National Park Service gives green light for RFK Stadium demolition

DC residents wonder what will become of RFK Stadium site

It's official, RFK Memorial Stadium will soon be coming down. The news is years in the making and comes after the National Park Service gave the green light today. FOX 5's Josh Rosenthal reports from RFK with more details.

WASHINGTON - The National Park Service has given the go-ahead for the demolition of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium.

The former home of the Washington Commanders is 67 years old and has not been operational since 2019. Now, NPS says EventsDC — the company that owns the stadium — can move forward with the demolition process.

There has been anticipation for work to begin for years as the stadium has sat empty and deteriorating.

Because the land the stadium sits on is federally owned, NPS had to conduct an environmental assessment to determine the impact the demolition would have on the area and surrounding businesses. Now that NPS says the demolition will have "no significant impact" on the environment, the work can proceed.

Neighbors tell FOX 5 they’re excited about the possibilities but some say they’ll miss the old stadium and its memories.

"It’s going to be sorely missed. Even though I just ride by and it’s there, it’s a landmark you know it’s going to be sorely missed," one neighbor told FOX 5.

"I just wish they’d redo and keep it because so many people here have grown up from childhood to adulthood, grandparents so it’s an icon that’s going to be missed," said another.

But in their Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) report, NPS says EventsDC needs to move forward with a full demolition, not a facelift. The stadium has been empty for five years, and its structural condition reflects this.

"Given the numerous and serious structural deficiencies, there is no reasonable way to rehabilitate or renovate RFK Stadium to serve its originally intended purpose or any other similar or useful purpose," NPS said in its report.

National Park Service gives green light for RFK Stadium demolition

The National Park Service has given the go-ahead for the demolition of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium.

NPS says the project would consist of four phases: hazardous materials abatement, selective demolition, structural demolition, and back-filling and grading

While the exact timeline for the demolition remains uncertain, the National Park Service indicates the next step is to issue a permit to D.C. to tear down RFK.

Once that happens, speculation will likely increase regarding whether the Washington Commanders might consider the site for their future home.

In a statement, D.C. Deputy Mayor Nina Albert spoke to FOX 5 about the progress.

"I think this is the next step in the process, we're really excited about it," Albert said. "First of all, it's been long-awaited, and the building's had a variety of different issues, so just from a practical standpoint, we're happy for it to be a safer site."

Earlier this year, the House passed a bill that would give D.C. control of the stadium site and the surrounding land.

If it passes the Senate and gets approval from President Joe Biden, D.C. would have the green light to build homes and businesses and create parks and other open spaces in the area that would, perhaps, lure the Commanders back to the District.

"People can start imagining having access to the water from RFK," Albert said. "How much housing and other kinds of development could really be contained there? I think it’s going spark the imagination."