D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser joined residents and community leaders at the McMillan Sand Filtration Site to celebrate progress on the long-awaited redevelopment project. A new community center and public park will anchor the northwest corner of a dynamic 25-acre mixed-use development on the site of a historic water treatment plant.

“We are here today, celebrating this progress, because of the relentless, government-wide commitment to delivering a transformational project to Ward 5 and our entire city,” said Mayor Bowser. “When we talk about the District’s comeback, this project is in so many ways what it looks like—creating jobs for our residents, eliminating amenity gaps, and building more housing.”

Quinn Evans is the architect of record in a design/build team with Gilbane. Perkins Eastman was the design architect. Additional team members include Thornton Tomasetti, Rhodeside Harwell, Wiles Mensch, and Global Engineering Solutions. One-third of the site is District land, and the Department of General Services is currently developing the community center and park project. To prepare the site, above- and below-ground elements of the historic assets were stabilized and restored including the sand bins, sand washers, and regulator houses.

To date, about 60% of the community center has been developed. A new 17,500-square-foot full-service facility will serve the community with social, educational, fitness, and recreational programs and activities. The surrounding 6.2-acre public park will enliven the neighborhood with large informal play areas, water recreation features, and terraced seating. Two-thirds of the project is also being developed by a private entity and will include housing, a grocery store, and additional amenities.