Washington D.C. Suburban Development — Property Improvement Enterprises

Washington D.C. is one of the most famous cities in the United States. From its history and architecture to its cultural richness and vibrant nightlife, it is easy to understand why. Like many big cities, D.C. has sprouted into suburbs formed by people looking for homes with larger spaces and proximity to nature, while still having access to the opportunities and the liveliness of an urban area (Eng & Levitt, 2021). This blog will explore the development of the city and its suburbs throughout the years.

Washington D.C. was established in 1790 by the Constitution of the United States to be the capital of this nation (Washington DC Organization, n.d.). After President George Washington picked this territory, the states of Maryland and Virginia gave part of their territories to create the District of Columbia (Washington DC Organization, n.d.). Once the spot was selected, the urban designer L’Enfant was appointed to plan the city (Washington DC Organization, n.d.). His vision had the Capitol as the heart of D.C. and utilized a grid system to give it structure and efficiency (Washington DC Organization, n.d.). In 1812, the city was destroyed during the war against Great Britain (Washington DC Organization, n.d.). As the city was recuperating, suburbs began to sprout in 1854 when the area that is now Anacostia was founded for workers (Gilmore, 2003). After the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the area became a hub for African Americans who were freed from slavery (Washinton DC Organization, n.d.).

In 1901, McMillan Plan was proposed to complete L’Enfant’s plan and expand the National Mall (Washington DC Organization, n.d.). Congress also decided to expand the highway system to take into account the development that L'Enfant had not anticipated (Gilmore, 2003).

In the 1950s, a pilot named David Rusk flew around the area. He pointed out that there wasn’t much outside the District. He described some houses and malls that could be seen surrounding major avenues in Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park, Hyattsville, and Bladensburg. He also noted some development on the other side of the river where Falls Church, Arlington, and Alexandria currently are. Other than that, there was not much else (Rusk, 2017).

Since 1970 most of the development has happened outside the Beltway (Stohr, 2021). Both the major regional roads and the creation of the Metro system around this time were major factors in this outwards movement (Giambrone, 2019). The suburbs grew particularly along highways that helped with accessibility to the city, such as I-270, DULLES TOLL ROAD, I-66, and I-95 (Giambrone, 2019).

David Rusk flew over the city again in more recent years. Since his last trip in 1950, the population in D.C. and surrounding areas grew 256%. This time he described continuous residential and commercial development in Loudoun County, Leesburg, and Fairfax County. Montgomery County and Potomac connect to Glen Echo and Bethesda. A large expansion happened all the way from Rockville Pike to Frederick County. Constructions also extend from Prince George County up to Bowie, Upper Marlboro, and Fort Washington. On the other side of the river, Fairfax County, Prince William County, and Fauquier County saw extensive development (Rusk, 2017). By 2018, the city’s population rose above 700,000 for the first time since 1975 but the suburbs are now where most of the population resides (Giambrone, 2019).

At Property Improvement Enterprises, we are delighted to be part of the development of such an extraordinary city and its beautiful suburbs. Each home we build helps create a part of its history and gives it its unique personality. Let’s keep making it blossom!