Why moving to NoMa will be a dream come true… and not just for WIT!

WIT’s new home will be located at 1222 3rd St. NE in a mixed-use community that continues to grow. In fact, a new national report, tracking nearly half a million moves, has named NoMa’s 20002 zip code as the top destination in the country for new residents! Not only did NoMa land in the top 10 — it claimed the #1 spot, outperforming every major fast-growing market, including those across the Sunbelt.

“Behind the numbers is a simple story,” says NoMa’s Business Improvement District (BID). “More and more people are choosing to call this neighborhood home. While other regions are growing, 20002 is leading the nation in total move volume — meaning not just steady growth, but a constant flow of new neighbors arriving every day.”

From new residents discovering the neighborhood for the first time to businesses continuing to invest in NoMa, “the momentum is real — and it’s accelerating,” says the BID. “As 2026 unfolds, NoMa isn’t just part of the conversation about where people want to live — it’s leading it.”

A DECADE-LONG SEARCH

It took a decade of searching and more than two dozen site visits for WIT to find this unicorn of a spot. One of the factors that makes the neighborhood so attractive is that both the BID and our landlord recognize the value WIT brings to the community and are deeply supportive of the move.

According to the BID, “the next chapter in NoMa’s story will be cultural,” and central to this story — and their 2022-2026 strategic plan to “Make NoMa Magnetic” — has been the establishment of a cultural anchor in the neighborhood.

WIT’s signing of a 30-year lease at our new location enabled them to deliver on this strategic objective. What’s more, we’ve negotiated a competitive monthly rent and nearly $1 million in support from the builder to fit it out.

PERFECT FIT

A few of the other factors that make NoMa just right:

• The neighborhood’s live-work-play ethos is a great match for WIT’s programming.
• The zip code that encompasses NoMa has had more new apartment units added than anywhere else in the country since 2017, according to the real-estate software company Yardi.
• The location is just steps from the NoMa-Gallaudet Metro station (DC’s sixth busiest stop) and the Metropolitan Branch Trail.
• Our new address is just a stone’s throw from great nightlife and restaurants, including at Union Market.
• What’s more, there are plans to create a new metro entrance next to our theater, making it an even more attractive destination for Washingtonians and visitors, who will enjoy the convenience of a two-minute ride from Union Station, which sees approximately 40 million visitors per year.

Our new, one-of-a-kind performance, learning, and training center is being designed by DMArchitects — a local firm that specializes in creating innovative spaces that empower communities. Its Founder and Chief Architect is Matt Alexander, who is also a WIT performer and understands the unique needs of an improv theater. He’s joined by Architectural Designer, Madison Schneider. She, too, is an improv performer. (Read an interview with Matt about the design process.)

Last month, we reached an important milestone when prospective contractors toured the site, moving us one step closer to commencing with the physical build-out of elements like the stage, seating, sound and light booth, individual classrooms, and the café/bar.

NoMa water tower image courtesy of washington.org. Concept drawings of WIT’s new home courtesy of DMArchitects.