Walk down Pennsylvania Avenue and you'll see the White House. Obviously. But if you keep heading West, just a few blocks past the tourists and the snipers on the roof, you hit a spot that feels different. It's 2000 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC. Most people know it as Western Market or the "Red Lion Row" building. It’s a weird, beautiful mashup of 19th-century history and 21st-century glass-and-steel architecture.
Honestly, it’s one of the few places in the District where you don’t feel like you’re trapped in a marble museum.
The building is basically a survivor. In the late 70s, D.C. was a different world. Historic preservation wasn't always a priority. Developers wanted to flatten everything. But 2000 Penn—as locals usually call it—became a landmark case for "facadism." That's the architectural practice of keeping the old front of a building while gutting the inside to build something modern. You’ve seen it everywhere now, but back then? It was a bold move by George Washington University (GWU).
The strange history of Red Lion Row
Look at the storefronts along the street level. They look like individual little townhomes. That's because they were. This stretch was originally known as Red Lion Row, named after the Red Lion Tavern that stood nearby in the 1800s. These were Federal-style rowhouses where people actually lived and worked while the capital was still finding its feet.
By the mid-20th century, the neighborhood was getting a bit ragged. Most people thought they were eyesores. In 1977, the row was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which basically saved it from the wrecking ball.
The result is what you see today. It's a massive office and retail complex that essentially wears the historic rowhouses like a costume. If you stand on the sidewalk, you see colorful bricks and old-school window frames. If you step back or go inside, you realize there’s a massive ten-story office building sitting right on top of them. It’s jarring. It’s cool. It’s very D.C.
The Western Market transformation
For a long time, the interior of 2000 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC was... fine. It had a food court that felt a bit like a 1990s mall. It was useful for GWU students and people working at the IMF or World Bank nearby, but it wasn't exactly a destination.
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That changed recently.
The renovation into the Western Market food hall breathed new life into the space. They leaned into the industrial look. High ceilings. Open spaces. It’s not just a place to grab a sad sandwich anymore. It’s where you go for Tiger Sugar boba, Arepa Zone, or Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls. The vibe shifted from "corporate lobby" to "neighborhood hangout."
It matters because this part of Foggy Bottom can sometimes feel a bit sterile. You have the State Department on one side and a massive university on the other. Having a space that feels communal—where you can grab a beer and sit in a sun-drenched atrium—is a big deal for the local ecosystem.
Why the location is a power move
If you’re a business, 2000 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC is prime real estate. Think about the neighbors. You are three blocks from the White House. You’re across the street from the James Monroe Building. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are literally right there.
It’s the "Golden Triangle."
This isn't just about prestige; it’s about access. If you’re a lobbyist, a law firm, or a tech company looking to stay close to the federal pulse, this is where you land. The building offers about 400,000 square feet of office space. But unlike the brutalist concrete boxes that dominate much of D.C.'s office inventory, this place has character. People actually want to work here.
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And let's talk about the metro. The Foggy Bottom-GWU station is a short walk away. Blue, Orange, and Silver lines. You can get to Northern Virginia or Maryland without breaking a sweat. For commuters, that's the holy grail.
The GWU Connection
You can't talk about this address without talking about George Washington University. They own the land. The building is a massive part of their real estate portfolio. It serves as a bridge between the campus and the rest of the city.
Walk through the atrium during midterms. It’s a sea of laptops and iced coffees. The university has managed to turn a commercial asset into a de facto student union, even though it’s a public-facing retail space. It’s a smart use of urban space. It keeps the building energized 18 hours a day, whereas most D.C. office buildings go dark the second the clocks hit 5:00 PM.
Architecture and the "Facadism" Debate
Some critics hate what happened at 2000 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC. They call it "architectural taxidermy." The argument is that by keeping only the front wall, you’ve destroyed the soul of the original buildings. You’re left with a "Disney-fied" version of history.
Maybe.
But look at the alternative. Without this compromise, those rowhouses would likely be a parking lot or a glass cube today. By preserving the scale of the streetscape, the developers kept the "walkability" of the avenue. When you walk past, you feel the history of the 19th-century city at eye level. It keeps the city feeling human.
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The interior atrium is where the modern side takes over. It’s massive. The light comes in from the top, hitting the brickwork of the back of the historic houses, which are now interior walls. It’s a weird architectural inception. You’re inside a modern building, looking at the outside of an old building, while still being indoors.
What to do if you're visiting
If you find yourself at 2000 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC, don't just walk past it. Go inside.
- Check out the Western Market. Seriously. The food selection is legit. Don't go for the chain stuff you can find at home. Try the local vendors.
- Look at the brickwork. Notice how the old rowhouse fronts are integrated. You can see the different styles of 19th-century architecture—some are more ornate, some are simple. It’s a free history lesson.
- The Atrium. It’s one of the best "secret" spots to escape the D.C. heat or rain. It’s public space, it’s airy, and the people-watching is top-tier. You’ll see everyone from high-powered diplomats to freshmen struggling with macroeconomics.
The building also houses a variety of services. There’s a CVS, a dry cleaner—the stuff that makes a city actually livable. It’s not just a monument; it’s a functioning part of the D.C. grid.
Final thoughts on the 2000 Penn vibe
D.C. is a city of layers. You have the federal layer, the international layer, the university layer, and the "real" D.C. layer. 2000 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC is one of the few places where all those layers actually touch.
It’s a survivor of the urban renewal era. It’s a hub for one of the country's most prominent universities. It’s a lunch spot for some of the most powerful people in global finance. And it’s a pretty decent place to get a taco.
Whether you're there for a meeting, a meal, or just a shortcut to the metro, it’s worth stopping to appreciate the weird, wonderful compromise of its design. It tells the story of a city that wanted to grow up without completely forgetting where it started.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Visit during off-peak hours: If you want to actually see the architecture of the atrium without the crowd, try 10:30 AM or 2:30 PM.
- Explore the back exit: Walk all the way through the building to the I Street side. It’s a great shortcut if you’re heading toward the heart of the GWU campus or the hospital.
- Support the local vendors: Skip the big-name coffee shops and try the smaller stalls in the Western Market. The quality is significantly higher, and it keeps the local economy moving.
- Check for events: The atrium occasionally hosts university events or pop-up markets. Keep an eye on the Western Market Instagram or the GWU events calendar.