District of Columbia Office of Planning (DCOP)
HR&A coordinated six nationally renowned planning firms to create the Anacostia Waterfront Framework Plan and led planning for the Capitol Riverfront district. Our work established development frameworks that have catalyzed over $8 billion in waterfront investment, including the successful transformation of the 350-acre Capitol Riverfront neighborhood surrounding Washington Navy Yard.
Working with the District of Columbia’s Office of City Planning and federal agencies, HR&A developed a comprehensive development framework for ten miles along the Anacostia Waterfront. We analyzed development opportunities and challenges, conducted economic feasibility analyses, built consensus among multiple public agencies, and coordinated extensive public outreach. Our team managed urban design efforts, prepared development frameworks including The Yards at Southeast Federal Center, and supported the creation of a Tax Increment Finance district that provided $1.8 billion in financing for Nationals Ballpark and public infrastructure improvements.
The Capitol Riverfront stands as one of DC’s most successful neighborhood transformations, attracting over 12 million square feet of mixed-use development and $3.3 billion in completed or under-construction projects. The district now houses 4,000 residents, supports a daytime population of 35,000 workers, and features new waterfront parks that draw millions of annual visitors. The broader Anacostia Waterfront Initiative, anchored by our Framework Plan, won an AIA Honor Award for Regional and Urban Design and continues to drive strategic waterfront development including The Wharf, which opened in 2017.
