16 Center City Action Agenda 2008 • Washington, DC Places for Focused Investment • Poplar Point – Gateway to Center City and The parts of Center City where growth is starting to Historic Anacostia occur are the locations that have the best prospects • Capitol Riverfront – Along M Street SE of continuing the District's competitiveness, ensuring a • Southwest Waterfront – Between 12th and great place to live and a dynamic economic future. 4th Streets SW These are the places where we need to ensure that • NoMa – The Intersection of Florida and New York the real estate market continues to attract job Avenues providers, that the market for residential customers • Massachusetts Avenue Landmark – The stays strong, and that retail leases get signed.These are I-395 Corridor the places where the provision for, and the strategic • Mount Vernon Square – Centerpiece of a New investment in, public places will generate the most Destination District impact and have the greatest catalytic effect on future • The National Mall – The Heart of Center City private investment and market appeal. As Center City DC takes action to enhance its posi- tion as one of the most treasured urban centers in the nation, places that are distinctive, recognizable, and memorable become critical elements in each emerging neighborhood.These places offer the opportunity to express the unique identity of an area and the diversity of character so reflective of DC's multi-faceted reality. Great places are well-defined, public, and inviting to all. They provide an anchor where people assemble for events and meet others, and they provide the market confidence for both developers and buyers/tenants that a real neighborhood is in the making. The areas around the traditional downtown where the expansion is occurring are the most likely to lack the essential character-defining attractions and standard amenities. For example, both NoMa and Mount Vernon Triangle lack both neighborhood parks, and recreation facilities, standard amenities that contribute to a healthy life and make high-density living appealing. Canal Park is a great model for a new neighborhood Suburban develop- park as is or the Banneker overlook where there is an ers now offer tran- admirable vision for a landmark place that is not yet sit-oriented, urban- style entertainment realized.There are also key Center City Gateways, and shopping desti- such as South Capitol Street and New York Avenue nations, and employ- that have the potential to contribute to the creation of ment centers.This great places but have lost their architectural and land- competition makes scape features through neglect and roadway changes the design of Washington’s new over the decades. neighborhoods— their convenience, attractiveness, uniqueness, quality, and affordability— critical. Center City Action Agenda 2008 • Washington, DC 17 “Residents are connected by places of “common ground”, such as Union Station and Eastern Market. Such public gathering places should be protected, and should be created in all parts of the city as development and change occurs.” Connecting the City: Guiding Principles, Citywide Elements, page 2-26,The Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital: District Elements 2007 In designating “priority places” for the purposes of this • Availability of developable parcels that will benefit Action Agenda, these characteristics were considered: from public investment. • Existing momentum in the place, including current pub- • A lack of amenities and identity that could be provid- lic or private investments already flowing to the area. ed with additional investment or strategies. • Places where investments will enhance connections • Short-term action needed by the public sector to between neighborhoods that have been perceived as improve or instigate development. disconnected. • Proximity to Metro and reinforcement of transit use in the Center City. Priority Places White House US The National Mall Capitol Priority Places • Poplar Point • Capitol Riverfront • Southwest Waterfront • Gateway to NoMa • Massachusetts Avenue Landmark Location • Mount Vernon Square • The National Mall Priority Center City Emerging Places Boundary Districts 18 Center City Action Agenda 2008 • Washington, DC Places for Focused Investment Poplar Point The Gateway to Historic Anacostia VISION CURRENT CHALLENGES Poplar Point is currently vacant, federally-owned land in The greatest challenges include:1) ensuring pedestrian- need of environmental cleanup and investment. Future friendly connections between an improved waterfront realignment of South Capitol Street and the Frederick and existing neighborhoods, 2) ensuring that the bene- Douglass Bridge will enable significant redevelopment fits of the new park, the retail offerings, residences and on “the Point” as well as the creation of a large recre- offices on Poplar Point are shared and accessible by ational park and additional memorial sites. Poplar Point residents in surrounding neighborhoods, 3) ensuring and the cherished neighborhood of historic Anacostia that the existing history and culture, as well as resi- will be reinvigorated with improved waterfront park- dential and retail areas in historic Anacostia are lands and housing, jobs and a mix of retail and entertain- strengthened and complimented by additional com- ment venues. Access to these areas and to the mercial and office development. Anacostia River will be seamless, highlighting the prox- imity to Capitol Hill and the emerging southeast Ballpark District. As Poplar Point gains new develop- ment, the increasing numbers of residents and commer- cial uses will add vitality to historic Anacostia neighbor- hoods and retail areas along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE. Improved connections between the Anacostia River, Metro Stations, and the historic neigh- borhood will ensure that benefits of the waterfront set- ting are shared by residents, both new and old. A national museum of the environment and major tourist destination is planned as the focal point of the 110- acre mixed-use development at Poplar Point. Credit: Clark Realty Center City Action Agenda 2008 • Washington, DC 19 Connections are made between The Frederick Douglas House, the Anacostia neighborhood and Poplar Point and the waterfront along W Street SE.. Credit: Clark Realty Ballpark Anacostia River Credit: Clark Realty Potential Development Planned and Proposed Recently Completed and Under Existing Building Site Projects Construction Priority Corridor Secondary Corridor Within Historic District Initially Proposed: 6. W Street Landscaping Improvement 12. KIPP Academy 1. The National Museum of the Environment 7. The Preserve 13. The Marketplace (Neighborhood Retail) 2. International Environment Center (ICE) 8. Waterfront Park 14. Metro Square 3. The Point (Waterfront Retail District) 9. Outdoor Amphitheater 15. New Martin Luther King Jr. Park 4. Douglass Boathouse 10. MLS Stadium Location (option only) 16. The Frederick Douglass Homestead at 5. Deck Over I-395 11. The Village at Poplar Point Cedar Hill (not shown) RECOMMENDED ACTIONS hood focal points, prioritize public improvements, Develop a retail strategy for this emerging and identify funding sources. Coordinate this effort neighborhood. As part of the Citywide Retail with implementation of the adopted Anacostia Strategy, prepare the retail cluster plan to provide Waterfront Plan. Responsible entities: DCOP, DMPED neighborhood retail and services complimentary to the Anacostia Main Street area. Responsible Secure funding support for a BID to serve the entities: DCOP, DMPED, DCEP, future BID Poplar Point/Anacostia area. Convene property owners to consider a new BID, modeling it on the Prepare development plans for major devel- process used by the recently-created NoMa and opment sites and the connections between Capitol Riverfront BIDs. Responsible entities: them. Define land-uses, height, density, neighbor- Property owners 20 Center City Action Agenda 2008 • Washington, DC Places for Focused Investment Capitol Riverfront At M Street SE VISION Street on the east.This intersection and surrounding The Capitol Riverfront is anchored by the Navy Yard uses have the potential to tie the area together, create employment center and by the new Nationals Ballpark – a sense of place, and begin to establish civic and com- a major visitor and entertainment destination.These munity qualities.The existing Metrorail, future transit definitive anchors are catalyzing new office, residential solutions, new parks and plazas, and supporting retail and retail uses.Two key areas of mixed use development will be the focus of public life in this rapidly developing are Half Street, the entertainment gateway to the neighborhood.A high quality public realm that is Ballpark, and The Yards, a 42-acre site that blends adap- designed to support a distinct identity will provide a tive uses of historic buildings with new construction and framework for, and links to, the 23 million square feet a riverfront park.The area along the riverfront is envi- of development capacity. sioned as a series of connected parks, with the 20-mile Riverwalk Trail running the length of the Anacostia River CURRENT CHALLENGES and with Diamond Teague Park south of M Street.The Without a civic focal point on M Street, many dis- Capitol Riverfront will be an environmentally sustainable parate developments along the riverfront and north of neighborhood, and will include the new Canal Park M Street could emerge without a sense of neighbor- north of M Street as a model of sustainability.