(Washington, DC) - The Office of Planning shared with interested community groups information on the District's first citywide assessment of retail potential, known as the Retail Action Strategy (RAS). The RAS is an initiative of the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, the Office of Planning and the Washington, DC Economic Partnership.  

The RAS examines ways to strengthen the city’s retail base at both the citywide and neighborhood scale. Primary study goals include the following:

• Promote vibrant, attractive and walkable commercial districts with a broad range of retail businesses and street-enlivening uses
• Expand opportunities for small and local retailers
• Match retail opportunities with neighborhood needs and trade area demand
• Help guide private investment
• Recapture leaked spending

A total of 20 submarkets, or neighborhood commercial districts, spread across all eight Wards were selected for analysis. The RAS study is focused on commercial areas that are not meeting the full range of needs of nearby residents and areas that have been unsuccessful in sustaining or attracting viable retail concentrations due to real or perceived market weakness.

The complete set of Retail Action Strategy documents will be available in early 2009. The documents will detail findings and offer merchants, investors, entrepreneurs and public-private partners a range of approaches to strengthen commercial corridors in Washington, DC.

For information on this initiative, contact Rebecca Moudry, Community Planner, DC Office of Planning, 801 North Capitol Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20001, by phone at (202) 442-7600, or by e-mail at [email protected]