Fearing business impact, Downtown BID leader calls for Red Line closure postponement

If you didn’t already spend the past few days trying to do your holiday shopping — especially with small businesses in the district — next month might end up being a bit chaotic for you. And the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) is already aware.

The Washington Business Journal recently reported that the BID has requested that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) delay plans to shut down several Red Line Metro stations. The shutdowns, which WMATA said will allow “critical safety repairs” and track maintenance, will reportedly affect travel from the Farragut North, Gallery Place and Metro Center stations between Dec. 18 and 31.

BID CEO and President Gerren Price, one of Technical.ly’s 2023 RealLIST Connectors, said that the shutdowns could cost the district’s retailers up to $6 million and lead to business closures in an already difficult post-pandemic economic landscape. This concern echoes the BID’s broader plans to try to revive Downtown DC, which has struggled with vacancies and business losses like many other US cities’ downtowns.

“If our downtown businesses fail, the District does not stand to receive tax dollars from residents and visitors spending money in the downtown business district’s vibrant bars, diverse restaurants, and eclectic entertainment and shopping experiences,” Price wrote to WMATA CEO Randy Clarke. “This reduces the ability for the District government to provide additional funding to revitalize the downtown and fill WMATA’s funding gaps.”

Price instead wants the closures pushed to January 2024. WMATA, for its part, said that this repair work is urgent and does not want it to impact schoolchildren. WMATA spokesperson Jordan Pascale told the Biz Journal that the timing was selected because of typical nearly 40% dropoff in ridership as schools and offices close for the holidays.

Given Technical.ly’s focus on technologists and entrepreneurs, we’re curious if the shutdowns will have any impact on your workplaces. Do you foresee any complications for your colleagues or any business you might be doing? Moreover, do you think that such closures would have as negative an impact on the district’s economic fortunes as Price predicts? Let us know your thoughts by emailing dc@technical.ly.