The National Park Service wants to hand the District full control of the D.C. Armory, a 9.4-acre site next to the former RFK Stadium that houses both the D.C. National Guard headquarters and a 10,000-seat events venue.
The NPS submitted the proposal to the National Capital Planning Commission ahead of its Thursday, Sept. 3 meeting, according to WJLA. The federal government would keep title to the land, but the District would gain what the documentation calls "administrative jurisdiction" over the property at 2001 East Capitol St. SE.
The move is directly tied to the $2.7 billion Washington Commanders stadium rising on the adjacent 180-acre RFK campus. The D.C. National Guard has said the stadium development would disrupt its mission capabilities, and said in July it is weighing several sites for a new base of operations. One leading option: 80 acres inside the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Northwest.
The Washington Business Journal also reported the transfer proposal on Aug. 17.
What it means for the Armory
The Armory, which opened in 1941, has served double duty for decades. Its roughly 70,000-to-80,000-square-foot drill floor has hosted the Washington Auto Show, concerts, trade shows and Presidential inauguration balls from Harry Truman through Barack Obama. Events DC currently manages the venue's nonmilitary programming.
If the transfer goes through, the District would control the site outright for the first time, though the federal government would retain ownership of the underlying land. That's a significant shift.
Bigger picture: RFK campus
The Armory transfer is one piece of a broader transformation along the Anacostia. The Commanders' 65,000-seat stadium is expected to break ground in spring 2027 and open by spring 2030. The wider RFK campus master plan envisions 5,000 to 6,500 housing units, at least 30% of them affordable, along with hotels, restaurants, parks and a youth sportsplex.
When the Commanders announced their construction team on Aug. 11, Mayor Muriel Bowser said the project put the city "one step closer to transforming 180 acres of land on the banks of the Anacostia into a Super Bowl-ready stadium, and then housing, entertainment, park space, and more."
D.C. Office of Planning Director Anita Cozart indicated in August that the campus master plan will be submitted to the D.C. Council in early fall 2026 for approval by year-end, according to Bisnow.
What's next
The NCPC, the federal agency that reviews major land-use decisions in the capital, will take up the Armory proposal at its Sept. 3 meeting. It is unclear whether NCPC approval alone would complete the transfer or whether additional federal or D.C. Council action would be required. Residents can track the agenda at the commission's website.
