Georgetown Heritage Picks Celebrated Design Team for Georgetown Canal Plan

GEORGETOWN, DC — The nonprofit organization working to revitalize, activate and interpret the National Park Service assets in Georgetown, Georgetown Heritage, announced Wednesday that they've selected an architecture firm to develop the Georgetown Canal Plan.

Georgetown Heritage chose James Corner Field Operations — the celebrated urban design and landscape firm known for New York City's High Line — to develop the comprehensive master plan for a one-mile section of the Chesapeake and Ohio National Historical Park in Georgetown.

The Georgetown Canal Plan aims to re-envision the popular Georgetown section of the canal. Residents and tourists used to take boat rides along the canal, but the boat was retired in 2010.

Now, officials are working to improve the Georgetown section of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. The first phase of the multiyear restoration plan is to repair Locks 3 and 4 and launch a new historic replica canal boat.

“The James Corner Field Operations team brings exceptional ingenuity, boundless energy and extensive experience partnering with cities, parks and community groups to create stunning, lively spaces that reflect each site’s distinct character and maximize its potential to engage people of all ages and cultures,” said Alison Greenberg, Executive Director of Georgetown Heritage.

The plan is currently in the development phase. Over the next year, Georgetown Heritage and the U.S. National Park Service will seek input from residents on how to "improve the park’s unique stone structures, locks, towpath, plazas and street crossings to maximize the park’s immense educational, recreational and aesthetic potential," according to Georgetown Heritage.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity for Washington, DC, and the Georgetown community to create a transformative public space that blends historic architecture with rich landscapes to create a world-class and unique destination in the heart of the neighborhood,” said James Corner, founder and director of James Corner Field Operations.

The community is invited to an informal meet-and-greet with the design team Wednesday, March 29 at 6 p.m. at Foley & Lardner at 3000 K St. NW, Suite 500.

Photo: Aaron Garza/Flickr