Southwest Waterfront Real Estate, Washington DC
The winds of change are blowing along the Southwest Waterfront in Washington, DC. From new restaurants and bars to upscale condos for sale, the area is undergoing a sea-change of modern redevelopment. The question is, how much of the area’s history will be preserved and will a massive new revitalization effort deliver on its promises, when many earlier efforts failed?
This part of DC goes back to the city’s earliest planning. The few surviving buildings from that era include four historic Wheat Row townhouses built in 1794. Those row houses are now considered part of Harbour Square, a 440-unit mid-century modern cooperative designed by the notable female architect Chloethiel Woodard Smith.
But now a brand-new era of construction is underway with The Wharf, a $2 billion venture covering 27 acres of land and 50 acres of water. For more information about Southwest Waterfront real estate for sale in Washington DC, give District Partners at Compass a call today!
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Southwest Waterfront Neighborhood Information
During the 1800s, Southwest Waterfront was a thriving shantytown with fishmongers living and working alongside affluent members of DC society. Row houses co-existed with large mansions overlooking the original wharf and the Maine Avenue Fish Market which opened in 1805. During the 1950s, much of the area was razed in the name of progress and new contemporary office and apartment buildings were constructed. Some of the I.M. Pei-designed apartment buildings have since become condos for sale.
And what of the historic fish market that remains open to this day? Actually, the wharf itself was torn down as well in the 1960s. The merchants sued for the right to stay however, due to their lease rights. Now, modern day fish mongers sell their products from floating barges that line the pier—a nod to the old days when seafood would be sold directly off fishing boats.
What to Expect at DC's Southwest Waterfront
As noted at the outset, the Southwest Waterfront is undergoing a massive transformation with The Wharf, a decade-old plan by developers Hoffman-Madison that entered the construction phase in 2014 and is now well underway. Included will be three new piers jutting into the Washington Channel, plus hotels, offices, apartments, restaurants, jazz clubs, a movie theater and yes, new luxury condos for sale including VIO, a 12-story luxury waterfront building.
Southwest Waterfront Real Estate at a Glance
Homes and condos for sale in the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood start at around $125,000 for small studio units and climb past a million dollars. The new commercial developments will produce an even greater inventory of lofts, townhouses and condos for sale in the future as the riverfront continues its evolution.
