Urban Renewal Center

Metro Stop: L'Enfant Plaza

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L'enfant Plaza today (Source: Library of Congress)

Office building in L'Enfant Plaza. (Source: Library of Congress)

Ever wondered what L’Enfant Plaza was before becoming a plaza? Well, even if you haven’t, it’s still pretty interesting. The D.C. Redevelopment Act of 1950 (one of the first urban renewal projects in America), destroyed 99% of the buildings in Southwest D.C., wiping out many predominantly black neighborhoods and forcing residents to relocate. The government’s hope was that, by tearing down these old neighborhoods, they could build more space for federal agencies and create new suburban style housing. L’Enfant Plaza was a large part of this urban renewal project and, if its massive commercial complexes are any indication, is a testament to its legacy.

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