Evens Charles, founder and CEO of Frontier Development & Hospitality Group, a native of D.C., has acquired and opened the Hyatt House Washington DC Downtown Convention Center in the Shaw neighborhood. The 184-room extended-stay hotel, steps from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, features apartment-style suites with full kitchens and living areas. Managed by Donohoe Hospitality Services, the property includes a fitness center, complimentary breakfast bar, lobby bar, business center, and communal spaces.
This is Charles’s first hotel in D.C., and he emphasized that his team consists entirely of Black D.C. natives, underscoring representation in an industry where less than 2% of hotels are owned by African Americans. Charles describes the project as a commitment to reinvesting in his city: “D.C. raised me. Now I’m raising the city back.” Plans are in place to open REALM, a 157-seat rooftop bar and lounge with panoramic city views, later this fall.