Georgetown Waterfront Park
Encyclopedia
The Georgetown Waterfront Park is a new national park that is under construction in Washington, D.C.
Part of the Georgetown Historic District
, the park stretches along the banks of the Potomac River
from 31st Street, NW to the Key Bridge
. The result of many years of advocacy and fund raising, the site will feature several notable design features. Once completed, the site will link 225 miles (362.1 km) of parkland along the Potomac River stretching from Cumberland, Maryland
to Mount Vernon, Virginia
. The park was designed to passively complement the natural curve of the river. The first part of the park opened in 2008. After some delay due to construction problems, the final phase of the park has been fully funded and is scheduled for completion in 2011.
identified the Georgetown Waterfront as future parkland. An agreement was reached between the National Park Service and the mayor of the District of Columbia
to transfer 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of land for the proposed park.
In recent years, the Georgetown waterfront has been redeveloped from industrial blight to a thriving commercial and residential destination. Parts of the park site had served as a parking lot before construction began. The Washington Harbour complex and a movie theater on the Georgetown Incinerator site regularly draw crowds down to the waterfront.
, the Key Bridge, and the Kennedy Center. Several distinctive design elements including an interactive fountain, river stairs, and scenic overlooks have been proposed. This part of the park, known as the Wisconsin Avenue Plaza, will serve as a gateway to the Potomac. Phase two, the area at the foot of Wisconsin to 31st Street, is under construction. Phase Two will open to the public on September 13, 2011
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Part of the Georgetown Historic District
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
, the park stretches along the banks of the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
from 31st Street, NW to the Key Bridge
Francis Scott Key Bridge (Washington)
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, more commonly known as the Key Bridge, is a six-lane reinforced concrete arch bridge conveying U.S. Route 29 traffic across the Potomac River between the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington County, Virginia and the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C...
. The result of many years of advocacy and fund raising, the site will feature several notable design features. Once completed, the site will link 225 miles (362.1 km) of parkland along the Potomac River stretching from Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
to Mount Vernon, Virginia
Mount Vernon, Virginia
Mount Vernon is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Nearby CDPs are Fort Belvoir , Groveton, Virginia and Hybla Valley, Virginia , and Fort Hunt, Virginia...
. The park was designed to passively complement the natural curve of the river. The first part of the park opened in 2008. After some delay due to construction problems, the final phase of the park has been fully funded and is scheduled for completion in 2011.
History
The park has been in various stages of planning and development for several decades. In 1968, the National Capital Planning CommissionNational Capital Planning Commission
The National Capital Planning Commission is a U.S. government agency that provides planning guidance for Washington, D.C. and the surrounding National Capital Region...
identified the Georgetown Waterfront as future parkland. An agreement was reached between the National Park Service and the mayor of the District of Columbia
Mayor of the District of Columbia
The Mayor of the District of Columbia is the head of the executive branch of the government of Washington, D.C. The Mayor has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Council of the District of Columbia...
to transfer 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of land for the proposed park.
In recent years, the Georgetown waterfront has been redeveloped from industrial blight to a thriving commercial and residential destination. Parts of the park site had served as a parking lot before construction began. The Washington Harbour complex and a movie theater on the Georgetown Incinerator site regularly draw crowds down to the waterfront.
Design elements
The park will feature gently sloping grass hills and shade trees. The landscape blends with mixed-use paved pathways. The promenade will provide panoramic views of Theodore Roosevelt IslandTheodore Roosevelt Island
Theodore Roosevelt Island is a island and a national memorial located in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The island was given to the American people by the Theodore Roosevelt Association in memory of the 26th U.S. president, Theodore Roosevelt....
, the Key Bridge, and the Kennedy Center. Several distinctive design elements including an interactive fountain, river stairs, and scenic overlooks have been proposed. This part of the park, known as the Wisconsin Avenue Plaza, will serve as a gateway to the Potomac. Phase two, the area at the foot of Wisconsin to 31st Street, is under construction. Phase Two will open to the public on September 13, 2011
External links
- Georgetown Waterfront Park - A National Park on the Potomac
- Lucas, Phillip "Phase 2 construction restarts at Georgetown Waterfront Park," The Washington Post, August 6, 2010
- Dvorak, Petula "Hope for the Waterfront at Last?", The Washington Post, May 11, 2006
- The Capital Crescent Trail
- Current Construction Wisconsin to 31st Street