A reimagined RFK Campus is one step closer to reality after the District released its final master plan to transform the 180-acre site along the Anacostia River into a massive mixed-use destination.

The plan, unveiled Thursday, calls for development of thousands of affordable and market-rate residential units, plus hotels, commercial space, entertainment uses, parks, transit and open space.

The announcement marks the latest step for bringing the new campus, set to be anchored by a 70,000-seat Commanders stadium, to life. The final plan was submitted to the D.C. Council for review.

The city unveiled a draft plan in June after about a year of feedback sessions. It divides the RFK campus into six districts with distinct purposes and envisions up to 6,500 homes, 30% of which would be affordable. Each of the districts, except for one, will include a combination of commercial development, parks and recreational uses.

The final plan aims to address a suite of concerns residents expressed in the more than 3,100 comments submitted on the draft. It sets more detailed expectations for the delivery of affordable housing across the campus, expands on its proposed transit plans and adds new language on interagency coordination, among other changes.

The draft called for the development of affordable units to be phased so that no less than 30% of units built are affordable at any given time. The final plan specifies that by the time 700 residential units are built in a district, and “at all times after that,” no less than 30% of units in that district should be affordable.

The master plan concentrates commercial development in the three residential districts, which would span a total of about 61 acres. The Riverfront District would have the densest development with around 3,100 homes, 500 hotel rooms and 92K SF of retail across 19.4 acres.

The final plan adds new subsections to its public transit section, which includes information on a proposed Gold Line bus rapid transit route, roadway improvements, parking and “transportation and technology.” It details plans for two standalone parking garages to the north and south of the stadium, and outlines how electric vehicle charging stations, smart parking technologies and intelligent street lighting could support the plan’s goals.

A new section on agency collaboration specifies how public sector agencies will work together to shape transportation improvements and environmental commitments, while private partners such as the Washington Commanders organization, housing providers and commercial tenants will operate the components of the campus day-to-day.

The plan notes that many commenters expressed concerns about proposed building heights, particularly from residents of the Kingman Park and Hill East neighborhoods. A summary of changes document says that while the plan “generally calls for high-density mixed-use buildings in the Riverfront, Plaza, and Kingman Commons Districts, the zoning framework and design guidelines identify locations for lower building heights and context-sensitive architecture.” 

The parking garages have been a key concern for neighboring residents, with Friends of Kingman Park Civic Association President Alexis Pazmino telling Bisnow earlier this month that the garage designs are car-centric and that the proposed garage near Kingman Park will become a “giant eye sore facing a historic neighborhood.” 

The final master plan adds a section on an upcoming traffic operations and parking plan for the new stadium that will aim to reduce impacts on residents, increase pedestrian safety and encourage walking and biking. The section says such a plan will be finalized closer to the stadium’s opening day, scheduled for 2030.