New Development Set for Deanwood Metro Station in D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The future of a largely unused parking lot adjacent to the Deanwood Metro station is on the horizon, as the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has selected Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures and Nix Development Co. to transform the 1.1-acre site in Ward 7. The planned development, which remains unfunded, will feature 169 mixed-income residential units and ground-floor retail, alongside a new 20,000-square-foot DC Public Library branch, for which $24 million has already been allocated.

The project aims to have approximately 50% of its residential units designated as affordable housing. Despite the site’s current function as a parking lot, developer plans do not include additional commuter parking for the Metro station. The architectural design will be led by Cunningham Quill Architects, with Bozzuto Construction Company serving as the general contractor.

“We’re celebrating this opportunity — an underutilized parking lot that needs a fresh start,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser stated during the announcement held on Monday. Mayor Bowser was accompanied by District officials, Metro representatives, and the development team as she emphasized the project’s goal to establish a vibrant hub for housing and amenities in Ward 7.

In June 2022, WMATA issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the Deanwood site, encouraging innovative plans that would integrate housing and community-oriented retail up to 275,000 square feet, essentially aiming at revitalizing the area. The response to the RFP attracted submissions from three other competitors: Mosaic Development Partners JV LLC, Gragg Cardona Souadi LLC—Foundation Housing Inc., and another unnamed entity.

The selected development team anticipates breaking ground in 2028, pursuing a completion target of 2030. “This project incorporates thoughtful placemaking components to ensure connectivity to and from the Deanwood Metro Station and the surrounding neighborhood,” stated Raymond Nix, President of Nix Development. “Our team will work with the community to complement existing and planned development while creating a vibrant neighborhood and community of choice for Ward 7 and the District of Columbia.”

Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures has been involved in various projects throughout D.C., including notable work in NoMa and Southeast D.C. Meanwhile, Nix Development has notable experience in the Deanwood area, contributing to initiatives aimed at enhancing the local community.

The Deanwood site is part of WMATA’s 10-year Strategic Plan for Joint Development, unveiled in spring 2022, which identifies over 550 acres across 40 Metro stations that could potentially accommodate 31 million square feet of new mixed-use development. So far, seven projects from the plan have broken ground, while five have been successfully completed. In addition to Deanwood, WMATA also solicited proposals last year for Metro-owned sites in North Bethesda and other locations.

This announcement comes at a time when urban revitalization efforts are increasingly emphasizing mixed-use project developments aimed at addressing affordable housing shortages and improving community amenities, a theme that resonates strongly in contemporary urban planning discussions.