Framework Plan Takes Shape

Within the past month, both the National Capital Planning Commission and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts have approved the final version of the Monumental Core Framework Plan: Connecting New Destinations with the National Mall. The goal of the framework plan is to revitalize federal areas adjacent to the National Mall in order to better connect the Mall with the city and waterfront. These areas include the SW Rectangle, East Potomac Park, NW Rectangle, and Federal Triangle. Back in August, Southwest...TLQTC did a post describing the SW Rectangle portion of the draft plan. Not much has changed in the final version, but it appears that the infill opportunities near the Capitol and along the Center Leg Freeway (I-395) were dropped from the plan. Those areas are covered in a separate plan called House Office Buildings Facilities Plan and Preliminary South Capitol Area Plan. The framework plan calls for several improvements in the SW Rectangle, the most significant being the transformation of 10th Street into a gateway between the National Mall and the Southwest Waterfront. Currently, 10th Street is too wide, uninviting, and at its northern edge, the Department of Energy’s Forrestal Building complex straddles the street, blocking the view of the Smithsonian Castle. At the southern edge of 10th Street, Banneker Overlook is an underutilized asset that offers spectacular views of the Washington Channel and East Potomac Park, but access to the waterfront is limited. Starting from the north, the framework plan calls for narrowing 10th Street and redeveloping the 20-acre Forrestal Building complex as federal office space, with ground floor retail, cultural space, and gardens. The plan calls for temporarily moving DOE from the Forrestal complex to another highly visible site within the monumental core. In order to get the ball rolling quickly…the wrecking ball, that is…my idea would be to move most of DOE to Constitution Center at 7th & D Street while the Forrestal complex is redeveloped. Constitution Center has over 1.3 million vacant SF of newly renovated space in a secure environment, right on top of the L’Enfant Plaza Metro, and it’s aiming for LEED-Gold certification. Sounds like a good temporary fix to me!

Here is a rendering of what the 10th Street corridor and the redeveloped Forrestal complex could look like, from the Monumental Core Framework Plan. In the background is the Smithsonian Castle.

Above is a rendering of street-level retail that could be developed along 10th Street at the Forrestal complex, from the Monumental Core Framework Plan.

There would also be infill development at privately-owned L’Enfant Plaza and at the U.S. Postal Service headquarters, both of which flank 10th Street. Southwest…TLQTC did a post back in February showing some preliminary renderings of what new construction developer JBG has planned at L’Enfant Plaza. Along the east side of 10th Street, their plans call for two new office buildings. Originally, the National Children’s Museum was to go on the site, but now that museum will be built at National Harbor in Prince George’s County. In addition, JBG has plans for an extended-stay hotel on D Street and an apartment building in the air-rights above 9th Street. The redevelopment of the U.S. Postal Service HQ would likely come later in the process. Perhaps at the intersection of 10th Street and Maryland Avenue, there could be a monument honoring Benjamin Banneker. (The rendering at the top of this post is a south view of the redeveloped 10th Street, looking towards Banneker Overlook, from the Monumental Core Framework Plan.)

At the southern end of 10th Street, Banneker Overlook could support a cultural institution or major memorial. A water feature of some sort would remain and a grand staircase would lead down to the Southwest Waterfront, where PN Hoffman and Struever Brothers have big plans of their own.

Above is a rendering of the vista of the Southwest Waterfront from Banneker Overlook, from the Monumental Core Framework Plan.

Other aspects of the framework plan call for restoring Maryland Avenue as a grand boulevard in the same vein as its sister street – Pennsylvania Avenue, as well as reconnecting streets by decking over freeways and rail tracks that cut through the neighborhood. However, the 10th Street transformation is seen as a top priority. In today's Washington Business Journal, it was reported that the Federal City Council, a group of influential city leaders, has thrown their weight behind the 10th Street plan and have called it a priority for connecting the National Mall with the SW Waterfront. The next step, according to the Council, would be to do a feasibility study of the 10th Street corridor.

September Issue of The Southwester is Available

Unfortunately, my vacation is over, but that means I can start posting about Southwest again. The September issue of The Southwester, a monthly paper published by the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, Inc. (SWNA) has been released. In this month's issue, two articles mention this blog as a newcomer to the Southwest DC media scene. The first article talks about three local blogs in the area, including Southwest...The Little Quadrant That Could, Knight-Batten Awards for Innovation in Journalism-nominated JDLand and SWDC Blog, another new blog on SW development. In the second article, it refers to my prior post about the Southwest Rectangle portion of NCPC's and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts' National Capital Framework Plan. Once I get back into the swing of things, I'll do a post on plans for East Potomac Park as well.

Details on Southwest Rectangle Portion of Framework Plan

If one walks along 10th Street SW today south of Independence Avenue, it would be hard to know due to the configuration of the street that at either end of the corridor lays the Smithsonian Castle and Banneker Overlook. Elsewhere in Southwest, Maryland Avenue is a disjointed boulevard blocked for the most part by railroad tracks. Empty lots and unused buildings litter the landscape. Freeways and expressways crisscross the area and disrupt the neighborhood urban fabric. These consequences of urban renewal in Southwest will change dramatically over the next few decades if the plans from the recently released National Capital Framework Plan are implemented. On July 10th, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) in conjunction with the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts released the draft plan for a 90-day public review and focuses on four main areas surrounding the National Mall – Southwest Rectangle, Northwest Rectangle, Federal Triangle, and East Potomac Park. The main areas of interest in the Southwest Rectangle redevelopment include 10th Street, Maryland Avenue, redeveloping existing sites with infill development, and restoring the street grid by decking freeways.

10th Street & Banneker Overlook

The draft plan calls for 10th Street Southwest to become a mixed use corridor with shops, residences, offices, restaurants, and a memorial at the intersection of 10th Street and a rebuilt Maryland Avenue – most likely to be the site of the Benjamin Banneker Memorial. The Forrestal Building, home to the Department of Energy, currently straddles 10th Street at Independence Avenue and blocks the view of the Smithsonian Castle. Under the draft plan, the Forrestal Building complex would be redeveloped to allow multiple uses. At the southern end of 10th Street, a new major museum would be built at Banneker Overlook, helping to draw people from the National Mall to the new Southwest Waterfront below via a grand staircase.

Here's the current view of 10th Street north towards the Smithsonian Castle. Notice that the Forrestal Building blocks most of the castle from view.

Maryland Avenue

Maryland Avenue would be restored between 9th Street and 14th Street by covering the railroad tracks that currently run in the avenue’s right-of-way. As a result, Maryland Avenue would link the U.S. Capitol to the Jefferson Memorial. Under the draft plan, Reservation 113, a patch of land between 9th Street & 7th Street, would become the public space it was meant to be under Pierre L’Enfant’s original plan for Washington. Neighboring Virginia Avenue would be enhanced by creating a slender railroad trestle and enhancements to the VRE station would allow two-way traffic on that rail line.

Here's the L'Enfant Plaza VRE Station platform alongside Virginia Avenue.

Redevelop Existing Sites

Buildings such as the Liberty Loan Building near the 14th Street Bridge, the Whitten Building at the Department of Agriculture campus, and the unused Arts and Industries building at the National Mall could be redeveloped as museums or other cultural institutions. Other sites scattered around the Southwest Rectangle, including parking lots, vacant land, and decked over portions of I-395 (the Center Leg Freeway) could yield new mixed-use development opportunities.

Restoring the Street Grid

In addition to decking over the Center Leg Freeway near the U.S. Capitol complex, the draft plan calls for decking the Southeast-Southwest Freeway west of 7th Street so F, 9th, 11th, and 12th Streets can be re-established in the neighborhood. The 9th Street tunnel would be decked between Independence Avenue and D Street to re-establish 9th Street. In the long-run, the 14th Street bridges would be rebuilt, with tunnels approaching those bridges.

A copy of the National Capital Framework Plan is available on the NCPC website. The public review and comment period for the draft plan will extend until October 10, 2008.