D.C.'s first long-term parklet to debut July 14 on K Street NW

By 2032, there will be a parkland or natural space within a 10-minute walk of all Washington, D.C., residents, thanks to the Sustainable DC major planning effort. One of the ways that the District brings awareness for the need of more green spaces is by participating in the annual worldwide event, PARK(ing) Day.

This event allows designers to transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks, otherwise known as parklets. For the first time in Washington, D.C., this year's parklet won't stay open to the public for one or two days. Instead, it will stay open for the entire season until October.

The Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) has already begun construction on the parklet at 2020 K Street NW and plans to open it to the public on Tuesday, July 14. Gensler Architects designed the parklet, named "parKIT," after winning an in-house competition.

The parklet will take over two parking spots and will feature triangle planters and triangular extrusions of different heights. Despite the loss of parking spaces, Executive Director of the Golden Triangle BID Leona Agouridis doesn't expect it to negatively or greatly affect any residents or commuters looking for parking in the area.

Every Tuesday around noon, the Golden Triangle BID will host activities in the parklet with the theme, "Making the City."

On her hopes for the parklet, Agouridis said, "All of us spend so much time indoors ... so we want people to look at the outdoors a little differently."
· Iconic K Street to Become Home to First Seasonal Interactive Parklet in D.C. [Golden Triangle Business Improvement District]
· Sustainable DC [Official Website]
· Park(ing) Day [Official Website]