On this 113-acre site near Howard University, the Army Corps of Engineers constructed a reservoir in 1901 and a sand filtration facility in 1907 as a source for DC’s water supply. The site also served as a public park designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. as a major element of the “emerald necklace” of parklands surrounding the City. At the beginning of World War II a chain link fence was erected around the property as a security measure. The site was designated a DC landmark in 1991 and listed on the National Register in 2013.
The 25 acres encompassing the filtration plant towers and vaults were sold to the DC Government in 1987. In 2006 the City retained the firm EYA to develop a master plan for the site, which envisions a mixed use of high-rise buildings, lower rise residential structures, a community center, and some parkland. A neighborhood group has challenged the design and implementation procedure. The Committee of 100 does not object to development of the site but believes that the current proposal is too dense and high in relation to its prominent location. The Committee of 100’s Historic Preservation Subcommittee is monitoring the situation as it evolves.
Document Library