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History of
Southwest Waterfont
Located at the confluence of the Potomac and
Anacostia Rivers is Washington DC’s Southwest
Waterfront. Situated on the edge of the Washington
Channel, the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood has a
rich history that dates back centuries to the early
settlement of our nation’s capital.
 Long before plans for the Federal City of
Washington, the Southwest quadrant of the District
was utilized by Native Americans and later by
settlers for farming and industry, due to river
access. Following L’Enfant’s plan for the city in
1791, early speculators began building town homes in
the area. By the mid 19th century, the Southwest was
comprised of a diverse community including the
federal government, which began to have a presence
in Southwest including such entities as the
Smithsonian and USDA.
After the Civil War, the Southwest Waterfront
became a neighborhood for poorer Washingtonians. The neighborhood was divided in half
by Fourth Street SW, then known as 4 1/2 Street;
Scottish, Irish, German, and eastern European
immigrants lived west of 4 1/2 Street, while freed
blacks lived to the east. Each half was centered
around religious establishments: St. Dominic's
Catholic Church and Temple Beth Israel on the west,
and Friendship Baptist Church on the east.
Southwest continued to grow into the 20th
century, with its population peaking at 35,000 in
1905. By the 1920’s, however, conditions began to
decline and the area was deemed a “problem area” by
the District and Federal officials the 1950’s due to
substandard housing and overcrowding. In response, a
dramatic plan to demolish and redevelop the
Southwest was implemented; this plan was part of the
infamous Urban Renewal process – creating several
large “superblocks” and the Southeast/Southwest
freeway, removing all forms of
connectivity to the rest of Washington, while
preserving historically significant landmarks such
as the Fish Wharf.
Since this period of redevelopment, the Southwest
has remained mostly untouched. Now, 50 years later,
the Hoffman-Struever Team heads the effort to
reconnect the District to the water. As the maritime
front porch to the Nation’s Capital, the
redevelopment of the Southwest Waterfront should
embrace a clean and active river; eliminate barriers
and provide public access; produce an active urban
riverfront and park system; showcase distinctive
cultural destinations; and, build a strong
waterfront community. The redevelopment of the
Southwest Waterfront will set a new standard for
waterfront urban development.
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