Section 10-A1912. AW-2.2: SOUTH CAPITOL STREET/BUZZARD POINT

 

1912.1South Capitol Street is one of the District’s four principal axes and marks the division between the southeast and southwest quadrants of the city. It is an important part of the regional highway system, with traffic volumes of approximately 100,000 cars per day. The street provides many residents and visitors with their first view of the U.S. Capitol building and is an important gateway into Central Washington. 1912.1

 

1912.2This symbolic role contrasts with the current state of the corridor. Awkwardly shaped properties, some vacant and others barricaded from public access, front the street between the U.S. Capitol and I-395. Elevated railroad tracks and freeway ramps obstruct vistas and the massive Capitol Power Plant is a looming presence. South of I-395, the street enters into a jumble of fast food restaurants, gas stations, poorly maintained commercial uses, vacant businesses, and parking lots. South of the Frederick Douglass Bridge, these uses give way to an eclectic mix of industrial and utility uses along the shoreline, including a power plant. 1912.2

 

1912.3The transportation infrastructure in the area also creates a significant barrier. Both South Capitol Street and the Frederick Douglass Bridge are in need of repair. There are no bike lanes along South Capitol Street and sidewalks are minimal and unshaded. High speed traffic and the lack of signalized intersections have been a deterrent to investment and create a harsh environment for pedestrians. 1912.3

 

1912.4For the last ten years, the District has been working with its federal partners to transform South Capitol Street into a grand urban boulevard with a mix of land uses and commemorative works that are more fitting of its role as a gateway to the national capital. Such a vision was first laid out in the 1997 National Capital Planning Commission Legacy Plan, and later refined by the 2003 South Capitol Urban Design Study. A Task Force including federal and District representatives was convened in 2004 to develop design options and an open space framework for the corridor. Concurrently, the District selected a 20-acre site on the east side of South Capitol Street between Potomac Avenue and N Street SE as the site for a new 41,000-seat baseball stadium. 1912.4

 

1912.5Over the coming decades, South Capitol Street will be transformed into a waterfront gateway with new mixed use development, green space, broad sidewalks, and a beautiful new and realigned Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. High-density office, housing, and retail uses are envisioned along the corridor between I-395 and the shoreline. The stadium will become the centerpiece of a new entertainment district that will include cultural attractions, retail, restaurants, and high-density housing. Near the foot of the reconstructed Frederick Douglass bridge, an oval traffic rotary is planned to create a green “commons” for a future national memorial. A new waterfront park will be created at the shoreline, linked to the network of parks planned up and down the river. Further south in Buzzard Point, new mixed use residential and commercial development will be encouraged on former industrial land. 1912.5

 

1912.6The South Capitol corridor will require additional planning and analysis in the coming years. Detailed area planning for the Baseball Stadium vicinity is already underway. Future plans will need to focus on the Buzzard Point waterfront, addressing such issues as land use compatibility, the relocation (or retention) of existing uses, transportation and access, and urban design. Plans for this area should improve connections between Southwest and the waterfront, and should retain and improve the established low-scale residential areas on the west side of South Capitol Street. 1912.6

 

1912.7Policy AW-2.2.1: South Capitol Street Urban Boulevard

 

Transform South Capitol Street into a great urban boulevard and “walking” street, befitting its role as a gateway to the U.S. Capitol and a major Anacostia River crossing. Development along the street should include a mix of federal, District, and private uses. 1912.7

 

1912.8Policy AW-2.2.2: Ballpark Entertainment District

 

Leverage the construction of the Washington Nationals Ballpark to catalyze development of the South Capitol Street corridor with retail, high density residential, entertainment, and commercial uses. 1912.8

 

1912.9Policy AW-2.2.3: South Capitol Commemorative and Civic Uses

 

Incorporate ceremonial uses such as memorials, plazas, monuments, museums and other commemorative works, along the South Capitol Street Corridor. The revitalized street provides a significant opportunity to expand civic and cultural facilities beyond the confines of the monumental core. 1912.9

 

1912.10Policy AW-2.2.4: South Capitol Street Transit Improvements

 

Promote transit improvements along the South Capitol Corridor, including streetcar or bus rapid transit, and improved pedestrian connections to the Metrorail stations at Navy Yard and Waterside Mall/SEU. 1912.10

 

1912.11Policy AW-2.2.5: South Capitol Open Space

 

Create additional open space in the South Capitol Street corridor, including an oval traffic rotary and South Capitol “commons,” and a new waterfront park along the Anacostia shoreline. 1912.11

 

1912.12Policy AW-2.2.6: South Capitol Neighborhood Buffers

 

Ensure that the established communities adjacent to the South Capitol Street corridor, including the James Creek and Greenleaf Gardens housing projects and adjacent residential areas, are buffered from adverse impacts associated with increased density and traffic relating to stadium area development. Conserve these communities as important parts of the city fabric, and as affordable housing resources for the Southwest community. 1912.12

 

1912.13Policy AW-2.2.7: Buzzard Point

 

Support the long-term redevelopment of Buzzard Point with mixed medium- to high-density commercial and residential uses. Recognize the opportunity for innovative design and architecture in this area, and for the creation of a unique urban waterfront. 1912.13

 

1912.14Action AW-2.2.A: Coordination with Federal Agencies

 

Continue to coordinate with the National Capital Planning Commission, the National Park Service, and other federal agencies on implementing and refining the South Capitol Street Urban Design Study. 1912.14

 

1912.15Action AW-2.2.B: Ballpark Area Plan

 

Work collaboratively with the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation in completing detailed area plans for the Ballpark entertainment district. 1912.15

 

1912.16Action AW-2.2.C: Buzzard Point Plan

 

Work collaboratively with the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation in developing a detailed area plan for Buzzard Point. The Plan should address the future of industrial and utility uses in Buzzard Point, identify concepts and standards for new development, and address a range of related urban design, transportation, infrastructure, environmental, and community service issues. The feasibility of access along the Fort McNair waterfront also should be addressed. 1912.16

 

1912.17Action AW-2.2.D: South Capitol Gateway

 

Create a civic or commemorative feature of national significance at the north end of the Frederick Douglass Bridge to celebrate this location as a riverfront and city gateway. 1912.17

 

1912.18Action AW-2.2.E: South Capitol Transportation Improvements

 

Continue efforts to improve traffic flows and accommodate additional travel modes along South Capitol Street, including completion of the South Capitol Environmental Impact Statement and the reconstruction of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge and related access points. 1912.18

 

notation

The provisions of Title 10, Part A of the DCMR accessible through this web interface are codification of the District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. As such, they do not represent the organic provisions adopted by the Council of the District of Columbia. The official version of the District Elements only appears as a hard copy volume of Title 10, Part A published pursuant to section 9a of the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1994, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; D.C. Official Code § 1 -301.66)) . In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions accessible through this site and the provisions contained in the published version of Title 10, Part A, the provisions contained in the published version govern. A copy of the published District Elements is available www.planning.dc.gov.