Though it’s only a few blocks south and west from the epicenter of new restaurants and high rise apartments in neighboring Navy Yard, Buzzard Point has largely gone undeveloped. That’s going to change soon, including at Buzzard Point Park, where the National Park Service (NPS) is asking the public for its ideas on how to best use the space.

Buzzard Point today. This is the Pepco station, but there isn’t much more going on at the park. Photo by David Meni.

Buzzard Point is the area south of Q Street SW, east of Fort McNair, and west of South Capitol Street. Though it had a few residents in DC’s early history, it was almost always a dumping ground for things that needed to be out of the way — like disposing of dead horses in the 19th century. A Pepco power plant went up there in 1933 (and was in use until 2012), and in 1940, the area had a population of only 34 people.

Buzzard Point right now is still staggeringly empty. There’s the shutdown plant, the Coast Guard’s abandoned headquarters, and a Pepco substation. While demolition is underway to make room for the new 20,000 seat DC United Stadium, it’s currently just empty lots and piles of dirt.

Image from Google Maps.

Coming soon: A new Buzzard Point

Along with the DC United Stadium, there’s a master plan for Buzzard Point Park that includes tons of mixed use development, a new Frederick Douglass Bridge, and a new plaza at the end of a redesigned South Capitol Street.

One key to all these plans is a makeover for for Buzzard Point Park, where just south of the powerplant, the green space nestled against the edge of the Anacostia doesn’t have much to offer the community. There was a marina there for 50 years, but it closed last December (on some of Google Maps’ images, it’s still there because they’re from 2009). The docks are gone, with only a parking lot, a small office building, and showers remaining.

Through October, the National Park Service is conducting a visual preference survey to find out how the public wants to use the space. NPS hopes to emphasize the space’s unique presence in the city, redeveloping the bankside park into a community resource that respects the ecology of the area.

The survey consists of nearly 50 images that show ways to build a park, and participants are asked to rank each. There’s also space for saying what you like or don’t like about particular designs.

These are some of the options on the survey:

All images of park possibilities are from the National Park Service.

Rotating food trucks, a DC staple, could be an option.

Bleacher-style seating, like that near the Memorial Bridge, would emphasize views of the Anacostia, which look across to the Bolling Air Force Base training center.

River recreation at the site is another option. As it stands, the Anacostia isn’t safe for swimming. But this could certainly draw in visitors when that changes.

At some point, the Anacostia Branch Trail is due to cut through the park. A pedestrian/bike overpass could be an effective way of using vertical space to make a more inclusive park.

A playground seems an obvious choice for any new park— there aren’t any in Buzzard Point yet.

The old marina served about 60 boats, and perhaps the new park could serve boats as well.

A skating rink, like a handful of others in the list, are reminiscent of amenities that have popped up in Navy Yard over the past few years. Nearby neighborhoods are almost sure to be inspirations.

A ferry that took people across the river, to Anacostia Park, could be an option.

Arego Mitchell is a digital design pro living in the Brentwood neighborhood of DC. Originally from Arizona, Arego has spent the last three years getting to know the region, usually by bicycle. He’s passionate about design, vegetables, and the National Arboretum.

David Meni works as a Research Analyst in the DC Council Committee on Human Services. He is also a volunteer writer and editor for 730DC, a daily local newsletter. As a graduate student at GW, he studied housing policy and welfare administration, and uses that background to advocate for a more inclusive and equitable DC. David lives in Park View.