Introduction

One of Washington, DC's earliest residential neighborhoods, Southwest was radically altered in the 1950s and 60s when the area was razed in the name of urban renewal. The mixed legacy of this redevelopment lives on: a half century later an encyclopedic inventory of stoic mid-century buildings provides a case study in the best and worst of an era's architecture, urban planning, and the unintended consequences of uprooting communities.

Use the links below to learn more about the historic neighborhood surrounding the Mary E. Switzer Federal Building and nearby attractions.

Attractions

Neighborhood