Today, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, and leadership of federal and District agencies involved in the Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative are pleased to announce an important partnership and an important milestone for the initiative. Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and U.S. Capitol is the nation’s most iconic ceremonial boulevard and one of the most prominent public spaces in Washington, where the federal and District governments share many interests.
The first milestone is an unprecedented federal-District partnership. Six key stakeholders agreed upon the vision to reimagine Pennsylvania Avenue as a venue and a national public space destination that becomes a catalyst for local economic development. To achieve this vision, the partnership of federal (National Capital Planning Commission, National Park Service, and General Services Administration) and the District of Columbia (Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Events DC, and DowntownDC Business Improvement District) will collaborate to prepare a New Pennsylvania Avenue Plan that will serve as a blueprint for the Avenue’s transformation.
“NCPC is honored to lead this important partnership that will bring Pennsylvania Avenue into the 21st century,” said Executive Director Marcel Acosta. “Federal and District partners have successfully worked together to move big ideas into transformative development, at places like the Southeast Federal Center and along the riverfronts. Today, federal and District agencies stand together behind a new vision for Pennsylvania Avenue that supports a revitalized Downtown and creates a destination public space that will be a source of pride for the District and all Americans.”
The vision—The Avenue as a Venue—sees Pennsylvania Avenue transformed into an inspiring public space destination for the city and the country, offering an unforgettable visitor experience for spectacular events, a vibrant amenity for city living, and a place for communal joy.
“To truly unlock the full potential of Downtown DC, we must reimagine a new future for Pennsylvania Avenue,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “We included the Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative in our Comeback Plan because it represents an important opportunity to bring more people to Washington, DC. We look forward to working with our local and federal partners to explore how we can design and transform this iconic avenue in a way that embraces its history, but also creates new spaces and new opportunities for residents, businesses, and visitors.”
Investing in this iconic and special public space benefits both the nation and the city. It is one of the country’s most symbolic locations, home to important cultural institutions, federal agency headquarters, and the location of the inaugural parade and other important celebrations and protests.
“A reimagined and revitalized Pennsylvania Avenue benefits the National Mall by providing additional space for special events, festivals and other activities among the leading civic spaces of the nation’s capital,” said Jeff Reinbold, superintendent of the National Park Service’s National Mall and Memorial Parks. “We look forward to working cooperatively with NCPC, the District and our other Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative partners to elevate and enhance the links between America’s Main Street and America’s Front Yard.”
Investment also benefits the city’s quality of life by providing a new economic development playbook to bolster the local economy and support the future of downtown Washington.
“We stand on the precipice of a once-in-a-century moment, a turning point in DC’s history,” said Gerren Price, DowntownDC BID President and CEO. “With the bold visions of the Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative as well as the Downtown Action Plan, we have the chance to positively shape the future of the heart of the District. Now is the time to develop a corridor that serves as a mirror of our community's essence and a canvas that bursts with vibrancy. We must seize this extraordinary opportunity — a city united to create an urban public space that embodies both the city’s, and the nation’s, dreams and aspirations for generations to come.”
“A newly designed Pennsylvania Avenue would appeal to our local residents, as well as, to individuals, committees and organizations looking to visit or host world-class events in the nation's capital," said Events DC President and CEO Angie M. Gates. "Tourism brought more than $8 billion to the District in 2022 and supported 85,000 jobs. Expanding live events and cultural activations along Pennsylvania Avenue would add to the economic impact for those visitors staying in our hotels, dining in our restaurants, and shopping in our local retail stores."
The second milestone is the release of two Requests for Proposals (RFP) for the New Pennsylvania Avenue Plan. Two highly qualified and experienced consultant teams will be selected to develop each component of the new plan, obtain public input, and seek approvals through the required regulatory process. This work will build upon the vision, three early concepts released last year, and prior studies. The new plan will have two primary components:
- A Public Space Master Plan that addresses design, public spaces, street, and infrastructure modernization; and
- An Implementation Program with recommendations on stewardship and administration to ensure the Avenue’s long-term success.
The plan is anticipated to be complete in late 2026.
“Revitalizing Pennsylvania Avenue poses an opportunity for GSA and partner agencies to work together to positively impact the local and federal communities that live, work and frequent the area and is a natural extension of GSA's Good Neighbor Program,” said Elliot Doomes, Regional Administrator for the National Capital Region at GSA. “As an active partner in the initiative and as a large owner of real estate adjacent to the Avenue we have a vested interest not only in the physical plan for the avenue but also its continued vitality.”
The first RFP, to be released in early August 2023, focuses on economic analysis and stewardship. The second RFP, which will be released in the fall, focuses on design. Both RFPs will be posted on the sam.gov website. Funding for this work was provided by federal partners.
The consultant teams will focus on several tasks that include:
- Developing specific program requirements for the Avenue’s daily use and special events.
- Conducting an economic assessment of costs and benefits.
- Producing the next iteration of design alternatives by incorporating the best and most feasible ideas from the three early concepts that consider public input from 2022, the program requirements, and the economic assessment.
- Leading public engagement to receive input on the new design alternatives which will serve as the basis to assess the impacts on transportation, the environment, and historic resources.
While this work is getting started, federal and District partners will coordinate efforts to advance the vision and demonstrate the Avenue’s full potential as a venue for events that elevate the District’s visibility to national and international audiences. Expanding events and programming on Pennsylvania Avenue will not only draw tourists from the National Mall to downtown, but they will also attract new visitors to Washington.
Designed in the 1970s as America's Main Street, Pennsylvania Avenue is currently guided by an outdated 1974 plan. Over time, changing economic, physical, and land use conditions have significantly impacted the Avenue’s function and character, reducing its utility as a street. While the pandemic exacerbated these issues, it created a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine the Avenue.
Information about the Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative is online at https://www.ncpc.gov/initiatives/pennave.
