Exclusive: What the new RFK Stadium neighborhood will look like
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The six districts of the RFK Stadium redevelopment proposal. Image and map: Courtesy of D.C. government
The RFK Stadium redevelopment will slice 190 acres of land into six districts, about six times the scale of The Wharf.
Why it matters: The multibillion-dollar megaproject is going to transform a swath of eastern D.C., and Axios exclusively spoke to the head of real estate for the Washington Commanders, Andy VanHorn, about how it will look.
Driving the news: At the core is the Stadium District, featuring a 65,000-seat domed Commanders arena, targeted for a fall 2030 opening.
- The Commanders have rights to build half of the six districts, and the Stadium District (about 10% of the land) is priority No. 1.
- In time for kickoff, the Commanders plan to have completed two main parking structures for fans, underground parking for staff, a hotel for visitors and conferences, and an office building.
Next up for construction is the Plaza District. It's the gateway into the stadium — where housing, retail and fan zones meet just outside the Stadium-Armory station.
- It borders Lincoln Park to the west and Kingman Park to the north.
- The Commanders want to have a "Festival Plaza" here with bars, restaurants and gathering places. Big digital signs will look like the exterior of Capital One Arena or Nats Park.
- Plus: Neighborhood vibes, like a planned grocery store, pharmacy, daycare, with housing built on top.
- "These are the tallest buildings" at the RFK site, VanHorn tells Axios. They range from roughly six to 11 stories, with a variety of designs, and step down in height as they approach the rowhouses in Kingman Park.
A lot more housing will come in the Riverfront District, the final parcel that the Commanders have development rights over.
- "We think of this as a quieter community," VanHorn says, describing residential development, shops and cafes, and a potential hotel.
Between the lines: Tailgater die-hards, don't worry — there'll be thousands of surface parking spaces for classic tailgating while the whole site takes a decade to fill out, VanHorn says.
- There'll also be areas to rent for game day tailgating.
By the numbers: In its entirety, the RFK site will have at least 6,000 housing units for an anticipated 10,000 residents.
- 30% of it is meant to be affordable, or about 1,800 units.
- VanHorn anticipates housing units will primarily be rentals, given that the land RFK sits on is a 99-year lease from the federal government.
Zoom in: The D.C. government and a yet-to-be-named developer will take the lead on the Kingman Park District, expected to be a low-density neighborhood.
- Given its adjacency to an existing townhouse community, "this will be a really important one to think through," VanHorn says, to ensure it serves as a transition from the entertainment district.
D.C. is also building out the Recreation District, where it envisions an $89 million youth-focused indoor sportsplex. Its 45 acres of open space will continue to have The Fields at RFK Campus, a collection of turf fields and event space.
- The final district, Anacostia Commons, is a 30-acre-long, 200-feet-wide ribbon of land on the river banks, preserving its wildlife and nature as an undeveloped space.
- "That's going to remain a kind of more wild, less kind of manicured open space, but with trail networks in it, and access to the river," VanHorn says.
The big picture: The multiphase buildout will probably look like what the Navy Yard neighborhood did as it slowly filled up around Nats Park. Full completion will likely go into the early 2040s.
- An above-ground Oklahoma Avenue Metro station is being studied on the Orange and Blue lines.
What's next: The D.C. Council has its first public hearing on the project Tuesday, where residents can sound off about the $1.1 billion in public investments for the site infrastructure.
- A first vote on the plan is scheduled for Friday, with potential for final approval in September.