SW Waterfront and East Potomac Park

We hadn’t been to East Potomac park since we moved to northern Virginia almost two years ago. So we took a ride for a morning walk. The first encounter is seeing the massive building and construction that has occurred at the SW Waterfront. We used to buy blue crabs and crab meat at Captain White’s when our family lived down the street from us on Capitol Hill. As we drove along the road everything looked really run down. All the sidewalks along the water were closed off. They looked quite damaged and ugly. All the garbage containers were overloaded and the crows were attacking each of them. We stopped for a bit and saw a couple of ducks. Then as we headed over to the other side there were a few fisherman sitting and waiting for the big catch. The airport was visible as usual. One of the dinner boats that probably hasn’t seen much action over the last year was sailing by. None of the cherry trees were even near blooming. We thought we might catch them early, but that wasn’t going to happen. This whole area will be blocked off from visitors when the trees are in bloom due to social distancing concerns. I can’t say we were very impressed by what we saw. So we probably won’t be visiting again any time soon. 

Yards Park in SE DC

This week we drove over to our old Capitol Hill neighborhood. It was difficult to actually get in to our usual parking place by our old house because the barricaded Capitol also cuts you off from Independence Avenue. After another twenty minutes or more we finally figured a route. This time we wanted to take a morning walk along the Anacostia River, Nationals stadium, and Yards Park. When we first moved to Capitol Hill fifteen years ago, none of this massive building boom existed. Now it looks like another arm of downtown filled with high rises, metal, glass and NOISE. The construction has hardly stopped and makes for a very loud environment. I was also trying to get images for the 52Frames photo challenge this week - “details.” Ever since we moved to northern Virginia almost two years ago we are less impressed with the old neighborhood. It might be that the pandemic has definitely changed things, but the barricaded blocks with barbed wired fencing takes away from the whole vibe. We thought about renting an apartment in the Yards area before we bought our condo and I’m glad we decided not to. I think we have outgrown the hassle of living in a busy place without the benefits. It was nice while it lasted especially when I was working. Now it’s close enough to visit and that’s good enough. Driving home along the GW Parkway was an unexpected sight - 3 park police on horseback. We oftentimes see them in the city, but never along a busy road way. 

SE Waterfront in Winter

Every once in a while we change up our routine and walk over to the SE neighborhood by the Navy Yard. It’s also called Yards Park and a lot of other things. None of it existed when we first moved here twelve years ago. Now, among all the high rises that were recently built and all the new ones that are half done with many more to go, it’s beginning to look like downtown. There is hardly any daylight in between the buildings. As one goes up, another goes up right next to it and blocks the view. The baseball stadium anchors one end and the Capitol Building can be seen up South Capitol Street with new buildings in all stages along the path. The one “free space” is by the Anacostia River. So we detoured over that way. Having just snowed it looked and sounded eerily quiet compared to all the construction noise opposite it. There were symmetrical reflections in the river mirroring the sky above. This place will soon be home to one of the most - if not the most - congested neighborhoods in DC. We don’t mind living near it, but probably wouldn’t want to live in it. When all is said and done it is pretty - along the waterfront. 

Washington Navy Yard

After stopping off for blood work at my doctors office in Eastern Market this morning, our walk took us towards the Anacostia River via eighth street. Our plan was to meander by the waterfront along the Navy Yard walkway. We moved over to about tenth street and down to the river, but the walkway was closed due to maintenance. So we came back to M street and headed west. All along this stretch and around the Navy Yard perimeter at least six city blocks long or more was a very tall brick wall with a few manned entrances for car and foot traffic. We started to notice signs entitled “behind these walls” that spoke of the history of this place on the Capitol riverfront. It’s been here for a long time and has gone through many changes. My initial interest was that John Wilkes Booth made his way across a bridge here somewhere as he made his escape to Virginia from Ford’s Theater. It protected the city during the War if 1812 and the Civil War. It was a bustling navy yard where ships were actually built, and also served as a celebratory site for welcoming royalty and political figures in years past. Most recently, it was the site of a disgusting mass shooting event. Maybe one of these days we will visit the museum. Since we moved to DC this area has transformed - Nationals Park, the Department of Transportation, countless apartments, condos, restaurants, retail, etc. It’s so dense now the UPS delivery people told us they are overwhelmed by the sheer density of the place. I heard it will become one of, if not the most populated neighborhood in DC. We are just waiting for the new Whole Foods store to open just two or three blocks away from where we live in Capitol Hill. But in the meantime it feels strange to think of all that has come before this. It was an unexpected and unplanned reminder of the city’s history. 

Capitol Riverfront, Anacostia, and Construction

Rather than walk to the Mall, we turned south toward the Anacostia riverfront. The construction and noise is overwhelming. The sidewalks are being replaced to brick from concrete, the Virginia Avenue train renovation is handily underway, and the high rises are fast appearing just about everywhere. We started at the fountains near the river, then headed west towards Nationals Stadium. The cranes, concrete and glass are not is short supply. The hoards of workers in yellow safety vests are taking breaks at the old fashioned food trucks. When we first moved here ten years ago, none of these structures were in existence. We wouldn't want to live in the huge steel and glass buildongs, much preferring the traditional Capitol Hill neighborhood with all the issues of living in very old buildings - although it would be great to have a parking space and our own heating and air conditioning unit. It all looks much better from a distance, and taking a walk through it every once in a while is all we need.