A Riverfront Neighborhood

The development is accelerating in the Capitol Riverfront, returning the Anacostia River and the riverfront neighborhood to its days as a thriving center in the city. Although neglected for several decades, historically the Capitol Riverfront area was a lively place with a rich history as a riverfront neighborhood anchored by the Washington Navy Yard, surrounding commercial districts, and the riverfront communities. The Capitol Riverfront’s recent, rapid transformation is due in part to a variety of investments that include:

• The Anacostia Waterfront Initiative adopted by Mayor Williams and the District Council that has advanced the Anacostia River’s clean-up, identified opportunities to increase access to the river, targeted areas for new development and pioneered innovative Green practices in new development
• The consolidation of all NAVSEA operations at the Navy Yards campus, and the contractors that followed those employees to the area
• Locating the U.S. Department of Transportation in the Capitol Riverfront
• The Arthur Capper/Carrollsburg residential development Hope VI HUD grant to DCHA
• The new ballpark for the Washington Nationals’ baseball team and the development of a baseball entertainment and restaurant district surrounding the ballpark
• Expansion of the Navy Yards Metro station on Metro’s Green Line and planning for future transportation access with the Circulator bus, trolley cars and water taxis
• The reconstruction of five streets in the ballpark area by April 2008 and numerous smaller improvements along other streets that will include water and sewer infrastructure upgrades; new sidewalks, curbs and gutters; new street lights; and new street trees in the public realm

Historically, the Anacostia River, along the banks of the Capitol Riverfront, was once a deep water channel, burgeoning with natural resources and home to the Nacotchtank Indians. In 1791, L’Enfant designed the plan for Washington D.C. and, recognizing the assets of the Anacostia River, located the city’s new commercial center and wharfs here. In 1799, the Washington Navy Yard was established in the area and for several decades was the nation’s largest naval shipbuilding facility. Today, the Washington Navy Yard is the Navy's longest continuously operated Federal facility.

The Navy Yard was a bustling nautical center during the 19th Century and played an integral role in the development of the area. The lively wharf was a hub for jobs, serving ships with lumber and raw materials for the growing city. It also played a key role in defending the city from British invasion in 1812. Surrounding the wharfs was an extensive commercial district, light industrial businesses, and one of the city’s most significant neighborhood communities. As the city and nation evolved, the Navy Yard changed from ship building to production of finished ship products and weapons ammunition. By the mid-1940s the Navy Yard and the expanded Annex area reached peak production with 26,000 employees in 132 buildings on 127 acres of land.

During the last century of the city’s growth, however, the River had deteriorated. The pollution of the river diminished its value as an asset to the city. After WWII, the Navy Yard consolidated its operations to a smaller campus, which slowed the economic and neighborhood activity of the area. Around this same time, the elevated portion of the Southeast-Southwest Freeway was completed, creating a physical barrier for access to the River. The combination of these and several other factors led to the river and the riverfront neighborhoods becoming neglected.

Today, energy is back at the Capitol Riverfront. The Capitol Riverfront is one of the most active construction sites and growth areas in the District. The momentum is accelerating and the Capitol Riverfront is once again becoming a vibrant riverfront neighborhood, the city’s next great business center, urban neighborhood, baseball and entertainment district, and waterfront destination.