I just got back from meeting my podcast buddy Bob Wright, producer of the Baseball History Podcast. He’s in DC for a conference, and we met (for the first time face-to-face) and went down to the new stadium neighborhood, where I took some pictures. Here’s “your game announcer Bob Wright” at what will one day be a fancy-schmancy retail/restaurant building, but is now the ruins of the New Good and Plenty Carry Out, at Half and N Streets.
The site looks much more like a stadium now. There is so much construction going on, especially on the South Capitol Street/third baseline side, that it is now difficult to look down into the bowl. On the other hand, the upper-deck structure is so far along that it provides its own interesting profile.
Miss Chatter just mentioned on Just a Nats Fan that she could see ramps in the stadium construction cams. True enough, and when you get close enough to the stadium, you can see stairs and other inside structures.
It will be an impressive building, from every angle. Here is the majestic curve of the stadium behind home plate. This curve is near the intersection of Potomac Avenue and South Capitol Street.
I can hardly wait to go to a night game at the new place. And as you can see, four of the lighting bays are already in place over right field.
After we finished our stroll around the stadium site, Bob and I walked up New Jersey Avenue to Capitol Hill. Since I live on the Orange Line of the Metro, I may be walking up New Jersey Avenue after the games to Capitol South station, to avoid the crowds. It won’t be bad, maybe a 20-minute walk.
But for people taking the Green Line right to the stadium, they’ll emerge at the Navy Yard station exit at M and Half Streets, SE. The exit will be part of a new Monument Realty building, similar to the Gallery Place exit at the Verizon Center. Construction has already started on the station exit, and you can see how close it is to the stadium in this view down Half Street from M. The station entrance is just off to the left of the picture.
I think Bob, who is an Angels and Padres fan from Southern California, was very impressed with our new stadium neighborhood.
Great pix, Dave. I loved the tour. I’m anxious to see what it looks like when I return in July. I especially like the picture with the crane. I’ll see you later at the ballpark. — Bob, BHP