Mayor Muriel Bowser and other District leaders on Monday celebrated the groundbreaking of Sycamore & Oak, a new community-led temporary development located on Parcel 15 in Congress Heights.
Officials say the structure consists of a 22,000-square-foot Interim Retail Village (IRV) that will incubate retail and food concepts that originated in the community and provide job opportunities to neighborhood residents.
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The IRV will open to the public in December 2022.
“We are building the community that Ward 8 deserves at the St. Elizabeths East campus,” said Bowser. “This campus is coming to life right before our eyes – a place for people to live, to have fun, to work and find new opportunity. When it opens, Sycamore & Oak is going to be a beautiful new destination for our city and an incubator for local talent.”
According to a release from Bowser's office, Sycamore & Oak, named for its location at the corner of Sycamore and Oak Drive, will be next to the Entertainment and Sports Arena (ESA), within walking distance of the Congress Heights Metro Station, and will serve as an incubator for local businesses. The following businesses – all owned by residents of Wards 7 and 8 – are the first to have been offered spaces:
- Black Bella
- Congress Heights Arts and Cultural Center
- Chris Pyrate & Friends
- LoveMore Brand
- Our Armoire
- Paradyce Clothing Company, Inc.
- Salon On The Ave.
- The Museum
“With the interim retail venue construction now underway, local entrepreneurs will be able to share their ventures with the community at Parcel 15,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development John Falcicchio. “Aligned with Mayor Bowser’s vision for the St Elizabeths East Resilence Campus, this activation at Parcel 15 sets the tone for the full project emphasizing equity, sustainability and exceptional design.”
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