Paul Angelone: The fate of RFK Stadium’s campus merits public input on the many possibilities

DC’s vacant RFK Stadium is back in the news again with reports of the federal government’s failed budget process slowing down an effort to authorize the DC government to control the fate of the 190-acre campus. Gaining site control for the residents of the DC is critical, even if this means working with a Congress and president that rarely have the best interests of our city at heart. I applaud Mayor Muriel Bowser for looking for creative solutions.

This site represents a unique opportunity to shape and grow the District in a way that reflects the values of the city. I see these values as celebrating our rich and diverse history; creating new opportunities and growing local businesses; ensuring inclusive and equitable development; and building social, economic and environmental resilience.

The mayor rightly sees this as an opportunity to build a lasting legacy, but I am not sure that Daniel Snyder, owner of the area’s NFL franchise, reflects the values I outlined. Further doubts come from the fact that Bowser has seemingly pre-determined an end-use for this site before the city has even gained control of it.

Instead, the mayor should take a step back and lead by engaging the community in a robust way, including gathering input from the neighbors who live next to the site, residents of all eight wards, and yes, even those who live elsewhere in the Washington region. Accomplishing this would require putting the planning process in the hands of an entity with a broader focus and more objectivity than EventsDC, an arm of the DC government that is focused on conventions, sports, entertainment and cultural events.

I envision the site as host to an expanded city with a mix of residential, office and retail uses surrounding a local version of the National Mall. Instead of celebrating the United States, DC’s Mall would tell local stories with perhaps a relocated archives and new museum dedicated to the District, and space set aside for honoring significant historical moments — like our future statehood.

Commercial development could help pay for improvements — along the lines of the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood’s Canal and Yards parks, which were created in a similar manner. These amenities should include significant housing (including three- and four-bedroom units) to begin to address the city’s chronic shortage. Office uses could dedicate some space to groups that make a community impact and encourage entrepreneurship. And some of the retail space could be dedicated to new small businesses and serve as an incubator for new concepts.

The design could reflect two historic, popular landscapes in Paris: Champ-de-Mars, where the Eiffel Tower and a variety of family and sport activities are located, and Trocadéro Square, across the Seine River. This approach would ensure a world-class space fitting of a global city that unites both sides of the Anacostia River. Fantastic, local ideas for inclusive growth are included within the equitable development plan for the nearby 11th Street Bridge Park.

My vision is just one of many different visions that should be weaved together to form a strategic master plan representing the ultimate end-use for the site.

I also encourage the DC Council to lead by holding a series of community roundtables. For example, Kenyan McDuffie, chair of the Committee on Business and Economic Development, could host a session on how the site could build generational wealth. Committee on Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization chair Anita Bonds could look at increasing housing affordability, and Committee on Transportation and the Environment chair Mary Cheh could ensure a focus on making Washington the healthiest, greenest, most livable city in the nation. Meanwhile, Ward 6’s Charles Allen and Ward 7’s Vincent Gray could host conversations about how this site could help connect both sides of the Anacostia River.

Taking a step back on the RFK Stadium site and adopting a more inclusive and objective approach to developing the vision will create buy-in, reflect our city’s values, and build a lasting legacy for the mayor. Let’s not squander this significant opportunity with a giveaway to Daniel Snyder, who will ask for something new in 20 years.

Paul Angelone is a resident of Ward 5 and works with cities around the globe on providing strategic advice to address complex land-use problems. You can follow him on Twitter at @paulangelone.

This post has been updated to remove erroneous references to Reservation 13, which is south of Independence Avenue and does not include RFK Stadium.