THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 contents about this report 2 The State of Georgetown This second annual report is a product of the staff of 6 People 7 Employment the Georgetown Business Improvement District (BID); 10 Residential Population the judgments herein do not necessarily reflect the 16 Commercial Buildings views of the BID’s Board of Directors or the BID 17 Building Improvements 20 Unique Spaces members they represent. 21 Canal and Waterfront District 24 Retail Market 32 Office Market 38 Hospitality and Visitors 39 Hotels 43 Visitor Amenities 44 Transportation 54 Notes Data for The State of Georgetown 2014 covers the period from January 2013 to December 2013, and some preliminary figures for Q1 2014. It is intended to support informed decisions by many stakeholders, including BID members, brokers, retailers, restaurateurs, cultural institutions, and DC government officials and staff. The report is a compilation of relevant, comparable statistics about core features of the Georgetown BID economy: people, office activity, retail activity, hospitality and tourism, and transportation. 2 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT Copyright © 2014 by the Georgetown Business Improvement District R ST R ST PL DENT RESE RVO IR RD CAM DENT B R ID L GE P PL Q ST Q ST P ST 32 ND O ST P ST 27TH ST ST ST ST 30TH CO 3 1S T IS IN ST NS P OTO E AV M AC ST ST ST ST PROS PECT ST M ST ST 37 T H 36TH 35TH 34TH 33RD N ST N ST 28TH T ON S W O ST BART 29TH DUM RO RO CC CK KR CE RE EK E KPA PA RW RK KW AY AY ST A ST VO LT ST BANK M ST B LU E LE S AL Y Y FF AS JE LE ’S A L THOM ST C A DY S SCOTT KE Y BR ID GE N ST W HI TE HU ERSO C&O CANAL RS T FW Y OW N W AT ER FR O NT PA RK FR AN CI GE O RG ET K ST POTOMAC RIVER The Georgetown BID Area Source: Georgetown BID and data.octo.dc.gov THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 1 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID Georgetown remains an iconic neighborhood. The number of retailers, restaurants, and entertainment venues is increasing. Offices are leasing more space and vacancy rates have fallen for the second year in a row. New mixed-use, multi-family residential buildings are rising south of M Street. Elected officials, neighbors, and businesses are working to implement a 15 year plan for the future of the commercial district, bringing a Georgetown Metro station, streetcar, aerial gondola, and restored C&O Canal a step closer to reality. And businesses in the BID area support over 13,000 jobs in just 0.25 square miles. For these reasons, the state of the Georgetown economy is strong. Reviewing calendar year 2013, Georgetown’s success as a vibrant, urban, and economically significant part of the District of Columbia is evident across a variety of measures and sectors: •O ffice sector performance was strong, and the vacancy rate decreased to 9.1 percent, the lowest figure in Georgetown since 2006 and 1.6 percentage points lower than the city-wide average at year-end. •R etailer interest remained extremely high, evidenced by a net gain of 7 new stores, a total collection of over 330 retailers, few vacant spaces, and rising rents. •T he restaurant industry showed strength, posting a net gain of 9 full service restaurants to a total collection of over 120 food service establishments. • Georgetown hotel revenues grew to $65 million, an increase of 6 percent from 2012. • The multi-family housing sector showed signs of heating up, with over 100 units of new-construction condos and apartments breaking ground or in the pipeline. We expect these trends to continue in 2014, but are cautious about long term forecasts given Georgetown’s transportation challenges and changing dynamics in downtown and elsewhere in the region. THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 3 TRANSPORTATION POPULATION PRESSURE As noted in the 2013 State of Georgetown, accessibility remains a priority for Georgetown. Increasing access to Georgetown has the potential to unlock many upsides: more convenient commutes for workers and residents, office rental rates more comparable to Downtown properties, and more foot traffic for retailers. The Georgetown community understands these imperatives, identifying 43 transportation related action items in the Georgetown 2028 Plan.* Interventions that will take place over the next fifteen years include organized advocacy for a Georgetown Metro station and a Georgetown Streetcar connection, the transformation of K Street into a multi-modal gateway, establishing Georgetown as a bicycle-friendly destination, and better roadway and parking management. The State of Georgetown will continue to report relevant vehicular and pedestrian metrics. Last year’s report identified the importance of the 25 to 34 year old age cohort to Georgetown’s retail and transportation landscape. Young professionals continued to drive population growth in 2013, with DC adding more than 1,000 residents per month. In addition to the retail opportunities population growth affords, a growing population also places demands on everything from city services to housing. Continued shortages in the housing (especially condo) supply are driving both policy makers and developers to explore all options for new residential space. This trend is apparent even in Georgetown, where seven multi-family residential projects were delivered, under construction, or announced in 2013. Developers in Georgetown forecast multi-family residential property values of $800 to $1,200 per square foot (SF). This valuation is often higher than commercial property values, creating a value gap that can make converting properties to residential use an attractive possibility. Studying and managing this dynamic is an essential undertaking for residential and commercial stakeholders in the coming years. * Read the full plan at www.georgetowndc.com/georgetown2028 Rendering: Georgetown BID/cox graae + spack 4 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT Photo Credit: Georgetown BID MANAGING FULL BUILD OUT The Washington region is buzzing with new construction and major renovations of commercial buildings. In 2013, 4.5 million SF of office space (about 1.6 times the total office space of Georgetown) was delivered across the metro area.1 An ever increasing share of this property is composed of Class A and LEED certified spaces. The fact that Georgetown continues to attract office tenants speaks to its many amenities: proximity to both downtown DC and the Virginia and Maryland suburbs, a dense live-work-play environment, unique office buildings, and a vibrant professional community. Still, the competition is increasing and ensuring that Georgetown’s commercial spaces remain attractive will be a key priority of the BID. Similarly, between 2001 and 2013 developers delivered 5.4 million SF of retail space in DC, nearly 2.5 times the total retail space in Georgetown.2 More than 7 million additional SF are in the pipeline. Retailers and consumers will have more and more choice on where to locate and shop. As Georgetown approaches the constraints of full build-out, it will become essential to find innovative ways to balance a variety of space and programming needs: the growing share of office tenants that value efficient, high quality space; an increasingly youthful workforce and residential population that enjoys dense, urban amenities, and; retailers and restaurateurs seeking new opportunities in Georgetown. Experiments to find the highest and best use of spaces in Georgetown’s Canal & Waterfront District will become increasingly important. Continuing to retain businesses that are attracted to Georgetown’s many small and unique buildings is, too. And finding ways to induce investment into aging properties is likely to be a determining factor in Georgetown’s commercial performance in both the short and medium terms. UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL OF PUBLIC SPACE By 2020, DC is projected to have in excess of 675,000 residents—an 18 percent increase from 2000.3 The city is becoming more densely populated and new housing is taking the form of condos and apartments to fit the lifestyles of young professional workers and empty-nesters alike. DC’s tourism numbers are increasing as well, with 18.5 million visitors in 2012, up three million from a decade earlier.4 Smaller, denser living spaces and more tourism highlight the need for public space and parks to serve as a “common recreation room” for a diverse set of people. Evidence of this increasing demand is seen, for example, in the DC portion of the C&O Canal National Historical Park: between 2007 and 2013, recreational visits doubled from just over 700,000 to more than 1.4 million visitors annually.5 Though Georgetown is home to a wealth of parks and historic sites, budget shortfalls have limited the National Park Service’s ability to leverage the full potential of Georgetown’s most esteemed public spaces. The FY2012 deferred maintenance backlogs for the C&O Canal Park and Rock Creek Park (both of which crisscross Georgetown) totaled $117 million and $37 million. In contrast, the entire, nation-wide allocation for the National Park Service’s deferred maintenance activities was $77 million.6 Consequently, important recreational resources like the C&O Canal towpath are deteriorating. Resources to provide high quality historical interpretation are also diminishing: there has been no functioning canal boat in over two years, and visitor center attendance has dropped an astounding 93 percent since 2002.7 Compounding the stress of an underfunded National Park Service is general federal budget uncertainty. During the 2013 federal government shutdown, for example, the Washington Habour dock was closed to commercial water taxis and tourist launches, and trash went uncollected in the Waterfront Park. The vitality of the commercial district will depend heavily on how the challenges affecting Georgetown’s national parks are dealt with. THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 5 PEOPLE 6 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT BETHESDA BETHESDA Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID EMPLOYMENT Regional employment grew between 2010 and 2013, though the pace of growth slowed in 2013 due to sequestration and federal budget uncertainty: between 2012 and 2013, DC netted only 1,500 jobs across all sectors. Job growth in the hospitality/food-service (14,000 jobs added) and leisure (2,000 jobs added) sectors was exceptionally strong across DC and the region, emphasizing the growing competitive pressures facing Georgetown as a visitor destination. While professional and business service jobs decreased across the region, DC continued to create jobs in this sector, helping buoy demand for office space in the city despite a shrinking federal government footprint.8 DENSITY OF JOBS IN WASHINGTON, DC SILVER SPRING CHEVY CHASE BETHESDA Washington, DC ARLINGTON ARLINGTON Georgetown remains a vibrant, dense commercial district: Georgetown businesses provide an estimated 13,089 jobs in 2013 within the BID area, which encompasses approximately 0.25 square miles.9 Georgetown University and the Georgetown University Hospital, situated adjacent to the boundary of the BID, support in excess of 10,000 additional jobs on 0.16 square miles of campus.10 Between these two areas, employment data suggests a density of about 60,000 jobs per square mile—similar to the densities observed in areas near Dupont Circle, Shaw, and the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. BAILEY’S CROSSROADS BAILEY’S CROSSROADS ARLINGTON BAILEY’S CROSSROADS Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2013) OnTheMap Application, Longitudinal-Employer GEORGETOWN Jobs/ Sq. Mile 5–7,975 31,888–71,741 7,976–31,887 71,742–127,535 127,536–199,272 13,000 JOBS ARE SUPPORTED BY BID BUSINESSES JOBS IN GEORGETOWN DC Employment (Thousands) 2010 2011 2012 2013 DC Total 712726 732 745 of which Downtown BID 179 182 182 Georgetown (Total) 29 28 23 28 Georgetown BID1111 1213 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014), U.S. Census OnTheMap Application (2014), DC Department of Emploment Services, Downtown BID (2014) THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 7 Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID About 26 percent (3,400) of jobs within the BID area fall within the professional, scientific, and technical services sector—supporting the conventional wisdom that much of Georgetown’s office market is comprised of architectural, design, and legal services. The highly seasonal accommodations and food services sector likely fluctuates between 25 and 30 percent of total jobs, with 4,133 jobs in Q3 2013—the late summer high season for this sector. Georgetown’s vibrant retail sector accounts for about 15 percent (1,900 jobs). The balance of jobs is distributed across a wide variety of sectors.11 NET CHANGE IN PAYROLL JOBS, 2012-2013, BY SECTOR LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES STATE GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION RETAIL TRADE TRANSPORTATION, WAREHOUSING & UTILITIES EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTH SERVICES OTHER SERVICES PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES GOODS PRODUCING WHOLESALE TRADE INFORMATION DC REST OF REGION FEDERAL GOVERNMENT -10.0 0.0 10.0 THOUSANDS OF JOBS Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014) 8 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 20.0 JOBS IN THE GEORGETOWN BID, BY SECTOR 2012 Q3 2013 Q3 Year-on-Year change Accommodation and Food Services Industry 3,722 4,133 11% Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 3,099 3,391 9% Retail Trade 1,463 1,959 34% Other Services (Except Government) 1,585 1,539 -3% 165 447 171% Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation 360 413 15% Finance and Insurance Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 156 312 100% 211 Wholesale Trade 238 Construction 279209 -25% -47% 119 -11% Educational Services 225 Information 133118 -11% Unclassified 4471 61% Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 55 56 2% Health Care and Social Assistance 51 48 -6% Manufacturing 3142 35% Management of Companies and Enterprises 30 Total 21 11,63613,089 -30% 12% Source: DC Department of Employment Services Note: The BID area does not include employment data from Georgetown University or Georgetown Hospital Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 9 RESIDENTIAL POPULATION Though the Georgetown population is generally stable, modest population growth is projected in Georgetown over the short and medium term as young families have children and new multi-family housing developments are delivered. 2013 demonstrates that despite limited land parcels, housing development in Georgetown is still enticing to developers, with several projects being delivered, under construction, or announced. The Montrose, just two blocks outside the BID area boundary at R Street and 31st Street, delivered 15 condos (33,000 SF) in late 2013. Within the BID boundary, three development sites are currently under construction. These projects will deliver 14 condo units (32,000 SF), five apartment units (3,800 SF), and retail/office space (5,000 SF) in 2014. Three larger residential, mixed-use development projects were also announced: The Hillside (to replace the Key Bridge Exxon); Latham Micro-apartments (to replace the Latham Hotel); and the West Heating Plant (to convert the defunct industrial site). No delivery dates have been announced for residential projects in the pipeline, but these projects are already heightening the attention paid to multi-family construction in Georgetown. Developers in Georgetown forecast multifamily residential property values of $800 to $1,200 per square foot (SF). This valuation is often higher than commercial property values, creating a value gap that can make converting properties to residential use an attractive possibility: studying the potential impacts on the professional office community, infrastructure, and city services will be crucial to understanding the future of Georgetown’s commercial district. DC’s population explosion continued through 2013, netting more than 1,000 residents each month and growing to a total population of 646,000.12 If recent trends hold, roughly 6,500 of the new residents in 2013 fell within the 25 to 34 year old “young professional” cohort in DC, which accounted for 50 percent of growth in the 2010 to 2012 period. GEORGETOWN BID AREA RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE Name Address Type Units Residential SF Developer Retail/ OfficeSF Delivery Delivered The Montrose 3050 R Street* Condo 15 33,000 Argos 0 Winter 2013 Under Construction Adams Mason House 1072 Thomas Jefferson Apartment 5 3,812 The Grace 3220 Grace Street Condo 7 5,950 1055 High 1055 Wisconsin Ave Condo 7 26,000 MMG Capital City RE EastBanc 2,933 Summer 2014 0 Summer 2014 2,240 Fall 2014 Planned Hillside Latham Micro Apartments 3000 M Street 3601-3607 M Street Apartment West Heating Plant Condo 1051 29th St NW Condo Total 28 70,000 EastBanc … … … … SB-Urban … … 70 … Levy Group** … … >132>138,762 Source: Georgetown BID *2 blocks outside of BID boundary **Levy Group/The Georgetown Co/Four Seasons 10 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 1055 High, 1055 Wisconsin Ave, NW Adams Mason House, 1072 Thomas Jefferson St, NW The Grace, 3220 Grace St, NW The Montrose, 3050 R St, NW THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 11 GEORGETOWN POPULATION 15.1 15.5 THOUSANDS 14.5 14.5 13.5 20 18 20 13 20 10 20 0 0 12.5 Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2000 and 2010 Decenial Census; ESRI Business Analyst Online (2014) Conservative estimates of 2013 population growth suggest 3,700 additional (95,000 total) 25 to 34 year olds within a 3 mile radius of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street. Comparatively, the 45 to 54 year old cohort grew by about 750 (32,000 total) over the same period. As in 2012, the average household disposable income of the young professionals tends to be lower than older cohorts, but the sheer size of the group means that young professionals have great spending power. In aggregate, households headed by 25 to 34 year olds within three miles of Georgetown have an impressive $3.95 billion of disposable income.13 12 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT Georgetown is one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the region: 64 percent of households within a half-mile from the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street earn at least $100,000 per year; 33 percent of households earn at least $200,000. The median home value in this area is about $992,000. These figures hold strong even at a 3-mile radius, with 68,000 households (43 percent) earning at least $100,000.14 DC POPULATION 676 668 680 THOUSANDS 646 640 600 20 1 20 8 20 20 13 20 10 20 0 0 560 Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2000 and 2010 Decenial Census; ESRI Business Analyst Online (2014) DISPOSABLE INCOME BY AGE COHORTS, 2013 FROM WISCONSIN AVENUE AND M STREET 25-34 year olds 45-54 year olds Year-on-Year %Year-on-Year % 1 mile radius 2013 Households 6,243 9.2% 1,898 1.6% $80,400 0.7% $121,263 0.4% $502 million 9.9% $230 million 1.9% Average Disposable Income Aggregate Disposable Income Change 2013 Change 3 mile radius Households Average Disposable Income Aggregate Disposable Income 54,267 0.2% 20,942 3.3% $72,815 11.0% $103,600 11.6% $4.0 billion 11.3% $2.2 B 15.3% Source: ESRI Business Analyst Online (2014) THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 13 CHEVY CHASE DISTANCES FROM WISCONSIN AVENUE AND M STREET BETHESDA Maryland 3 miles CLEVELAND PARK PETWORTH COLUMBIA HEIGHTS Washington, DC 1 mile .5 miles DUPONT CIRCLE ROSSLYN CLARENDON BALLSTON ARLINGTON Virginia BAILEY’S CROSSROADS 14 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT CHINATOWN GEORGETOWN DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE, 2013 Total Population FROM WISCONSIN AVENUE AND M STREET, NW 0-0.5 mi 0-1 mi 0-3 mi 9,263 41,394 318,199 4,187 18,453 158,388 DC 646,449 Households Total Number Average Household Size Owner Occupied 1.95 1.66 1.85 … 2.17* 47% 36% 36% 41%* $960,556 $695,398 $585,037 $441,574 Median Household Income $126,961 $100,905 $84,478 $63,342 Average Household Income $180,575 $138,610 $121,221 $101,735 Median Home Value Household Income Share of households with $100,000 or more 64% 51% 43% Share of households with $200,000 or more 33% 20% 15% 34% 11% Source: ESRI Business Analyst Online (2014) and US Census Bureau (2014) *Imputed from 2012 data Photo Credit: Cade Martin for Georgetown BID THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 15 COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS 16 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID As Georgetown approaches the constraints of full build-out, it will become essential to find innovative ways to balance a variety of space and programming needs: the growing share of office tenants that value efficient, high quality space; an increasingly youthful workforce and residential population that enjoys dense, urban amenities, and; retailers and restaurateurs seeking new opportunities in Georgetown. Finding ways to induce investment in the renovation and renewal of buildings is likely to be a determining factor in Georgetown’s office sector performance in both the short and medium terms. Continuing to retain businesses that are attracted to Georgetown’s many small and unique buildings is, too. And experiments to find the highest and best use of spaces in the Canal & Waterfront District will become increasingly important. Photo Credit: J Street Companies BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS Georgetown will face increasing pressure to renew and refurbish its commercial buildings. While the office market is sluggish across the region, the market is tightest around high quality properties. Between 2011 and 2013 there was net absorption of 8.1 million SF of Class A office space across the Washington Region. In the same period, there was negative absorption of 8.1 million SF of Class B/C office space.15 A similar pattern is observed in Georgetown. A flight to quality is clearly underway—and it’s important for Georgetown to consider how to stimulate the renovation of its building stock. Interestingly, however, Class B/C rental rates in Georgetown have been rising over the last three years. This feature of the market, in the absence of other incentives, will likely reduce owner motivation to renew buildings in the short term. THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 17 Another indicator of the state of Georgetown’s buildings is the relative paucity of LEED certified spaces. Though LEED certified space in the rest of DC is proliferating, there are only five LEED certified spaces comprising 214,000 SF in Georgetown. In comparison, 19.5 million SF were certified across DC in 2013. Data from the US Green Building Council suggests that Georgetown’s share of LEED space is declining disproportionate to Georgetown’s share of total commercial space. OFFICE NET ABSORPTION BY CLASS OF SPACE, 2011-2013 GEORGETOWN THOUSANDS OF SF 130 65 0 -65 -130 DC REGION THOUSANDS OF SF 9,000 4,500 0 CLASS OF SPACE -4,500 A B/C -9,000 121,000 Source: Costar (2014) and Delta Associates/Transwestern Trendlines 2014 (2014) Note: In Georgetown, negative absorption of 63,000 SF B/C space was recorded in 2011 when 1051 31st Street was closed as an office building. Today, the site is the Capella Hotel and is not included in current office vacancy calculations. BID AREA GROSS RENTAL RATE ($ PER SF), BY CLASS OF SPACE 121,000 SF OF CLASS A OFFICE SPACE ABSORBED BETWEEN 2011 AND 2013 $42 $44 $40 $39 $36 CLASS OF SPACE A $32 Source: CoStar (2014) 18 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 20 13 20 12 20 11 20 10 20 0 9 B/C CUMULATIVE DC LEED CERTIFICATIONS (SF) 100 MILLIONS OF SF 89M 75 50 25 20 13 20 12 20 11 9 20 10 0 8 0 20 20 07 6 0 20 20 5 0 20 4 0 20 20 03 0 Source: U.S. Green Building Council (2014) LEED Project Directory. Note: Excludes LEED for Homes and LEED ND. Properties that are recertified at a different standard may be double counted. GEORGETOWN SHARE OF CUMULATIVE LEED CERTIFICATIONS 1.60% 1.20% 0.24% 0.80% 0.40% 20 13 20 12 20 11 20 10 9 0 20 8 0 20 20 07 0.00% Source: U.S. Green Building Council (2014) LEED Project Directory. Note: Excludes LEED for Homes and LEED ND. Properties that are recertified at a different standard may be double counted. THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 19 UNIQUE SPACES Georgetown’s varied architectural styles add to the neighborhood’s hallmark historical feel. Over 60 commercial-use buildings date from the late 18th and 19th centuries, ranging from stately storefronts and market halls to industrial mills and workshop buildings. The BID area also has over 450 properties smaller than 25,000 SF in rentable area. In aggregate, however, these properties make up 2.2 million SF in commercial space—often in buildings that employ multiuse/multi-floor configurations combining traditional retail, retail services, office space, and residential units.16 Smaller spaces have recently benefited Georgetown, as many national and local retailers are now seeking compact, urban stores. 4,000K Rentable Building Area (Copy)(Group) 3,500K 2,500K 1,500K PR 99 -1 9 49 Source: CoStar (2013) and Georgetown BID 2 ES 00 EN 0T 6 PPTY 4 PPTY 19 50 U D IN THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 55 PPTY 3 PPTY -1 9 IA ST R IA EC SP O SP H Source: Costar (2014) 20 0K L LT Y TY IT A LI ET A R O FF IC E IL 0K 51 PPTY 0 1 PPTY 0 500K 301 PPTY 19 500K 1 TU 9T RY H 1,000K EN 1,000K 6 PPTY 32 PPTY 2,000K C 355 PPTY 3,000K 1 TU 8T RY H 28 PPTY Properties ≥25,000 SF EN 2,000K 7 PPTY Rentable Building Area (Group) C 2,500K RENTABLE BUILDING AREA RENTABLE BUILDING AREA Properties ≥25,000 SF 1,500K 47 PPTY Properties <25,000 SF Properties <25,000 SF 3,000K GEORGETOWN BID AREA BUILDINGS, BY YEAR BUILT UNAVAILABLE 96 PPTY While retailers, tech firms, and Georgetown’s design and architecture community thrive in these many unique and historic spaces, they still require modern technologies and services. As DC’s broadband fiber network expands, ensuring access in Georgetown is an important investment to help attract and retain office tenants. 4,500K GEORGETOWN BID COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, BY TYPE, SIZE AND NUMBER OF PROPERTIES 3,500K Start-up and tech sector firms are also attracted to these spaces, which match both rental rate requirements and design aesthetics found in few other places in the region. CANAL & WATERFRONT DISTRICT The Georgetown 2028 Plan* recommends fostering new retail, restaurant, and programming opportunities as well as transportation/streetscape improvements in the Canal & Waterfront District between the Potomac River and M Street. A cornerstone action in this set of recommendations is the conversion of ground floor office space into restaurant space, which would simultaneously create new retail and restaurant amenities for visitors and office workers as well as decrease overall vacancy in the office market. All parcels south of M Street in Georgetown are zoned W (“waterfront”), permitting commercial and light industrial uses as a matter of right. There are currently about 110 existing commercial properties south of M Street, 2.8 million SF of which are classified as office—nearly 78 percent of the BID’s total office space.17 The five-year average vacancy rate of office spaces in the Canal & Waterfront District is 12.8 percent, although vacancy has decreased to 9.5 percent in recent periods. As of Q1 2014 twenty-one office properties currently have 267,000 SF of vacant space.18 Back of the envelope calculation suggests that converting and leasing only half of the ground floor spaces in these properties to retail has the potential to absorb 67 percent of current vacant space.19 *Read the full plan at www.georgetowndc.com/georgetown2028 Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 21 NOTABLE GEORGETOWN TECH OFFICES Year Company FoundedOffice Headquarters Industry Georgetown Cogent Telecommunications1999 1999 Georgetown Parchment Education Technology 2003 2013 Arizona EverFi Education Technology 2008 2014 Georgetown Personal Data Security 2009 2011 Georgetown Audax Health Health Care 2010 2010 Georgetown Exhilarator Startup Excelerator 2011 2011 Georgetown SmartThings Consumer Electronics 2012 2013 Georgetown Source: Georgetown BID and company websites FIBER BROADBAND COVERAGE, WASHINGTON, DC GEORGETOWN FIBER BROADBAND AVAILABLE Source: DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer (2014) 22 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT R ST PL DENT RVO IR MAP OF GEORGETOWN BID COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, BY TYPE RD CAM DENT PL L GE P Q ST R ST R ST Q ST P ST RD L GE P O ST PL Q ST P ST FF AS JE ERSO Property TypeL L E Y ’S A Retail C&O CANAL Hospitality POTOMAC RIVER Office W HI TE HU Flex RS T FW Y GE O RG ET Industrial Land N ST 482,223 K ST ERSO 400,000 Y FF AS JE 300,000 LE S AL THOM ST 200,000 N ST BANK 100,000 B LU E O N T PA RK PA R KW AY THOM E AV M ST M ST OW N W AT ER FR ST IN ST ST ST ST ST RS T FW Y ST N ST ST Y ST LE S AL ST NS M AC 33RD PECT M ST 30TH CO B LU E 3 1S T M ST IS P OTO ST ST ST PROS T ON S 27TH BART 29TH DUM N ST C&O CANAL C A DY ST ST 28TH PECT W BANK 34TH 35TH 36TH 37 T H 25,000 27TH ST ST ST Y GE O RG ET Rentable Building Area ST ST ST ST P ST O ST W HI TE HU ST 30TH E AV M AC O ST ST 37 T H 36TH 35TH 34TH 33RD N ST PROS LE ’S A L C A DY N ST ST IN ST NS ND CO 3 1S T IS 32 P OTO A ST VO LT T ON S P ST W O ST BART 28TH DUM 29TH Q ST PA R KW AY B R ID REEK ST DENT CAM R O C KC ND A ST VO LT REEK RVO IR PL DENT 32 RESE B R ID R O C KC RESE OW N W AT ER FR O N T PA RK K ST Canal & Waterfront District Specialty Source: Costar (2013) POTOMAC RIVER THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 23 RETAIL MARKET 24 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID One of Georgetown’s defining features is its vibrant retail district. With more than two miles of retail store frontage and over 450 stores, restaurants, spas, and salons, Georgetown remains a premier shopping destination in the Washington region. Demand for Georgetown retail space remains very high, as evidenced by the 40 retail trade and amenity businesses that opened in the BID area, a net gain of 18 in 2013. Rents are also rising at a rate of 6 percent per year, and can exceed $165 per SF triple net for prime locations. 20 New retail stores included region-exclusive locations of Billy Reid, Frye, Goorin Bros. Hat Shop, and Steven Alan. There were new local/independent stores, too, including American Holiday, Lovely Bride, and Sabun Home. And Cady’s Alley successfully experimented with a pop-up brick and mortar incubator for emerging internet retailers. GEORGETOWN BID AREA RETAILERS BY TYPE, 2013 Type The Shops at Georgetown Park re-opened in 2013, rebranded as “Georgetown Park.” At 256,000 SF, it was the largest retail development delivery in DC of the year. As of Q1 2014 it is 94 percent leased: anchor tenants include J. Crew, Anthropologie, H&M, TJMaxx/HomeGoods, and Pinstripes. DSW, and the DC DMV also opened in early 2014. Number % of Total Fashion and Apparel 118 26% Full Service Restaurants 68 15% Home Decor 60 13% Spas and Salons 49 11% Limited Service Eating Places 34 7% Other Retail Goods 25 5% Coffee, Cupcakes, and Gourmet 18 4% Eye Glasses / Health 14 3% Banks RETAIL CHANGE SUMMARY, 2013 Openings Closings Net Gain (Loss) Retail Trade 25 18 7 Full Service Restaurants 10 1 9 3 2 1 Retail Services 1 (1) 2 2 Limited Service Eating Places Arts, Entertainment and Recreation TOTAL 4022 18 112% Specialty services 10 2% Drycleaning and Laundry Services 10 2% Sporting Goods and Hobbies 10 2% Consignment and Used Goods 9 2% Gyms / Yoga Studios 8 2% Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores 4 1% Gasoline Stations 4 1% Book Stores and News Dealers 2 0% Lounges 20% Movie Theaters Grand Total 1 0% 457 100% Source: Georgetown BID Source: Georgetown BID THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 25 GEORGETOWN RESIDENT RETAIL POTENTIAL, SELECT INDUSTRIES Retail Demand Stores in Potential ($) Georgetown BID Gardening Supplies 314,445 0 Used Merchandise Stores 452,489 9 Florists 2,123,899 2 2,246,430 3 Specialty Food Stores 3,145,793 23 Beer, Wine & Liquor Stores 6,043,891 4 Book and Music Stores Hardware and Building Materials 5,541,105 2 Sporting Goods/Hobby/Musical Instr Stores 6,562,719 10 Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores 7,272,098 60 7,122,251 34 19,521,633 68 Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores 22,639,774 118 Gasoline Stations 24,639,839 4 Limited-Service Eating Places Full-Service Restaurants 450+ 450+ SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, Auto Dealers 34,840,699 0 AND SALONS WITHIN Grocery Stores 43,196,184 0 0.25 SQUARE MILES Source: ESRI Business Analyst Online (2014) and Georgetown BID. Residents located 0.5 miles from the intersection of Wisconsin Ave and M Street. MARKET HIGH RENT ($/SF) 2012 2013 High rent High Rent % growth ($/psf/year) ($psf/year) Downtown East $95 - $105 $100 - $110 12% East End $100 $110 10% Mt. Vernon Triangle $50 $55 10% 14th Street-Logan Circle $75 $90 20% Penn Quarter-Chinatown $200 $215 8% NoMa-H Street NE $55 $65 18% Georgetown $155 $165 6% Dupont Circle $110 $110 0% Chevy Chase $100 $100 0% Source: Cushman and Wakefield, “District Retail,” May 2014. 26 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT To estimate how well BID-area merchants serve neighborhood needs, retail demand potential for several industries can be estimated based on demographic characteristics of the population residing one-half mile from the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street. These figures can then be compared to how many stores in the BID area fall within each industry. Opportunities where spending levels are relatively high compared to the concentration of BID retailers seem to be present in a number of sectors, including garden supply, hardware and building materials, florists, wine and spirits, and full service grocery stores. GEORGETOWN BID AREA RETAIL OPENINGS AND CLOSING, 2013 2013 OPENINGS 2013 CLOSINGS RETAIL TRADE Alex and Ani 2bebe American Holiday Adidas Artist’s Proof Aerosoles Billy Reid Ann Sacks Bloomers Bobbie Medlin Bonobos Cannon’s Seafood Market Britt Ryan Chic Boutique Buffalo Exchange COOGI Cady’s Alley Pop-up Bazaar J. Chocolatier Capital Consignment Jennifer Convertibles Coterie MOCA DC Dr. Martens Monarc Antique Rug EGG by Susan Lazar P&C Art Frye Parish Gallery GNC Riccardi Goorin Bros. Hat Shop Sassanova La Musa Streets of Georgetown Lovely Bride Yves Delorme Matt Cameron Tapestry Reebok Reddz Trading Sabun Home Steven Alan TJ Maxx / Home Goods* Tory Burch FULL SERVICE RESTAURANTS AGB/Observatory (at the Graham) Capitol Prague El Centro D.F. Eno Wine Bar Gypsy Sally’s (music venue and restaurant) The Grill Room and Rye Bar (at the Capella) Kintaro Malmaison Pho Viet and Grille Third Edition Rialto LIMITED SERVICE EATING PLACE Good Stuff Eatery Redfire Grill Kabob Olivia Macaron* Iceberry ShopHouse RETAIL SERVICES Salon Rafik ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT Corepower Yoga AND RECREATION Washington Sports Club* *Georgetown Park Source: Georgetown BID THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 27 DC RETAIL DELIVERIES, 2001-2015 AND PIPELINE 5.4 Long term Med. term 4 2 20 0 20 1 02 20 03 20 04 20 0 5 20 0 6 20 07 20 0 20 8 0 9 20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 20 15 0 Pipeline Near term MILLIONS OF SF 6 Georgetown retailers will nevertheless face rapidly increasing competition in the coming years. Between 2001 and 2013 developers delivered 5.4 million SF of retail space in DC, nearly 2.5 times the total retail space in Georgetown. More than 7 million additional SF are in the pipeline.21 Retailers and consumers will have an unprecedented level of choice about where to locate and shop. Retail Deliveries Cumulative Deliveries Total Georgetown Retail SF, as of 2013 Source: Costar (2014) and WDCEP (2014) Development Report 2013 delivery figure does not include Georgetown Park Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID 28 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT RETAIL LOCATIONS BY TYPE R ST R ST R ST RESERVOIR RD R ST RESERVOIR RD DENT PL DENT PL DENT PL DENT PL CAMBRIDGE PL Q ST CAMBRIDGE PL Q ST Q ST Q ST 32 ND 32 ND VOLTA ST VOLTA ST P ST ST ST P ST P ST P ST O ST O ST O ST O ST DUMBARTON ST R ST RESERVOIR RD DENT PL CAMBRIDGE PL CAMBRIDGE PL Q ST Q ST Q ST 32 ND 32 ND VOLTA ST VOLTA ST P ST ST ST P ST P ST P ST O ST O ST O ST O ST DUMBARTON ST IN AV E BANK ST BANK ST M ST M ST M ST M ST BLUES ALLEY BLUES ALLEY CADY’S ALLEY Y WH ITE HU RS T FW THOMAS JEFFERSON ST THOMAS JEFFERSON ST T FW N ST PROSPECT ST CADY’S ALLEY HU RS 31ST ST NS N ST 30TH ST CO POTOMAC ST W IS 33RD ST 35TH ST 34TH ST 37TH ST E 36TH ST 28TH ST 27TH ST AV N ST 30TH ST IN 31ST ST NS N ST 29TH ST CO 33RD ST 34TH ST 35TH ST POTOMAC ST W IS DUMBARTON ST PROSPECT ST Y Services Retail Gourmet Retail R ST R ST R ST RESERVOIR RD R ST RESERVOIR RD DENT PL DENT PL DENT PL DENT PL CAMBRIDGE PL CAMBRIDGE PL Q ST Q ST Q ST Q ST 32 ND 32 ND VOLTA ST VOLTA ST P ST ST ST P ST P ST P ST O ST O ST O ST O ST AV 30TH ST IN 31ST ST NS E M ST BLUES ALLEY CADY’S ALLEY WH ITE HU RS T FW Y THOMAS JEFFERSON ST THOMAS JEFFERSON ST Home Décor National Retailers N ST M ST BLUES ALLEY Y CO BANK ST BANK ST M ST M ST CADY’S ALLEY T FW N ST PROSPECT ST PROSPECT ST HU RS POTOMAC ST 33RD ST 35TH ST 34TH ST 37TH ST E 36TH ST 28TH ST 27TH ST AV 30TH ST IN 31ST ST NS N ST 29TH ST CO POTOMAC ST N ST DUMBARTON ST W IS DUMBARTON ST W IS 33RD ST 35TH ST 34TH ST 37TH ST 36TH ST 27TH ST Y DENT PL Q ST 37TH ST 27TH ST T FW DENT PL 36TH ST 27TH ST HU RS R ST R ST DENT PL ITE 29TH ST ITE Salons & Spas Retail RESERVOIR RD WH 28TH ST WH THOMAS JEFFERSON ST Y R ST ITE 29TH ST BLUES ALLEY Fashion Retail WH 28TH ST E T FW 29TH ST AV M ST M ST CADY’S ALLEY THOMAS JEFFERSON ST HU RS 28TH ST IN BANK ST BANK ST M ST M ST BLUES ALLEY ITE N ST PROSPECT ST CADY’S ALLEY WH 31ST ST NS N ST PROSPECT ST 30TH ST CO POTOMAC ST W IS 33RD ST 35TH ST 34TH ST 37TH ST E 36TH ST 28TH ST 27TH ST AV N ST 30TH ST IN 31ST ST NS N ST 29TH ST CO 33RD ST 35TH ST 34TH ST 37TH ST 36TH ST POTOMAC ST W IS DUMBARTON ST Specialty Retail Local/Regional Retailers Source: Georgetown BID THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 29 Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID TOTAL STARS OF BID AREA RESTAURANTS, WASHINGTONIAN MAGAZINE 100 VERY BEST LIST 18 12 6 20 14 20 11 20 12 20 13 8 0 07 0 9 20 10 20 20 6 0 5 0 20 20 4 03 02 0 1 0 20 20 20 20 0 20 20 0 0 Source: Washingtonian Magazine (2000-2014) After a net loss of five full service restaurants in 2012, a net gain of nine restaurants helped rebound restaurant numbers in 2013. New establishments included El Centro D.F., Eno Wine Bar, and Rialto. Though several restaurant spaces on M Street converted to retail trade uses, restaurateurs began building out new spaces south of M Street in 2013: The Grill Room and Rye Bar (at the Capella Hotel), Malmaison, and music venue/restaurant Gypsy Sally’s. Good Stuff Eatery, Olivia Macaron, and ShopHouse were new limited-service eateries in 2013. 2013 FOODSERVICE AND BEVERAGE SALES (IN MILLIONS) $35.2 O W O N T TO H E EA W R ST N $33.2 D 1 LO 4T G HS A T N R C EE IR T C LE PE - NN EA C Q S H UT IN A E AT R N O TE D W R N ET O W G D U C PO IR N C T LE $37.7 EO R G $68.5 $61.6 N There are 68 full service restaurants in the Georgetown BID area as of Q1 2014. Bourbon Steak, 1789, and Unum garnered coveted spots on the Washingtonian Magazine “100 Very Best Restaurants” list in 2013; in 2014 Bourbon Steak and 1789 made this list again.17 Since 2000 the number of restaurants on this list (and their collective stars) has declined.22 As new, buzz-worthy concepts (e.g. Fiola Mare, which opened in early 2014 at Washington Harbour) arrive in Georgetown, however, there may be some upward movement in this measure over the next few years. Source: Cushman and Wakefield, “District Retail,” May 2014 and Georgetown BID 30 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT GEORGETOWN FULL SERVICE RESTAURANTS Q ST 32N VOLTA ST T DS P ST P ST O ST O ST DUMB ARTO N ST WI 28TH ST 29TH ST E AV N ST 30TH ST SIN 31ST ST ON N ST 27TH ST SC POTO MAC ST 33RD ST 34TH ST PROS PECT ST El Centro D.F. BANK ST I-Thai Ri-Ra Irish Pub Capitol Prague M ST Rialto M ST Eno Wine Bar BLUE S ALLE Y CADY ’S ALLE Y AGB/Observatory Kintaro Pinstripes C&O CAN AL WH The Grill Room & Rye Bar Gypsy Sally’s ITE HUR Malmaison ST FW Y K ST P OTO M AC R IV E R THOM AS JEFFE RSON ST GE Pho Viet Q ST 35TH ST RID CAMB RIDG E PL Fiola Mare New for 2013/Q1 2014 Source: Georgetown BID THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 31 OFFICE MARKET 32 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID The Georgetown BID area contains about 2.8 million SF of office space. The total vacancy rate at the end of 2012 was 9.1 percent (269,000 SF), down 3 percentage points from last year. Much of this decrease is accounted for by leasing activity at Waterfront Center (1010 Wisconsin Avenue; moved in 69,000 SF), the Foundry Building (1055 Thomas Jefferson Street; moved in 50,000 SF), and Jefferson Court (1025 Thomas Jefferson Street; moved in 25,000 SF).23 The net absorption of 88,000 square feet in 2013 accompanied a net increase of about 700 jobs in office-using sectors. Despite stronger leasing performance, average rental rates edged up only 1 percent year-on-year, suggesting that observed vacancy rates are near the market-clearing equilibrium in Georgetown. Average Georgetown gross office rents remain among the lowest of the regional submarkets at $41.85 per SF.25 In other words, at the end of 2013, Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID The BID area’s vacancy rate was 1.6 percentage points lower than the citywide figure at year’s end. This figure placed the Georgetown BID area among leading performers in 2013: of the major downtown submarkets, the BID compared favorably to the Central Business District (CBD), 10.4 percent vacancy) and East End (9.0 percent vacancy) but was outperformed by the West End (4.7 percent vacancy).24 the average rent in Georgetown was 20.1 percent less than in East End, where some of the region’s highest office rents are found (this gap is slightly smaller than in 2012, when the figure stood at 22.1 percent). Georgetown’s tenant mix for office space is composed of non-profit, political communication and lobbying, architectural, design, and mid-size law firms. Interviews with brokers suggest that firms that locate in Georgetown tend to stay in Georgetown—often renewing their leases or moving to another space in Georgetown. THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 33 With the renovation of Jefferson Court, the ratio of Class A to Class B space in Georgetown improved slightly in 2013 to 1.5:1 (from 1:1 in 2012). This is an important indication that Georgetown property owners are reacting to the general “flight to quality” that has played out across DC: even as office tenants demand less and less space, the performance of Class A property remains strong, especially compared to Class B and C spaces. In Georgetown, between 2011 and 2013 net absorption of Class A office space was 121,000 SF compared to -124,000 SF of Class B/C space.26 Since Georgetown is not eligible for federal Government Services Administration (GSA) leases due to its distance from Metro and other factors, it has been relatively insulated from the impacts that are being felt in the CBD and East End which, together, host about 50 million square feet of GSA leasing. As GSA carries out a program of densification (using fewer square feet for each employee) there will be a commensurate reduction in the amount of space leased by GSA over the coming years. How this space is marketed for reabsorption may have a significant impact on Georgetown. If CBD office space is repurposed for residential or hotel uses, there may be impacts on Georgetown’s hospitality and retail sectors. If conversions do not occur, there will likely be downward movement in both Downtown and Georgetown rents, and more persistent vacancy as the market adjusts to less total demand. Falling office rents combined with rising residential values might signal that some office buildings with convertible floor plates will convert to residential in coming years. Studying the impacts of such conversion is an emerging research priority for the BID. Photo Credit: RB Properties 34 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT SUBMARKET GROSS RENTAL RATE ($ PER SF) 2013 (AT YEAR-END) SUBMARKET TOTAL VACANCY COMPARISON 2013 (AT YEAR-END) DC - Citywide DC (Citywide) 10.7% $48.97 DC SUBMARKETS DC SUBMARKETS Capitol Riverfront Capitol Hill 16.5% $54.02 NOMA16.4% East End $51.77 Southwest11.0% West End $51.06 CBD10.4% CBD Capitol Hill 9.4% Southwest $49.70 Georgetown BID 9.1% NOMA $46.95 East End 9.0% $50.09 Capitol Riverfront $42.84 Uptown7.7% Georgetown BID $41.35 Southeast6.0% Uptown West End Southeast 4.7% $38.13 $35.00 MD/VA SUBMARKETS MD/VA SUBMARKETS Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor 17.9% Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor $41.85 Silver Spring 10.7% Bethesda-Chevy Chase $37.36 Silver Spring $27.33 Bethesda-Chevy Chase 9.1% Source: Costar (2014) Source: Costar (2014) GEORGETOWN BID OFFICE RBA, BY CLASS PROPERTIES ≥ 25,000 SF A PROPERTIES <25,000 SF B 0K B C C 500K 1,000K 1,500K 2,000K 2,500K 3,000K RENTABLE BUILDING AREA (RBA) Source: Costar (2013) and Georgetown BID THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 35 TOTAL OFFICE VACANCY RATES 2000-2013 (AT YEAR-END) 20% 15% 10.7% 10% 17% 9.1% 5% IN GEORGETOWN, THE AVERAGE OFFICE RENT IS 17% LOWER THAN IN THE CBD 20 13 20 12 20 11 9 0 20 10 8 0 20 20 0 20 20 07 6 5 0 0 20 20 20 4 03 02 0 1 20 20 20 0 0 0% AVERAGE OFFICE GROSS RENTAL RATE ($ PER SF), 2000-2013 (AT YEAR-END) $55 $48.97 $45 $41.35 $35 Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor Bethesda/Chevy Chase CBD DC (Citywide) Georgetown BID 36 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 20 13 20 12 20 11 20 10 9 0 20 8 20 0 07 20 6 0 20 5 0 20 4 0 20 03 20 02 20 0 1 20 20 0 0 $25 Source: Costar (2014) R ST R ST PL DENT RESE RVO IR OFFICE PROPERTIES IN THE GEORGETOWN BID RD CAM DENT PL B R ID L GE P Q ST Q ST P ST 32 ND 27TH ST ST ST ST 30TH CO 3 1S T IS IN ST NS P OTO E AV M AC ST ST ST ST PROS PECT ST M ST ST 37 T H 36TH 35TH 34TH 33RD N ST N ST 28TH T ON S W O ST BART 29TH DUM REEK P ST R O C KC O ST PA R KW AY ST A ST VO LT ST BANK M ST B LU E LE S AL Y Y FF AS JE LE ’S A L THOM ST C A DY RS T FW Y GE O RG ET Rentable Building Area Building Class 25,000 A 100,000 B 200,000 C N ST W HI TE HU ERSO C&O CANAL OW N W AT ER FR O NT PA RK K ST POTOMAC RIVER 300,000 Source: Costar (2013) and Georgetown BID THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 37 HOSPITALITY AND VISITORS 38 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT Georgetown’s 727 hotel rooms fall within the luxury class category. This figure means that Georgetown comprises 21 percent of the luxury class rooms in DC. Despite a dip in occupancy rates and total supply of hotel rooms, 2013 total revenues grew almost Over the past five years, occupancy rates in Georgetown have averaged 72 percent; this is on par with the DC average and compares favorably to other large cities. However, there is some evidence that Georgetown’s current collection of hotels has a slightly different dynamic than the collection present in the 2009-2011 period. As luxury class hotels have become predominate, the average daily rate has risen from an average of $297 in the 2009-2011 period to $343 in the 2012-2013 period (and an astounding $370 in 2013). Between the same periods, occupancy dipped slightly from 73 percent to 70 percent.28 5-YEAR AVERAGE HOTEL OCCUPANCY BY MONTH, 2009-2013 DATE 80 60 40 20 0 N U A FE RY B R U A RY M A R C H A PR IL M AY JU N E JU LY A U G SE U ST PT EM B O E C TO R N B O E V EM R B D ER EC EM B ER In addition to the Capella, the Graham Hotel also opened in the former Monticello space. These two projects brought 49 and 57 rooms online, respectively. In Q4 2013 developers announced, however, that the Latham Hotel would likely be renovated into a mixed-use, micro-apartment complex. With this announcement, Georgetown’s hotel room supply (as well as its collection of hotel operators) will stabilize at 727—down approximately 60 rooms from the 2009-2011 period. AVERAGE OCCUPANCY % HOTELS ANNUAL AVERAGE 7 percent from 2012, generating $9.4 million in hotel sales taxes.27 JA Photo Credit: Capella Washington, D.C. Georgetown With the opening of the Capella hotel in 2013, nearly half of Source: Smith Travel Research (2014) Of course, occupancy also varies month-to-month. In Georgetown, there are two distinct high seasons, one peaking in April and one peaking in October. In these months, occupancy regularly exceeds 80 percent, compared to the December to January low season, where occupancy hovers near 52 percent.29 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 39 OCCUPANCY RATE $371 AVERAGE DAILY RATE $400 75% $350 70% 67% $300 65% $250 60% 20 11 20 12 20 13 9 20 10 8 0 07 6 0 20 20 20 5 0 0 20 4 0 20 20 03 02 20 0 1 20 20 20 11 20 12 20 13 9 20 10 8 0 07 6 0 20 20 20 5 0 0 20 4 0 20 03 20 02 20 20 20 0 1 $200 $64M REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM $251 TOTAL REVENUE $64 $225 $56 MILLIONS $27 $175 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 20 11 20 12 20 13 03 0 4 20 0 5 20 0 6 20 07 20 0 8 20 0 9 20 10 20 02 20 20 20 20 11 20 12 20 13 0 4 20 0 5 20 0 6 20 07 20 0 8 20 0 9 20 10 20 03 20 02 0 1 20 20 Source: Smith Travel Research (2014) 0 1 $40 $125 40 $48 RESE RVO IR RD CAM DENT PL B R ID L GE P Q ST GEORGETOWN HOTELS Q ST P ST 32 ND ST A ST VO LT ST r The G BANK M ST S B LU E ALLE N ST OW N W AT ER FR ERSO arlton Ritz-C U R ST FW Y FF AS JE Th C&O CANAL etown Georg sH n, DC ingto ash otel W eason Four S THOM ST ella e Cap Hotel Y Y G EO R G ET ST E AV ST ST ST T ST SPEC aham W H IT EH 27TH IN ST NS M AC Inn M ST ST 36TH 35TH 34TH 33RD n T eNtoSw Georg PRO LE ’S A L C A DY ST ST ST 30TH CO 3 1S T IS P OTO N ST 28TH T ON S W O ST BART 29TH DUM R O C KC P ST REEK PA R KW AY O ST ites wn Su eto Georg O N T PA RK Rentable Building Area 25,000 100,000 POTOMAC RIVER 200,000 300,000 400,000 Source: Costar (2013) and Georgetown BID THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 41 20 18.5M THOUSANDS 65 18 50 16 35 20 11 20 12 20 13 0 9 20 10 0 07 6 8 20 20 20 5 0 4 0 20 20 03 0 20 20 0 1 20 20 20 11 20 12 9 0 20 10 8 20 07 0 20 6 0 5 0 20 20 4 0 20 03 20 20 02 0 1 20 20 02 20 14 Source: National Park Service, IRMA Portal, Park Visitor Use Statistics (2014) Source: Destination DC (2013) 1.4M CANAL BOAT AND C&O VISITOR CENTER VISITS VISITORS TO DC REGION OF C&O CANAL 1,400 21 THOUSANDS 900 VISITOR CENTER 14 CANAL BOAT 7 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 02 20 03 20 0 4 20 0 5 20 0 6 20 07 20 0 8 20 0 9 20 10 0 1 20 Source: National Park Service, IRMA Portal, Park Visitor Use Statistics (2014) THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 20 0 1 20 02 20 03 20 0 4 20 0 5 20 0 6 20 07 20 0 8 20 0 9 20 10 0 400 42 2K 20 11 20 12 20 13 THOUSANDS MILLIONS 67K OLD STONE HOUSE VISITORS TOTAL VISITORS TO DC Source: National Park Service, IRMA Portal, Park Visitor Use Statistics (2014) Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID VISITOR AMENITIES Parks are important recreational and cultural amenities of Georgetown. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Rock Creek Park converge in Georgetown. Both parks are administered by the National Park Service, and include management of Meigs Park, Francis Scott Key Park, and the Old Stone House (all located on M Street) as well as the Georgetown Waterfront Park. Adjacent to the waterfront, Theodore Roosevelt Island is also managed by the National Park Service. These parks have the potential to draw tens of thousands of tourists to Georgetown’s commercial corridor. And as DC becomes more densely populated, urban parks will play an increasingly important role as “common recreation rooms” for locals and visitors. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE BACKLOG Though Georgetown is home to a wealth of parks and historic sites, federal budget shortfalls have limited the National Park Service’s ability to leverage the full potential of Georgetown’s most esteemed public spaces. The deferred maintenance backlogs for the C&O Canal Park and Rock Creek Park totaled $117 million and $37 million, respectively, in FY2012. In contrast, the entire, nation-wide allocation for the National Park Service‘s construction program, which funds deferred maintenance activities, was $77 million.30 14 12 8 6 4 2 20 12 20 11 0 9 8 0 07 20 10 20 20 0 6 5 4 0 20 20 20 03 20 0 20 02 20 0 1 0 20 BILLIONS 10 Source: Coburn, Tom (2013). Parked! Oversight Report. Office of Senator Tom Coburn. In 2013, limited federal funding allocations for Georgetown’s parks continued. The C&O Visitor Center opened for just 26 days in 2013, and the number of visitors continued an 11 year decline to 1,583—a 93 percent decrease from 2002 when the visitor center saw over 22,000 people.31 Equally disruptive was the federal government shutdown, which closed parks to the public and to basic maintenance operations. In Georgetown, the shutdown meant that commercial traffic (including water taxis and tourist launches) was prohibited at Washington Habour, signs urged visitors away from the Maintenance Backlog Total Operating Budget C&O Canal, and over two tons of trash accumulated in the C&O Canal Park $116,727,982 $10,152,000 NPS-managed Waterfront Park before the BID stepped in to Rock Creek Park $37,018,292 $8,814,000 haul it away. The situation underscored Georgetown’s parks’ National Mall $530,000,000 $33,877,000 vulnerability to federal funding uncertainty and NPS management policies. NATIONAL PARKS MAINTENANCE BACKLOG, FY2012 Source: Coburn, Tom (2013). Parked! Oversight Report. Office of Senator Tom Coburn. THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 43 TRANSPORTATION 44 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID Increasing access to Georgetown has the potential to produce many upsides: more convenient commutes for workers and residents, office rental rates more comparable to Downtown properties, and more foot traffic for retailers. The Georgetown community understands these imperatives, identifying 43 transportation related action items in the Georgetown 2028 Plan. Interventions that will take place over the next 15 years include organized advocacy for a Georgetown Metro station and a Georgetown Streetcar connection, the transformation of K Street into a multi-modal gateway, establishing Georgetown as a bicycle friendly destination, and better roadway and parking management. MID-DAY TRAVEL TIMES FROM GEORGETOWN VS. FARRAGUT SQUARE Minutes travel from: Destination Georgetown Farragut Square Dupont Circle Car Bike10 7 6 5 RosslynCar 8 9 Bikeshare is one of many modes of transport that provide convenient access to and from Georgetown. During the business day, easy access to the GW Parkway, Rock Creek Parkway, Route 66, and Interstate 395 make traveling by car equally convenient despite the congestion that limits traffic flow on Georgetown’s thoroughfares at peak hours. For example, travel times from Georgetown via car to Capitol Hill, the SW Waterfront/Ballpark, Arlington County, Montgomery County and Fairfax County are the same or faster compared to trips starting in the CBD. Bike 916 US Capitol Car Bike34 18 Tysons Corner Car Bike ...... BethesdaCar 16 22 16 23 22 35 Bike 4547 Union Station Car Bike 3118 27 17 Source: Georgetown BID and Capital Bikeshare THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 45 ROUTE JAN - MAR 2013 APR - JUN JULY - SEPT 2012 OCT - DEC OCT-DEC 38BAlight 787 699 740 675 699 38BBoard 764 883 1,005 810 949 31 Alight 435522 524 605 542 31 Board 488535 520 540 639 32Alight 526583 646 607 586 32Board 508580 592 570 630 482 36Alight 392462 505 527 36Board 403430 453 448 G2Alight 226 241 218 221 401 G2Board 230 228 211 218 234 D6Alight 169 232 211 182 174 D6Board 128 159 166 176 144 D2Alight 164 187 167 167 174 D2Board 119 116 117 127 119 D5Alight 32 27 23 22 35 D5Board 42 33 47 38 38 D1Alight 14 17 19 18 18 D1Board 16 15 15 12 16 471 Grand Total Alight 2,745 2,970 3,053 3,024 3,377 Grand Total Board 2,698 2,979 3,126 2,939 3,240 Without a Georgetown Metrorail stop, bus service is a critical transit connection to Georgetown. On average, around 3,000 people alight from (and a similar number board) WMATA Metrobuses at stops within the BID area on weekdays. According to official WMATA data, Metrobus usage slackened in Georgetown at year-end, with 10 percent fewer passengers alighting compared to 2012; however, WMATA has cautioned that their new automatic counting system was being calibrated in 2012/13. The most popular Georgetown Metrobus route is the 38B, which runs between Ballston, VA and Farragut Square, underscoring demand for a Metro rail connection between Rosslyn and downtown via Georgetown.33 46 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 3,000 3,000 PEOPLE ARRIVE IN GEORGETOWN VIA METROBUS EACH WEEKDAY Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID METROBUS PASSENGERS IN GEORGETOWN, WEEKDAY AVERAGE THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 47 Capital Bikeshare is rapidly growing as an important transportation alternative for Georgetown for commuters (especially Monday through Friday) and tourists (especially on the weekends). Between 2012 and 2013, trips ending in Georgetown grew from 76,989 to 95,516 (24 percent) and trips originating in Georgetown grew from 61,191 to 77,691 (27 percent). Growth occurred at most existing stations and also from the immediate and strong adoption of the Wisconsin Ave and O Street station, installed in April 2013. This station accounted for an incremental increase of 13,00018,000 new trips to and from Georgetown, providing strong evidence that there is latent demand in Georgetown for additional Bikeshare stations.32 173,000 173,000 BIKESHARE TRIPS TO AND FROM GEORGETOWN GEORGETOWN BIKESHARE STATIONS, 2012-13 BIKESHARE TRIPS TO GEORGETOWN, 2013 Total Trips Source: Capital Bikeshare Trip History Data (2014) and Georgetown BID Bikeshare Member 48 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT Casual/Tourist rd ay 0 Su n Source: Capital Bikeshare Trip History Data (2014) and Georgetown BID Sa tu ay *Installed April 25, 2013 5,000 id 138,180173,207 10,000 Fr Total 18,279 ay 50,968 -- rs d 37,812 Wisconsin Ave & O St NW* ay M St & Pennsylvania Ave NW 15,000 Th u 36,481 ne sd 40,691 31,041 ay 44,078 W ed C & O Canal & Wisconsin Ave NW Georgetown Harbor / 30th St NW 20,000 Tu es d 26,788 ay 2013 25,249 on d 2012 37th & O St NW / Georgetown University M Bikeshare Station da y TOP 10 BIKESHARE STATIONS, TRIPS TERMINATING IN GEORGETOWN BY SUBSCRIPTION TYPE, (2013) L R OA D NORT HWES T 22ND ST NW 23RD ST NW CANA Q ST NW DUPONT CIRCLE M ST NW L ST NW K ST NW K ST NW ROSSLYN IN LYNN ST IA AV E NW 17TH ST NW RG 19TH ST NW VI CONSTITUTION AVE NW LINCOLN MEMORIAL INDEPENDENCE AVE SW 1,941 5,000 Bikeshare Member 3,000 6,000 Casual/Tourist 4,000 6,522 Photo Credit: Georgetown BID Subscription Type Number of Trips Source: Capital Bikeshare Trip History Data (2014) and Georgetown BID BIKESHARE TRIPS TO/FROM GEORGETOWN, 2013 End Station Start Station Georgetown Elsewhere Georgetown 10,829 Elsewhere 84,687 66,862 Total 77,691 Total95,516 173,207 Source: Capital Bikeshare Trip History Data (2014) and Georgetown BID Note: Bikeshare reported 2.6 million trips system wide in 2013. THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 49 80% 60% 40% Public Transportation Walked Other Worked at Home Carpooled Drove Alone 20% D C A ,W G O ED R K 20 ER -2 S 4 D C 0% 07 The degree to which a neighborhood is walkable is an increasingly important consideration of potential residents, businesses, retail and restaurant patrons, and tourists. Initial pedestrian studies confirm that Georgetown experiences substantial increases in pedestrian traffic on Friday, Saturday, on Sunday; the density of businesses in Georgetown makes it an extremely attractive destination. Pedestrian traffic is as much as 2.7 times greater on an average Saturday than a typical weekday. Making sure Georgetown’s pedestrians feel comfortable and safe at peak and off-peak times is a significant interest of the BID. 100% 0 are learning to live without private cars, relying instead on public transportation, walking, and other forms of transportation like bicycles, taxis, and car-sharing. If Georgetown’s transportation management strategies are to be far-sighted, taking this trend into account will be necessary. MODE SPLIT, BY SELECT CHARACTERISTICS 20 The relative importance of private cars will likely diminish over the medium and long term, as young workers become the dominant demographic. Householders aged 15 to 34 are 1.3 times more likely to be living car-free now than they were in 2005 and 1.6 times more likely than householders aged 35-64.34 DC’s younger residents Source: US Census (2014) “Journey to Work” ACS Survey Table B08101. Data for 20007 is 5-year estimate (2008-2012). DC data is 2012 estimate. 67% OF DC WORKERS AGED 20-24 WALK OR TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO WORK 100% SHARE OF HOUSEHOLDS 67% CAR-FREE HOUSEHOLDS, BY AGE AND YEAR 75% 50% 45 34 25% 1 or More Car Car-Free 0% 2005 2012 15-34 YEARS OLD 2005 35-64 YEARS OLD source: US Census (2014), ACS Survey Table B25045. 50 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 2012 FOOT TRAFFIC INDEX REFERENCE DAY = WED = 1.0 AVERAGE WEEKDAY VEHICLE VOLUMES, 2010-13 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 2010 2012Change Key Bridge 47,800 47,600 -0.4% Canal Road 42,600 42,400 -0.5% Whitehurst and K St 42,900 41,500 -3.3% Pennsylvania and M St 27,600 25,500 -7.6% Reservoir and 39th 19,500 19,400 -0.5% Wisconsin and R St 17,400 18,000 3.4% Q and 28th St 8,300 8,200 -1.2% 1.0 Source: DC Department of Transportation -1.5 GEORGETOWN CAR2GO AT A GLANCE Su nd ay Sa tu rd ay id ay Fr da y Th ur s da y da y W ed ne s Tu es M on da y -2.0 Q1 2013 2% 2% Trips originating in Georgetown 7% 5% 85th 65th Georgetown car turnover percentile Source: Georgetown BID, composite measure of Wisconsin Avenue, M Street, and Thomas Jefferson Street. Data collected Q1 2014. 45% OF DC HOUSEHOLDS ARE CAR-FREE IN THE 15-34 YEAR OLD AGE BRACKET Source: Car2Go Note: Turnover precentile rank indicates the percentage of cars that will be idle/unused for a longer amount of time than an average car in Georgetown. In Q4 2013, cars in Georgetown sat unused for less time than 65 percent of cars elsewhere in DC. Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID 45% Q4 2013 Georgetown share of membership THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 51 WHERE GEORGETOWN RESIDENTS WORK SILVER SPRING SILVER SPRING SILVER SPRING CHEVY CHASE BETHESDA CHEVY CHASE CHEVY CHASE BETHESDA SDA MERIDIAN HILL PARK MERIDIAN HILL PARK Washington, DC WHITE HOUSE Washington, DC WHITE HOUSE Washington, DC ARLINGTON ARLINGTON ARLINGTON BAILEY’S CROSSROADS BAILEY’S CROSSROADS Y’S CROSSROADS 5–16 Jobs/Sq. Mile 17–52 Jobs/Sq. Mile 5–42 Jobs/Sq. Mile = Georgetown 53–111 Jobs/Sq. Mile 156–342 Jobs/Sq. Mile 112–193 Jobs/Sq. Mile 343–605 Jobs/Sq. 194–300 Jobs/Sq. Mile 606–943 Jobs/Sq. Source: US Census Bureau (2014) OnTheMap Application, 2011 data COMMUTING PATTERNS Considering where workers who are employed by businesses within the BID live, it is important to understanding the area’s transportation needs. Thirty percent of workers in the BID area are DC residents. Unlike suburban-based workers, who are distributed across the region, DC-based workers are clustered in a few dense pockets, primarily along the 14th and 16th Street corridors which run through 52 43–155 Jobs/Sq. THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT = Georgetown Source: US Census Bureau (2014) OnTheMap Application, 2011 data the Dupont Circle, Mount Pleasant, and Columbia Heights neighborhoods. The correlate to where workers live, is where Georgetown residents work. Fifty-nine percent of Georgetown residents work within DC, with the highest densities in the central business district along the K Street corridor and within Georgetown itself. Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID WHERE GEORGETOWN BID WORKERS LIVE THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 53 BID Staff: Joshua Hermias, Lead Author Joseph Sternlieb, CEO Jamin Bell, Zeina Davis, Maggie Downing, Sherman Gardner, Will Handsfield, Nancy Miyahira, John Wiebenson, Theodore Williford Design: Fuszion 54 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 1 Delta Associates and Transwestern (2014). Trendlines 2014. 2 Washington DC Economic Partnership (2013). DC Development Report 2013/2014. 3Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (2013). Round 8.2 Cooperative Forecasting (July 2013). 4 Destination DC (2013), website accessed 12-12-13. 5National Park Service (2014). IRMA Portal, Park Visitor Use Statistics. 6Coburn, Tom (2013). Parked! Oversight Report. Office of Senator Tom Coburn. 7 National Park Service (2014). 8 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014). 9DC Department of Employment Services (2014), personal communication. 10 Georgetown University, personal communication (2013). 11 DC Department of Employment Services (2014). 12 Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (2013). 13 ESRI (2014) Business Analyst Online (BAO). 14Ibid. 15 Delta Associates and Transwestern (2014). 16 CoStar (2014) 17Ibid. 18Ibid. 19The reported “typical floor square footage” is aggregated across all buildings with vacant space, which sums to 421,000 SF. Assuming that 85% of a typical floor square footage is a reasonable proxy for ground floor area, 0.5(0.85*421,000)=178,925. 178,925/267,000=0.67 20 Cushman and Wakefield (2014), “District Retail,” May 2014. 21 Washington DC Economic Partnership (2013). 22 Washingtonian Magazine, various issues, 2000-2014. 23 CoStar (2014) 24Ibid. 25Ibid. 26Ibid. 27 Smith Travel Research (2014) and TripAdvisor.com (2014) 28 Smith Travel Research (2014) 29Ibid. 30 National Park Service (2014). 31Ibid. Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID Special thanks to Gerry Widdicombe and Matthew Watkins (Downtown DC BID), Kermit Kaleba and John Kangethe (DC DOES), Kevin Brandt and Danny Filer (National Park Service), Jenny DeMeo (MRP Realty), Topher Matthews (Georgetown Metropolitan), Abigail Jones (Climate Advisers), Bill Potapchuk (Community Building Institute), John Asadoorian (Asadoorian Retail Solutions), Barry Greenberg (EastBanc), Wright Sigmund (Vornado), and Josh Moskowitz (Car2Go). Endnotes 32Captial Bikeshare Trip History Data (2014). Available: http://www.capitalbikeshare.com/trip-history-data 33Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (2014), personal communication. 34US Census (2014), ACS Survey Table B25045 and Georgetown BID. Additional photo credits: Page 11 (Clockwise, from top left): EastBanc; MMG Investments/Outerbridge Horsey Architects; Georgetown BID; Dale Overmyer Architects. Cover panorama and photos: Sam Kittner for the Georgetown BID THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT 55 56 THE STATE OF GEORGETOWN 2014 REPORT Photo Credit: Sam Kittner for Georgetown BID Notes Unless otherwise noted, “Georgetown” is defined for statistical purposes as 2010 DC Census Tracts 1, 2.01, and 2.02. These tracts cover the area south of Whitehaven Street to the Potomac River. To the west, the area is bounded by 35th Street until Reservoir Road, and then by the western border of Georgetown University (which is included). To the east, the area is bounded by Rock Creek. For a detailed map, refer to: http://www.census.gov/geo/www/maps/ pl10_map_suite/tract.html. The “Georgetown BID area” is comprised of the commercial corridors along Wisconsin Avenue (between M Street and R Street) and M Street (between 27th Street and 37th Street, and inclusive of the commercial areas of Prospect Street) as well as the commercial areas south of M Street to the Potomac River. For the statistical analysis in this report, BID staff used a contiguous geo-spatial boundary derived from GIS shape files available from the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer (data.octo.dc.gov). This is the second State of Georgetown report undertaken by the Georgetown BID. The BID intends to publish this report annually, using data from each volume as benchmarks and monitors of progress against which the future health of the neighborhood economy will be measured. The staff welcomes comments and suggestions on how to improve and expand this report to be most useful to its readers. Please direct comments to Joshua Hermias, economic development director, at jhermias@georgetowndc.com. While all data in this publication was produced by the BID or obtained from the sources cited, the BID does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication; the staff welcomes opportunities and partnerships to refine available data. GEORGETOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT 1000 Potomac St., NW | Suite 122 Washington, DC 20007 T: 202.298.9222 x208 | F: 202.298.9223 georgetowndc.com