Nina Albert, the Real Estate Development Manager at the Deputy Mayor’s Office of Planning and Economic Development, is naturally going to be a gung-ho advocate for the neighborhoods in D.C. that are seeing a boom in real estate development. One such area, the city’s Southwest Waterfront, will be highlighted on a tour led by Albert, along with 30-year Southwest resident Barbara Ehrlich, this weekend during Cultural Tourism DC’s free WalkingTown DC event.

To attend this free walking tour of Southwest, all you have to do is show up on Saturday at 10 a.m. outside the Waterfront-SEU Metro station. Albert took a few minutes to answer some questions about the Southwest Waterfront tour.

Why Southwest? What made you want to host a tour of the city’s smallest quadrant?

Southwest D.C. is the most economically and racially diverse quadrant in the District. Just 1/4 mile walk from the National Mall and the Jefferson Memorial, it’s also poised to be the next epicenter of retail, entertainment and cultural activity in the District. Arena Stage has begun its $100 million expansion already. Waterside Mall has been demolished and is currently under construction. With the ground breaking and redevelopment of Southwest Waterfront beginning in 2010, this quadrant will be repositioned as a world class attraction and economic engine for the city.

What’s your favorite thing to see on the tour?

Washington’s historic Fish Market.

What will surprise people about the history of Southwest?

Southwest has the greatest collection of buildings designed by the world’s most renowned modernist architects (like I.M. Pei) than any other neighborhood in the city.

If someone can only go on one tour this weekend, why should they pick yours?

If you thought that the revitalization of Gallery Place / Chinatown was impressive, the Southwest quadrant revitalization will propel the District into “major international city” status. Learn about how water taxis will connect people at the SW Waterfront to National Harbor, National Airport, and the new baseball stadium. Learn about the sustainable development plans which respond to the District’s new green building requirements. Learn about the new waterfront museum that will compete in design with international icon buildings, like the Sydney Opera house.

Photo of the Fish Market in Southwest by aterkel