1608.1 The following general policies and actions should guide growth and neighborhood conservation decisions in Central Washington. These policies and actions should be considered in tandem with those in the Citywide Elements of the Comprehensive Plan.

1608.2 Policy CW-1.1.1: Promoting Mixed-Use Development

Expand the mix of land uses in Central Washington to attract a broader variety of activities and sustain the area as the hub of the metropolitan area. Central Washington should be strengthened as a dynamic employment center, a high-quality regional retail center, an internationally renowned cultural center, a world-class visitor and convention destination, a vibrant urban neighborhood, and the focus of the regional transportation network. New office and retail space, hotels, arts and entertainment uses, housing, and open space should be encouraged through strategic incentives and preservation so that the area remains attractive, exciting, and economically productive.

See also the Urban Design and Land Use elements for additional policies related to downtown growth.

1608.3 Policy CW-1.1.2: Central Washington Office Growth

Retain Central Washington as the premier office location in the greater Washington region. Office development should generally be guided eastward from its current area of concentration. Capitalize on the strong demand for office space in Downtown East, along North and South Capitol Streets, and in the vicinity of the NoMa-Gallaudet U Metro station. A range of office space should be planned to meet the needs of high-end, mid-range, and low-end office space users, and this space should also include modern workspace concepts such as shared workspaces, membership offices, rental conference rooms, and virtual offices.

See also the Economic Development Element for additional policies related to growth of the office economy.

1608.4 Policy CW-1.1.3: Incentives for Non-Office Uses

Take action to attract non-office uses within the area to create a vibrant collection of central neighborhoods. Continue using zoning and other regulatory mechanisms to incentivize mixed-use development, including housing, ground floor retail, educational uses, and arts facilities in locations consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.

1608.5 Policy CW-1.1.4: New Housing Development in Central Washington

Continue to encourage the development of new high-density housing in Central Washington, particularly in NoMa and east Mount Vernon Square, including Mount Vernon Triangle, Northwest One, and the L'Enfant Plaza/Near Southwest areas. Ground floor retail space and similar uses should be strongly encouraged within these areas to create street life and provide neighborhood services for residents. A strong downtown residential community can create pedestrian traffic, meet local housing needs, support local businesses in the evenings and on weekends, and increase neighborhood safety and security.

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Policy CW-1.1.5: Central Washington Housing Diversity

It is important to keep Central Washington a mixed-income community and avoid the displacement of lower-income residents. Preserve Central Washington's existing low- to moderate-income housing, including public housing, housing (both contracts and vouchers), and other subsidized units. The District has taken a proactive approach to preserving affordable units at the Museum Square, Golden Rule, and other Central Washington Area redevelopment sites. The District should continue to expand the number of affordable units through land disposition with affordability requirements and through the use of zoning and other regulatory incentives.

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Policy CW-1.1.6: Capturing Visitor and Employee Spending

Capture a greater share of the demand for goods and services generated by the 475,531 persons working in Central Washington and the millions of visitors who come to the area each year by supporting additional retail and restaurant development. This will generate a substantial amount of jobs, tax revenues, and social and economic benefits for the city.

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Policy CW-1.1.7: Central Washington Arts and Entertainment Uses

Retain, enhance, and expand Central Washington's arts and entertainment uses, including theaters, cinemas, galleries, studios, museums, and related services. Cultural uses should be actively encouraged in the area along 7^th Street NW (between the National Mall and the convention center), the E Street corridor (between 5^th and 15^th Streets NW), Pennsylvania Avenue (between 3^rd and 15^th Streets NW), and 10^th Street SW. The clustering of arts uses in these areas should complement the significant cultural institutions already present or planned, such as the Smithsonian museums (including the National Portrait Gallery, Renwick Gallery, and Smithsonian American Art Museum), the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and the numerous downtown theaters.

See also the Economic Development Element, for more policies relating to the growth of the tourism and hospitality economy, and the Arts and Culture Element, for policies on the promotion of downtown arts and live-work housing for artists.

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Policy CW-1.1.8: Promote Central Washington Retail

Develop and promote Central Washington as a regional retail destination with a mix of retailers that serve the local office market, as well as District-wide and regional customer bases. Particular emphasis should be placed on sustaining concentrated regional shopping areas at:

1. The F and G Street corridors between 7th and 15th Streets, NW;
2. 7th Street, NW in the Gallery Place and Penn Quarter neighborhoods; and
3. CityCenterDC.

The design of streets and facades in these areas should be conducive to pedestrian-oriented shopping, with wide sidewalks, window displays, well-managed on-street vending activities, outdoor seating areas, and other shopper amenities. A mix of traditional large-format retail anchors and specialty shops should be encouraged, with a focus on shopping goods retail. In particular, support should be provided to attract new and retain existing department stores in these areas and attract supermarkets to support residential development in these areas.

See also the Economic Development and Urban Design elements for additional policies relating to the retail sector.

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Policy CW-1.1.9: Neighborhood-Serving Retail in Central Washington

Encourage Central Washington's retail uses to serve not only the regional market, but also the local neighborhood market created by residential development within the area. This should include basic consumer goods like drug stores, hardware stores, and grocery stores, to supplement the major anchors and specialty shops.

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Policy CW-1.1.10: Leveraging Major Development Sites

Use major development sites—such as urban renewal sites, air rights, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) joint development sites, and federal property disposition—to implement key objectives and policies of the Central Washington Area Element, especially with respect to land use and urban design. These sites should be viewed as a portfolio of assets that to be strategically managed to meet the District's long-term needs.

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Policy CW-1.1.11: Reinforcing Central Washington's Characteristic Design Features

Reinforce the physical qualities that set Central Washington apart from all other major American city centers. Balance the symbolic monumentality of the national

civic center with a respectful, but distinct and impressive, expression of local life. Blend historic, traditional, and contemporary architecture to express the vitality of a diverse and growing District that is as proud of its neighborhood amenities, architectural heritage, and character as it is of its position as the seat of the national government.

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Policy CW-1.1.12: Creating Active Street Life and Public Spaces

Promote active street life throughout Central Washington through the design of buildings, streets, and public spaces. This should include:

1. • Discouraging second-level pedestrian bridges, underground walkways, and underground or privatized cafeterias that drain activity from Central Washington streets;
2. • Encouraging multiple entrances in large projects to increase street-level activity;
3. • Managing certain streets so they can be easily closed to traffic on special occasions for pedestrians;
4. • Providing streetscape improvements that make downtown streets more comfortable and attractive;
5. • Encouraging active ground floor uses and discouraging wide building entrances, large internal lobbies, and street-facing garage entrances and loading areas;
6. • Creating and managing well-designed public spaces that provide space for spontaneous performances, programmed entertainment, social interaction, and activities like farmers markets;
7. • Supporting collaboration with NPS to accommodate national and local needs at federally owned parks in the heart of the central business district, such as Pershing and John Marshall Parks, Freedom Plaza, and Franklin, McPherson, Lafayette and Farragut Squares, while emphasizing the need for federal agencies to maintain their open spaces, parks, and monuments in a timely and proper manner; and
8. • Making Pennsylvania Avenue NW a destination showcasing Washington, DC's economic, cultural, and civic strength on local and national levels.

See also the Urban Design Element for additional policies relating to improving the public realm and creating active downtown street environments.

1608.14 Policy CW-1.1.13: Central Washington Multi-modal Transportation System Develop and maintain a balanced multi-modal transportation system for Central Washington that makes optimal use of the existing street network, the Metro and commuter rail networks, the bus system, and public spaces, including sidewalks and alleys. Mass transit, walking, and biking should be supported as the dominant forms of transportation to, from, and around the area. To achieve this, mass transit requires dedicated facilities and infrastructure to give transit priority over automobile traffic.

1608.15 Policy CW-1.1.14: Reduce Single-Occupancy Trips in Central Washington Reduce single-occupancy trips in Central Washington by promoting alternative modes of transportation like transit, biking, walking, and carpooling to achieve the District's goal of having 75 percent of all commuter trips be achieved by non-single-occupancy vehicle modes. For this District-wide goal to be achieved, Central Washington, where most commuter trips begin and end, needs to reach a commuter trips share mode of non-single occupancy of 75 percent or higher. Regional policies like those on congestion pricing should also be explored. Public transit, and other non-single-occupancy vehicle modes, should be emphasized as the preferred means of access to and around Central Washington by:

1. Giving priority to public transit vehicles on the area's streets;
2. Promoting the use of public transit for commuting;
3. Encouraging direct connections from Metro stations to adjacent development;
4. Improving the availability of information and signage about public transit service;
5. Developing new forms of transit, such as circulators and trolleys;
6. Improving public transit service, particularly during off-peak hours; and
7. Encouraging and supporting biking, bike sharing, and walking—as the primary means of travel between areas in Central Washington—with appropriate infrastructure.

1608.16 Policy CW-1.1.15: Central Washington Parking Management Develop creative, effective solutions to manage downtown parking demand. These solutions should be responsive to the needs of local retailers and businesses without inducing excessive auto traffic or discouraging transit use. Incentives for

short-term parking within private garages, the sharing of parking by multiple uses with different demand characteristics, and better parking signage are all strongly encouraged. Additionally, with autonomous vehicle (AV) technology progressing, the District should continue studying and planning for AVs' impacts on parking demand and land uses.

See also the Transportation Element for additional policies on shared parking and parking management.

1608.17 Policy CW-1.1.16: Making Central Washington's Streets More Pedestrian Friendly

Enhance Central Washington's pedestrian network and improve pedestrian safety. This should be achieved through such measures as:

1. Improving certain streets for pedestrian use;
2. Providing safe and accessible pedestrian waiting space on the widest thoroughfares;
3. Maintaining sufficiently wide sidewalks and regulating sidewalk obstructions;
4. Restricting curb cuts and parking garage access along major streets;
5. Providing safe and accessible pedestrian detours at construction sites;
6. Encouraging sidewalk widening within private development; and
7. Enforcing traffic and parking laws, such as no parking zones.

1608.18 Policy CW-1.1.17: Crosstown Circulation

Strengthen transportation connections between Central Washington and the rest of the District by improving east-west connections—including F Street NW, H Street NW, and I Street NW, and by implementing a transitway on K Street NW to give public transit dedicated lanes. Enhance north-south connections, such as 7th and 9th Streets NW, and explore whether permanently closed streets from L'Enfant's 1791 plan for the City of Washington can be re-opened or could be used to improve connections for pedestrians through easements or other mechanisms.

See also policies in the Land Use, Urban Design, and Transportation Elements for information about discouraging street closures in and around the District.

1608.19 Policy CW-1.1.18: Goods Movement and Service Delivery within Central Washington

Strongly discourage the obstruction of public rights-of-way by goods and service delivery activities, including delivery robots. Provide for the efficient and convenient movement of goods and delivery of services within Central Washington by:

1. Maintaining and improving interior alleys, where needed, to provide for off-street loading facilities and minimize curb cuts on streets;
2. Encouraging the consolidation of loading areas within new development and limiting on-street service deliveries;
3. Encouraging adequate off-street or below-grade loading and service parking areas;
4. Converting on-street loading facilities to off-street facilities whenever possible; and
5. Managing goods and service delivery times.

See the Transportation Element for additional policies on goods delivery.

1608.20 Policy CW-1.1.19: Wayfinding Signage

Maintain, upgrade, and manage pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular signage within Central Washington to improve connections within the area, and between the area and the rest of Washington, DC. Street signs, directional signs, and maps should provide clear information on travel routes, emergency routes and procedures, parking, and transit operations.

See the Urban Design Element for additional policies on signage.

1608.21 Policy CW-1.1.20: Design Character

Create a more coherent design character for Central Washington by improving the physical linkages among the Monumental Core, the business sub-districts on the perimeter of the National Mall, and the expanding mixed-use areas east and southeast of downtown. Urban design strategies should focus on making the entire area more walkable, discouraging monolithic architecture, improving signage and streetscape features, and adding new land uses that make the area more lively, interesting, and dynamic.

1608.22 Policy CW-1.1.21: Downtown Street and Block Pattern

Maintain a fine-grained pattern of downtown blocks, streets, and alleys, with intersections and frontages that encourage pedestrian movement and reduce the

potential for immense variations in scale and fortress like office buildings. Preserve and encourage activation of historic alleys like Blagden, Naylor, and Prather’s.

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Policy CW-1.1.22: Downtown Edges

Establish and maintain scale and density transitions between downtown and adjacent lower-density neighborhoods. Use variations in height, massing, and architectural quality to respect the fine-grained pattern of adjacent neighborhoods.

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Policy CW-1.1.23: Architectural Excellence

Promote excellence in the design of downtown buildings and landscapes. Particular attention should be focused on ground floor levels, with greater architectural details used to improve visual image.

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Policy CW-1.1.24: Federal Coordination

Coordinate with the federal government to achieve a consistent urban design vision for Central Washington. As applicable, the District should incorporate design concepts from the NCPC’s Legacy Plan and similar design-oriented plans for the Monumental Core of Washington, DC, into its own design plans and strategies.

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Policy CW-1.1.25: Pedestrian Bridges and Tunnels

Discourage the construction of second-level downtown pedestrian bridges that drain activity from the street level. Subterranean tunnels between buildings also should be discouraged, unless they improve access to Metro and are necessary for pedestrian safety.

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Policy CW-1.1.26: Interagency Flood Risk Management

Coordinate with NCPC and DC Silver Jackets to reduce flood risk and enhance stormwater management in the Federal Triangle neighborhood, and to encourage federal agencies to use preservation design standards to guard against future flood risks when they develop or redevelop lands located in other known flood-prone areas. This includes ensuring compliance with implementation guidelines for the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard.

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Action CW-1.1.A: Land Use and Transportation Planning for Central Washington

Conduct land use and transportation research and planning for Central Washington, including the collection and analysis of data on the area’s employment, population, housing, visitors, land use, development, travel patterns, and economic characteristics. Research and planning are necessary to monitor Central Washington’s competitive position in the nation and region and to make policy

recommendations to maintain its health. This activity should be done in concert with the NCPC, the Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP), and the local BIDs.

1608.29 Action CW-1.1.B: Central Washington Urban Design Planning Develop plans and guidelines for the design of buildings, streets, and public spaces in Central Washington. Design guidelines should help implement the Comprehensive Plan by reinforcing the unique identity of Central Washington's sub-areas and neighborhoods, improving connections to the National Mall, encouraging pedestrian movement, creating active street life, preserving historic resources, promoting green roofs and other sustainable design principles, and achieving high-quality architectural design.

See the Federal and District elements on Land Use, Urban Design, and Economic Development for related policies.

1608.30 Action CW-1.1.C: Focused Planning and Implementation for Catalytic Sites Develop detailed plans for catalytic sites with the potential to significantly shape the future of Central Washington, and work on implementing existing ones. These sites include the I-395 air rights north of Massachusetts Avenue NW, the Northwest One neighborhood, and the air rights north of Union Station. Work with the federal government to prepare plans or implement existing plans for similar sites under its jurisdiction, such as Freedom Plaza, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Labor Department buildings, Old Naval Observatory Hill, the federal buildings near L'Enfant Plaza in support of the SW Ecodistrict Plan and the Maryland Avenue SW Small Area Plan, and the area around the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

1608.31 Action CW-1.1.D: Public Space Regulations Simplify public space regulations for downtown to avoid duplicative or incompatible standards and overly complex permitting requirements.

1608.32 Action CW-1.1.E: Residential Development Incentives Continue developing financial and non-financial incentives for the conversion of lower-performing retail/office buildings into new housing or mixed-use development throughout Central Washington.

1608.33 Action CW-1.1.F: Reduce Downtown Congestion Through the Implementation of moveDC. Implement the recommendations from moveDC that pertain to Central Washington and are aimed at reducing downtown congestion issues through the use of multimodal transportation planning tools and policies like congestion pricing.

See Near Northwest Area Element for more information on planning and implementation for Foggy Bottom and West End.

SOURCE: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193; 41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996, effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996, effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).