Over the past decade (since the building of the Verizon Center) the neighborhood just north of Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown Washington, DC has been revitalized with world class museums, trendy restaurants, upscale hotels and nightclubs, contemporary art galleries and theaters.

Penn Quarter is a revitalized historic neighborhood in downtown Washington, DC. The name “Penn Quarter” is relatively new and not so widely known. The area may also be called Old Downtown by some. Most people refer to the neighborhood as “near the MCI Center” (now the Verizon Center). Since the opening of the MCI Center in 1997, Penn Quarter has become an arts and entertainment district with new restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, art galleries, theaters and trendy stores.