Important activities occur

within these government

buildings, but the exteriors

do little to integrate the

city's urban fabric with the

monumental presence of

the federal government.
Few American cities rival Washington, DC's grand public spaces and iconic architecture. Each day,

thousands of people are drawn to its National Mall, inspiring landmarks, and world-class museums

that are located in an area of the city known as the monumental core. 

While the architecture is indeed impressive, and the flow of workers and tourists is steady throughout the

day, most federal buildings in this area fail to include the type of mixed-use activities that strengthen a vital,

vibrant city center.

The concentration of federal buildings in prime locations adjacent to the National Mall offers little in the

way of publicly accessible ground-level restaurants, cafes, retail, professional services, or cultural

opportunities. Clusters of single-use, large-scale office buildings are void of life past the traditional nine-tofive work day, and the lack of public-space programming hinders an active street life. Important activities

occur within these buildings, but the exteriors do little to integrate the fabric of city life with the monumental

presence of the federal government.

In 1997, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) began addressing how to make federal

buildings and spaces more publicly accessible and integrated with local economies, when the agency

published Extending the Legacy: Planning America's Capital for the 21st Century. The 2009 Monumental

Core Framework Plan: Connecting New Destinations with the National Mall, built on Extending the Legacy’s

vision for the capital city by advancing its ideas for connecting and animating areas adjacent to the Mall.

The Framework Plan recognizes that Washington's monumental and historic federal buildings must play a

role in providing a mix of uses to enliven the civic spaces around them. The plan identifies target areas for

future redevelopment, such as 10th Street, SW, and explores infusing existing areas, such as the Federal

Triangle, with more active uses. The plan offers solutions for animating public buildings and spaces, such

as requiring new federal buildings to include retail, dining or cultural uses on their ground floors that are

designed to support and attract activity beyond the traditional work day.

Enlivening Federal Precincts

1
2

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Activating federal buildings and their adjacent public space presents many challenges.

First, many federal buildings, particularly those in the District of Columbia, are considered

historic; therefore providing new amenities and active uses in these buildings requires

thoughtful and careful design and planning. 

In addition, many federal agencies do not realize that leasing space for retail or cultural

purposes is a policy supported by the U.S. Congress and the General Services Administration

through its Urban Development/Good Neighbor Program (for more on this program, please

see page 6).

Another challenge is that many federal agencies have security concerns about allowing

open, public access to spaces within their facilities. However, there are innovative solutions

that allow for street-level uses and animated public space without comprising security. 

Whatever the reason, it is important for federal agencies to know that there are available

resources to help implement the important goal of having buildings and public spaces that

include needed amenities that serve a growing base of workers and residents, as well as the

entire National Capital Region and its millions of annual visitors.

Leasing space for retail or

cultural purposes is a

policy supported by the

U.S. Congress and the

General Services

Administration’s Urban

Development/Good

Neighbor Program.

Addressing Current

Challenges

3
4

Tariff Building located on 7th Street, NW.

Old Post Office Pavilion

Supporting the Use of 

Historic Buildings 

Existing federal policies support the reuse of

historic buildings for tourism, economic

development and community programs.

Over the past decades, laws and policies have been established

to protect and preserve historic buildings, while allowing them to

be adapted for re-use to keep them viable and active. In 1966,

Congress passed the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA),

which established national policies and the federal program for

the protection of historic properties including federal facilities. For

example, Section 111 of NHPA regulations permits long-term

leases and adaptive reuse for all or portions of assets listed in the

National Register of Historic Places. This regulation allowed the

General Services Administration to work with the private sector to

restore the historic, federal Tariff Building on 7th Street, NW for

use as a hotel and restaurant. Furthermore, Executive Orders

such as EO 13006 and laws such as the Public Buildings

Cooperative Use Act support the whole or partial reuse of historic

buildings for active uses as a means to protect them and to

support economic development and urban revitalization. Federal

agencies are encouraged to utilize these polices when assessing

a historic property for new or continued use.
Supporting Active Federal Spaces 

The GSA Urban Development/Good Neighbor Program

Buildings owned or leased by the federal government in Washington’s monumental core are

typically managed by the General Services Administration (GSA), which represents agencies in

locating, procuring, developing, and managing space for their operations. GSA administers space

requirements according to the needs specifically identified by the client agency; be it security,

design, or location. 

While this approach addresses specific needs of individual agencies, it often precludes more

global considerations, such as including amenities and active public spaces around federal

buildings. Often times, tenant agencies may not understand the importance of including these

elements within their building program. As such, it is critical that all tenant agencies in the federal

government better understand the benefits of incorporating active uses and developing exciting

public space destinations in and around their buildings. 

Providing amenities such as ground-floor retail, public art, and programming events, such as

farmers' markets, can increase employee satisfaction, public interest in an agency's mission,

and the value of federal property.

5

The U.S. DOT Headquarters includes a

walkable outdoor museum alongside retail.
To encourage and support active, public federal buildings, Congress passed the Public

Buildings Cooperative Use Act. To advance the goals of the act, the GSA created the Urban

Development/Good Neighbor Program to help federal buildings better integrate with their

surrounding communities; support neighborhood urban design goals; and manage federal

properties to encourage public use and openness.

While there are legal mechanisms and policies that promote active public spaces in federal

buildings, it is up to the tenant agencies to realize the value these additions can create for

their building, work environment, and community. Tenant agencies should include publicly

accessible retail and well-designed public spaces as part of their program early in the

planning process.

Specifically, the Public Cooperative Use Act established the following objectives:

1. Acquire and utilize space in suitable buildings of historic, architectural, or cultural

significance, unless use of such space would not prove feasible and prudent

compared with available alternatives;

2. Encourage the location of commercial, cultural, educational, and recreational uses

within public buildings;

3. Provide and maintain space, facilities, and activities, to the extent practicable, which

encourage public access to and stimulate public pedestrian traffic around, into, and

through public buildings, permitting cooperative improvements to and uses of the

area between the building and the street, so that such activities complement and

supplement commercial, cultural, educational, and recreational resources in the

neighborhood of public buildings.

6

View of National Archives from

the National Portrait Gallery

Photo courtesy Helen Betty
Innovative Solutions that Balance

Security and Public Access

Providing physical security at federal buildings or at facilities with federal tenants is both

important and necessary. However, it doesn't have to be at the expense of providing publicly

accessible spaces in and around federal buildings.

There are solutions that allow for publicly accessible street-level commercial and cultural

spaces without affecting necessary security measures. One method is to construct a

"building wrap," which is a separate building that wraps around the secured space without

resulting in the appearance of two distinct buildings.

Other approaches include providing structurally reinforced retail space within the building's

envelope (as opposed to being a wrap outside of it), and allowing free-standing vending

kiosks to operate within the public space around the building.

Blast Resistant Glass

Hardened Wall as

Vehicular Barrier

Secure Zone

Secure Zone Sidewalk Street Street Front Commercial Zone (40’-100’)

Stand Off Zone

Providing publicly accessible

space as a building wrap

Parking

Lane

Blast Resistant Structure

and Glass

One security solution is the

“building wrap,” a publicly

accessible building that

wraps around the secured

space without resulting in the

appearance of two distinctly

separate structures.

7
8
The federal government has a significant presence in Washington, DC's commercial

districts, especially in newly developing areas such as North of Massachusetts Avenue

(NoMa) and the Capitol Riverfront. In most commercial areas in the District of Columbia,

city zoning requires private buildings to include street-fronting publicly accessible retail or

cultural uses and the city encourages public art and open spaces within commercial areas. 

Since federal buildings are located in areas with significant private development that is

regulated by District of Columbia zoning, it is important that their use complement the

city’s efforts to include publically accessible retail, cultural, or arts-related uses at street

level. The federal government should strive to meet similar goals so that its properties may

better integrate with the city and foster a seamless and active public realm.

Integrating Federal

Buildings within the City

9
Across the country, the federal government is demonstrating that buildings can contribute to the

making of great streets and urban vitality. The following examples illustrate the progress that has

been made in ensuring that federal buildings provide active spaces for public use.

Environmental Protection Agency

Region 8 Headquarters

Denver, CO

Opened in March 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency's Region

8 Headquarters is located in a section of lower downtown Denver

known as “LoDo.” The building received LEED Gold certification and

includes approximately 18,000 square feet of publicly accessible

ground-floor retail.

Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center

Washington, DC

The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center is located in the

heart of Washington’s Federal Triangle. The 3.7-million-square-foot complex

was completed in 1998, and features approximately 83,000 square feet of

retail and exhibit space, which animates the interior of the building and

provides a publicly accessible plaza for events. The complex welcomes an

estimated one million visitors a year for conferences and trade shows, all of

which take place in the same building that houses federal employees for EPA,

USAID, and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

International Monetary Fund

Washington, DC

The International Monetary Fund has security concerns similar to any

federal installation; nonetheless, this building includes approximately

6,700 square feet of retail along its Pennsylvania Avenue frontage. It

also incorporates public art at that adds to the life and vitality of the

surrounding streets.

Successful Precedents

10
The US Department of Transportation Headquarters

Washington, DC

The new headquarters for the United States Department of Transportation

(DOT), located in southeast Washington, incorporates into its design retail uses

and public art. Built in 2006, the 1.5-million-square-foot building has 1,800

square feet of street-fronting retail and includes a transportation-related art walk

around its perimeter. The plaza on the south side of the building is used for a

weekly farmers' market and neighborhood events. These amenities provide a

great service for both U.S. DOT employees and neighborhood residents.

US Federal Building

San Francisco, CA

The new 18-story, 605,000-square-foot federal building

located in San Francisco's Mission District is a model of how a

secure federal building can utilize modern architecture to

create an iconic and welcoming public space. Like the Ronald

Reagan Building in Washington, DC, the facility provides retail

space within its public plaza. It also incorporates service

amenities, such as a childcare center and conference facility

that are available for public use.

Seattle Federal Courthouse

Seattle, WA

Built in 2004 in downtown Seattle, Washington, this federal courthouse

consolidates a number of federal agencies. It includes the offices of the

U.S. Attorney, U.S. Marshal, federal grand jury, and other judicial services.

Despite housing security-sensitive agencies, the project includes a 1,500-

square-foot, publicly accessible retail space along the Seventh Avenue

frontage of the 615,000-square-foot building. The project allocated more

than $2 million for public artwork, including the incorporation of a welldesigned one-acre public plaza.

11
Mixing residential housing with office and retail is the most effective

method for creating an authentic livable, walkable, city center. In

Washington, DC residences are regularly mixed with office or retail

development. Examples include Market Square, the Newseum on

Pennsylvania Avenue, NW and the International Spy Museum on

9th Street, NW.

Given that the federal government is the city’s largest employer,

imagine the possibilities if federal developments included on-site

housing. Such is the case on military installations like the Marine

Barracks in southeast Washington on 8th and I Streets. The

inclusion of housing and community amenities better integrates

federal developments into the city environment and meets the

growing demand by employees to live near their work. The result is

urban living at its best and animation of the surrounding

community. While there are security and ownership issues to be

addressed, providing housing within federal projects is a worthy

objective to pursue.

Imagine...

Integrating Residential

and Office Space

12

10th Street, SW Corridor, proposed

and existing conditions

The Newseum Residences
As the federal government continues to realize the value of creating public and

street-level spaces, it can take advantage of development opportunities to once again

produce public buildings that contribute to the cityscape. The Monumental Core

Framework Plan identifies priority redevelopment opportunities including:

 10th Street, SW Corridor - Linking the National Mall to the Waterfront

The Banneker Overlook and the headquarters for the U.S. Department of Energy

and U.S. Postal Service are located within this corridor, which is often desolate and

uninviting. The Framework Plan highlights the opportunity to create a crucial

connection between the National Mall and future developments planned for the

Banneker Overlook and the southwest waterfront. Allowing retail and cultural uses

in the ground floors of federal facilities in this corridor would foster street life, attract

visitors from the National Mall to new destinations, and provide needed amenities

for area employees.

 Pennsylvania Avenue - America's Main Street

Modifying current regulations to introduce vending and public art is a critical next

step in furthering the evolution of this great street. Redeveloped in the 1970s by the

Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation, this avenue defines the area where

the federal district intersects with the District of Columbia's downtown. While

developments with retail, residential, and office use are thriving on parts of the

street, much of Pennsylvania Avenue lacks the continuity of street-level amenities

that encourage greater use. Continuing the progression of Pennsylvania Avenue as

an active main street lined with street-level shops, cafes, and exciting public space

destinations would be a powerful model for other federally controlled precincts in

the nation's capital and elsewhere in the country.

Opportunities in DC

13
Advancing strategies for enlivening federal precincts requires

collaboration among many partners. The federal government should reach

out to private and non-profit groups to establish creative leasing

arrangements, understand the market demands, and further encourage

incorporation of cultural and community uses within facilities. To begin a

dialogue on these issues, the National Capital Planning Commission, in

partnership with GSA, held a roundtable discussion in May 2009.

"Reimagining the Federal Superblock: Bringing Mixed-Uses to Government

Sites" brought together critical stakeholders from the public, private, and

non-profit sectors to discuss incorporating active uses within the ground

floors of federal buildings.

Partnerships

and Action

14
What’s Next?

The National Capital Planning Commission, the General Services Administration, and other

partner agencies continue working together to remake the spaces around federal buildings

into vibrant destinations. In advancing the ideas suggested in this brochure, NCPC will work

with tenant federal agencies to develop creative solutions and provide urban design

assistance for enlivening their facilities. These solutions could focus on areas such as:

 Security Concerns: Federal agencies and the GSA should work closely together to find

creative security solutions that provide the necessary protection to federal sites while

allowing ground-floor retail uses and access for public events.

 Public Space Programming: Agencies should develop cultural activities and attractions

that draw people throughout the day and evening hours. This will not only activate the

space, but also make the area more appealing for entertainment or retail use.

 Housing: While it is important to introduce retail and cultural uses into public spaces,

integration of housing should also be explored as a worthy component to activate federal

buildings and precincts.

 Balanced Amenities: Agencies should learn what combination of amenities, such as

retail or attractions, will provide the best value for their employees, residents, other

community stakeholders, and visitors.

Roles and Responsibilities:

 Clarifying and streamlining roles when programming alternative uses in ground floors and

public spaces is important, as there may be overlapping interests by different agencies.

 A federal building's unique characteristics and specific traits, including market conditions

of the site, should be evaluated when programming for ground-floor uses and adjacent

public spaces.

15
401 9th Street, NW Suite 500 Washington, DC 20004 Telephone 202.482.7200 Fax 202.482.7272 www.ncpc.gov info@ncpc.gov

The National Capital Planning Commission is the

federal government’s planning agency in the

District of Columbia and surrounding counties in

Maryland and Virginia. The Commission provides

overall planning guidance for federal land and

buildings in the region. It also reviews the

design of federal construction projects, oversees

long-range planning for future development, and

monitors capital investment by federal agencies.

The Federal Planning Agency for America’s Capital

NCPC0900369