Photo Essay:  The Mayor’s Hill East Town Hall on the RFK Development

Photo Essay:  The Mayor’s Hill East Town Hall on the RFK Development

by Larry Janezich

Posted May 23, 2025

Here’s a conceptual rendering of what the proposed new stadium for the Washington Commanders would look like. 

Thursday night, Mayor Bowser brought a Town Hall Meeting on development of the RFK Site to the communities most affected by it – Ward 7’s Hill East and Kingman Park.  Some 350 residents turned out for the meeting near the stadium in the gymnasium of St. Coletta’s School.

A panel comprised of Mayor Bowser, Ward 7 CM Wendell Felder, CM At-Large Kenyan McDuffie and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Development Nina Albert made presentations and took questions. The Mayor supported the current plan for a $3.7 billion development of the 65,000 seat covered stadium and the beginning of a new neighborhood on the Anacostia River.  She told the attendees that the 174 acre site could hold four Wharfs.  The Commanders will contribute $2.7 billion to the project for vertical construction and the DC government will pay $1 billion for infrastructure and parking. 

ANC7D08 Chair Brian Alcorn (far left), whose ANC encompasses the RFK site, commented after the meeting: “I’m pleased that Councilmember Felder is appropriately focused on ensuring development at the RFK site would be consistent with the community’s wishes as well as having a positive financial impact for neighbors and the District.  I also appreciate Mayor Bowser’s acknowledgement that the project is in the very early stages and community-driven modifications are both possible and expected.  As ANC7D hosts nearly 75% of the overall RFK campus, our Commission and residents look to closely coordinate with officials from the District, the Commanders, WMATA and all other stakeholders to ensure that the results, whatever they may be, support and enhance our many neighborhoods.

ANC7D05 Commissioner Ebony Payne (seated behind Alcorn), whose Single Member District borders the north edge of the RFK Campus commented:  “I am encouraged that we finally have a firm commitment from the Mayor that the Fields at RFK will be maintained – the number one concern I am hearing now from my constituents is about the two massive parking garages planned for Oklahoma Avenue.  This is the main thoroughfare to our community and people want to see a new map that does not burden Kingman Park with the bulk of the heavy traffic. 

Here’s the site plan for dividing the development into six districts.  The Commanders will oversee the development of the Plaza District, the Stadium District, and the Riverfront District, while the city will take charge of development of the Kingman Park District, the Recreational District and the Anacostia Commons.  The city will also fund a $89 million SportsPlex providing indoor track and gymnastic facilities not available in other District recreation centers.

The vision includes 6,000 new homes – 30% affordable housing – for 10,000 new residents. 

The crowd was mostly supportive of the development, but the occasion fell short of exuberant enthusiasm, perhaps over concerns about how the proposed development would change the community.  Questions from the audience reflected worries about parking, traffic, public safety, jobs for community members, funding for education, property taxes, and community benefits. 

There were caps and signs for residents to indicate support the new development – the caps went pretty fast.

Here’s an image reflecting the timeline for the project.  The Mayor is hoping for the City Council approval this summer, groundbreaking for the new stadium in late 2006, and opening of the stadium in the fall of 2030. 

While many in Ward 7 have reservations about the effects of the proposed development, the focus now – in the face of a full court press by the Mayor’s office and public support for a new stadium – seems to by focusing on addressing concerns of the nearby residents and getting the best deal possible for the city.  And despite the aggressive promotion, the Mayor and her supporters have not addressed the well-documented assertions of respected economic analysts that sports stadiums are not economic generators for a city.  The Mayor points to potential some 200 events annually, including 20-30 major events.  Perhaps, but how many Beyoncé or Taylor Swifts are there who can fill a 65,000 seat stadium?   It’s uncertain whether the city will make money from the new stadium – it’s more certain that the developers will. 

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