And as hopes of a quick recovery sputter, fear is rising that a long-term collapse of downtown economies could soon become irreversible. In downtown Washington, formerly a textbook case of a reborn city center, the coronavirus has flatlined almost every measure of vitality. ADBefore the pandemic, the job of a rush-hour traffic control officer in downtown Washington required the mental toughness and physical agility of a bullfighter. “I don’t know the answer to that right now.”It is difficult but not impossible to find a person in a dark suit on the streets of downtown Washington. Hutton said that in recent weeks there have been indications downtown Washington is stirring to life.

Source: Washington Post September 25, 2020 19:52 UTC