Long Bridge Park Construction Underway
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For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 15, 2010
Contact: Susan Kalish 703-228-3330 (voice) 703-228-4743(TTY)
Long Bridge Park Construction Underway
- Transforming brownfield to stunning urban recreation site
- Raised esplanade will offer panoramic Potomac views
- Three athletic fields planned
Arlington, Va – Construction is underway on Long Bridge Park, Arlington County’s ambitious effort to restore, preserve and interpret a public open space along the urbanized Potomac and its tributaries.
When completed in summer, 2011, Long Bridge Park will transform a regionally significant brownfield into a model of environmentally sound redevelopment that will provide high-quality urban recreation opportunities for the region.
“This is a great day in Arlington,” said County Board Chair Jay Fisette at the park's April 10 construction kickoff. “This kickoff is the culmination of a collaborative planning and design process involving citizens, the Arlington County Board, Marymount University, the development community, a wide range of state and federal agencies and County staff.”
Greening a brownfield
Fisette noted that the County’s unusual decision to reclaim land contaminated with lead and PCB is enthusiastically supported by the Commonwealth. “Unlike many of the reclamation projects in Virginia that take contaminated land and raise it to a level suitable for other industrial uses, we are reclaiming contaminated land to provide Arlington County and the region a premier park with active recreation."
The parcel designated for the park is enrolled in the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Voluntary Remediation Program.The Washington Smart Growth Alliance named the park one of six Regional Conservation Priorities in 2008. The alliance promotes the overall sustainability of the region by encouraging smart growth alternatives that will be more affordable for citizens in the short term and more sustainable over the long term.
Athletic fields, native plant gardens and more
Phase I of the new park will feature three athletic fields, picnic areas, and a raised observation area. A 2,000-foot raised esplanade, offering panoramic views of the Potomac, will invite strolling, bicycling, train spotting, plane watching and small festivals. The esplanade will connect all sections of the park and its recreational facilities.
Park visitors also will enjoy public green spaces, native plant gardens and environmentally responsible structures. A three-quarter acre rain garden will infiltrate runoff from the parking lot and sports fields into a planted garden of native shrubs and perennials. Restrooms and a storage facility will complete the first phase of construction.
About 3,000 feet of Old Jefferson Davis Highway and 6th Street South will be reconstructed to complement the recreational facilities and amenities and provide a gateway from the south into the Long Bridge Park area.
Phase II will bring a state-of-the-art aquatics and fitness center to the northern end of the site.
Background
In 2004 the Arlington County residents approved a $50 million bond to support initial development of Long Bridge Park. In a partnership with Arlington County, Marymount University will fully fund the construction cost of one of the athletic fields and support the field’s operational and maintenance costs in exchange for non-exclusive use of the field for all of the University’s soccer and lacrosse team practices and home games.
For more information on Long Bridge Park, visit the County’s website.
Arlington, Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world - including the Pentagon - Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.
