Calendar

The Parks at Walter Reed is a remarkable transformation story, turning a once-closed, 66-acre military hospital campus into a vibrant, welcoming neighborhood. For decades, this historic site sat behind fences, disconnected from the surrounding community. Today, it stands as a model for inclusive, mixed-income and mixed-use development.

Shaped through a decade-long collaboration between the city, local residents, and a master developer, the vision for the site carefully balances past and future. Historic buildings and open spaces have been thoughtfully restored and adaptively reused, preserving the character and legacy of the campus. Alongside them, more than 2,600 new homes, 20% of which are affordable, create a diverse and dynamic residential community.

The historic street grid has been reconnected, opening the site to its neighbors and stitching it back into the fabric of the city. Essential amenities, including a grocery store, day care, and playground, bring everyday convenience and energy to the neighborhood. What was once an isolated institutional campus is now a lively, connected community designed for people of all ages and incomes.

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate how site planning, connectivity to adjacent neighborhoods, transit access, and the design of public spaces support public health, safety, and community welfare.
• Analyze how diverse housing types within a dense site address accessibility, aging in place, life safety, and equitable community development.
• Analyze how community engagement informed design decisions affecting historic preservation, open space, and neighborhood health, safety, and welfare.
• Evaluate how sustainable design strategies, including green roofs and solar panels, contribute to environmental performance, occupant health, and long-term community resilience.

Presented by:

Sarah Alexander, AIA 
Principal
Torti Gallas + Partners

Julian Goldman, AIA 
Associate Principal
Torti Gallas + Partner