Much of the Site is within National Capital Parks—East of the National Park System and, by law, as the NPS and USPP facilities situation is resolved, these lands will go to the District, possibly through a sequence of multiple conveyances of title. Poplar Point occupies a prime and highly visible parcel along the eastern bank of the Anacostia River, directly across from the Washington Navy Yard.
The Site includes, but is not limited, to 'Poplar Point' as defined in Section 304 of the D.C. Lands Act, and is generally bounded by the Anacostia River to the north, the Frederick Douglass Bridge to the west, the 11th Street Bridge to the east, and the Anacostia Freeway (Interstate 295) and Suitland Parkway to the south. It is approximately 130 acres, mostly under NPS jurisdiction, containing the NPS and USPP facilities and 60 acres of managed meadows, scrub-shrub vegetation and wetlands. The Site will increase to approximately 150 acres when the Frederick Douglass Bridge is realigned further to the South; the District already has jurisdiction of the land underneath the freeway infrastructure leading to that bridge. The Site also contains the Anacostia Metro Station and a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) parking garage.
The NPS and USPP presently operate in approximately 100,000 square feet of facilities at the Site. The NPS and USPP relocation involves the NPS and District agreeing on a new location and on facilities design, followed by the District providing such facilities to the NPS at no cost to the NPS. Options for relocation include moving to other land in the District, or relocation at the Site. A determination could also be made for the NPS and USPP to remain in their current facilities. Pursuant to the D.C. Lands Act, the redevelopment of Poplar Point will include approximately 70 acres of parkland in perpetuity that may include wetlands, landscaped areas, pedestrian walkways, bicycle trails, seating, open sided shelters, natural areas, recreational use areas and memorial sites. For the remaining acreage of the Site, the District is considering proposals for a cultural institution or museum, transit, a sports complex or stadium, and residential and commercial uses.