An official U.S. government website 
NCPC in partnership with the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts coordinated development of the Framework Plan with three adjacent planning efforts.
New pedestrian bridges across the Washington Channel could connect East Potomac Park to Washington's southern neighborhoods. New wetlands could help to improve water management.
Redesign of the Forrestal Complex and environs could provide an opportunity to reconnect the National to the waterfront and develop 20-acres showcasing high-performance infrastructure, building, and landscape practices.
Background and Context
The Framework Plan provides more in-depth analysis and tools to advance the Legacy Plan's goals to relieve development pressure on the National Mall; better integrate federal development with city life; and support a diversifying local economy, growing population, and expanding downtown. It seeks to remove or minimize infrastructure barriers and address the unintended consequences of some past development decisions. The Framework Plan responds to executive and legislative policies to use federal land, facilities, and resources more efficiently and sustainably. It complements plans for adjacent areas: the National Park Service's National Mall Plan, the District of Columbia's Center City Action Agenda, and the Architect of the Capitol's Capitol Complex Master Plan.
The plan focuses on four largely federal precincts: Southwest Rectangle, Potomac Park, Northwest Rectangle, and Federal Triangle. It proposes to:
- Enliven federal office building precincts with a mix of uses, new public spaces, and great streets.
- Transform underused sites into prominent destinations.
- Protect the National Mall from overuse and enhance the setting of distinctive public spaces for future memorials and cultural attractions.
- Improve pedestrian, bicycle, and public transit links among revitalized precincts, the National Mall, and the city center.
- Restore important vistas, streets, and squares to seamlessly connect Washington's federal and local civic destinations.
Key Information
- Prepared by:
National Capital Planning Commission
U.S. Commission of Fine Arts
in cooperation with 15 federal and local agencies - Adopted: March, 2009
- Accepted: April, 2009
Download Full Plan
Current
The Framework Plan’s action agenda identifies near- and long-term opportunities to achieve the plan’s goals and objectives, several of which are complete or underway. The plan informed policy guidance in the Comprehensive Plan’s Federal Elements (updated in 2016) and is an important reference document used for NCPC project review. The SW Ecodistrict Plan (2013) is a planning initiative to use federal land and facilities more efficiently, to increase the mix of uses, and to improve connectivity and walkability within the entire prescient. Two key recommendations have been realized with the construction of the International Spy Museum, a cultural destination at L’Enfant Plaza, and improved landscape and connectivity between 10th Street, SW and Maine Avenue at the waterfront. Both were completed in 2018. The Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative is an effort to develop a vision for how the Avenue can meet local and national needs in a 21st century capital city. Related projects include the Federal Triangle Cultural Heritage Trail; approval of development guidelines to redevelop the FBI headquarters as a high density mixed use development; and the Old Post Office conversion.
Plan Chapters
Introduction
Overview and summary of the plan's goals and objectives.
Context
Summary of historic, current, and complementary planning efforts.
Guiding Themes and Strategies
Identifies six themes and how best to achieve them.
Southwest Rectangle
Establish a mixed-use neighborhood and connect the city's downtown, the National Mall, and the Potomac riverfront.
Potomac Park
Reimagine the park as a unique destination; a prestigious extension of the National Mall; and a setting of extraordinary beauty and sweeping waterfront vistas.
Northwest Rectangle
Create a place of beautiful and monumental institutions within a cohesive park network that can become an accessible and walkable cultural destination and workplace.
Federal Triangle
A mix of activities and engaging public spaces can increase the federal triangle's appeal and strengthen Pennsylvania Avenue's role as America's preeminent ceremonial boulevard.
Action Agenda
Identifies organizational and funding tools, in addition to proposing a series of next steps and recommend priorities.
