A staggering 95 percent of D.C.’s downtown office personnel were working remotely by the end of July as the coronavirus pandemic raged, according to a new report.
The report by the DowntownDC BID noted downtown D.C.’s vibrant businesses have been especially hard-hit by the dearth of foot traffic, with economic activity just 12 percent of what it was the previous year, Washingtonian reported.
When hotels, restaurants and retail began to reopen in varying degrees from April to July, they faced “very low” demand, according to the report.
Also, while the National Museum of Women in the Arts reopened on Aug. 1, the other seven downtown D.C. museums have remained shuttered, and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center will stay closed through December.
The report said the BID has determined it to be “very likely that downtown D.C. will continue at a low level of economic activity for the next few months.”