Missed Opportunity at D.C. Retail Development

"For the last decade, residents of D.C.’s largest and most populous ward have had to travel far to buy groceries, usually going outside city lines. The last supermarket in Ward 8 closed in 1998, leaving residents with only convenience stores for neighborhood shopping. A report released last year revealed that Ward 8 offered the city’s least nutritious food options."

"That all changed in December, when a massive new Giant supermarket opened in Congress Heights – the first new supermarket to open in Ward 8 in 40 years, and the biggest Giant supermarket in the city. Neighbors were thrilled to welcome it."

"But while no one denies the benefits of having a full-service supermarket in the area, some wish the new Giant, and surrounding retail complex, had been developed differently."