Howard University freshmen moving into their dorms this week will see a nearby landmark transform over the next four years.
The new students, along with the university community in Northwest D.C., can expect to see new dorms and retailers in 2029 at Wonder Plaza, a former Wonder Bread bakery.
The university acquired the building on Georgia Avenue in 1993, and “soft-demolition activities” are now underway, the university said.
The company behind the redevelopment said the spaces formerly occupied by the businesses will be converted into a nine-story building featuring 280 student housing units, a dining hall, some ground-floor retail and a wellness center.
More details about the redevelopment plans are available online.
But for now, current students said that after the closure of longtime restaurants such as Negril and others along Georgia Avenue, they miss having more dining options.
“It’s been really hard trying to get other food options. We do have like two cafeterias and we have a Chick-fil-A on campus, but other than that, all we have is the McDonald’s on Georgia Avenue, and that’s not very a healthy food option,” student Reagann Davis said.
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