Fort Greble Nature Center
Project Overview
Fort Greble Park, located at 250 Elmira Street SW in Ward 8, sits beside one of the historic Civil War Defenses of Washington and is home to a playground, splash pad, basketball and play courts, and a community garden. The park's aging field house no longer served the neighborhood, and residents had long called for a renewed facility. The DC Department of General Services (DGS), on behalf of the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), launched the Fort Greble Urban Nature Center project to replace the field house with a new center built around environmental education, gardening, and community gathering.
Our Role & Scope of Work
As design-build partner alongside Bell Architects, CCC is responsible for demolishing the existing field house and constructing the new center. The building includes a lobby, an office, a multipurpose room with a demonstration kitchen, interior and exterior access restrooms, and an attached outdoor classroom. After mobilizing on site, the team demolished the field house in July 2025 and moved through fire line testing and connection from Elmira Street, underground electrical and sanitary work, foundation footings and the concrete slab, and structural steel erection. Following phases include roof and canopy decking, exterior and interior wall framing, a skylight and roof hatch, and CMU wing walls at the multipurpose room. Site work adds a relocated picnic area and infrastructure to support upgraded site lighting and a future community demonstration garden, tying the new building into the park's existing pavilion, courts, splash pad, playground, and community garden.
Community Impact
For the families of Ward 8, the new Fort Greble Nature Center brings back a dedicated indoor space at a park they already use every day. The multipurpose room, demonstration kitchen, and outdoor classroom create room for DPR programming, community meetings, cooking demonstrations, and hands-on learning about gardening and the natural environment, all steps from the playground and gardens. As a Ward 8-based contractor, CCC is proud to help deliver a facility that reflects what this community asked for and will serve its residents for years to come.
