11th Street Bridge Park on Pace for 2023 Completion -- and the Anacostia May be Swimmable By Then
Nearly a decade since the idea was first floated, the 11th Street Bridge Park project (map) has made big strides keeping the repurposed infrastructure-turned-gathering place on pace for delivery in 2023, including new designs of what will be the project's Environmental Education Center (EEC).
This morning, Building Bridges Across the River and the Exelon Foundation announced a gift from the latter of $5 million for the project — but perhaps the bigger piece of news is that, by the time the park is completed, people may be swimming and fishing in the Anacostia River.
"We are tantalizingly close" to the river being swimmable, shared Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) president Jim Foster, whose organization will be running the EEC. "Our mission is swimmable and fishable by 2025." He also hinted that, with all the progress AWS and their partners have made in recent years in improving the health of the river, long avoided by local residents due to pervasive pollution, the public could even see people swimming in the water by the time ground breaks on the park in 2021, and fishing in the river by the time the park is completed. The city would also have to legalize these activities, as it is currently illegal to swim or fish in the river.
In the meantime, the project has surmounted the major approval hurdles and began its second design phase a few months ago. The EEC, for which newer renderings were unveiled today, is intended to both educate and serve as a model of sustainable design and stewardship of the River, incorporating solar panels, electric car charging stations, intensive stormwater management and energy storage components. Other efforts, such as the installation of a colony of mussels in the River to help oxygenate the water, are also ongoing.
The equitable development component of the project has also seen continued success with the initiation of a 110-family 529 children's savings accounts pilot program which matches deposits 5:1 up to $1,800 and the Douglass Community Land Trust's first purchase of a 65-unit building on Alabama Avenue.
All renderings courtesy of OMA+OLIN.
See other articles related to: 11th street bridge park, bbar, dc 11th street bridge park
This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/another-investment-keeps-11th-street-bridge-park-on-pace-for-2023-completio/15690.
Most Popular... This Week • Last 30 Days • Ever
Back in 2022, the DC Zoning Commission gave the green light to a large mixed-use deve... read »
Opening for sales this spring, The Brownstones at Westbard Square will feature 101 ne... read »
Donohoe presented plans on Thursday evening for a new multi-family residential projec... read »
Even with two large apartment buildings delivering in Northern Virginia's National L... read »
The main story for the DC region's housing market in February was the supply of homes... read »
- Raze Application Looks To Pave Way For 700-Unit Development in Brookland
- Coming Soon: New EYA Brownstones at Westbard Square in Bethesda
- Early Plans Unveiled For 130-Unit Development in Friendship Heights
- 3 Down, 7 To Go: A Look At The Thousands of Units Coming to National Landing
- The Return of Supply And Four Other Interesting Stats From The February Housing Market
DC Real Estate Guides
Short guides to navigating the DC-area real estate market
We've collected all our helpful guides for buying, selling and renting in and around Washington, DC in one place. Start browsing below!
First-Timer Primers
Intro guides for first-time home buyers
Unique Spaces
Awesome and unusual real estate from across the DC Metro