Washington Commanders' new stadium dome not hindered by DC height limit: report

RFK redevelopment could bring long-awaited indoor sportsplex to DC

When the DC Council passed the first vote on the RFK Stadium legislation this past Friday, they also inched closer to an indoor sports complex becoming a reality.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A key hurdle in the plan to build a new stadium for the Washington Commanders in Washington, D.C., has been cleared. The city’s zoning administrator has clarified that a domed stadium would not be in violation of the D.C. Height Act, as the dome itself would not be subject to the city's height regulations, according to a report by the Washington Business Journal.

Big picture view:

This clarification is a major step forward for the team's planned $3.8 billion project on the RFK Stadium campus.

According to the Washington Business Journal, the D.C. zoning administrator, Kathleen Beeton, sent a letter to the Commanders' Head of Real Estate, Andy VanHorn, stating that a dome would not count toward the city’s 130-foot height limit. This means the team can build a domed stadium that exceeds the height limit, as long as all stadium seating is located below 130 feet. 

The backstory:

The 1910 federal Height of Buildings Act, which is a key piece of legislation playing a central role in shaping D.C.'s skyline, regulates the height of buildings based on the width of the street they face, according to the National Capital Planning Commission. The law has a general cap of 130 feet on commercial streets.

The team is aiming to open the new stadium by 2030 and is in the process of selecting an architect for the project.

The D.C. Council is "scheduled to take a final vote" on September 17 regarding a $1 billion public investment in the project, though there are still ongoing negotiations. Some council members have raised concerns about the lack of penalties if the team does not deliver its mixed-use projects on time, and amendments are being worked on to address these issues.