When it opens in 2023, Washington D.C.’s 11th Street Bridge Park will immediately become one of the country’s most inventive and egalitarian public spaces. Though it features a stunning, multi-tiered design that spans the Anacostia River and connects two disparate neighborhoods, much of the innovation stems from the project’s massive, and ongoing, community engagement efforts. More than 1,000 stakeholder meetings, the creation of an Equitable Development Plan and the establishment of both a Community Land Trust and a Home Buyers Club have ensured that this is a project built by residents from the ground up. Come hear from its director about what it takes to develop truly inclusive public space and the key lessons applicable to similar efforts, including the Guadalupe River, in San Jose.
+ Scott Kratz / 11th Street Bridge Park