VACANCY TO VITALITY: TRANSFORMING NORTHWEST INTO A COMMUNITY-SERVING DESTINATION

Abstract

The Washington Commanders’ relocation back to their original RFK Stadium site will leave Northwest Stadium in Prince George’s County vacant, risking the possibility for the property to remain another vacant and underused suburban relic. This transition creates an opportunity to define a new model for reclaiming large stadium sites, one that maintains the value of recreation while restoring social, cultural, and spatial connection for surrounding communities. The significance of this work is heightened by the site’s location within a predominantly Black suburban county that has long experienced uneven investment, limited civic space, and shifting development pressures. This thesis explores how the Northwest Stadium site can be transformed into a resilient civic and cultural district rooted in community memory, public life, and connection. The research draws from planning and policy analysis, archival and regulatory documents, historical land transformation studies, and suburban repair literature. Fieldwork, experiential documentation, and spatial and environmental mapping provide a grounded understanding of how the site operates at regional, neighborhood, and human scales. Precedent studies and iterative design testing further clarify how short-term/interim and long-term interventions might support a renewed civic framework. The project proposes a replicable strategy for converting stadium land into an inclusive public destination that strengthens identity, access, and opportunity. By integrating evidence, experience, interdisciplinary insight, and design inquiry, the thesis demonstrates how post-stadium landscapes can become catalysts for community reconnection and civic rejuvenation long after their original use has ended.