A long the edges of Capitol Hill, new buildings are rising everywhere you look. One area overlooked until now is the northwest corner off Massachusetts and Second and Third streets, near Georgetown Law School and the Hyatt Hotel.
But that’s about to change. Over the past year, an intriguing bright green wrap banner around three city blocks has been enfolding Capitol Crossing, an ambitious building featuring office space, residences and retail space.
Capitol Crossing’s million+ square feet of office space live in a sleek, ultra-modern design that has one of the highest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) ratings in the city. The building has been designed for sustainability, with state-of-the-art thermal efficiency and features like fancy glass in special cornices. Capitol Crossing sits over I-395, and entering it feels like walking from old DC into the 21st century.
The property manager has invested thought and effort into ensuring the space is not just glass, steel and neutral colors. The Capitol Crossing Gallery of Art features over 20 artists with local connections to the DMV area. Many of the artists have two or three pieces featured, each curated to complement the art it shares space with.
In a time when DC has seen a record number of art galleries closed, it is exhilarating to see a new gallery as special as this one come to life.
Curator Alexandra Foxworth-Hill
Alexandra Foxworth-Hill is senior property manager for the Capitol Crossing Advisors projects. A graduate of Georgetown University, she has been with Capitol Crossing for over three years and loves that her portfolio includes curating the gallery. Not an artist herself, she has a keen eye for design and color and has assembled stunning abstract art to warm the space. She is always looking for new work from local artists.
Aside from a few pieces in conference areas, the artwork hangs in public spaces, and the public is welcome to visit. “We commissioned Katherine Tzu-Lann Mann to create the flowing flower piece that is two floors high in the lobby,” says Foxworth-Hill. “We wanted something that everyone would find inviting and add color to the monochrome furniture in the lobby.”
In addition to being colorful, many pieces feature unique materials, like film to acrylic overlays to woven tires and leather. The artwork dimensions are 40 inches by 60 inches, and they often take an entire wall to display. You walk into the paintings, not just admire them on the wall. “I also love to spend time with the artists and work with them in the installation of their work in the space,” says Foxworth-Hill.
Barbara Januszkiewicz
One of the artists in the collection is Barbara Januszkiewicz, from Fairfax, Virginia, who is involved in many DMV art groups and recently juried a Capitol Hill Art League show. Her works have been described as “neo-Color Field abstractions.” She likes to say her work is infused with rhythm, tempo and musical cadence. She wants you to feel the energy in her pieces whether they are two-dimensional or a standing sculpture of color acrylic pieces. The process of producing the work in the large sizes that she shows here often involves several steps. She begins with watercolors, producing many from smaller paintings, photographed, resized, repainted with acrylic and then framed. In her Capitol Crossing pieces, the intensity of the color makes the space vibrate.
Januszkiewicz was mentored by Paul Reed, a member of the Washington Color School, and continues to do historical research on this subject. Her respect for the work of historic DC artists shines through in her teaching and her interest in giving back to the art community. Alexandra Foxworth-Hill says Januszkiewicz “is amazing to work with.” She was drawn to her work because of its simplicity and the dramatic and dynamic colors.
The artist is “grateful for every opportunity to inspire and be inspired. Let’s keep creativity alive and thriving together.” She encourages artists to get out and see as much art as possible.
Capitol Crossing’s commitment to the arts is refreshing. As George Cantrell, president of Capitol Crossing notes, “we are extremely proud and honored to be able to showcase the amazing work of the area’s great local artists and show that DC doesn’t take a back seat to anyone when it comes to the gift of talent. The feedback we receive from our clients and tenants of our buildings clearly proves that we have made the right choices. Art in DC continues to make moves and local artists are making waves around the world. We are fortunate to be in the middle of that phenomenon.”
Capitol Crossing is located at 200 and 250 Massachusetts Ave. NW, https://capitolcrossingdc.com/.
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Upcoming Exhibits
“Lifetime of Perspective 2026.” Bender Jewish Community Center, North Bethesda, on May 3, will host the opening reception for its 28th annual art exhibit in the Goldman Art Gallery. The show highlights artists over 65 years old from around the DMV, and many have exhibited for years in the exhibition. Open to the public, the show and reception run through May 27. The Bender CC is located at 6125 Montrose Road, Rockville, Maryland.
“Capitol Hill Art League 2026 Juried Exhibition.” The Hill Center Galleries at the Old Navy Hospital, on May 21, will host a free public reception from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and announce the winners of this year’s show. The exhibition, juried by Anne Barnes and Nicky Cyrmot, highlights the work of the CHAL membership and is on display through Aug. 30. The Hill Center is located at 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE.
“Khadija Jahmila in Residence.” Capitol Hill Arts Workshop will host a weekend workshop and reception on May 23, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Khadija Jahmila is an Afro-Caribbean mixed-media artist and educator who also teaches at CHAW. Her work blends hand-cut paper and digital collage to explore Afrofuturistic themes. She began her residency on April 6 and concludes on May 30. CHAW is located at 545 Seventh St. SE.
“Ken Bachman and Liming Tang Exhibition.” Spilsbury Members Gallery, Arts Club of Washington, will present their work May l-30 at the 2017 I St. NW venue and will host a reception on May 23, from 5-7 p.m.
Rindy O’Brien writes about Capitol Hill’s art and cultural scene and can be contacted at rindyobrien@gmail.com.
