Overview First Phase Renderings/Photos More Photos/Later Phases Yards News Items
The first phase of the redevelopment of the 44 acres of the Southeast Federal Center site will see the renovation of three existing buildings and the construction of one new one. Note that specifics such as start dates are estimates, and all designs may still undergo modifications. All renderings are courtesy Forest City Washington.
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Waterfront Park at The Yards
A  May 2009 rendering showing an aerial view of the Waterfront Park at the Yards at dusk. The "Great Lawn" is the green patch at left, the expanded Canal Basin with its pedestrian bridge is just to the right, the Lumber Storage Shed (to be rehabbed with glass walls) and its plaza is at top center, and the boardwalk runs across the bottom past marinas and piers and west to Diamond Teague Park. The first phase of the park should be completed in summer 2010; a $42 million public-private financing and maintenance agreement was announced in October, 2008, and a ceremonial groundbreaking was held on May 28, 2009. Piers, marinas, and the retail buildings would come in later phases. Image courtesy Forest City Washington.
A somewhat similar view to the above rendering, showing the riverside frontage of the Yards as seen from the Douglass Bridge, in June 2008, with river recreation not waiting for parks and marinas to be built. The terra cotta-colored building at center is the old Lumber Storage Shed (Building 173), which will be turned into a restaurant pavilion. (6/5/08)
A schematic showing the three phases of the park's construction. The second phase will include the three retail pavilions and the light tower at the western edge of the boardwalk. The piers and marinas will be the third phase.
The pedestrian bridge, under construction, in March 2010. For more photos of the park's progress, see this Gallery. (3/1/10)
Another view of the bridge, standing next to the water's edge, with the Overlook under construction at right. (3/1/10)
Standing on the Overlook and looking at the eastern portion of the park, with the Navy Yard in the distance. (3/1/10)
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(Above) Entering the park at Third Street, with the renovated Lumber Storage Shed at left and the Canal Basin with pedestrian bridge straight ahead. (Right) The same spot, with construction underway. (3/1/10)
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(Above) A rendering of "Great Lawn" on the western portion of the park that will lie south of a new Second Street, with the pedestrian bridge across the Canal Basin seen at far left. (Right) What the same spot looks like with construction underway, in September 2009. The Canal Basin will be dug out at left. (9/20/09)
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(Above) The proposed waterfront boardwalk. (Left) A similar view of same location (use the Lumber Storage Shed at right to orient yourself). Nationals Park is straight ahead, about three blocks away. (3/1/10)
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(Above) Standing on the great lawn and looking to the northeast, with the Canal Basin at right (you can also see the renovated Foundry Lofts at left-center). (Left) A similar view of the same spot, in August 2005. (05/04)
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Standing at the bulkhead south of Third Street, looking across the Anacostia to Poplar Point, in August 2005. (It doesn't look any different in 2008.) The pedestrian bridge will be directly overhead of this location when it's completed. (08/05)
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Turning around and looking north up Third Street, with work underway, standing just north of the bridge, with the new Canal Basin water feature being dug to the left. (Note the beginnings of the two new floors on top of the stalled Foundry Lofts renovation.) (3/1/10)
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Looking west from the Overlook, at the Canal Basin and bridge, with Nationals Park a few blocks in the distance. (3/1/10)
Turning a bit to look down the Anacostia, toward the Douglass Bridge. (3/1/10)
A water's edge view of the stepped landscaping that rises up from the boardwalk. The three (well-concealed) retail pavilions, with the shed at left, won't be completed until the park's second phase.
Yards Park Second Phase
The second phase will see the rehabilitation of the Lumber Storage Shed as well as the construction of two new buildings, all of which will offer a combined 55,000-sq-ft of retail. Here are basic drawings of the three structures, as seen from along the water (top) and from Water Street (bottom).
Two views of the proposed "light tower" art piece that would be erected on the western edge of the boardwalk, where the Canal Basin meets the Anacostia. Sixty feet tall, and made of prisms that reflect light, it would be "subtly" illuminated at night.
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A 1983 photo of the Lumber Storage Shed, from the NCPC Yards Phase 2 design review. It's naked!
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The Lumber Storage Shed with its faaaaahbulous salmon corregated tin wrapper, in 2005. (08/05)
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The northern end of the park will be marked by a new road called Water Street; this is a view of the eventual intersection of Water and Third streets, looking east. (4/5/08)
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A February 2009 rendering showing approximately the same location, with the Foundry Lofts on the left and the glassed-in rehabbed Lumber Storage Shed on the right.
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Standing at the recently built intersection of Fourth and Water streets, looking southwest into what will be the park. The Douglass Bridge is seen in the distance. (12/7/08)
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A rendering of the same spot, with the two new-construction retail pavilions at left, and the Lumber Storage Shed not quite visible behind the trees.
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A nighttime view from the second floor of the eastern retail pavilion, looking across past the middle building (far right) and the Lumber Storage Shed (right center), with the light tower and the pedestrian bridge visible as well.
The currently-less-than-inviting interior of the old Lumber Storage Shed, the terra-cotta-colored building that sits in the middle of the park's footprint. The corregated tin exterior will be completely removed and replaced with glass walls (as seen in the renderings above), showcasing the retail spaces inside. The concrete pillars inside the building will be retained. (7/17/08)
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The second floor of the storage shed, showing the concrete columns that will be retained after the tin exterior is removed. (7/17/08)
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Looking down onto the shed's ground floor. (7/17/08)
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Later Phases
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Looking west into what will be the eastern footprint of the park, from the riverwalk in front of the Navy Yard, in April 2004. (04/04)
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The educational organization Living Classrooms of the National Capital Area will be eventually building their new main campus building on this location. There's no timeline yet for construction, and it will probably be a while, since Living Classrooms will be undertaking a fundraising drive to pay for the project. (Rendering from STUDIOS Architecture)
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Standing as close to the water's edge as possible in July 2008, south of what will be the Fourth-and-River intersection. A boardwalk and marinas will eventually be accessible from here. (7/17/08)
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Choose a Phase One Project to View, or View All:
The Foundry Lofts
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The Boilermaker Shop
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401 M Street/400 Tingey
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Factory 202
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Waterfront Park at the Yards
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Overview First Phase Renderings/Photos More Photos/Later Phases Yards News Items
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