Plans are advancing to develop a new, mixed-use neighborhood at Poplar Point, a prominent 110-acre site located opposite Navy Yard in Ward 8 along the riverfront. This ambitious plan envisions a vibrant community featuring diverse mixed-use developments, a wellness spa, and what would become the second-largest park in the District, following Oxen Run.
However, the undertaking mandates significant elevation of the site to counter potential flooding and entails substantial environmental remediation due to the site’s past uses.
Controversy has also arisen concerning Therme Group, the chosen anchor developer for this initiative, complicating the project further.
Adding to the complexity, despite legislation passed by Congress in 2006, control of Poplar Point has yet to be transferred to the District, creating a bottleneck in development.
Trey Sherard of Anacostia Riverkeeper remarks, “Poplar Point is kind of incredible green space right there in Ward 8.” He stresses that making it and the waterfront easily accessible underpins the objectives of the draft plan that was revealed to the public on May 13.
The drive for development in Poplar Point has been long-standing. This site, featuring nearly a mile of waterfront along the east side of the Anacostia River, is flanked by the Frederick Douglass and 11th Street Bridges, with I-295 running along its southern boundary. Originally characterized as tidal marshland, Poplar Point’s land was developed between 1880 and 1923 through the use of sediment dredged to restore the river’s depth.
The area was partitioned into two sections; one half was utilized by the Naval Receiving Station (NRS) until the 1960s and is now the territory of US Park Police and certain aviation facilities. The other half served as the DC Lanham Tree Nursery (DCL) and the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) until the 1990s and remains unused today, currently under the National Park Service’s (NPS) control.
In 2006, Congress enacted legislation intended to transfer the NPS properties to DC. However, this transfer remains incomplete, contingent on the District creating a land use plan for the area and completing the necessary environmental assessments, as well as finding alternative locations for the NPS USPP aviation facilities.
According to the required land use plan, 70 acres must be designated as parkland, which will house two federal memorial sites and must align with the Anacostia Waterfront Framework Plan established in 2003 by the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI), a coalition of over 40 federal and District entities formed under the leadership of then-Mayor Anthony Williams and dissolved in 2006.
Numerous proposals have been put forth over the years for Poplar Point, including plans for a new neighborhood with hotels, offices, and residences, as well as the soccer stadium that has since been relocated to Buzzard Point. Other high-profile projects, such as a new FBI headquarters and Amazon HQ2, have also fallen by the wayside. However, this time feels distinctly different, particularly due to ongoing development in the region.
In May 2023, the first phase of the Bridge District was inaugurated at the base of the Frederick Douglass Bridge. This eight-acre project comprises three residential buildings—Stratos, Alula, and Barsala—along with retail and event spaces near the Anacostia Metro Station, which is set to include an Atlas Brew Works and a restaurant by the Doro Soul Food team.
Simultaneously, the anticipated construction for the 11th Street Bridge Project is expected to commence this year, transforming the outdated bridge into a seven-acre park featuring a cafe, meeting space, playground, and a new headquarters for the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS).
The draft plan for Poplar Point was disclosed during a collaborative meeting led by the NPS alongside the District’s Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development (DMPED).
Central to the proposed plan is a substantial reservation for wetlands open to the river, which will allow for the daylighting of the currently buried Stickfoot Branch. Therme is positioned as the anchor for the project, proposing a 15-acre wellness spa enveloped in greenspace. This facility would be situated across from the WMATA Anacostia garage and near a proposed new Metro Plaza. Additional residential and commercial developments will cluster around the area at the foot of Douglas Bridge and south of the I-295, close to Anacostia.
Urban planner Alan Harwood from AECOM, who is collaborating with DC on the site’s transfer, envisions the parkland as a series of interconnected green spaces—“charms hanging off the bracelet.” These parks would span from the Esplanade of the 11th Street Bridge, extending in a 250-foot wide strip along the Anacostia River to the Frederick Douglass Bridge. Proposed amenities for the park may include fishing piers, memorials, plazas, and potentially in the future, recreational swimming areas.
The plans also introduce new pedestrian overpasses to cross I-295 at Chicago and V Streets SE, with aspirations for a future vehicular bridge.
As outlined by Harwood, the plan allocates approximately 70 acres for parkland, about 20 acres for development, with roughly 16 acres located within a quarter mile of the metro station. Around 12 acres will be designated for roadways.
Nonetheless, several challenges must be addressed before the plan can move forward, primarily concerning environmental integrity. Sherard pointed out the dangers of undisturbed sediment from the river that may now be present in the land, as well as pollutants left over from previous uses by the nursery and the US Navy. Environmental investigations since the 1990s have uncovered harmful pollutants, including heavy metals, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the soil.
In 2008, NPS and the District’s Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) agreed to undertake a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study per federal regulations. This investigation aims to characterize the site’s environmental condition and assess the risks posed to both ecological diversity and human health from these contaminants. While this investigation is anticipated to complete within the year, it has yet to be presented. Following its conclusion, the Feasibility Study will propose a series of remedial alternatives to deal with the identified pollutants, which will also be made available for public commentary.
Another pressing challenge concerns flooding, as the site currently sits at low elevation, rendering it vulnerable. NOAA predicts that the Anacostia will rise between 10 to 14 feet by 2050; much of the site lays only two to five feet above river level. Chris Williams from the AWS emphasized that the development should consider climate change implications, necessitating infrastructural planning that factors in rising water levels and their effect on river flow.
During the May meeting, Harwood referred to a potential flood zone reaching 10.5 feet and proposed building the site in stepped formations to reach an elevation of 11 feet for structures, designed to create “gentle terraces” to elevate above the floodplain, with parking underneath the buildings, akin to developments in Washington Harbor, The Wharf, and The Yard.
However, Sherard countered that current estimates regarding river rise are based on an optimistic view of climate change efforts, suggesting that 10.5 feet might actually underestimate future risks over the coming decades.
Despite the challenges, there have already been notable victories regarding environmental considerations. Williams and Sherard expressed their desires to prioritize extensive green spaces and wetlands adjacent to the river rather than extensive development on certain parts of the site, a point noted in the draft plan, although specific details remain unconfirmed.
Sherard stated that focusing development on previously constructed areas could yield benefits for the river so long as new construction adheres to existing stormwater runoff regulations. The draft plan reflects this priority.
In terms of the wellness spa, it was initially seen as a potential development anchor for the community; however, concerns arose just a month after DC selected Therme Group as the anchor tenant. In March, the wellness spa company was awarded a request for expressions of interest (RFEI). Therme signed a memorandum of understanding with the city, aiming to develop a 15-acre state-of-the-art wellness facility that would offer thermal baths, saunas, mineral pools, and restaurants.
But following the announcement, the New York Times published an investigative report claiming Therme had misrepresented its qualifications and financial status in a similar deal with the Toronto government, casting doubt on its capability to execute the project. The Times reported that Therme had not secured financing for the Toronto project, which is expected to commence construction by Spring 2026.
Nevertheless, Therme remains optimistic regarding the District project. They have actively engaged with the local community by participating in District-sponsored events and appointing Wanda Lockridge, a respected community leader from Ward 8, as their community liaison.
Lockridge stated that Therme is supported by reputable institutional investors and financing partners who share their vision for creating inclusive, wellbeing-centered urban environments. She reassured stakeholders of their commitment to delivering on that vision despite the Times’ report.
During the May 13 meeting, residents questioned DMPED Development Manager Whitt Smith about the implications of the investigative report. One resident expressed concern, “You said this was a once-in-a-lifetime development and it would be a shame to squander it on such an anchor tenant.”
In response, Smith clarified that the project is still in its initial stages, with the city examining the site further. The site transfer is contingent on completing an environmental assessment (EA) which analyzes the impact of the proposed development. Smith indicated that the city’s approach would depend on the results of this assessment.
Queries directed at the DOEE regarding the EA were ultimately referred to the Mayor’s Office, which did not provide a comment before the publication deadline.
The draft plan has been presented as a starting point in the ongoing conversation about development at Poplar Point.
Harwood remarked on May 13, “These are ideas to start the conversation. We want to know if you agree with these. We wanted to give you a sense of what we’re thinking and how some of these areas could be treated.”
While a draft preferred plan now exists, the reality of breaking ground for construction still lies ahead, contingent on the District refining the plan through interagency coordination and preparing an EA to evaluate the proposed developments.
In the coming months, the EA will be available for public review as stated by the NPS. This assessment aims to provide citizens with a thorough understanding of the preferred land uses alongside the respective environmental implications.
A spokesperson for the National Park Service assured the public that they are dedicated to fostering active public engagement and will broadly announce involvement opportunities once the EA is prepared for release.
Reflecting on the extensive history of development possibility for the Anacostia Riverfront, longtime activist Doug Siglin contributed in 2017 to the Smithsonian, stating, “Mayor Williams’ planning director Andrew Altman liked to say, to plan is human, to implement, divine.”
As the community watches closely, the question remains: Is now the moment that meaningful change arrives at Poplar Point?
image source from：https://www.hillrag.com/2025/06/04/a-draft-plan-to-develop-poplar-point/
