“I think a lot of residents are unaware that they’re sort of moving into this venue that’s under construction. I mean there’s construction at every single turn down here,” says Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Edward Daniels. “It’s a great neighborhood. It’s just a lot all at once. At one point, it was 35 projects at once.”

The opening of Nationals Park in 2008 was the catalyst for development. It helped set the stage for the neighborhood to become a destination within an already growing city. Every year since then, a major project has been completed. Today, Navy Yard and the nearby area are bustling, especially as a sports destination. Audi Field opened in 2018, attracting thousands of D.C. United soccer fans.

Daniels, though he loves the neighborhood and is proud of the progress it has made, urges people to be aware of what they’re getting into if they decide to make Navy Yard home.

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“I just want people moving here to know there are so many good things about living here but a lot of stuff happening behind the scenes, too.” he says. “There are a lot of plans for assessing things five to 10 years from now, but there are so many things that aren’t being addressed right this minute or right this week. DDOT doing everything piecemeal isn’t helping. We need to know what the right-now plan is.”

Daniels says some of his biggest concerns about development in the area are road closures, construction noise and too many cars. He says the D.C. Department of Transportation often approves road closures without thinking about how they will affect residents who struggle to get to and from their homes — and it’s even worse on game days.

Despite the growing pains, most residents see the bigger picture. They love living in an area where there’s always something new to look forward to.

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Rodney Rudd has lived in Navy Yard for almost nine years after moving from Silver Spring to be closer to his job. He has seen the neighborhood blossom.

“So many more people live here and use the amenities now,” he says. “I like that there are more residents and workers to keep our unique restaurants and businesses open. I think we’re lucky to not be dominated by chain restaurants.”

Lauren Grinnals isn’t new to the area, either. The 32-year-old moved to Navy Yard in 2012 and has lived in the same building since. She says she loved the balance of green and concrete and the promise of city life with a neighborhood vibe.

“The growth is overwhelming at times and can be a bit of a pain to navigate with new and ever-changing street closures,” she says. “But I know it comes with the promise of an even greater neighborhood, so it’s worth it.”

For many residents, Van Ness Elementary is the reason they chose Navy Yard as home. The city invested $14 million to renovate and expand the kindergarten-through-fifth-grade school, which now has a waiting list. Aurelia Brooks is a D.C. native and moved to Navy Yard so that her 7-year-old daughter could attend it.

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“Our neighborhood is very close-knit because most of the kids go to Van Ness Elementary,” Brooks says. “The parents can depend on each other to look out for each other’s kids. Even when school is out, you will see the parents and their kids at the park, at the pool or at a birthday party.”

There is no shortage of activities for singles and families. Yards Park has summertime concerts where neighbors gather with blankets for picnics and other holiday-themed events throughout the year. Residents can walk along the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail or rent a kayak or paddleboard to take onto the water.

There are many restaurants to choose from. Osteria Morini, Agua 301, Ice Cream Jubilee and Bluejacket have cemented their place as Navy Yard staples. Albi, offering a fresh perspective on traditional Levantine cuisine, opened this month. Brent Kroll of Maxwell Park, the modern wine bar in Shaw, is expected to open another location in Navy Yard next week.

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According to Michael Stevens, president of the Capitol Riverfront business improvement district, residents can look forward to a Union Kitchen Grocery, Cold Stone Creamery, Compass Coffee and Atlas Brew Works. Nearby Buzzard Point, a peninsula where the Potomac and Anacostia rivers meet, will be built out similarly to the Georgetown waterfront, with the owner of Georgetown classic Tony and Joe’s bringing a similar concept restaurant to the area. The team behind Ivy City Smokehouse plans to open a seafood-centric restaurant.

Living there: Navy Yard is bounded by South Capitol Street SW to the west, Interstate 695 to the north, 11th Street and I-695 to the east and the Anacostia River to the south. According to agent Alex Thiel of Long and Foster, 32 homes with a median list price of around $780,000 have sold in the past six months. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $2,500 monthly. There are 11 homes for sale, ranging from a three-bedroom, three-bathroom rowhouse listed for $975,000 to a one-bedroom, one-bathroom co-op listed for $420,000. Most available housing is luxury rental apartments, luxury condos and rowhouses built circa 2009.

Schools: Van Ness Elementary, Jefferson Middle, Eastern High.

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Transportation: Navy Yard is served by the Navy Yard-Ballpark Metro station on the Green Line and several bus routes. According to Stevens of the Capitol Riverfront BID, there are plans for a third Metro entrance to relieve congestion on the platforms. Major thoroughfares are I-695 and South Capitol Street SW.