At Ribbon Cutting of First Major Office-to-Housing Conversion in Downtown DC, Mayor Bowser Announces New Program to Spur Transformation of Office Spaces

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the District’s new “Office to Anything” program at the opening celebration for the Elle apartments, the first large-scale office-residential conversion in the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District. The new program, which is funded in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget, will incentivize the transformation of vacant office buildings into retail space, restaurants, hotels, and other uses.  
 
“The transformation of Downtown DC is focused on people. We’re changing spaces and filling spaces with one big goal: to bring more people Downtown. And that’s what this conversion is helping us do,” said Mayor Bowser. “We have a fantastic Downtown – it’s beautiful and walkable, it’s accessible by public transportation, it has great restaurants, and parks, and museums. And we’re proud – with the support of fantastic partners – to be leading the way on office to housing conversions.”
 
The Office to Anything program, officially known as the Central Washington Activation Program, will support the repositioning of office space into new commercial, entertainment, or retail spaces by offering a 15-year temporary property tax freeze. The program is competitive and the value of the total tax abatements available is subject to a cap — $5 million for 2027, $6 million for 2028, and $8 million for 2029, with 4% growth each year after. The eligible area is informed by the Office of Planning’s Central Washington Planning Area and covers all of Downtown as well as portions of NoMa and Southwest. DMPED will promulgate regulations and launch the program. The Office to Anything program is a direct complement to the District’s Housing in Downtown program.
  
“In order for us to truly reimagine Downtown, we must employ strategies and incentives that will encourage development,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Nina Albert. “Through Mayor Bowser’s investments in both our Housing in Downtown and Office to Anything programs, we will create more housing, more retail, and more attractions to our Downtown.” 
 
The firm Willco led the redevelopment of the Elle, which transformed the former Vanguard office building and longtime home of the Peace Corps into a 163-unit residential property with 8,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Washington, DC has been recognized as a national leader in office-to-residential conversion projects. In addition to the Elle, there are 11 other projects in the development pipeline that will deliver over 2,300 housing units to Downtown DC. 
 
“I believe in Downtown and I’m seeing that people want to experience everything the Golden Triangle offers,” said Gary Cohen, President and Chairman of Willco. “Willco is proud to be a leader in making it possible for people to live here, in the center of it all.”
 
In March, Mayor Bowser launched the District’s Housing in Downtown program, an innovative program designed to catalyze new residential development and add thousands of new residents Downtown through a 20-year tax abatement. The program is competitive due to program caps. In total, the program is capped at $41 million. From FY24-FY26, $2.5 million will be available to projects, increasing to a total of $6.8 million in FY27, and then to $41 million in FY28. Applications are open on a rolling basis. 
 
“This shows what's possible for the future of business districts,” said Leona Agouridis, President and CEO of the Golden Triangle BID. “There couldn’t be a better place to call home than the Golden Triangle, where you can walk to Metro, your office, restaurants, shops, and museums amid our clean and beautifully landscaped streets.”
 
In April, the Mayor was joined by representatives from Capital Fringe at the announcement of a new Pop-Up Permitting (PUPs) pilot program that makes it easier for entrepreneurs to transform vacant storefronts in Downtown DC. The PUPs program, developed and administered by the Department of Buildings, enables customers to secure a streamlined Certificate of Occupancy for temporary use of a previously vacant building without going through the traditional permitting process. Capital Fringe, an annual community-driven arts festival that celebrates cultural democracy and access to art and artistic expression for all, kicks off today with multiple venues in previously vacant spaces in Downtown. Learn more at capitalfringe.org.
 
To learn more about the Office to Anything Program, visit dmped.dc.gov/page/office-anything-program.
 

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