WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 25, 2012 – Arent Fox’s Ellen McCarthy, the firm’s Director of Planning and Land Use, was interviewed by The Washington Post for an article examining the population growth and demographic shifts that have take place in the District over the past 10 years.

The Washington Post writes:

During the past decade, Washington has become a magnet for ambitious 20-somethings. … It’s been a remarkable deal for the District, too. The influx of newcomers has transformed the city from a symbol of civic dysfunction and drab government offices to a cosmopolitan hub — an urban playground.

The flood of newcomers did not arrive by accident. City planners and developers have bet big on luring transplants to the region. … One of the planners who charted the city’s population growth under Williams was Ellen McCarthy, now at the law firm Arent Fox.

“The first thing was to say … where were the places where we could grow where we weren’t going to displace existing residents? So, downtown, Mount Vernon Triangle, Columbia Heights and the waterfronts,” McCarthy said.

Please click here to read the article, titled “DC’s growth is fueled by 20-somethings. Can the city grow up with them?”