Washington, D.C. native and hotel developer Evens Charles has brought a new chapter of his career home with the debut of the Hyatt House at 899 O St. NW, a 184-room property managed by Donohoe Hospitality Services. Charles, founder and CEO of Frontier Development & Hospitality Group, has built a portfolio of hotels and multifamily projects across seven states, with $1.1 billion in development underway.

His path to real estate began modestly, first as a paperboy, then as a first-time homebuyer and renovator, before expanding into hospitality after discovering Black hotel ownership through NABHOOD. Inspired by mentors like Don Peebles, Charles grew Frontier into a national firm, making the Hyatt House his first property in D.C. proper.

The project carries deep personal meaning for Charles, who grew up just a mile from the site during a turbulent era in the city. Now, alongside Donohoe Hospitality’s Thomas Penny and GM Donte Johnson, (also Washingtonians) he’s proud to lead a team of men of color shaping the city’s hospitality landscape. 

Read the article at Washington Business Journal (subscriber content)