Norton’s Work That Got Walter Reed Transferred to DC Gets First Retail, Whole Foods

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) celebrated Whole Foods' announcement this week that they will open a new store on the campus of the former Walter Reed military hospital. Norton's efforts were instrumental in ensuring 67 acres of the 110-acre site would go to the District of Columbia for redevelopment. The District was initially awarded only a smaller portion of the property, but Norton fought that decision and was able to secure significantly more land for the District. In 2014, Norton spoke at the Deed Signing Ceremony to transfer the property and emphasized that the new fire and emergency station scheduled for the Ward 4 would reduce response times for the northernmost section of the District and enhance public safety.

"I have prioritized transferring federal land to District control, focusing on the District's options for much-needed space because the District is limited by the Height Act, a federal law that limits building heights in the District," Norton said. "My bills have made up for this limitation by developing existing, unused federal land in neighborhoods across the District. Whether NoMa, the Wharf, the Capitol Riverfront, or Walter Reed, I have significantly expanded space for opportunities to build more affordable housing, retail, offices, and other amenities.

"This announcement by Whole Foods will provide an anchor retail the Northwest community has long sought. Moreover, at a time when the District is growing at a rapid rate and affordable housing is imperceptibly low, Whole Foods, the first retailer on the Walter Reed campus, is a signal that businesses understand that it is good business to give the community what it needs and wants."