The Wharf: A photo tour of what to expect

The Wharf has finally made its debut, and there’s a lot to look forward to. While the ribbon cutting has completed, expect construction to continue on the mile-long, $2.5 billion development at the Southwest Waterfront.

There will be three hotels opening their doors for visitors, including North America’s first Canopy by Hilton, which will have 175 guestrooms, a 238-room Hyatt House with amenities like a fitness center and laundry facilities, and The Wharf InterContinental, which will include two restaurants and a rooftop pool.

One of the residential buildings to come is VIO, a 12-story, 112-unit building with an infinity pool on the roof and private elevators. There is also the apartment building, known as Incanto, which will offer 148 units as well as amenities like a fitness center, resident lounge, and a central courtyard with grills and a fire pit.

The Channel’s model unit.

At the base of The Channel, the new 501-unit apartment building, there is The Anthem, a $60 million music venue with 6,000 seats. The venue’s general manager is Dori Armor, who has spent 30 years in the music business working for The Touring Artists Group and The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The booker is Melanie Cantwell, who has previously worked for the 9:30 Club and the Lincoln Theatre.

Another music venue is Union Stage, which has a 450-person capacity. Behind the venue is the Brindley brothers, more specifically Daniel, Luke, and Jonathan, the same creators of Northern Virginia’s Jammin Java, which was named one of the Top 40 Music Venues in the Country by Paste Magazine.

Across from Union Stage will be another music venue, called Pearl Street Warehouse. According to Bisnow, this venue will have music acts from Wednesday through Sunday, but may eventually transition to seven nights a week. The hope is for the smaller shows here to be able to propel D.C.’s next big star.

There are a total of six piers at The Wharf, four of which are public. One of those piers is Transit Pier, which allows visitors to take a brand new water taxi service. Each boat will be able to hold up to 100 people. This taxi will be able to take visitors to Nationals Park, National Harbor, Old Town Alexandria, or Georgetown, according to The Southwester.

The biggest pier will be District Pier, which is hoped to become a new gathering place for festivals and other events. Market Pier will offer waterside access for boaters to the Municipal Fish Market. Finally, Recreation Pier will allow visitors to rent kayaks and paddleboards and take them onto the water.

The Southwester reported that there will be a total of 10 acres of green space at The Wharf, thanks to Seventh Street Park, Waterfront Park, and Banneker Park.

When it comes to where to shop, there are a variety of retailers on their way, including Politics & Prose, Yoga Factory, A Beautiful Closet, Ligne Roset, Martha Spak Gallery, CVS, and a laundry shop, known as The Press.

For a full breakdown on what to expect from all of the restaurants at The Wharf, check out this DCist article, which indicates when each pub, distillery, and other venue is expected to open.

See what options you have for driving, biking, or riding the Metro to the Southwest Waterfront’s biggest project with this Curbed DC article.

For a look at what the second phase will bring, check out this Curbed DC article.

• Many Of The Wharf's Buzziest Restaurants Aren't Ready For The Grand Opening [DCist]

• How The Wharf Could Transform D.C.'s Live Music Scene [Bisnow]

• It’s Here: The Wharf Opens [The Southwester]

• The Wharf’s phase two design team, revealed [Curbed DC]