Mayor Bowser Transmits 180-Acre RFK Campus Master Plan to D.C. Council Featuring 6,500 Homes and Commanders Stadium

Mayor Bowser Transmits Historic RFK Master Plan to D.C. Council

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Marking a monumental inflection point in the district's urban architecture, Mayor Muriel Bowser formally transmitted the comprehensive RFK Campus Master Plan to the Council of the District of Columbia in late September 2026. The transformative proposal outlines the phased redevelopment of the 180-acre federally transferred parcel along the Anacostia River, positioning the historic site as a premier multi-use sports, residential, and ecological destination.

Central to the master plan is a state-of-the-art 65,000-seat domed stadium engineered to serve as the new home for the NFL's Washington Commanders, targeting completion ahead of the 2030 season. The multi-purpose sports and entertainment complex is designed to host international soccer matches, major concerts, collegiate athletic tournaments, and community events throughout the calendar year.

6,500 Housing Units and Waterfront Ecological Corridors

Beyond professional athletics, the proposal delivers a generational commitment to district housing production. The master framework designates zoned parcels for up to 6,500 residential units, with an enforceable mandate establishing that at least 30 percent remain permanently affordable for low- and moderate-income District households. The residential zones will be accompanied by community retail centers, neighborhood elementary facilities, and walkable green esplanades.

Environmental preservation forms a cornerstone of the design, which preserves more than 40 acres of open public parkland, restores maritime wetland buffers along the Anacostia shoreline, and establishes continuous pedestrian and bicycle trail links seamlessly connecting Ward 7 neighborhoods to the National Mall trail system.

D.C. Council Schedules Roundtable Ahead of Year-End Vote

The D.C. Council scheduled a high-priority public oversight roundtable for September 30, 2026, to solicit community testimony, review fiscal projections, and evaluate public financing safeguards. Parallel to the RFK blueprint, Mayor Bowser advanced legislative packages authorizing over 1,200 additional housing units across Wards 1, 5, and 8.

District leaders affirmed that transforming the dormant stadium grounds into a thriving, mixed-income community with world-class sports architecture revitalizes East End commerce while expanding housing equity across the nation's capital.