1913.1 Poplar Point encompasses the area on the east side of the Anacostia River bounded by South Capitol Street SW, I-295, and the 11th Street Bridge. The area contains U.S. Park Police and NPS facilities, the former Architect of the Capitol (AOC) nurseries, a 700-space Metro parking garage, private land along Howard Road, a DC Water pump station, and more than 60 acres of managed meadows. The point was created through the filling of tidal mudflats in the 1910s and has been used for tree nurseries and federal and District maintenance activities for almost a century. Construction of freeways in the 1950s and 1960s left Poplar Point disconnected from the neighborhoods around it.

1913.2 Poplar Point remains isolated today and is underused as a great waterfront open space. It is completely unknown to visitors and even most District residents. Nearly half the site is fenced off from public access, and much of the remainder is covered by freeway ramps and bridge approaches.

1913.3 In 2003, the AWI called for the site's improvement as a green gateway to the Anacostia River Park network. Today, Poplar Point has the potential to be the future crown jewel in a necklace of great parks extending from Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens on the north to the mouth of the Anacostia River on the south. Key features of the vision for this park include restored wetlands, a daylighted Stickfoot Creek, and new cultural and entertainment facilities. Poplar Point has also been identified by the NCPC as a potential site for new monuments, commemorative works, and museums.

1913.4 The Poplar Point Target Area Plan recommended creating a new roadway and circulation pattern and developing a mixed-use neighborhood and a 70-acre waterfront park. Medium- to high-density housing should be provided within this neighborhood, with new development used to leverage the recreational and environmental improvements that will make this a great public place for all Washingtonians in the future. In the years since the AWI Plan, there has been increased understanding of the site's flood risk. Anticipated sea level rise and floodplain effects will inform development alternatives and the ultimate design of Poplar Point.

1913.5 The new Poplar Point Park and neighborhood will be well connected to the nearby Anacostia Metro station, multiple Metrobus lines, and new modes of transit, including water taxis, shuttles, and the DC Circulators. Connections to the historic neighborhoods east of I-295 will be strengthened by upgrading Howard Road SE, W Street SE, and Good Hope Road SE and improving pedestrian and bicycle access along these gateways. Redevelopment of Poplar Point is intended to coincide with and bolster parallel initiatives to revitalize Historic Anacostia, redevelop the St. Elizabeths Hospital Campus, and rebuild Barry Farm.

1913.6 Notable skyline features such as the Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol are visible from much of Poplar Point. The site also affords views of the tree-lined ridge above Historic Anacostia. Future structures on the site should preserve these important views and make the most of the point's spectacular physical setting. Development should include a mix of uses and densities that is compatible with and complementary to adjacent neighborhoods, breaking development into identifiable, distinctive parts rather than creating superblocks.

1913.7 Policy A W-2.4.1: Poplar Point Park Create a great urban park at Poplar Point that serves neighborhoods across Washington, DC and includes a variety of active and passive recreation areas. The park should be designed to serve users of all abilities, including children, youth, families, and older adults.

1913.8 Policy A W-2.4.2: Environmental Restoration at Poplar Point Restore portions of the natural environment at Poplar Point, especially the wetlands and Stickfoot Creek. The creek should be daylighted and restored as a natural habitat area.

1913.9 Policy A W-2.4.3: Poplar Point Mixed-Use Neighborhood Create a new transit-oriented mixed-use neighborhood oriented around the Poplar Point Park and linked to the Anacostia and Congress Heights Metro stations. The neighborhood should include a significant component of affordable housing, as well as retail and civic uses that benefit the adjacent communities east of I-295. To minimize the loss of useable open space, development should use the land recovered after the realignment and reconstruction of the Frederick Douglass Bridge.

1913.10 Policy A W-2.4.4: Poplar Point Cultural Facilities Support the development of regional cultural facilities at Poplar Point, such as museums, memorial sites, gardens, nature centers, amphitheaters, and public gathering places.

1913.11 Policy A W-2.4.5: Scale of Development at Poplar Point Provide a scale and pattern of development at Poplar Point that recognizes the area's proximity to a Metro station and other major surface arterials. The area is physically separated from surrounding neighborhoods and, therefore, may accommodate buildings and site plans that are unlike but compatible with the fine-grained pattern found in nearby Historic Anacostia. Development should be pedestrian-oriented and include active ground floor uses. The massing, height, and bulk of buildings and related features, such as parking, also should respect adjacent park uses and environmentally sensitive areas.

1913.12 Policy A W-2.4.6: Poplar Point Vista and View Preservation Ensure that the design of Poplar Point capitalizes on significant views to the river and U.S. Capitol. The New Jersey Avenue SE axis is particularly important because it provides a clear line of sight to the Capitol dome from Poplar Point's prominent river bend.

1913.13 Policy A W-2.4.7: Poplar Point as an Economic Catalyst Use development at Poplar Point to bring economic development opportunities to adjacent neighborhoods, particularly Barry Farm and Historic Anacostia. Activities at Poplar Point should foster the success of existing businesses in Historic Anacostia, provide job opportunities, and create cultural, educational, and institutional uses that benefit communities in Wards 7 and 8.

1913.14 Policy A W-2.4.8: Access Improvements to Poplar Point Improve access to Poplar Point by redesigning the road system on the site's perimeter; rebuilding the Frederick Douglass (South Capitol) Bridge; converting the Anacostia Metro station to a multimodal terminal; adding provisions for pedestrians and bicycles along Howard Road SE, W Street SE, and Good Hope Road SE; and providing water taxi service on the Anacostia River.

1913.15 Action A W-2.4.A: Poplar Point Planning Complete a future analysis for Poplar Point to define the site design, circulation, infrastructure, land use program, park, and urban design to guide future development and to facilitate the land transfer from the federal government to the District.

SOURCE: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193; 41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).