Washington, D.C. leaders broke ground Monday on a $19 million renovation of Upshur Recreation Center in Ward 4, kicking off a project that will expand the facility by about 46 percent, from nearly 6,500 to nearly 9,500 square feet, renovate its pool, add an indoor half gym and improve outdoor spaces. Mayor Muriel Bowser joined city officials and community members at the site for the groundbreaking celebration, marking the formal start of construction on one of the neighborhood's busiest public amenities.
The renovation will expand the recreation facility from nearly 6,500 square feet to nearly 9,500 square feet, according to DC News Now. Plans call for an expanded pool house, a renovated pool and splash pad, a new indoor half gym, a fitness center, a multipurpose room, a technology area and a new outdoor basketball court, per EIN Presswire. The project will also improve outdoor spaces for active play and community gatherings while upgrading accessibility from street level and along walking paths.
Plans for the modernized facility include an indoor half gym, a fitness center and a multipurpose room. Hunter said Upshur will become a modern recreation facility with an accessible campus linking the recreation center, pool, playgrounds and picnic areas. He also described Upshur as home to one of the busiest outdoor pools in the city.
The Pool and Recreation Center's Planned Renovation
The Upshur pool, part of a Ward 4 recreation center, is slated for renovation, with plans calling for a renovated pool and splash pad and improvements to outdoor spaces.
Net Zero Design With Geothermal Wells and Solar
Beyond the new gym and pool, the project is designed as a Net Zero Energy community center in the Petworth neighborhood, according to ISTUDIO Architects. The firm's project materials describe features including photovoltaic systems, smart stormwater management and a geothermal energy system, with 14 geothermal wells projected to cut energy use by 74 percent and a 41 kW solar array projected to reduce energy costs by 36.5 percent.
Those same architect's materials project a 92.2 percent reduction in site energy use and total annual energy-cost savings of 85.4 percent, valued at $19,828. The figures are presented as design projections from the architecture firm rather than confirmed results.
Part of a Broader Ward 4 Investment
Bowser said the investment and work helps the district retain its top-ranked park system for six consecutive years, framing Upshur as one piece of a larger citywide push. Since 2015, the Bowser administration has invested more than $640 million in recreation centers citywide, including approximately $44 million in Ward 4, with an additional $27 million planned for current and future Ward 4 projects, per the EIN Presswire release.
Washington was rated the nation's best big-city park system in the 2026 ParkScore rankings for the sixth consecutive year, according to the Trust for Public Land. A separate Office of the Mayor release tied the ranking to the city's investment in pools, parks, playgrounds and recreation spaces, with Mayor Muriel Bowser describing the six-year ranking as the result of deliberate, sustained investment.
DC's Department of Parks and Recreation had previously signaled that the Upshur Outdoor Pool and Recreation Center would begin renovations in fall 2026.
