By Page Zakas
The Washington Nationals are competing in the postseason for the first time in their short history. Their winning record this season drew a large number of fans to cheer on their baseball team with an average of about 30,000 viewers in each game compared to about 25,000 in 2011. Many new fans cheered on the Nationals to a winning season this past year. Fans gather around the stadium at the Bull Pen. The Bull Pen is an open- air venue that hosts festivals and concerts when the Nationals are not playing. The Bull Pen and the stadium have drawn a large demographic of people to this neighborhood. So what effect will this have on the Washington Nationals Stadium at Navy Yard?
The building of the Nationals Stadium was announced in 2004, but the neighborhood surrounding the stadium was already under renovation. The Green Line, which once stopped at Navy Yard was extended to Prince George County in 2001, which increased accessibility and allowed for more suburban workers to reach the city. The addition of the stops along the Green Line increased development in the Navy Yard area, which included building high rise office buildings.
The stadium was completed in 2008, and while this stadium is a major attraction, the area surrounding the stadium seems to be at a standstill. Many of the buildings surrounding the stadium have never been completed. 2013 is expected to bring some new developments to the area including the Boilermaker Shops, a new brewery, and Canal Park, which will host restaurants and a skating rink in the winter.
The Nats stadium has attracted many fans, but will it continue to have a positive impact on development of the neighborhood or will these areas remain unfinished?
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