(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development announced that five businesses have been awarded funding from a new $500,000 grant program to support local businesses activating retail areas on The Parks at Walter Reed campus. The funding is supporting the following businesses: Blue’s Coffee and Tea, DC Pop-Up, Pere Wine Bar, Tropical Smoothie Café, and True Value Hardware Store.
“The Parks at Walter Reed is a project that I have worked with the community on for over 15 years, and I know that we are all proud to see our vision of a thriving mixed-use community come to life,” said Mayor Bowser. “I’m grateful for the businesses and entrepreneurs that have helped build this campus into the community that it is today, and we are proud to be supporting five new local businesses to be part of the prosperity here at The Parks at Walter Reed.”
Funds from the Walter Reed Retail Opportunity Grant program are being used for design and construction costs, to purchase vital equipment, and to preserve historic spaces while expanding them for retail use.
“We are incredibly grateful to Mayor Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development for awarding this grant to support the DC Pop Up at Walter Reed,” said Rahama Wright, Curator of the DC Pop Up. “This funding is a critical investment in our collective of local makers and entrepreneurs. It allows us to activate retail space, create pathways for entrepreneurship, and foster economic opportunity in one of DC’s most vibrant and historic neighborhoods. Supporting early-stage founders—especially women and entrepreneurs of color—is not just good business, it’s essential to building an equitable local economy.”
The Parks at Walter Reed is a vibrant mixed-use community. Once complete, The Parks at Walter Reed will include 3.1 million square feet of mixed-use development, over 2,200 units of townhomes, condos, and apartments (including 20% affordable units), and will feature adaptive reuse of existing historic buildings, new construction, and over 20 acres of open space. The campus is being developed by a partnership of Hines, Urban Atlantic and Triden Development.
Businesses that have opened at The Parks at Walter Reed include The Charmery, Chase Bank, DC Pop-Up, District Dogs, Livewell Animal Hospital at the Parks, JINYA, Juneberry Garage, Nail Saloon, Starbucks, and Whole Foods. Businesses coming to the campus soon include McCuiston Group Pediatrics and Lactation, Pere Wine Bar, Slice and Pie, Tropical Smoothie Café, and True Value Hardware.
In addition, DMPED is accepting applications for its local business grant programs, including the Great Streets Retail Grant, Locally Made Manufacturing Grant, and the Emerging Retail Initiative. Businesses can apply until April 14, 2025.
FY25 Great Streets Retail Grant
The Great Streets Retail Grant program is the hallmark grant opportunity for the Great Streets program. The grant is meant for retail small business owners in eligible corridors throughout DC to make capital improvements, expand their space, and offer new products and services.
FY25 DC Locally Made Manufacturing Grant
The DC Locally Made Manufacturing Grant is for small businesses located in a Great Streets corridor and engaged in light manufacturing of consumer good and consumable products. Grants support capital improvements and equipment purchases.
FY25 Emerging Retail Initiative
The Emerging Retail Initiative (ERI) is designed to support emerging businesses expanding into retail markets, food halls, and vacant commercial spaces. ERI adopts a temporary-use model that bridges the gap between shared/incubator spaces and permanent brick-and-mortar establishments.
The Parks at Walter Reed redevelopment is the result of a successful community-driven process once led by then-Councilmember Bowser and now by Mayor Bowser. In 2016, the U.S. Army officially transferred 66-acres of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus to the District, making way for the development of The Parks at Walter Reed. In addition to the businesses listed above, the campus now has a fire station; housing, including housing for seniors and formerly homeless veterans; a school; playground, dog park; JLABS @ Washington, DC a life science and healthcare incubator; and more.
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