The Southwest Waterfront exemplifies one of the District’s most obvious failings — the city’s inability to exploit property along the shores of the Anacostia and Potomac rivers. Much like the dismal, though improving Georgetown waterfront, the Southwest Waterfront is a soul-starved stretch of concrete and uninspired architecture. Shut off from the rest of the city by federal lands and a highway, the area has never much taken on a life of its own. That’s soon to change, and today we can see just how.

NBC 4 is reporting that the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation, the private-public partnership charged with re-developing the area, has chosen two finalists in the contest to improve the waterfront. The AWC set out its vision for the area in 2003, writing:

The City’s vision for a revitalized Southwest Waterfront is a true urban destination, where maritime activity and commerce mixes with culture and housing to form a vibrant neighborhood just steps from the National Mall. Today the area is dominated by redundant roadways, surface parking lots and poorly designed and underutilized open space.

The Southwest Waterfront Plan, approved unanimously by City Council in 2003, proposes approximately 2 million square feet of mixed use development. The redevelopment will create approximately 3,000 construction jobs, 1,500 permanent jobs, $14 million in new annual tax revenue, 14 acres of new parks and open space, upgraded maritime infrastructure and public access to the water.

Selected from five competing groups, the two finalists, which will be narrowed down to one winner this fall, have envisioned the waterfront as such:

One group is proposing a design distinguished by a health club, upscale grocery store, river walk and “market hall” for produce sales. The other team is proposing a cultural zone with a water park, piers, an aquarium and a space for Cirque du Soleil performances.

The presentations by the two can be viewed here and here, though beware — they’re large .pdf files.

Which option would you rather see?