(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Victor L. Hoskins today welcomed news that District-owned The Yards Park is a finalist in the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Urban Open Space Award competition. The competition lauds prime examples of altered, exciting public open spaces of varying sizes that have catalyzed economic and social rejuvenation in their surrounding areas.
“My office is pleased to have spearheaded the District’s redevelopment effort surrounding The Yards Park, which is a highly celebrated addition to its Southeast riverfront community and serves all sides of the Anacostia River,” said Deputy Mayor Hoskins. “We are thrilled the project was announced as a finalist in ULI’s competition process for this award and congratulate, too, our colleagues at the General Services Administration of the Federal Government, the Council of the District of Columbia, Forest City Washington, M. Paul Friedberg & Partners, the Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District, the Office of Planning, and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for their many efforts to make this vibrant public park a reality and keep our vision for it maintained.”
Located at 355 Water Street, SE, The Yards Park was completed in 2010 and includes a waterfall, a fountain, gardens, a performance venue, and a boardwalk among other unique features such as an iconic bridge. It is a part of the 42-acre development The Yards, which is a mixed-use, riverfront neighborhood that also offers 2,800 residential units; 1.8 million square feet of office space; and 400,000 square feet of retail space.
The Yards Park is one of five projects short-listed as a finalist for the Urban Open Space Award. Other finalists are Wilmington Waterfront Park in Wilmington, California; Cumberland Park in Nashville, Tennessee; Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York, New York; and The Parks and Waterfront at Southeast False Creek in Vancouver, British Columbia. The award is designed to celebrate overall project design and how each project impacted or revived their surrounding communities. Eligibility for the competition required that a project have been opened to the public for at least one year and no more than fifteen; be used intensively on a daily basis by a broad spectrum of users throughout the year; promote the physical, social, and economic health of the larger community; and more. The winning project will be announced at the ULI Fall Meeting to be held November 5-8, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. To learn more about the status of the ULI Urban Open Space Award 2013 competition, please visit the Urban Land Institute Web site.
Media Contacts: Chanda Washington (DMPED), (202) 727-6365