Finally?!?!? “The vacant retail spaces in and around the Convention Center present a tremendous opportunity to invigorate the community”

From a press release:

“Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, announced today it has hired Streetsense, a multidisciplinary design and strategy firm specializing in retail, restaurant, hospitality, and real estate solutions, to lease retail spaces around the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The brokerage team working on the project consists of Director of Retail Strategy, Jared Meier; Director of Investment Sales and Leasing, Roy Hill; and Retail Strategist, Michael Johns.

Capitalizing on the spirit of Events DC’s ‘Bring Your Imagination’ campaign, this new partnership will activate retail spaces on the exterior of the Convention Center, consisting of 11 retail locations, totaling approximately 19,000 square feet.

“The vacant retail spaces in and around the Convention Center present a tremendous opportunity to invigorate the community,” says Max Brown, board chair for Events DC. “Engaging the local neighborhood is one of our top priorities and we are focused on finding the right retailers to fill the available space to continue the revitalization of Shaw, and connect the corridor from U Street down to NY Avenue.”

Events DC is focused on bringing in the right mix of vendors, including restaurants, services and local merchants to serve both local residents and event attendees.

“There is positive momentum to bring our vision to life – in fact, our partner Streetsense has already hit the ground running,” said Gregory A. O’Dell, president and chief executive officer of Events DC. “They have been actively pursuing exciting new concepts for retail at the Convention Center and, as a result, we are in discussions with several amazing prospects that we believe our customers, residents and visitors to the Convention Center will thoroughly enjoy.”

Streetsense is recognized as a top design, brokerage, and strategy firm, known for its involvement in high-profile projects such as the upcoming Collection at Chevy Chase and the DC Vibrant Streets Toolkit, and work with influential clients including JBG, Mike Isabella, and The Ritz-Carlton. The firm is also well known for integrating market analysis, urban planning, architecture, branding, and retail strategy. The brokerage team has played an active role in real estate transactions throughout the Shaw and Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhoods, and have established the immediate area as a food haven for the city.

Current plans for the area include exploring the modification of existing retail storefronts, offering neighborhood-serving goods and amenities, and repositioning the fascia along 9th Street NW by incorporating artistic elements, murals and vertical plant installation.

“We are thrilled to join Events DC in this endeavor and remain enthusiastic about the area’s growth and long-term potential,” said Marc Ratner, chief executive officer of Streetsense. “We look forward to making a constructive impact on the community and the cityscape of the Convention Center.”