D.C. unveils sweeping master plan for Commanders stadium and RFK campus

D.C. unveils sweeping master plan for Commanders stadium and RFK campus

Picture it: A crisp, autumnal Sunday, strolling through a farmers market in front of a swooping stadium with apartments rising around you and, farther off, riverfront residences.

  • D.C. released artsy images of the future RFK campus Tuesday, tucked inside an 89-page master plan.

    • Why it matters: It's the clearest look yet at how city leaders hope a $3.7 billion, classically inspired stadium for the Washington Commanders will transform the long-underused site into a new neighborhood.

    The big picture: D.C.'s plan is to fill six districts with 5,000 to 6,500 homes, plus new businesses, recreation space and fan zones. It projects $4 billion in tax revenue over 30 years.

  • Transit and bicycle lanes figure heavily in the design, along with pedestrian-friendly streets. Two tall parking decks, which we've reported on previously, are expected to have murals or artistic flourishes to soften the facade, the plan says.
  • Part of the future debate will include a new Metro Gold Line, a bus rapid transit system that Metro general manager Randy Clarke proposes building with dedicated lanes between Union Station and RFK. Metro also plans to expand the Stadium-Armory rail station in time for the stadium's fall 2030 opener.
  • The public has a 45-day window, until Aug. 14, to share feedback.

    • The fine print: Construction of the site's housing hit a setback last fall, as Axios reported, because zoning approval would take longer than expected, pushing back development of some parcels until the 2040s.

  • 30% of housing is supposed to be set aside as affordable.

    • Here's a look at each mini-community on the 190-acre redevelopment.

    The stadium pays homage to monumental Washington and the old RFK. Image: Courtesy of the DC Office of Planning

    Stadium District

    The 65,000-seat stadium is the site's anchor, set to open by fall 2030 and hold up to 200 events a year.

  • The plan shows a Festival Plaza out front, serving as an everyday space for pop-ups and the community.

    • Image: Courtesy of the DC Office of Planning

    Plaza District

    A big piece of the neighborhood development will occur here, with about 2,200 homes spread across buildings up to 11 stories tall, stepping down the closer it gets to the neighboring rowhouse community.

  • Think: Tree-lined streets with a mix of apartments, restaurants, shops and some offices. And for visitors, 700 rooms of hotel space.
  • With a pedestrian-first vision, about five minutes from the Stadium-Armory Metro station, planners wrote: "As the campus continues to grow, limiting vehicular traffic is critical."

    • Image: Courtesy of the DC Office of Planning

    Riverfront District

    Closer to the Anacostia, this 10-block span gets a "pedestrian-focused thoroughfare" called River Street, connecting gridiron to river.

  • Expect approximately 3,100 homes here and 500 hotel rooms, alongside retail and public art. It'll hook up to the Anacostia Commons trail.

    • Image: Courtesy of the DC Office of Planning

    Kingman Commons

    This community is expected to be more low key — residential and recreation-focused. Up to 1,300 homes are planned, with "affordability levels" meant for a "diverse range of households including workforce, family and senior living," plus a SportsPlex.

  • Abutting the existing Kingman Park neighborhood, the site also holds a parking garage.

    • Image: Courtesy of the DC Office of Planning

    Recreation District

    Over 32 acres, D.C. plans to preserve the Fields at RFK, and existing surface parking lots will become new recreation facilities.

  • A pedestrian tunnel will allow pedestrian access to the stadium without crossing traffic on C Street.

    • Image: Courtesy of the DC Office of Planning

    Anacostia Commons

    A trail here will take you closest to the river, where the District is considering water access for kayaking, boardwalk areas to watch wildlife, and picnic spots.

  • The entire district is a 200-foot-wide riparian area — that's the transition space between waterway and land — that'll be preserved with nature and recreation in mind.

    • Read the full master plan