Photo by MikaAltskan

The Uline Arena in Northeast D.C. is best known for being the venue where The Beatles played their first U.S. show in 1964. But since closing down in 1986, the arena—also known as the Washington Coliseum—has alternately been used as an trash transfer site, parking lot and more recently as a performance venue.

A rendering of the proposed development.

Development plans have been floated periodically—including the idea of making the site a movie theater or music museum—but nothing has come to fruition. Until now. This week, though, the arena’s owner finally unveiled long-awaited development plans for the site, writes UrbanTurf:

Douglas now hopes to bring 50,000 square feet of retail and 150,000 square feet of office space to the unique curved structure. The retail will be divided between small retailers facing 3rd Street NE and one 40,000-square foot vendor facing Delaware Avenue NE — ideally an “Eataly-like” vendor, with a market, restaurant and bar concept. As UrbanTurf readers know, the excitement surrounding an Eataly concept arriving in DC is matched by the difficulty in finding a location suitable for such an establishment.

Douglas has filed an application with the Historic Preservation Office and is close to filing with the BZA, giving hope to the committee that the project will be moving forward steadily.

The arena was landmarked in 2006 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007, so any development plans have to be given the go-ahead by the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board.