Here Are the D.C. Neighborhoods Vying for Amazon HQ2
Washington, D.C., is among one of the many cities hoping to become Amazon’s second home. The city is pitching four neighborhoods to the e-commerce giant: Anacostia Riverfront, NoMa-Union Station, Capitol Hill East, and Shaw-Howard University.
The formal proposal doesn’t stand alone as the only effort put forth by the mayor’s office to lure Amazon to D.C. Mayor Bowser released a short video explaining the benefits D.C. would offer, and there’s even a full website dedicated to the pitch.
A news release from the mayor’s office outlines the benefits each individual neighborhood has to offer to Amazon for its second headquarters.
The Anacostia Riverfront is being pitched as “D.C.’s fastest growing neighborhood.” The release made note of “consolidated building opportunities” in the Poplar Point area, and calls the Anacostia Riverfront “a space where urban living meets water, people meet parks, and history meets progress.”
NoMa-Union Station is D.C.’s largest transportation hub, which has access to DC’s Metro system, as well as Maryland’s MARC trains and Amtrak. The pitch points out the neighborhood’s massive amount of foot traffic each day, and its unique retail spaces and Michelin-starred restaurants.
Capitol Hill East is home to many government leaders as well as D.C. locals. It is currently undergoing development, and by the end of phase one it will have an additional 350 apartment units, around 40,000 square feet of retail space, and a new town square, according to the pitch.
Shaw-Howard University is touted as a diverse area that displays D.C.’s culture. “Situated within the broader U Street, Shaw, and Howard University areas, the development sites are steeped in the music, cultural, and educational history at the heart of DC’s African-American community,” the release explained.