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DC could catch Philadelphia and Boston by 2030 based on current housing construction.
DC’s original diamond that includes Arlington, VA and Alexandria, VA was 100 sq. miles. Today DC, Arlington, and Alexandria make up 102.33 sq. miles with a 2020 population of 1,087,655 people. That places the density of the original DC diamond at 10,629 people per sq. mile for the 2020 census.
Total South Population: 91,597 people
Total South Land: 10.9
Total Population:
Original DC Diamond: 1,087,655 people
Surrounding Cities: 324,390 people
Total: 1,412,045 people (10,290 people per sq. miles)
Total Land Area:
Original DC Diamond: 102.33 sq. miles
Surrounding Cities: 34.9 sq. miles
Total Land: 137.23 sq. miles
Imagine the density potential if most or even 50% of the strip malls, auto body shops, or gas stations in each of those areas were all converted to mixed-use developments with ground floor retail. It would absolutely skyrocket the current residential density in those areas you highlighted. Plus obviously, the Purple Line would play a massive role in already accelerating the population densities in some of those areas.
Takoma Park should already have a PPSM of at least 10,000 but as you probably know, the Nimbyism is strong in that town.
Takoma Park, MD- https://goo.gl/maps/HsVbwP3LFBAyS7fq5
(County planners earlier this year almost rejected the redevelopment of the auto body shop. Fortunately, it will be moving forward with 47,000 sq ft of retail. Residential count, I'm unsure of.
Imagine the density potential if most or even 50% of the strip malls, auto body shops, or gas stations in each of those areas were all converted to mixed-use developments with ground floor retail. It would absolutely skyrocket the current residential density in those areas you highlighted. Plus obviously, the Purple Line would play a massive role in already accelerating the population densities in some of those areas.
Takoma Park should already have a PPSM of at least 10,000 but as you probably know, the Nimbyism is strong in that town.
Takoma Park, MD- https://goo.gl/maps/HsVbwP3LFBAyS7fq5
(County planners earlier this year almost rejected the redevelopment of the auto body shop. Fortunately, it will be moving forward with 47,000 sq ft of retail. Residential count, I'm unsure of.
Tons of development is coming to those parking lots eventually. It's inevitable that most suburban development will be redeveloped in those areas.
Also, downtown DC's office ghetto could see 500 to 1,000 units per year over the next 10 years in office-to-residential conversions according to John J. Falcicchio, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. That's a potential 10,000 units downtown in the next 10-years. Using a standard estimate of 250 units per building, that is 40 new residential buildings downtown with first floor retail.
"Mayor Bowser's budget also includes investments in office-to-residential conversions with affordable housing, which could lead to the conversions of 500 to 1,000 residential units per year downtown over the next 10 years. #DistrictofComebacks #36000by2025"
You're under the impression that DC is in a race to catch Boston in density or something?
MD is very plainly stating DC will catch up to and or surpass Boston and others in Density by 2030-2035. Maybe you arent but that where this is coming from.
MD is very plainly stating DC will catch up to and or surpass Boston and others in Density by 2030-2035. Maybe you arent but that where this is coming from.
I’ve never guaranteed that. I only spoke about the difference in new construction between the two. I can’t guarantee anything, I can only make a prediction. The original 102 sq. miles of DC could add around 200,000 people by 2030 or shortly after based on new construction. The other 35 sq. miles could also add significant population. If DC were to say add around 250,000 people in 137 sq. miles by around 2030, it may not catch Boston, but how far would it be from catching it?
That would put DC at 1,662,000 people in 137 sq. miles. DC would probably still trail Boston, but for how much longer?
I’ve never guaranteed that. I only spoke about the difference in new construction between the two. I can’t guarantee anything, I can only make a prediction. The original 102 sq. miles of DC could add around 200,000 people by 2030 or shortly after based on new construction. The other 35 sq. miles could also add significant population. If DC were to say add around 250,000 people in 137 sq. miles by around 2030, it may not catch Boston, but how far would it be from catching it?
That would put DC at 1,662,000 people in 137 sq. miles. DC would probably still trail Boston, but for how much longer?
You never guaranteed it but the point about DC catching Boston and Chicago in density over a certain land area was your idea, that's all. it wasn't btownboss'
You never guaranteed it but the point about DC catching Boston and Chicago in density over a certain land area was your idea, that's all. it wasn't btownboss'
I never said DC would catch Chicago in density. I said DC is starting to show signs of higher peak density in certain neighborhoods compared to Chicago’s densest neighborhoods as they buildout, which lets be honest, nobody on this website predicted including me. Who would even predict DC would have neighborhoods with higher peak density than Boston even?
NOMA, Union Market, Navy Yard, Buzzard Point, Northwest One, and Mt. Vernon Triangle will all have extremely high peak density in the 150k-200K+ people per square miles range at full buildout.
DC can’t build skyscrapers which in a shocking revelation is most likely the only reason it will reach NYC level densities in certain neighborhoods. The development style is responsible for it. It’s really interesting from an academic standpoint.
Looking at the skyscrapers in other cities, developers may have a wide base, but the towers seem to shrink in mass as they rise. DC is achieving this high density because the entire block is rising to 12-15 stories. Many of these buildings have 300-500 housing units and there are so many next to each other, the total unit count surpasses the mix of heights for skyscrapers along downtown streets in other cities.
From far away, it appears that a 50 story tower has more people than a 12-15 story high-rise in DC, but DC is putting the equivalent of 100 different 50 story towers on every block which we know doesn’t exist in most cities so the population count is deceivingly low in these skyscraper districts compared to what you would assume.
Are there any construction professionals that want to chime in? I would love to hear their professional take on this.
I never said DC would catch Chicago in density. I said DC is starting to show signs of higher peak density in certain neighborhoods compared to Chicago’s densest neighborhoods as they buildout, which lets be honest, nobody on this website predicted including me. Who would even predict DC would have neighborhoods with higher peak density than Boston even?
NOMA, Union Market, Navy Yard, Buzzard Point, Northwest One, and Mt. Vernon Triangle will all have extremely high peak density in the 150k-200K+ people per square miles range at full buildout.
DC can’t build skyscrapers which in a shocking revelation is most likely the only reason it will reach NYC level densities in certain neighborhoods. The development style is responsible for it. It’s really interesting from an academic standpoint.
It doesn’t have one. If Jeff got divorced and his wife took the kids to Silver Springs the Denisity if they census block group would drop by like 1000ppsm. The denominator is so small it’s just a measure of 1) how mixed use a block is and 2) a heavy dose of randomness do to variable sized denominators. If DCDot decided to turn a left turn lane into a plaza the density of the block would drop from 137,000 to 110,000. Because the size of the block grew.
You used the absolute dumbest contortion of data because DC comes out ahead. Block groups were really aren’t suppose to be used in isolation to calculate density because like obviously it’s stupid to calculate density if a .0007sq mile area
Over no reasonable measure is DC as dense nor over any significant swath of what can reasonably be called “downtown” is DC actually making leaps and bounds of progress compared to Boston or Chicago.
Like I showed previously if you include the 3 densest wards of DC and compare it to the Loop and bordering community areas, Chicago is actually adding more people per square mile.
It doesn’t have one. If Jeff got divorced and his wife took the kids to Silver Springs the Denisity if they census block group would drop by like 1000ppsm. The denominator is so small it’s just a measure of 1) how mixed use a block is and 2) a heavy dose of randomness do to variable sized denominators. If DCDot decided to turn a left turn lane into a plaza the density of the block would drop from 137,000 to 110,000. Because the size of the block grew.
Over no reasonable measure is DC as dense nor over any significant swath of what can reasonably be called “downtown” is DC actually making leaps and bounds of progress compared to Boston or Chicago.
Like I showed previously if you include the 3 densest wards of DC and compare it to the Loop and bordering community areas, Chicago is actually adding more people per square mile.
This is very confusing. Who are you talking to? Who said it was? You’re talking about now. Did someone disagree with you? It’s not as dense as Philly currently either.
On a side note, Chicago and Boston’s growth aren’t concentrated like DC so the comparison is pretty bad. DC is building all this growth in about 1 sq. mile to the south and 1 sq. mile to the north. That’s why the peak density for these census block groups are so high.
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