Audi Field Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

The ribbon cutting ceremony and open house for Audi Field was held on Monday, less than a week prior to D.C. United's inaugural match at the new stadium against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Below are some pictures from the event, which brought the team, including captain Steve Birnbaum and newcomer superstar Wayne Rooney (the rest of the team was seated in the audience); D.C. United ownership - Jason Levien and Erick Thohir; MLS Commissioner Don Garber, and politicians including Mayor Bowser and Councilmembers Allen and Evans.  Dave Johnson, the voice of D.C. United, was the emcee.

Now that the inaugural game is just days away, construction fences have come down and finishing touches are being put in place in and around the stadium in Buzzard Point.  Along Potomac Avenue, the fan plaza is still under construction. A parcel adjacent to the stadium will one day contain mixed-use development, but for now will be a grassy field. The first Capitol Bikeshare station in the neighborhood has been installed at the northwest corner of Potomac Avenue and Half Street.  A Circulator stop is located on Potomac Avenue east of Half Street - this match-day service will be implemented after the inaugural match. New signage has been installed by the Capitol Riverfront BID to promote Buzzard Point with a new website and slogan: It All Connects Here. Meanwhile, construction continues on the new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. 

Events Announced for Audi Field Opening

As anticipated, D.C. United has released a schedule of events for the next five days leading up to its inaugural match at Audi Field. Here’s a rundown of what is planned so far, which is also located here:  

• Monday: There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony for Audi Field and Housewarming Party from 4:30 to 7pm, located at the NW gate at R and 2nd streets. 
• Tuesday & Wednesday: The club will hold World Cup watch parties at Fado Irish pub and Freedom Plaza downtown. 
• Thursday: There will be an inaugural match ticket giveaway at 10AM via social media. 
• Friday: Happy hour at Bardo Beer Garden from 4:30 to 6:30pm, which is located across South Capitol Street next to Dock 79 apartments in Near SE/Navy Yard/Capitol Riverfront. 
• Saturday (Matchday): The new fan plaza near the NE entrance of Audi Field at Potomac Avenue and Half Street will open at 4pm and will feature a live concert by White Ford Bronco. In addition, there will be a beer garden, games, food trucks, free D.C. United swag, and a fan photo mosaic. Fans can use the hashtag #UnitedAtHome when taking a picture throughout the week and the photo will be added to a photo time capsule that will be hung permanently at the stadium. The Club Shop on the R Street side of the stadium will also open at 4pm. Gates open at 6pm.

This post will be updated with any other opening-related events.

Work Underway at River Point

Construction fencing is up and interior demolition is underway at the former coast guard headquarters building at 2100 2nd Street in Buzzard Point (h/t to reader Bill). Once complete in 2020, River Point will contain 470+ rental apartment units and over 60,000 SF of ground floor retail on all sides of the building, with restaurants facing the Anacostia River. In a May interview with Bisnow, Akridge’s Chip Akridge stated they have a letter of intent with a drugstore and are in final negotiations with a fitness tenant that will open a fitness facility. The developer is also targeting a food hall. A Capital Bikeshare station is planned for the SW corner of the site along the 2nd Street cycle track.

Akridge also stated during the Bisnow interview that the first phase of its adjacent, 7-acre 100 V Street development may get underway early next year. The first phase will be on the southeast corner of the site, which will be called First and V and will contain approximately 250 rental apartment units. 

Another big residential conversion may soon get underway nearby. Michael Neibauer from the Washington Business Journal tweeted this week that Douglas Development has secured a permit to start work on its conversion of 1900 Half Street to a mixed-use development with 419 rental apartment units and 15,600 SF of ground floor retail. 

1900 Half Street

Renderings courtesy of 2100 2nd Street, SW LLC and Antunovich Associates

Audi Field Almost Ready for its Debut

In less than two weeks, Audi Field will be open for its inaugural match where D.C. United will play the Vancouver Whitecaps. On the stadium front, more progress has been made since my last visit in June. For one, the south side of the stadium is more accessible now. Work continues on Audi Way, an extension of 1st Street that curves along the east side of the stadium, which should be completed by the end of this week. Most of the remaining work involves setting up the concessions areas. Work is being done now seven days a week in order to get the stadium finished in time.

🚨 It’s finally July. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/7LRjKh3WoO

— Audi Field (@AudiField) July 1, 2018

Here are some photos of the south part of the stadium.

Retail space on SE corner of stadium

South side of Audi Way still U/C

Street furniture on T Street

View of south facade of stadium

Here are some views on the east side:

Eastern facade from Half Street

Retaining wall covers Pepco facility 

Main gate from Potomac Ave

North side of Audi Way

D.C. United announced today that limited tickets are still available for the inaugural match at Audi Field. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and housewarming party will be held on Monday, July 9 from 4:30 to 7pm. The event will feature speeches from representatives from D.C. United, the District government, and Audi. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at the northwest gate at the corner of 2nd and R streets. Following the ceremony, there will be a housewarming party with D.C. United players, music, games, and food, including a sneak peek of the food offerings that Jose Andres will be offering at Audi Field. While admission is free and open to the public, food and beverage will be available for purchase. There will likely be other events leading up to the grand open that will be announced in the coming days. 

Here's some north and west views of the stadium:

Side view of main gate

A peek behind the gate from R Street

 New plaza on NE side of stadium

Team store on R Street

Northwest stadium entrance

View of western facade along 2nd St.

Field House DC, which will become a pre-game spot for D.C. United matches like The Bullpen is for Nationals games, is now operational on a daily basis during the World Cup. Following the World Cup, the venue will be open on D.C. United match days and will host special events. The entrance to Field House DC is located at the corner of 1st and T streets, just south of Audi Field.  

Main entrance

Seating area

Drink tokens & snacks purchased here

Bar and corn hole

Umbrellas provide limited shade

Seating area & large screen TV

T-Minus 30 Days...

One month from today, D.C. United will host its inaugural match at Audi Field in Buzzard Point, against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Construction in and around the stadium is starting to reach the homestretch (wrong sports analogy) with the pitch now installed, concession areas starting to come into shape, and infrastructure around Audi Field resembling streets in other parts of the city with bike lanes and functional traffic lights along Half Street. Below are some more pictures of the stadium exterior. 

Intersection of R and 2nd streets

View east on R Street

Team store on R Street

2nd Street facade and cycle track

South side of Audi Field on T Street

Meanwhile, DDOT has announced special game-day service to Audi Field, although due to road closures anticipated on opening day, this service won’t be available on July 14. In addition to changing the Navy Yard-Union Station route on a daily basis to L’Enfant Plaza-Eastern Market via M Street starting on June 24, game-day service will bring the Circulator south off of M Street to Half Street with a stop at Half & O streets, then turning left onto Potomac Avenue with a second stop at Potomac Avenue & Half Street serving Audi Field, then across South Capitol Street and left onto 1st Street, SE before turning back onto M Street SE. The route will take this detour east- and west-bound. 

In addition, a new Capital Bikeshare station will be installed in the vicinity of the stadium, although its exact location has not been finalized yet.

Permits Filed for Douglass Bridge-Related Demolition

Demolition permit applications have been filed for several buildings along the 1500 and 1600 blocks of South Capitol Street that will be removed to make way for the new Pepco-sponsored traffic oval leading to the replacement Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. The buildings include a repair shop and vacant structures. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new bridge back in February, which will be built about 100 feet west of the existing one. The four-year project will result in a new, six-lane arched span with bike and pedestrian lanes as well as two traffic ovals on either side of the bridge.  While the existing bridge will remain open during construction, expect periodic lane closures on South Capitol Street.

Second Stage PUD Filed for Waterfront Station NE Parcel

A few months after PN Hoffman made a presentation at a monthly ANC meeting about their plans for their Waterfront Station parcel located north of CVS at 1000 4th Street, they have filed a second stage PUD application. The number of units have changed to 456 total units, with 30% of the total set aside as affordable housing for 30% and 50% of Area Median Income (AMI). For the first 50 years of the ground lease that PN Hoffman will have with the city, the affordable units will be split 50-50 between the 30% and 50% AMI levels. After the first 50 years, the split will change to 25-75 in favor of units at 50% of AMI. There will be 214 garage spaces, 161 long-term bike parking spaces, and 14 bike racks. Parking and loading will be off Wesley Place.  

While the amount of retail planned at the development remains at 29,182 SF, the planned cultural use will change. Last week, it was announced on DC Theatre Scene that the Forum Theater closed suddenly – this was the Silver Spring-based theater company that was expected to come to Waterfront Station. PN Hoffman is apparently in negotiations with the Washington Improv Theater to move from 14th Street NW near U Street to Southwest. Rounding out the retail will be space for two restaurants along 4th Street (a diner has been identified previously as the intended tenant) and space for AppleTree to operate a pre-K school along the private drive to be located on the north end of the development, near the SW Branch library. A 3,000-SF play area will be built for AppleTree use on the northeast corner of the site during school hours and general community use at certain times outside of school hours. At one time, AppleTree would be relocated from its temporary trailers at Jefferson Academy to the Wharf, but apparently PN Hoffman has found another place for them. Although there is a playground nearby at 3rd and I streets, the two play areas will target different age groups. 

According to the PUD application, construction is expected to begin on 1000 4th Street in Q1 2020 and deliver in Q3 2022. 

Speaking of PN Hoffman developments, the Washington Business Journal reports that The Banks apartment project under construction at 7th and I streets will have The Goddard School, a private preschool and daycare as its retail tenant in a 7,700 SF space.  The Banks is scheduled to open by this fall.

Renderings courtesy of Torti Gallas Urban