Walter Reed

I’ve debated about writing on this because:
a- everybody else has
&
b- it’s not in Shaw
oh & c- the timeliness that most bloggers and MSM journalists pride themselves on, I don’t posses. It would help if I cared to be timely. I’m an archivist, the older the better.
Anyway, Nora Bombay has mentioned the place we call YuppieLand, aka Cameron Station in Alexandria VA on Duke Street, which used to be a military barrack, now expensive RE. Could Walter Reed be the next YuppieLand? YuppieLand II? For one, that’s a lot of land. Cameron Station, from Nora’s window looks tiny.
The US govt would need to give it up. They might hold on to it for some department of something or another, or be a bunch of meanies and sit on it and let it rot and decay for a couple of adminstrations. Right now it’s all speculation.
It is so big I can’t imagine what could go there. If it were up to me….. theme park with 12 roller coaster rides. But no, that isn’t practical and second, it isn’t neighborhood friendly. Another idea, make it into a large park, a greenspace. Also not practical. I guess in 10 years maybe it will be a mixed development deal, with parking.

7 thoughts on “Walter Reed”

  2. It’s an insane idea – but I could imagine it repurposed as a nice campus for UDC. Then redevelop the “internationalist style” (read: concrete bunker) campus over at Van Ness.

  3. sophiagrrl – Your idea is not only not insane, it’s excellent. A space like that almost cries out for a University. A beautiful campus in the heart of the nation’s capital and near a huge park (with plenty of space for student housing) would give UDC, or any university that was lucky enough to get it, an enormous boost in the very competitive market for good students and good professors. In addition, a University would bring tremendous benefits to its local community – both through the culture it offers (theater, music, classes) and the boost the students give to local businesses. Building more housing is like building another road – it’s initially helpful but a new equilibrium would quickly develop. A university on the site would give back to the city for generations.

  4. I’m going to have to disagree. The current, yet ugly, UDC campus serves the commuter and working students by being on a metro line. Walter Reed is not on a metro subway line. Also UDC doesn’t like being moved.

  6. Using WRAMC as a university isn’t a far cry from it’s current role. Most of the staff at Wally World are docs,techs, and residents finishing up school from UHSUS or the AMEDD programs.

  7. I’ve also heard rumors of repurposing Saint Elizabeths Hospital (or part of it) as the UDC campus. And it’s on the Green line, I might add.

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