According to Norton, with 20 federal leases already passed by the Senate, the groundbreaking comes as government agencies continue to look for office space already paid for in their budgets.Meanwhile, Norton has consistently encouraged federal agencies to occupy office space in NoMa, where leases have been cheaper despite NoMa's proximity to the U.S. Capitol, benefitting federal taxpayers.
Federal agencies hung back on moving to NoMa for years, which hindered its development and, Norton said, there was no way for "this great area of office, retail and residential space to develop" if the federal government -- the biggest builder and lessor in the region -- shunned the neighborhood.
The neighborhood grew rapidly after Norton convinced the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to move there and helped to secure federal funds for the New York Avenue Metro, a public-private partnership between the federal government, the District government and the private sector.
"Now, with everything from a Harris Teeter to a Metro and six Bikeshare stations, a daytime population of 40,000, and 1,400 new residents, NoMa is alive both day and night," Norton said.
