meeting and event space and a grand ballroom that can accommodate over 600 guests. It is the first property in Washington to offer exclusively King Deluxe beds in every guest room. 

The Dupont Circle Hotel
Opened spring 2019
The multimillion-dollar hotel transformation of The Dupont Circle Hotel, led by Bernie Gallagher, chairman of The Doyle Collection, opened in spring 2019. The renovation included a new bar, Doyle Bar and restaurant, The Pembroke. The renovation also included updates to the lobby and penthouse suite (one of the largest in Washington, DC), along with 327 rooms, 14 suites, a fireplace and heated garden terrace with views of the Washington Monument. 

W Washington DC
Opened summer 2019
The $50 million renovation reimagined the W Washington DC’s guest rooms and public spaces. The hotel’s 317 guest rooms and suites include renovations such as boutique-window-style closets and custom décor that references local history while the 12,000 square feet of meeting and event space was redesigned, including updates to the hotel’s ballroom, the Great Room. The hotel also opened two new signature food and beverage venues – a ground-floor restaurant, Cherry and Corner Office and a renovated POV rooftop bar and lounge. Cherry and Corner Office are both helmed by esteemed local chef William Morris and showcase an open fire kitchen and artisan wood-fired pizzas. 

Rosewood Washington DC
Re-opening summer 2019
The Georgetown hotel closed in October 2018 to begin renovations, including the addition of six neighboring townhouses that will offer a residential experience and a new restaurant, CUT by Wolfgang Puck. Additionally, a new bar and lounge will welcome guests in the hotel lobby as well as atop the hotel on a deck overlooking Georgetown. Both areas will offer beverages such as custom cocktails and food items. An intimate 14-seat private dining and meeting room will also be available for special events.

Riggs Washington DC
Opening late 2019
Riggs Washington DC sits in the former home of Washington D.C.’s Riggs National Bank. Its launch marks the first U.S. hotel presence by international hospitality company Lore Group. Located within the capital’s Penn Quarter neighborhood, the 121,000 square foot property will feature 181 residential guest rooms and suites; an expansive restaurant and lounge; rooftop event space; and a cocktail bar on the lower level, Silver Lyan.

Silver Lyan marks the U.S. debut of world acclaimed mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana AKA Mr. Lyan (behind London's famed Dandelyan, voted the best bar in the world by The World's 50 Best Bars 2018). Silver Lyan's central concept will play on the history of cultural exchange in America, and its underground spaces will provide an intimate feel for guests, containing a secret room in the building’s original bank vault that functions as a private event space for small groups.

Thompson Hotel
Opening December 2019
Thompson Hotels, the luxury lifestyle flag, will build a 225-room hotel with a fitness center, 4,000-square feet of meeting space, a street-level restaurant and rooftop bar adjacent to Bluejacket Brewery in the heart of the Navy Yard. This will be the first full-service property for the neighborhood in SE DC and is expected in 2020.

citizenM
Opening 2020 
A Dutch hospitality brand billing itself as "affordable luxury," is expected to open at 5th and E streets SW with 252-rooms. Features include and open workspace with iMacs, a fitness and yoga studio and a rooftop lounge. 

Mob Hotel
Opening 2020
A Paris-based chain expects to open its first of five planned North American hotels in DC near Union Market. The brand embraces neighborhood culture, programs, art talks and regular concerts in its lobbies.

The James
Opening 2020
In the NoMa neighborhood on 3rd Street NE, The James is expected to open in winter 2020 The boutique property features 204 rooms.

The MEININGER Hotel Washington D.C.
Opening 2020
MEININGER Hotels, based in Germany, is expected to introduce its hotel-hostel concept to the U.S. with a 616-beds/154-room property in DC. Lobbies will feature a bar, lounge and game room for gatherings.

Virgin Hotel
Opening 2021
The 178-room, art-focused property will have, true to brand, an artist-in-residence program, neither fees for Wi-Fi nor early/late check-out as well as a Commons Club dining room.

AC by Marriott Hotel
Opening 2021
The European-inspired 13-story, 219-room hotel will be located at 1112 19th St. NW. The property features a lobby-level restaurant, outdoor seating, rooftop bar and rooftop meeting spaces.

• • •

NEW VENUES

Apple Flagship Store 
Opened May 2019
Carnegie Library became a 19,000-square-foot Apple Store across from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The store is one of 13 high-profile locations across the world that also utilizes the company’s “town square” concept. Apple has daily free programs in correspondence with local artists. 

International Spy Museum
Opened May 2019
One of the city’s most popular museums moved from Penn Quarter to L’Enfant Plaza and features 140,000 square feet, more than double the space of the original building and new interactive exhibits. A phased opening began with new indoor/outdoor event space with sweeping city views that opened in September 2018 and the full museum reveal in May 2019. 

National Air & Space Museum 
Re-opening in phases 2022-2025 
The National Air and Space Museum began its major renovation of the building on the National Mall in December 2018. The revitalization of the building’s exterior and infrastructure, and the transformation of all 23 exhibitions and presentation spaces, will take approximately seven years and is anticipated to be completed in 2025. Phased gallery closures began December 2018 with some reopening in 2022, including Destination Moon, a redesigned exhibition of the popular Apollo missions.The museum expects most of the eastern galleries will remain open until 2022, when the first refurbished exhibits come on view. 

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TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENTS 

Dulles Metrorail Project – Silver Line

The 23-mile Silver Line Metrorail extension is the largest expansion of the area’s Metrorail system in over 20 years. Phase 1, completed in 2014, included new stations in McLean, Tysons Corner and Reston. Phase 2, expected to be finished by 2020, will connect DC to Dulles International Airport.

Reagan National Airport’s Project Journey

Construction of two new security checkpoints with 28 additional screening lanes and a new 14-gate concourse is in full swing at Reagan National Airport. The $1 billion investment will help with passenger safety, security and efficiency. The checkpoints and concourse with jet bridges and concessions are scheduled to open in 2021.