en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Washington, D.C. Planning Office and the Mayor's Office have jointly released the Robert F. Kennedy Campus Master Plan, centered around the new Washington Commanders Stadium, to create a mixed-use development zone. The site was formerly the location of the demolished Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. The plan was developed jointly by Gensler and Perkins Eastman, coordinating with the new stadium designed by HKS and the surrounding landscape planned by OJB.

Perkins Eastman was hired by the Washington Commanders in 2023 to plan the portion of the site under the team's control. Gensler received a $750,000 contract from the District of Columbia late last year to plan the city-owned land adjacent to the stadium. According to the Planning Office, 33 events were held, gathering community input from nearly 1,800 participants.

The master plan establishes a development framework and urban design guidelines for the 180-acre campus, located on the Anacostia River at the terminus of the National Mall's monumental axis. The plan includes 5,500 to 6,500 new housing units, 30% of which will be affordable housing, along with a total of 6,000 garage parking spaces. 30% of the campus will be dedicated to public space and green areas. Community-oriented commercial facilities, community-centered services, and entertainment venues will also be developed.

The new Washington Commanders football stadium will have a maximum height of 130 feet. Development blocks surrounding the stadium may reach heights of up to 110 feet. These heights comply with the zoning regulations of the 1910 Height of Buildings Act.

The master plan divides the campus into six districts: Stadium District, Plaza District, Riverfront District, Entertainment District, Kingman Commons, and Anacostia Commons. The Anacostia Commons will be adjacent to the riverbank, creating a 200-foot-wide building-free buffer zone between the campus and the water. This "natural riparian zone" is part of the 99-year lease between the District of Columbia and the federal government for the site, as required by law.

The stadium is located at the core of the Entertainment District, surrounded by planned spacious entry plazas and concession areas. The Plaza District will be transit-oriented and suitable for tailgate parties and temporary stalls. The Entertainment District's plans include sports fields and community open spaces. Adjacent to the Entertainment District, Kingman Commons will feature a new SportsPlex and outdoor spaces.

Major roadways and transportation patterns will accommodate multimodal access by improving pedestrian safety and increasing space for bicycles and other modes of transport. The main corridor, 22nd Street, will serve as the campus spine.

This corridor will enable multimodal access, featuring dedicated bus lanes, two vehicle lanes, and a bicycle lane. Sidewalks will be lined with restaurants, seating, and other amenities. Secondary streets will be four lanes wide.

According to the Planning Office, based on the 2021 Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital, this master plan aims to rectify past spatial planning injustices that marginalized historic African American communities near the campus. The plan addresses inequity by "investing in public space, housing opportunities, and economic benefits in communities most affected by historical and ongoing racial disparities." Planners used disaggregated data to understand current community conditions and assess racial inequities related to socioeconomic determinants such as housing access, transportation, fresh food access, and educational and employment opportunities.

Following the release of the master plan, a public comment period has begun and will last until August 14. The final master plan will be submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission in September 2026.