Franklin Park Conceptual Designs

This is a long posting, I could not find a better way to present all the options clearly.

Yesterday (Wednesday, February 19, 2014) The National Park Service (NPS), the DC Office of Planning, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation and the Downtown BID held a public meeting to present concept design for the restoration and transformation of Franklin Park. The meeting featured presentations of concept designs for the future Franklin Park.

Franklin Park, located between K and I Streets, NW and 13th and 14th Streets, NW is owned by NPS. Everyone agrees that the park does not meet the needs of neighborhood residents, local workers or tourists, and the National Park Service and its partners are investigating options for increasing recreational opportunities, enhancing surrounding streetscape and transportation connections, and using a public/private partnership to oversee the long-term maintenance and management of the park.

The purpose of the project is to revitalize Franklin Park in a manner that respects and enhances the historic and urban qualities of the park while transforming it into an active, flexible, and sustainable park that is connected to its community. The project is needed to address these deficiencies and revitalize the park so that it attracts and serves all visitors.

Based on public comments submitted to NPS, and feedback received at the Franklin Park Public Scoping Meeting, three concept design alternatives (Note: there are 4 concept designs -2 included in the Center Concept) have been developed.

THE CENTER CONCEPT

Center Concept A

• No change to the current parks framework, and would involve upgrades to current park.
• The focus would be to restore the center of the park, refurbish fountain, framed with seasonal plantings.
• The concept would include a children’s play area within the northern half of the east lawn.
• The Commodore Barry statue would be shifted to the east and/or rotated towards the center of the site.
• Additionally, improvements to the park would include ample seating for park users and bus commuters; amenities, such as electric charging stations and street trees along 13th Street; and bike racks along K Street and further enhanced with a moderately sized terrace to the north of the central plaza.

Center Concept B

• No change to the current parks framework, and would involve upgrades to current park.
• The focus would be to restore the center of the park, refurbish fountain, framed with seasonal plantings. 
• A terrace would that would feature a building to house essential services, such as restrooms, tables and chairs, park information and storage
• In order to accommodate small-scale events, the arc paths to the east and west of the park’s center would be widened to 20 feet.
• The Commodore Barry statue would be shifted to the east and/or rotated towards the center of the site.
• Additionally, improvements to the park would include ample seating for park users and bus commuters; amenities, such as electric charging stations and street trees along 13th Street; and bike racks along K Street and further enhanced with a moderately sized terrace to the north of the central plaza.

In both Concepts the scheme preserves an unobstructed view to the historic Franklin School and the history of the site as a source of water for the White House would be noted in an engraving in the pavement of the central plaza. According to NPS these (A & B) concepts would preserve approximately 90% of the existing trees in Franklin Park.

THE EDGE CONCEPT 

• Includes enhanced program elements and circulation improvements to make the park a more active and sustainable place.
• The basic structure of the park would remain consistent with the existing design; however, the southern pathway that currently extends from the southwest corner of the site to the south east corner of the site would be shifted north towards the center of the park.
• The pathways on the diagonal from the southwest corner of the site to the northeast corner of the site would be reworked to allow for an accessible path along this desired route.
• The center of the park would be a newly designed interactive fountain that would allow park users to comfortably sit along its edge and engage the water.
• Create a children’s play area with a tot lot in the northern half of the east lawn. A natural water feature would originate north of the central plaza and terminate at the children’s play area as an educational and interactive water element.  
•  Additionally, like the Center Concept, improvements to the park include ample seating for park users and bus commuters; amenities, such as electric charging stations and street trees along 13th Street; and bike racks and street trees along K Street.
• The Commodore Barry statue would be shifted to the east and rotated towards the center of the site in order to be more integrated with the park.
• The design of the park would be further enhanced with a linear plaza along the southern edge of the site. This plaza is sized to accommodate two buildings that would house essential services, such as restrooms, tables and chairs, park information, park maintenance and storage.
• The larger of the two buildings could also contain a cafe. This plaza along I Street would also appropriate for staging events; markets, festivals and performances, for example.
• The seasonal plantings in this concept would be concentrated along the edge to provide a sense of threshold between the park and the street edge.

The concept preserves an unobstructed view to the historic Franklin School and history would be further revealed through signage and way finding, programmatic elements or landscape design. With these modifications to the park, this concept alternative would preserve approximately 77% of the existing tree canopy in Franklin Park.

THE DIAGONAL CONCEPT

• Would include several actions to transform this site into an active, flexible, and sustainable park.
• A diagonal path connects the northeast corner with the southwest corner to increase accessibility to the central plaza, while also facilitating ease of circulation for commuters. 
•  At the center of this path and the center of the site would be an interactive fountain with playful water jets that could be turned off, and disappear into the pavement, to allow for the flexible use of the plaza for large and small events.
• This concept would locate the children’s play area, with a splash play element, in the northern half of the east lawn. The tot lot would be across the diagonal path in an independent space.
• Additional improvements to the park would include ample seating for park users and bus commuters; amenities, such as electric charging stations and street trees along 13th Street; and bike racks and street trees along K Street.
• A cafe would be located in the southwest corner of the site, along 14th Street. This building would also house essential services, such as restrooms, park information, park maintenance and storage. The cafe would have a small dining terrace adjacent to it, while also using the Commodore Barry plinth for additional seating.
• Additionally, a pedestrian mall would extend from the southwest corner of the park to the southeast corner. This paved area would have ample seating on its periphery and allow park users to promenade along the southern edge of the park.
• The Commodore Barry statue would be relocated just north of the central plaza facing inward.

The scheme preserves an unobstructed view to the historic Franklin School and history could be further revealed through signage and way finding, programmatic elements or landscape design. The pedestrian mall would also provide an opportunity for historic interpretation within the pavement. With these modifications to the park, this concept alternative would preserve approximately 49% of the existing tree canopy in Franklin Park.

NPS is seeking comments on the conceptual design alternatives. Specifically, NPS would like your input on the following questions:

1. Are there other alternatives or elements that should be considered?
2. Do you have any concerns or preferences regarding the conceptual alternatives or elements presented?
3. What additional information or other comments do you have?

Please submit comments through the project website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/franklinpark or send your comments to:

Superintendent
Attn: Franklin Park Vision and Transformation Plan
Superintendent
National Mall and Memorial Parks
900 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20024

The comment period will close March 14, 2014.

Please include your full name and e-mail/address with your comments so we may add you to our mailing list for future notices about this process. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment; however, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

The majority of the text of this article was taken from the Franklin Park Vision and Transformation Plan/Alternatives News Letter. Sections of the newsletter have been omitted and others bulletised for easier reading. The text and renderings remain property of the  National Park Service, the D.C. Office of Planning, and the Downtown Business Improvement District