The USDOT Headquarters is a mixed use planned development with an office building leased to the DOT over a 15 year period. Lee + Papa and Associates (LPA) is providing comprehensive landscape architectural services from concept development through construction administration on a site development team including JBG Companies, Michael Graves architects, and DMJM H+N architects.

The USDOT Headquarters streetscape framework is made up of New Jersey Avenue, M Street, 3rd Street, 4th Street, and Tingey Street. Part of the design intent is to extend New Jersey Avenue and open 3rd Street SE for pedestrian traffic to the Anacostia River Waterfront, creating a physical link through the site from north to south. The objective is to create complimentary spaces corresponding to surrounding zones, unified by streetscape and landscape treatments. LPA creatively employed site furnishings, reinforced planters, a large fountain, and many other landscape elements in lieu of rigorous bollards to achieve a unique yet secure two-block streetscape along M Street, 4th Street, and New Jersey Avenue. Special attention was given to the sustainable design element for the site, which will include Low Impact Development (LID) techniques and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.