Joining the D.C. food scene this fall, a new food hall called Western Market will open in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood at 2000 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Named for the original Western Market that was opened in 1802 and located around nearby H and I streets, N.W., the new Western Market will incorporate many of the existing shops and eateries at the 2000 Penn interior mall, such as Duke’s Grocery, Paul and Bindaas.
Up to a dozen new eateries are expected at Western Market. Some of the new restaurants include Israeli fast-casual restaurant Shouk, Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls and a new restaurant concept from Mount Pleasant café Elle.
The George Washington University entered into a long-term ground lease for the property at 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. in 2018. The new landlords, Westbrook Partners, a real estate investment management company, and MRP Realty, a D.C.-based real estate company, along with their food hall and restaurant consulting company, Cana Development, select the vendors that will be part of the new food hall.
“With the opening of Western Market, we are excited to re-introduce a culinary epicenter to the neighborhood,” said Tim Hill, Vice President of Investments, MRP Realty. “It’s rewarding to revitalize the original marketplace at 2000 Penn by introducing a top-tier lineup of purveyors to the District’s vibrant culinary scene.”
2000 Penn was developed by GW in 1982 and actively managed the property until 2018. Though GW is no longer involved in the day-to-day management of the property and is not involved in leasing decisions, transactions such as the long-term ground lease allow GW to maximize the value of its investment real estate assets to generate non-tuition-driven revenue to support the academic mission of the university.