A huge public-private partnership spanning 42 acres, 1.8 million sq ft office space, 2,800 residential units, 160,000-350,000 sq ft retail, and a 5.87-acre riverfront park. The first construction began in 2008, with the entire project to be completed in three phases over 10-20 years.

Links:
Official Web Sites: The Yards (Facebook, Twitter) | Yards Park (Facebook, Twitter)
Foundry Lofts (Facebook, Twitter) - Fully Leased
Yards Virtual Tour (6/11) | Yards Park Ribbon Cutting (9/7/10)
5/28/09 Park Groundbreaking | 10/3/07 Groundbreaking (Release, DC16 Video)
SFC Overlay (Zoning rules and regulations for the site) | SFC PUD Order (3/04)
Southeast Federal Public-Private Development Act of 2000
JD's Yards News Items & Additional Links

            Overview            First Phase Renderings/Photos            More Photos/Later Phases            Yards News Items            

The size of the Federal Center is clearest when viewed from across the Anacostia, seen here back in January 2003 before the start of the US DOT HQ construction. (see enlargement) (01/03) The opposite side view of the central portion of The Yards, from above M Street, seen in September 2004 (before the Department of Transportation HQ obscured the view). The historic red brick building at center, along with the open plaza area to its right, are part of the DOT site; the ornate building at right is a WASA pumping plant; and the two red brick buildings at the far left are part of the Navy Yard. All other areas and buildings in this photo are considered part of the The Yards. (09/04) The northeastern footprint of the Yards, nestled between the Navy Yard, M Street, and the DOT HQ. The large building is the Broadside Mount Shop, formerly home to the Federal Protective Services, which will be renovated into a 270-unit condo building. The smaller brick building (Building 74) and the parking lots surrounding it will become residential areas in later phases of the site's development. (11/1/07) Not one of my photos, but a great zoom-in on a 1990s-era overhead photo showing the Southeast Federal Center as it looked until just a few years before I started photographing the neighborhood. Familiar buildings such as the now-Foundry Lofts building, the now-Boilermaker Shops building, the former NGA building at 1st and M, and the DC Water main pumping station are interspersed with buildings that were demolished around 1999, including the large white Building 159 and smaller low-slung warehouse-type buildings at New Jersey and M and east of the Foundry Lofts. The large parking lot at far left is where the US Department of Transportation building now stands. From the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. The Yards sits on 44 acres, bounded by M Street, the Navy Yard, 1st Street (and the Nationals Ballpark), and the Anacostia River. The map below was presented to ANC 6D in March 2007 to illustrate the road and infrastructure work that was undertaken in 2007. Scroll down for a quick description the various portions/timeline for the site's redevelopment, which is slated to happen in phases over a 10- to 20-year period. Phase I Road and Infrastructure Improvements - New infrastructure and roads are being built in the areas within the red-highlighted area on the above map (except, I imagine, in those locations where there happen to still be buildings). Redevelopment of The Boilermaker Shop (the old Parcel K/Building 167) - The building on the north side of Tingey, between 3rd and 4th and just behind the new Department of Transportation HQ, will be redeveloped as a retail building; work got underway in fall 2011, with construction expected to take about a year. Redevelopment of Foundry Lofts (the old Parcel M/Pattern-Joiner Shop/Building 160) - The brown-and-white building at 3th and Tingey, it has been renovated as a 170-unit apartment building, with two floors added on top; work began in 2008, but stalled until August 2010 because of funding issues. The first residents moved in in November 2011. Yards Park - A 5.5 acre park along The Yards's riverfront (Parcel P on the map), its first phase opened in September 2010. A bridge--part of the Anacostia Riverwalk--connecting the park to Diamond Teague Park opened in November 2011. Redevelopment of Building 173 (the old Lumber Storage Shed) - The historic building will be renovated as a restaurant pavilion, with its location at the north end of the Yards Park area making it easily available to users of the Anacostia Riverwalk. Construction began in summer 2012, with a fall 2013 opening. Twelve12 (the old Parcel D) - An empty lot for many years, this site was redesigned in 2010 to be a residential building with 200-225 units, a ground-floor Harris Teeter, and a three-story fitness center and spa. Construction began in early 2012, with delivery in early 2014. Later Phases Parcels L, N, and O - Additional residential buildings will be constructed on these sites south of Tingey. As an interim use, Parcel O on the southeast corner of Fourth and Tingey houses the Trapeze School New York. Parcel N could see a new apartment building begin construction in 2013. Redevelopment of Factory 202 (the old Parcel E1/Building 202/Gun Assembly Shop/Gun Mount Shop) - The red brick building at 5th and M will be redeveloped as a 271-unit condo building, with local developer PN Hoffman partnering on the project. Originally announced for completion in 2011, no new timeline has been attached. Parcels A, F, G - Land at the northwest corner of the Yards, it is currently home to the National Geospatial Agency (and maybe some other cloak-and-dagger Feds); NGA moved to Ft. Belvoir as part of the Base Realignment and Closures project in the summer of 2011. These parcels will be redeveloped as office buildings, with ground-floor retail. Clearing of Parcels H and I - Land along 1st Street south of Tingey was cleared in early 2008 to allow parking for Nationals Park. Eventually, in later phases, office buildings will be built here. Parcels D and E2/3 - The additional parcels on the northeast corner of the site will be turned into residential projects.

            Overview            First Phase Renderings/Photos            More Photos/Later Phases            Yards News Items