Reservoir Park

Opened in 1905 with landscape improvements by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. implemented between 1908 and 1919, this 92-acre water works provided drinking water to residents of Washington DC. After eight decades, a 25-acre swath was decommissioned and slated for development. Following years of community debate, zoning initiatives, and proposed plans, the project’s first phase – an eight-acre public park and community center – opened in 2024. Reservoir Park transforms a century-old, abandoned industrial site into public amenity spaces that enliven an established neighborhood while setting the stage for new mixed-use investment.

The former filtration site’s engineered grid, designed topography, and industrial character provided inspiration for the design of the new park. At the site’s north edge, the landscape architect transformed an alley into a public courtyard with a shared-use loop road that circulates around preserved brick structures and iconic concrete silos to serve as a formal entrance to the development. A two-story community center was built adjacent to the site’s only retained subterranean filtration cell, and a 30,000 square foot plaza was inserted between these and stabilized earthen berms. Terraced gardens, amphitheater seating, and splash fountains invite prolonged visits to the plaza, while a dramatic pedestrian portal incised through the berm connects it to the adjacent neighborhood. The grid of columns that once supported the roof of the filtration cells inspired the plaza’s paving design. Fifty of the demolished columns were salvaged and reused as benches and as interpretive objects. Above the plaza and street, stairs and accessible ramps reach a tree-lined promenade that encircles the park. Along the promenade, benches oriented to selected views accommodate passive recreation while fitness equipment encourages activity. The site’s higher ground was enhanced as vegetated open space, with a multi-purpose field that is used for outdoor exercise, picnicking, events, and games. A memorial fountain, stone plaza, and ceremonial stair – originally installed nearby in 1913 in honor of Senator James McMillan but held in storage since 1941 – were sited by the landscape architect to restore views of the nearby reservoir and the Washington Monument the plaza once provided. A large playground with features inspired by the former industrial site was built next to the community center.

For the new park, RHI selected trees, flowering and fruiting shrubs, resilient ground covers, and bioretention plants to create a richly layered landscape for birds, mammals, insects, and people. Many of the plants were chosen for their habitat and forage values, serving local and migratory species. The plant palette, inspired by Olmsted Jr.’s design, included 160 new trees and two-and-a-half acres of high-quality groundcover. Approximately 33% of the site comprises native vegetation and more than half of the trees selected for the project are native. Tree-growth enhancement systems ensure that trees near paved areas will thrive and grow to full maturity. Managing runoff, 80% of paved surfaces are permeable, draining into lush bioretention gardens. New paving materials, furnishings, and light fixtures were selected to complement the historic character of the site. The design of the park adhered to guidelines that balanced new construction with preservation and that reintroduced publicly accessible open spaces into an urban context.