Metro News Release

For immediate release: January 16, 2007

Metro, Community Leaders Break Ground on Enhancements to the Navy Yard Metrorail Station to Coincide with Ballpark Opening

Enhancements to the Navy Yard Metrorail station are underway to serve baseball fans who plan to attend games at the new ballpark, which is being constructed just a short walk from the station.

Today, Metro and community officials broke ground on enhancements to the Navy Yard Metrorail station in anticipation of ridership growth due to ongoing and future development in the neighborhood and the construction of a new ballpark one block south of the station. These enhancements are planned for completion before the first regular season home game of the 2008 baseball season.

“This may turn out to be as important a groundbreaking as the groundbreaking for the stadium itself, so on opening day people are talking about the ball game and not the traffic,” said the Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton, United States House of Representatives.

“There is a commitment from the District of Columbia government that this project move forward on time, on budget and be world-class,” said DC Mayor Adrian Fenty.

The west entrance closed on January 2nd, to start the enhancements. The station has a capacity of approximately 5,000 people per hour. To be able to accommodate up to 15,000 people per hour coming to baseball games through the station the following upgrades are being made:

• relocation of the kiosk, fare gates and fare vendors from the mezzanine to the surface,
• increased numbers of fare gates and vending machines,
• construction of an additional elevator between the entrance and the mezzanine, and
• construction of an additional elevator and a stair between the mezzanine and the platform.

“This community has seen remarkable growth in recent years, and the return of Major League Baseball to Washington has brought much fanfare throughout the region. It’s also helping to transform the Southeast waterfront area of the city into a world-class entertainment destination,” said Gladys Mack, Metro Board Chairman. “Our station is an important part of the growth.”

Metro officials plan for the new station entrance to operate in a one-way direction before and after all Washington Nationals home baseball games to get people to their seats in time for the first pitch, and get them home after the game. Customers traveling in the opposite direction will be able to access the station through the stations second entrance along New Jersey Avenue, a block away.

“As convenient as Metro is to RFK, this will be as twice as close to the front door of the ballpark of any subway and ballpark in the county. This is a lynchpin for making the stadium a success,” said Stan Kasten, President of the Washington Nationals.

“The expansion of the station will help accommodate the throngs of visitors, sports enthusiasts and new residents who are sure to descend on this up-and-coming hot spot,” said Jim Graham, Metro Board member.

The Navy Yard Metrorail station enhancement program includes a joint development project that will be constructed over the station's west entrance. The developer, Monument Realty, will construct a nine-floor, 275,000 square foot office building containing 12,000 square feet of retail space. The building will feature green roof areas above the mechanical penthouses and a dramatic two-story truss at the corner of Half and M Streets to allow the building to span over the Metro entrance and integrate the station into the building envelope. The building materials will include terra cotta tile and metal panels. A three-level garage will be constructed underneath the building.

“Metro has spurred development in many areas around the Washington region, and this is another great example of how public transportation plays a vital role in urban development and building sustainable communities,” said Jack Requa, Metro’s Acting General Manager.

The $20 million project budget is being funded on an interim basis by the District of Columbia until the Federal Fiscal Year 2007 budget is approved.

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News release issued at 12:00 am, January 16, 2007.