Construction has begun on the second and final phase of the $2.5B megaproject along D.C.'s Southwest Waterfront.

Mayor Muriel Bowser and other D.C. officials joined the Hoffman-Madison Waterfront team Saturday for the groundbreaking of The Wharf's Phase 2, set to include 1.25M SF of development across a half-mile of the waterfront directly to the east of the first phase.

The groundbreaking comes nearly 18 months after The Wharf's massive first phase delivered with three hotels, two office buildings, two condo buildings, a 6,000-person concert venue and a variety of restaurant and retail offerings. The development has continued to welcome new residents, hotel guests, office tenants and retailers as the team worked on preparing the second phase for construction.

“The Wharf is a tremendous example of how the District can, through innovative public-private partnerships, transform underdeveloped land into housing, jobs and opportunity," Bowser said. "Already, with Phase 1, The Wharf has become a world-class destination for residents and visitors alike.”

Just as Phase 1 opened in October 2017 to great fanfare with a festive celebration along the pier, the Phase 2 groundbreaking Saturday came with a packed slate of activities. There was live music from Pebble to Pearl and Batalá Washington, a performance from the Amidon-Bowen Elementary School Choir, a public street fair along The Wharf's Water Street, a wine and beer garden, sidewalk games, kids craft activities and a "truck touch" with D.C. construction vehicles.

Phase 2 will feature three office buildings totaling 625K SF on parcels 6, 7 and 10, anchored by Williams & Connolly's 300K SF lease in the two connected buildings on parcels 6 and 7.

On Parcel 8, it will include 225 apartments and 131 hotel rooms. A 96-unit condo building will be constructed on Parcel 9. The Phase 2 buildings will include 109K SF of ground-floor retail. Phase 2 will also have a 1.5-acre park and two underground parking garages with 1,000 combined spaces.

The development team, led by PN Hoffman and Madison Marquette, enlisted 13 architects to design the second phase. With Perkins Eastman as the master planner, the architectural team includes renowned architecture firms such as Rafael Viñoly, SHoP Architects, ODA, Morris Adjmi Architects and WDG Architecture.

“As we begin construction of the second phase of this waterfront, it is incredibly rewarding to look back at what our team has created in Phase 1 while looking forward to completing the full mile of this remarkable neighborhood," PN Hoffman CEO Monty Hoffman said.