A revamped Franklin Park reopens with a nod towards ADA accessibility and sustainability

Franklin Park, downtown DC’s largest public park, reopened Friday after a $21 million renovation. The revamped space includes a storm water management system that will capture 100% of the water runoff from the park; a revitalized tree canopy; ADA-compliant accessible sidewalks; and a children’s garden area. An outdoor restaurant is slated to open in the spring of 2022.

The renovation, which has been in the works for over a decade, is the result of a partnership between several local, and federal agencies and stakeholders. A federal lands package led by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton makes it possible for DC to enter into a cooperative management agreement with US National Park Service, which owns the park. The District needed approval from Congress to enter into such a partnership. Through this deal DC was able to invest capital dollars into the park’s construction and renovation, and the Downtown DC Bid provides additional services for the park.

“We knew that if DC Government could renovate Franklin Park, we would be able to turn this park into something special for residents, visitors, and workers. And that is what we’ve done,” said Mayor Bowser in a press statement. “This is the type of park you would expect to find downtown in our nation’s capital.”

Franklin Park, located along 13th and 14th streets between I and K streets NW, has been in continuous operation since the 1850s, but until now hadn’t been updated since 1935. “A revitalization of our beloved park was long overdue,” Norton said at a press conference for the opening.

Construction on the project began in July of 2020. Studios Architecture and Land Collective were awarded the design and engineering contracts for the project, and the DowntownDC BID will operate, manage, and program the park. (Disclaimer: The Downtown DC BID are members of DC Sustainable Transportation, which is managed by Greater Greater Washington. GGWash also leases office space with the BID.)

Some have raised concerns about whether unhoused DC residents will be welcome in the park. Unhoused residents previously spent time in Franklin Park and received services there, but now signs warn that camping is prohibited, DCist reported.

That question is also being raised across the District. Earlier in the summer the Bowser administration launched a pilot program that closed three encampment sites in the District, while ramping up efforts to provide housing and services to those impacted.

In Franklin Park, officials at the downtown BID have said that they will provide outreach and direct unhoused residents to nearby services. The BID also created the DowntownDC Foundation in October 2019, which among other things will offer homeless services.