Photo by NCinDC.

A plan to give the largest federal park in downtown D.C. a much-needed facelift has passed an important benchmark, the National Park Service announced today.

After conducting an assessment of a proposal to transform Franklin Park, NPS found that it wouldn’t have significant impacts to the natural or cultural environment. The largely neglected square will get an interactive fountain, a cafe, children’s play area, pedestrian mall (along the southern edge of the park), and other improvements under the plan.

Unlike many of Franklin Square’s neighboring parks, Franklin Square wasn’t in Pierre L’Enfant’s 1791 plan for D.C. It was set aside by Congress in 1819, in order to protect the site’s natural springs (which provided drinking water to the White House), according to the Downtown BID. The park was completed in 1832, and a bronze statue of Revolutionary War hero Commodore John Barry was dedicated in 1914.

The effort to revamp the park has been collaborative, with the city government, the downtown BID, and the National Park Service all getting involved.

“The District is excited to partner with the National Park Service to unlock the potential of our urban national parks, improving access to signature outdoor spaces for all people,” Eric Shaw, director of the D.C. Office of Planning, said in a release. “The transformation of Franklin Park is an essential part of the District’s strategy to enhance the economic vitality and livability of downtown.”

Now that the environmental assessment is complete, they must finalize the design and reach an agreement with the city to construct and manage the park. It is slated to be finished in 2017.

Courtesy of the Downtown BID.