WMATA selects development team for Deanwood joint development project

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has selected Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures (NREUV) and the Nix Development Company (NixDev) as the development team for the Deanwood joint development. WMATA notes the team also includes local architect Cunningham Quill, and general contractor, Bozzuto Construction Company.    

The future development will bring new housing and retail options to the community just steps away from the station entrance in Northeast Washington, D.C. WMATA held a compact public hearing and received board approval in 2023 to close the surface parking lot, as well as rezoned the property from production, distribution and repair to medium density mixed-use in September 2024.  

The mixed-use development will be complemented by a new 20,000 square foot public library in Washington, D.C., which WMATA’s Board approved in April 2024. The public library, which has allocated $24 million in funding for the project, is working with WMATA separately on developing an agreement. 

“We look forward to this site getting a fresh start by transforming an underutilized space into a vibrant, mixed-use hub of housing and amenities for Ward 7,” said District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser. “We have a world-class public transit system, we have a world-class library system, and this project will bring them together and deliver jobs, housing and more for DC residents.”  

“Deanwood station is a fantastic example of [WMATA] working with the city and the local community to replace a mostly empty parking lot with a development that will enhance the neighborhood,” said WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke. “Transit-oriented development is a key component of [WMATA’s] Regional Opportunity and Partnership strategic goal, and [WMATA] remains a national leader in cultivating livable communities near our stations that create new transit users and connect people to economic opportunities.” 

WMATA says the NREUV and NixDev team was competitively selected based on their track record of completing mixed-income developments in the area and commitment to community engagement and economic empowerment. The proposed development includes 169 mixed-income residential units (approximately 50 percent affordable), ground floor retail and services, including a teen tech center. WMATA received proposals from three other development teams—Mosaic Development Partners JV LLC, Gragg Cardona Souadi, LLC-Foundation Housing Inc. and the NHP Foundation. 

“The NREUV-NIXDEV Team is incredibly excited for the opportunity to reimagine and responsibly revitalize the Deanwood Metro Station as a vibrant, people-centered hub with a world-class, mixed-use transit-oriented development – always keeping the community in mind,” said Dr. Gina Merritt and Ray Nix of NREUV and NIXDEV. “Our team is committed to working with communities and building a future that celebrates the community’s heritage and fosters meaningful connections through high-quality residential and an ecosystem that economically empowers the local communities.”  

WMATA notes staff will commence negotiations on the joint development agreement in anticipation of bringing it to the board later this year for approval to execute the agreement. Specific development timelines are still being determined and subject to obtaining financing, however, NREUV and NixDev proposed a closing and construction start by 2028. 

Since issuing its 10-year Strategic Plan for Joint Development in April 2022, WMATA and its joint development partners have broken ground on seven developments throughout the region (five have been completed), totaling approximately 1,900 units, including 1,100 affordable units.