Beside the Diamond, a Lump of Coal

For now, the only access to the water near the ballpark is Diamond Teague Park. It's a small plot that sits just east of Florida Rock's land and is maintained by the Earth Conservation Corps, an organization that works with disadvantaged youth in the District.

The park has fresh shrubbery and colorful flowers and a walking path that stretches to the riverbank. But it also wraps around the parking lot for the nearby D.C. Water and Sewer Authority facility.

Florida Rock, a development company based in Sparks, Md., first considered developing its land about a decade ago when the U.S. Department of Transportation began looking for a new location for its headquarters. The riverfront land was in the running but lost out to the parcel on M Street where the headquarters, designed by noted architect Michael Graves, now stretches for two blocks.

Florida Rock's developers have overhauled their plans for the property several times over the years to accommodate zoning needs. But the ballpark's placement in Southeast along South Capitol Street jump-started their quest to move ahead.

"It was a matter of time for that area to be developed. This sped it up dramatically," said David deVilliers, Florida Rock's president. Each of the Nationals' 81 home games is a marketing opportunity for the area and the Florida Rock project.

The company hired Washington architect and planner Davis Buckley, known for renovations at the Watergate Hotel and the National Japanese American Memorial. Buckley said he is excited about designing the new complex to complement Nationals Park and to open up the riverfront.

"Washington is a waterfront city," Buckley said. This project would allow fans to be on the river before and after games, in addition to offering shopping and restaurants for the workers and new residents expected over time, he said.

The neighborhood already is undergoing $6.1 billion worth of construction, and planners estimate there eventually will be 12 million square feet of office space, 9,000 residential units, 1,200 hotel rooms and 800,000 square feet of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Few will have a better location than the Florida Rock property.

Buckley envisions a plaza on the east side, right in the path of fans using the ballpark's grand staircase. He calls it a "civic space." It will have three pavilions and places for outdoor vendors and cafes.

The architect plays off the curved bowl of the ballpark in his design of the four buildings planned for the land. He does not rely on simple, linear buildings; instead, each one has sweeping curves or deep angles.

"We're created a unique, distinctive look," Buckley said. "It's going to take a few years to get there, but we're going to get there."