A plan is in the works to give a boost to the struggling H Street Corridor.
DC’s Office of Planning (OP) along with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development has picked architecture firm Torti Gallas to conduct a land use and market study for the corridor that saw a huge development boom between 2010 and 2018.
The study will focus on the stretch between 3rd Street NE and 15th Street NE, examining market trends and the possibility for more development and public realm improvements. Torti Gallas will be tasked with “creating an economic development strategy that promotes a vibrant mix of retail and housing while enhancing the pedestrian experience along this significant transit corridor,” according to OP.
The H Street Corridor has encountered significant headwinds in the post-pandemic world. A 2023 article in the Washington Post outlined how increased crime in the area was resulting in a sense of unease among residents, and a number of neighborhood establishments closed as a result. The streetcar, that opened to significant fanfare in 2016, will shut down at the end of March.