By Erin Fitzgerald

The Hoffman-Madison Waterfront (HMW) team hosted the first of two charrettes on Sept. 14 to discuss the plans for a Waterfront Park that will be developed as a part of the first phase of Wharf development. The park will be built on a 2.2 acre lot located behind the current St. Augustine’s Church.

HMW asked ANC commissioners to invite select representatives of their communities to join in the charrette. Attendance was by invitation only and the evening was hosted by HMW team at their headquarters on Water Street, SW. HMW planned the charrettes because of their strong desire for the park to be developed in the interests and desires of the community.

Those invited were introduced to the team of impressive landscape architects who will carry out the final design. The team consists of Nelson Byrd Woltz, a firm located in Charlottesville, and Lee and Associates located in D.C. Nelson
Byrd Woltz’ porfolio includes CityGarden in St. Louis, MS; the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, PA; Orongo Station in New Zeland; and the Dell at the University of Viriginia in Charlottesville, VA. Lee and Associates portfolio
includes the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, VA; the Kingman Island Environmental Center in Washington, D.C.; Mecca in Saudi Arabia; and the USDOT headquarters in Washington, D.C.

At the Sept. 14 meeting attendees were split into two groups. Half went with Warren Byrd from Nelson Byrd Woltz while the other half went with Jeff Lee from Lee and Associates. The two groups separately discussed and drew some rough sketches on what elements they hoped to see in a park at that location. The groups also discussed the atmosphere they hoped the park would have. At the end of the meeting the groups met back together and presented what they each had separately discussed.

These groups will meet again in October for a second charette. Again, only those invited are allowed to attend. More details about specific aspects of the park will follow the second charette once the architects are able to turn the
many suggestions into a feasible plan.

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