Washington, D.C. – May 11, 2021 – The transformation of The Shops at Penn Branch is complete after a nearly five-year journey to rejuvenate it.
Located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue SE and Branch Avenue, The Shops at Penn Branch has been a retail keystone for the Ward 7 neighborhood for half a century. Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners purchased the 89,000 square foot center in 2016 and embarked on an ambitious revitalization plan, including a makeover of the façade, mechanical upgrades, a new office lobby, and 40,000 square feet of new retail and office tenants to better serve the community. This plan also included a Planet Fitness, the first full-service fitness center east of the river.
Rappaport provides retail leasing and property management services to the center and is committed to the vision for the property they share with owners, Jair Lynch. “It is really exciting to see the fruits of our labor,” says Rappaport’s Director of Leasing & Brokerage, Alex Shiel, “as the last few elements come together in this fantastic space.”
Several new restaurant tenants have been confirmed, totaling 9,000 sf. Highlands Café is a full-service restaurant that will be serving three meals a day, starting Fall 2021. Chipotle will be joining the tenant roster in the spring of 2022. Shark’s Fish and Chicken has signed a lease to replace the former Star Pizza space, and Miss Toya’s Southern Cajun Kitchen will be bringing a taste of southern comfort food in late 2021. “Miskiri Hospitality Group is honored to launch our first storefront locations for Miss Toya’s Soul Juice and Miss Toya’s Southern Cajun Kitchen. As a collective of Black, family and woman-owned products and restaurants throughout the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area, we have a proven commitment of excellence to the communities we serve. We are elated to be welcomed into the Penn Branch neighborhood in Ward 7 and we look forward to a successful future in this community.”—Chef Jeffeary Miskiri, Founder & Owner, Miskiri Hospitality Group.
Jair Lynch engaged CIVITAS Commercial Real Estate Services to curate the office component of the shopping center and attract quality tenants who would serve the community. The second-floor office space is now 100% leased. Tenants include The Office of State Superintendent of Education (DGS) who will be operating their Strong Start Program in the space for early childhood development; Bluerock Care, a tech-oriented healthcare provider offering primary care services; North Capitol Collaborative, a non-profit that supports family development and homelessness prevention; and KBEC Group, a non-profit focused on workforce development and vocational training.
“We’re excited to see a range of new eatery options and important private sector clients confirm their tenancy,” says Anthony Startt, Director of Investments of Jair Lynch. “The Shops at Penn Branch is going to be a real asset to the community it serves.”
About Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners
Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners is a leading real estate investment and development firm in the metropolitan DC market that specializes in the thoughtful transformation of walkable urban places. Founded in 1998, Jair Lynch has acquired, developed, and operated a portfolio of residential, commercial, and neighborhood assets that create extraordinary places. The firm has developed over 4.2 million square feet of real estate projects valued at over $1 billion, with an existing portfolio and pipeline of 3.7 million square feet valued at more than $1.8 billion. Visit www.jairlynch.com to learn more about the company.
About RAPPAPORT
Founded in 1984 by Gary Rappaport, Rappaport is an owner, developer and provider of leasing, tenant representation, property management, marketing, and development services. The firm’s multiple service lines and broad diversity of clients ensure an enhanced perspective on the entire retail real estate process, making the company one of the most well-known and well-respected retail real estate firms in the Washington, D.C. region.
Rappaport has the ability to successfully adapt to the ever-changing, fast-moving, innovative, and entrepreneurial retail industry. As a trusted advisor with the right connections, unique experience, and in-depth market awareness, Rappaport has mastered the art of cultivating places. For more information, visit www.rappaportco.com.
