Pennsylvania Avenue SE
SE
OVERVIEW
DEVELOPED BEGINNING IN THE 1880s, Pennsylvania Avenue SE is often considered the gateway to Capitol Hill. Characterized by single-family homes and townhouses, the area is surrounded by Hillcrest, Penn Branch, Dupont Park, Fairfax Village, Fairlawn, Fort Davis, Randle Highlands, and Summit Park. These communities contribute significant consumer spending potential for the neighborhood’s diverse retail tenants.
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Pennsylvania Ave SENEIGHBORHOOD FEATURES
Neighborhood Shopping Centers
Fairfax Village (34,400 SF) and Fort Davis Center (44,000 SF) provide retail, restaurants, and services to nearby communities.
Shops At Penn Branch
Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners completed renovation of the retail center at 3200 Pennsylvania Avenue SE in 2019. The updated property features 17,000 SF of office space and 65,000 SF of retail anchored by a 20,000 SF Planet Fitness. For Phase II of the project, Jair Lynch will redevelop a 1.9-acre parking lot into a mixed-use project including 175 units of workforce housing and additional neighborhood-serving retail.
Great Streets + Main Street
Pennsylvania Avenue SE’s designation as a Great Streets corridor allows small businesses to apply for grant funds to cover capital improvements and certain soft costs. The corridor also became a DC Main Street in 2020 under the auspices of the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization.
Fort Circle Parks
Pennsylvania Avenue SE runs through Fort Circle Park, a treasured open space with walking and bike trails managed by DC’s Department of Parks and Recreation and the National Park Service. The park originally served as a network of forts established to defend the U.S. Capitol during the Civil War.
Envisioning The Corridor
Building on the 2008 Pennsylvania Avenue SE Corridor Land Development Plan, the new Pennsylvania Avenue East Small Area Plan is being developed to create recommendations for further revitalizing the corridor. The plan will focus on business development, creating a vibrant public realm, and improving connectivity.




Contact: Marshall Heights Community Development Organization
Latisha Atkins
Pennsylvania Avenue East Main Streets Director