The Transformation Of Dave Thomas Circle And Other Exciting Changes Coming To Union Market And NoMa

1. Edens last month announced plans for a four-story hotel at 1271 Fifth St. NE. The new 80-to-100-room hotel would be located between an apartment building at 550 Morse St. and a planned 600-unit project from Gallaudet University and JBG Smith. The plans include hotel rooms on the upper three levels and penthouse, plus a lobby on the first floor that would potentially also include restaurant and retail options.

2. In July, construction began on the redesign of Dave Thomas Circle, a busy intersection that straddles the Eckington and NoMa neighborhoods that was colloquially named for the Wendy’s that had been located nearby until it closed two years ago. The Washington Post reported that the intersection, which draws about 80,000 vehicles daily, has long been a source of frustration for drivers due to the traffic and the high rate of collisions that have occurred due to the confusing nature of the corridor and who has the right of way. The $41M construction project is aiming to improve that. 

3. UrbanTurf reported in July that there are close to 2,000 residential units planned for the area around Union Market, which is around the same number that have been delivered in the last two years. 

4. D.C.-based Monument Realty in May completed a new 321-unit, 14-story multifamily building at 40 Patterson St. NE, at the intersection of First Street Northeast and Capital Street. The building's name, SoNYa, refers to the “South of New York Avenue District.” Monument Realty founder Michael Darby told WTOP News, “When you are walking on the streets, and you look up, the vibrant, colorful building elevates your mood. The closer you get to the building, the more you can appreciate the spirit it brings to the area.”

5. On Sept. 6, El Presidente, a Mexican restaurant from James Beard award-winning hospitality magnate Stephen Starr, opened in the Union Market area on Union Street Northeast. The restaurateur’s Philadelphia-based Starr Restaurant Group previously bought St. Anselm steakhouse and bakery Bread Alley to the area. Corporate chef Andres Padilla told Eater, “Just like Mexico City, where you have all this migration toward the city from all parts of Mexico, we’re also taking inspiration from those other regions of Mexico.”

6. In May, D.C.’s Department of Transportation announced that while it is making plans to reconstruct the H Street Bridge, Amtrak has asked the District to rehabilitate the bridge for now, instead of fully rebuilding it. Despite this, DDOT Director Everett Lott said in an emailed statement to the Washington Business Journal that “DDOT’s plan is to fully replace the H Street Bridge” and that the department would “continue engagement with Amtrak, Union Station Redevelopment Corporation, and other stakeholders on how to accommodate the timing and design development of the future expansion project.”