WTOP, April 18th, 2019: ‘It’s primarily racial’: DC has the most intense gentrification in the country, study found
If you head down to Navy Yard for a Washington Nationals game, you’ll notice more restaurants and condominiums.
Eight new restaurants have opened their doors since Opening Day last year, and another six are expected to open by the end of this season. Baseball fans can now sip nitro cold brew coffee, sample Wizeguy’s famous pizza or even buy charcuterie at the new Whole Foods, if they so pleased.
The neighborhood’s fourth high-rise condo has already sold 75 percent of its units, with another three condo buildings right on the horizon.
Capitol Riverfront is one of D.C.’s fastest growing neighborhoods, with 14,000 residents expected by the end of 2019. It’s also one of America’s “coolest neighborhoods.”
It’s unrecognizable from 20 years ago, and it’s far from the only neighborhood in D.C. to get a makeover. A study released by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition in March revealed that D.C. has the most intense gentrification in the country.
But community activists say that gentrification falls along racial lines. Just across the river from the roaring crowd at Nats Park is Ward 8, where less than half of residents feel safe outside their home during the day. Over 90 percent of Ward 8 residents are African-American.
