US Navy Announces New Museum Site Plans– Preferred Navy Option Involves Land Swap Outside Tingey Gate by Sarah Payne

US NAVY ANNOUNCES NEW MUSEUM SITE PLANS

Preferred Navy Option Involves Land Swap Outside Tingey Gate

by Sarah Payne

Hundreds of the US Navy’s ship historic models, guns and artifacts will have a larger and more accessible home. in a few years The US Navy is establishing plans for the construction of a new museum outside the confines of the Washington Navy Yard –and they’re doing it through an interest mechanism: a land exchange.

The Navy is hosting two virtual public meetings this month to receive public opinion on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) associated with the acquisition.

The Proposed Site

The Navy is seeking approximately six acres of land immediately outside the Tingey Gate at the Washington Navy Yard for the development and to help improve the installation’s antiterrorism security posture. The proposed development location sits adjacent to the Washington Navy Yard which is a fully operational military base. The property would be purchased by the Navy from the developer and would receive the SEFC E parcels from GSA, or be acquired through a land exchange.

The new location aims to allow the museum to offer the general public “unfettered access to US Navy history and heritage.” Visitors to the current museum must pass through an extensive security checkpoint as they are officially entering a US Military base. It also improves the overall antiterrorism posture of the Navy Yard as a whole, representatives indicated in a public presentation.

In late October, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced the Department of the Navy’s preferred location for a new National Museum of the United States Navy. Del Toro spoke at the ceremony about the importance of maintaining these artifacts.

“The exhibits of this new museum will create a living memorial to the US Navy’s heritage of victory and valor, bringing to life the human experiences of serving at sea,” said Del Toro. “It will give all the visitors of the future museum – regardless of their previous military experience – a greater appreciation and understanding of the economic and diplomatic importance of what a strong and robust Navy means to our national and economic security.”

Land Exchange

The land exchange is the Navy’s preferred option, but they could also do nothing, or purchase the site outright.

If a land exchange is completed, the Navy would trade access to “certain underutilized properties” within the Washington Navy Yard Southeast Corner “to obtain acquisition rights and ownership of the South East Federal Center (SEFC) E Parcels.” This is the Navy’s preferred alternative. It would include the development of both a new museum and mixed commercial and retail spaces on the land exchanged.

In this model, the Navy would hold development rights to the approximately six-acre SEFC E Parcels. The General Services Administration (GSA) would transfer ownership of the SEFC E Parcels to the Navy via a federal-to-federal transfer.

In exchange for acquisition rights, the Navy would transfer and/or lease underutilized assets (approximately 15 acres) of federal land to a developer, which would become developable and taxable pri-

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and Naval History and Heritage Command Director Samuel J. Cox, U.S. Navy rear admiral, unveil a model of the future National Museum of the U.S. Navy during an event celebrating the Navy’s 247th birthday. Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Abigayle LutzUS Navy Announces New Museum Site Plans

vate land that would benefit the local community. The developer would potentially construct mixed-use buildings on transferred property and renovate buildings on the leased property for commercial/ retail use on Navy Yard Southeast Corner.

Additionally, this land would provide the opportunity for in-kind considerations from the developer, such as upgrades to the Riverwalk and Piers, which would benefit the Navy and the local community.

While the specifics of the museum’s construction are still undetermined, Naval History and Heritage Command, the lead for the development project, hopes to celebrate a significant construction milestone on the Navy’s 250th birthday, Oct. 13, 2025.

Community Impact

The environmental impact study found that there would be some additional traffic impacts if the preferred alternative were selected, such as some congestion at the I-695 on ramp near 11th Street in the morning and at the off-ramp in the afternoon. There may also be delays at the O Street Gate. These could be alleviated with improvements to the gate, or by lane changes, especially for turning. Some zoning changes would be required for private development on the Navy Yard.

Overall, however, community representatives are positive about the museum relocation. ANC 6B Chair and Commissioner for the area Corey Holman (6B06) spoke supportively of the project and its ability to “open and create better connections” between the surrounding residential neighborhoods and the Navy Yard. He also underscored the benefits of the addition of retail stores and green spaces for the community.

“Our ANC has had a long, long track record of supporting, and trying to support, development there,” Holman said. “Finding ways to create more reasons to be down there, rather than just [creating] surface parking lots, [as well as] having more people down there can hopefully make the experience on the sidewalks and being around a little less hostile [and] a little less intense.”

Scott Kratz, a Capitol Hill resident and Founding Director of the 11th Street Bridge Park Project, said the development would provide the community not only with historic preservation, but also economic benefits.

“I think the Navy museum will be one more phenomenal destination, bringing residents both here in DC, from the DMV and from the nation and world, to experience our neighborhood,” Kratz said. “I think this can be a huge economic generator.”

Kratz said he has “heard nothing but positive comments” about the proposed project and expressed excitement about the potential for what the project could bring to the community.

“If the land swap goes through the Navy would get this northwestern corner of the Navy Yard in exchange for working with developers to carve out a new development with mixed use retail, apartments and new green spaces,” Kratz said.

Community Comments

The Navy hosted two virtual public meetings in November to receive public opinion on the draft EIS. The sessions included studies on the project’s impact on transportation, cultural resources, land use and zoning and noise. You can read the draft statement at https://ndw.cnic.navy.mil/ WNY-Land-Acquisition/1/.

Community members can also submit commentary via email to NAVFACWashNEPA1@ navy.mil or by mail, postmarked by Dec. 2, to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington at 1314 Harwood St SE Washington, DC 20374. The draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) estimates that a decision about the land acquisition will be made in the spring of 2023. The project could begin as early as 2023, and the construction period is estimated to last 10 years.

Visiting the Current Museum

The announcement is followed by several changes to the current museum buildings located within the Navy Yard. On Nov. 7, the Cold War Gallery closed to visitors to facilitate the removal of artifacts and exhibits. As of Nov. 12, the main museum building closed Monday through Friday to allow for movement of artifacts and exhibits. It will remain open to the public on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The museum will continue to engage with the community through educational programming in person, virtually and in collaboration with community partners in offsite venues such as schools and libraries. The museum will also be available for special events for Department of Navy organizations and Honor Flights.