RFK Stadium neighborhood delayed beyond 2030
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The six districts of the RFK Stadium redevelopment proposal. Image and map: Courtesy of D.C. government
Building a neighborhood around the new Commanders stadium at the RFK site will take longer than expected, after a last-minute zoning tweak scrambled plans.
Why it matters: The mixed-use riverfront development (think: apartments, retail, etc.) was a big selling point for the $3.7 billion stadium plan.
What we're hearing: The Plaza District — where the RFK site's tallest buildings for new housing and commercial are planned, along with fan zones outside the Stadium-Armory station — is no longer expected to open by 2030, in time for kickoff at the 65,000-seat domed NFL arena.
- That's because of a little-noticed provision that was included in the final RFK Stadium legislation approved last week.
- Council members hoped to exempt the mixed-use development parcels from city zoning approval, but Chair Phil Mendelson's office struck that idea on the advice of legal counsel.
What they're saying: "I decided it was better to err on the side of caution and not exempt," Mendelson told Axios in an interview Monday.
- Given how long zoning approval can take, the delays "could be a couple years," he added.
A spokesperson for the Commanders confirmed the delay but declined to comment further about timelines.
By the numbers: 6,000 homes are planned across three mixed-use districts, with about 30% reserved as affordable units.
- The D.C. government is responsible for developing the Kingman Park District, while the Commanders are in charge of the Plaza and Riverfront districts.
Between the lines: Because of zoning delays, the council last week shifted the development milestones from fixed calendar dates to rolling deadlines tied to when zoning approval is granted.
- For example, the final stage of development must be completed within 13 years of zoning approval, not by Dec. 31, 2040, as originally written.
- That means the Riverfront District — a later-stage parcel closer to the Anacostia River that's supposed to include more housing, retail and restaurants — is likely to open later in the 2040s.
Still on track: A stadium by 2030, in addition to two parking garages for fans — plus plenty of surface parking (hello, tailgating) for years to come, as construction takes time to ramp up.
- Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday that she believes D.C. could host the Super Bowl in 2031.
What we're watching: Mendelson says that if Bowser submits accelerated revisions to the Comprehensive Plan — a big document that guides urban planning in D.C. — early next year, the land could be zoned and prepared sooner, cutting the delay of the Plaza District to 2031.