So, I just read in the Post this week that the DC Council approved a plan to build 2 three-story parking garages at the new Nationals stadium site, apparently in order to meet some mandate by the MLB to have at least 1,225 spaces available on opening day. I spoke with Mayor-Elect-But-Not-For-Life Adrian Fenty about this very topic on Election night last week as he made a surprise appearance at my polling station at the Mt. Pleasant Library. I encouraged him to think towards the future and not just accept the short-term and short-sighted interests of creating large above-ground parking structures that would inhibit opportunities to create a dense urban commercial/residential environment adjacent to the Stadium. He gave me a pretty limp answer that 'the topic was still under discussion' and asked me what I would do exactly, and I gave him some pretty explicit suggestions. Well, I see how far that went. I did read that he had tried to get the council to reinforce the parking garages with structural steel so that residences or other uses could be built on top of the garages -- the council apparently shot that down with some more head-in-the-sand objections based on increased costs. Well, sometimes, you have to PAY for quality. I am very disappointed to hear this parking strategy has been approved, and I applaud the minority of council members who objected to this non-sense, and i fully agree with their virtual Bronx cheer at Fenty's suggestion that the Lerner's (who really could learn a thing or two about sensitive site planning and place-making) might actually tear down the garages in a few years....Pbbffffftttt! Yeah, right.
And take one look at the rendering by HOK showing the location of these proposed garages: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/14/AR2006111400948.html
How thoughtful of them to place these stacked pancake layers of Escalades, Excursions, and Elantras hailing from our dear suburbanite fans right out there beyond left and right field? The open plan stadium as opposed to closed venues like RFK, will have a potential vista beyond the bleachers looking towards the Capitol Dome, but to frame that landmark will be the subtle foreground of vehicular vastness. How nice. Perhaps though, it could come in handy; sitting in your boxseats with the family and the hotdogs and souvenirs (let's hope at least the concessions stand service gets a major overhaul at the new venue), you could look up and notice that 'Hey, honey, we left our lights on, can you go turn them off?'
Fenty, I told you I was counting on you, and you've let me down. You also told me I could call you anytime on your cell phone - as soon as I get it from my pal at the Post who was taking notes during our conversation, expect a ring.
-Mike Jones, landscape architect/environmental scientist/sustainable planning advocate/not-a-jackass
