The International Square complex in downtown D.C., located at 1875 I St NW.

StreetsofWashington / Flickr

The International Square complex, a 1.2 million-square-foot office and retail property above the Farragut West Metro station, will feature a new street-level “food hall,” according to renovation plans shared last week with the complex’s tenants.

The food hall will have roughly 20 stalls and a bar, according to an email sent to the complex’s tenants by International Square owner Tishman Speyer, a commercial real estate firm based in New York City. The email, the text of which was obtained by DCist, says that in addition to the food hall, the developer intends to add a small grocer, a large conference center, a fitness center, and three full-service restaurants to the complex. The plans were first reported by Bisnow.

Until last month, the property, which spans nearly a city block, hosted a major food court that had been popular with downtown workers for years. The manager of one of the food court’s vendors, Burrito Brothers, told DCist in December that her business had been ordered to vacate the property by December 31. She had previously learned that her lease was not being renewed.

A spokesperson for Tishman Speyer declined to comment on the project. The developer’s plans call for “transforming the street level and ground level to enhance employee’s experience in the building,” according to the email sent to tenants. The city last Tuesday issued a demolition permit for the “existing ground level atrium,” per records on the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs’ site.

It’s not clear which businesses will move into the complex once it’s been renovated. Among its current tenants is the Federal Reserve Board, which may move out under its own consolidation plans. The street-level renovations are expected to be completed toward the end of 2021.

This isn’t the only food hall slated for the District. One is in the works at a property owned by The Meridian Group in Mount Vernon Square. Also, a third location of Asian food hall The Block is planned downtown, just several blocks away from International Square.

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