By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO
kmcneir@afro.com
Several hundred residents, business owners, and city officials participated in a public scoping meeting for the redevelopment of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at St. Coletta of Greater Washington in Southeast D.C.
It served as the first public meeting since the project was approved in September by the D.C. Council and the Washington Commanders, who also in September, chose global design firm HKS, Inc., as the lead architect.
Matthew Bell, Professor of Architecture at the University of Maryland and Principal at Perkins Eastman in D.C., led an informative slide show presentation to kick off the evening that summarized public comments received at the previous community meeting on Oct. 22.
“We’re here to further the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act and allow the community to express its views on the impact the redevelopment of the stadium will have on the environment and their lives,” Bell said. “As we continue to shape a master plan for the project, we want the public to participate and offer their comments.”
In public meetings, which first began in February 2025, a host of concerns have been identified including traffic and parking, greenspace, the expansion of mixed-use facilities along the riverfront, and job opportunities for D.C. residents.
After the presentation, breakout sessions were held for four groups: Kingman Park and Recreation Districts; Riverfront District; Plaza and Stadium Districts; and Section 106 and NEPA.
Community perspectives illustrate wide range of concerns
Landen McCall, Principal/COO for the D.C. architectural company, Brant Mitchell, PLLC, said while he has since moved from the District to Prince George’s County, Md., he remains interested in seeing if the new sports complex will benefit residents as currently indicated.
“It’s important for us to participate in these meetings to ensure that promises now being made to the community are kept,” he said. “I also urge homeowners, Blacks in particular, to hold on to their property because this area is going to gentrify quickly, and the value of land is going to skyrocket.”
Amy Warden, principal of St. Coletta, the site where the meeting was held, expressed her excitement about forging new connections with other stakeholders.
“Because of our close proximity to the stadium, we’re very interested in developing a relationship with the Commanders,” she said. “And given the amount of community meetings that have already been held this year, we’re convinced that the planners and principal partners behind the project care about the needs and views of the community. So, it makes sense for me to be here to represent the school and the families whose children are part of our student body.”
Lora Nunn, a longtime local activist who’s married and lives just blocks away from the stadium in the popular Ward 7-based community of Kingman Park, said she’s been a vocal participant in meetings throughout the city since her neighborhood’s civic association hosted D.C. Mayor Bowser several years ago – even before the project had been approved.
“This new stadium campus has the potential to offer something for every age group – from playgrounds for children, designated paths for walking seniors, and lanes for bicyclists, to fitness areas with equipment for adults,” she said. And with three fields already located on the RFK campus, there’s plenty of room.
“I have been pleased to hear that the planners are listening to us and even heeding our concerns about protecting the environment which includes our beautiful trees. Still, it remains to be seen whether the things we’ve stated as priorities will be included in the final plan.”
Patricia Stamper, an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (7C06) and single parent with two sons, 10 and 6, said she attended the meeting as an advocate for parents.
“This project will bring a lot of money to the District and parents like me want to make sure that our children benefit so that programs like out-of-school sports, tutoring, and financial literacy projects are fully funded,” she said. “If we provide more structured activities for children after school including more non-traditional sports and provide instruction for jobs like carpentry and plumbing while they’re in school, they’ll be able to earn sufficient wages for themselves and their own families after they graduate. They won’t need to venture to Navy Yard for something to do.
“The revenue D.C. gets from the Commanders needs to be reinvested in our community and not go toward building more businesses in other parts of the District or investing in things like casinos or gaming ventures. Recreation centers east of the river are struggling to keep their doors open and their buildings up to spec.”
Nunn added that while she’s pleased with the enthusiastic participation of the community, she urges her neighbors to remain involved until the project is completed.
“It has been encouraging to see my neighbors – Black middle-class families – coming out and getting involved,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of familiar faces and there have been some robust conversations including several about bringing more pickleball courts to the campus.
“But to be honest, families east of the river in Wards 7 and 8 have been promised a lot of things in the past – promises made without any clear plan for fulfilling our wishes and providing for our needs. This time we’re not going to allow for trickle down economics. We need to be deliberate about what we want and actively pursue relationships with those who can deliver.”
For those who were unable to attend the meeting, the comment period continues through Friday, Dec. 19.
To provide a comment online, visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/rfk. Comments can also be mailed to: National Park Service, Tammy Stidham, Associate Regional Director – Lands and Planning, 1100 Ohio Drive SW Washington, DC 20242.
