A towering steel beam slid into place over Oxon Run on Thursday, marking a major construction milestone for the Southeast Tennis & Learning Center South expansion in Ward 8. D.C. officials say the long-planned project, which will add courts, a pedestrian bridge and new amenities, is on track for a ceremonial grand opening in late summer 2026, according to city posts.
What's Being Built
The south campus expansion is designed as a full-on upgrade, not just a fresh coat of paint. Plans call for spectator-ready indoor courts, additional outdoor courts, new locker rooms, a plaza, expanded parking and a pedestrian bridge stretching over Oxon Run to better connect the site to the neighborhood.
WTOP has reported that the $18 million project will boost overall court capacity, carve out space for pickleball and help the center attract more junior tournaments. District procurement documents lay out the technical scope of work for the south campus, from the court layout to infrastructure details.
Officials And Leaders
City officials, agency heads and program leaders gathered at the site to celebrate the beam placement and talk about what it means for Ward 8 youth. In a Facebook post by the D.C. Department of General Services, Southeast Tennis & Learning Center founder Cora Masters Barry framed the project as both local pride and global ambition.
"With this expansion, we are opening doors beyond our borders — proving that greatness can rise from right here and be recognized around the world," Barry said.
The same post credits Mayor Muriel Bowser's recent investments in recreation and highlights remarks from D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation Director Thennie Freeman and DGS Director Delano Hunter, who emphasized sustainability, long-term programming and keeping daily youth access front and center even as higher-level competition comes in.
Community Roots And Partners
The Southeast Tennis & Learning Center did not spring up overnight, and neither will its expansion. The site has been shaped for years by local partners, especially the Recreation Wish List Committee, whose fundraising and advocacy have helped fuel youth scholarships, equipment and programming.
DPR has chronicled the center's Heart to Heart tennis events and its role in junior player development. the $18 million expansion announcement in December 2024 laid out how the south campus would build on those community roots.
Procurement filings also name MTFA Design + Preservation and several local consultants and contractors as part of the project team responsible for translating that vision into bricks, mortar and playable courts.
Timeline And Next Steps
According to official procurement records, the District has already moved through key design and contracting phases as part of a construction manager at risk solicitation, setting out a series of construction milestones.
DGS procurement documents spell out a construction funding limit and earlier substantial completion targets, while more recent city social media updates tied to the beam installation now point to a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and grand opening in late summer 2026.
From here, the public-facing milestones are contractor selection, final permitting and the push through finishing work so that the bridge, courts and support spaces are ready for players, parents and spectators.
Why It Matters
For city leaders and program staff, this project is about more than fresh asphalt and bright new scoreboards. The expansion is pitched as a way to broaden access to organized sports, after-school programming and potential job opportunities in Ward 8, while giving the neighborhood a higher profile for regional competition.
WTOP and city materials note that USTA-sanctioned junior tournaments could bring in visiting families, hotel stays and new economic activity, even as DPR keeps year-round programming going on the existing courts.
If the schedule holds, the new pedestrian bridge over Oxon Run and the additional courts will position the Southeast Tennis & Learning Center as one of the few public facilities in the region capable of hosting international junior competition while still serving local kids after school every day.
