Penn Quarter is a neighborhood in Washington, D.C., located just north of Pennsylvania Avenue, halfway between the White House and the U.S. Capitol Building. This community has experienced a revitalization since the Verizon Center opened in 1997. Homes are being renovated and numerous restaurants and entertainment venues have moved into the area.

Along 7th Street, many businesses have recently opened to provide residents with a number of shopping and dining options. These businesses in Penn Quarter include a gourmet grocery store, coffee shops, a salon and day spa, and a farmers market on 8th Street during the summer months. Residents can travel easily with access to two WMATA Metrorail lines running through the neighborhood – Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter and Gallery Place-Chinatown stations.

Washington’s own Chinatown is located along H and I streets between 5th and 8th streets. There are several Chinese and other Asian restaurants in this neighborhood as well as numerous businesses. Chinatown is known for its annual Chinese New Year Festival and the “Friendship Arch,” an archway built at 7th and H streets.

Penn Quarter is also home to Ford’s Theatre, the International Spy Museum, the J. Edgar Hoover Building, U.S. Navy Memorial, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the National Archives. The Newseum, built along 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, will be opening soon in this neighborhood and feature five centuries of news history using technology and hands-on exhibits. Not only does this neighborhood have some of the most expensive condominium buildings, but it also has historic row houses and other single family homes.