About this Location

Facility Overview

The 598-540 D St SW Garage (also recognized as the National Square Garage at 500 D Street SW / 533 Virginia Avenue SW) is a contemporary subterranean parking facility situated in the Southwest Federal Center district of Washington, DC. Built to support the modern 12-story National Square commercial complex, this multi-level underground garage provides approximately 250 secure, covered vehicle bays. The facility is fully shielded from Mid-Atlantic weather extremes, featuring bright LED illumination, clearly delineated parking bays, and dedicated drive aisles designed for orderly traffic flow.

Due to its underground architecture, standard subterranean clearance limits apply (typically around 6 feet 6 inches to 6 feet 8 inches). The garage is ideally suited for compact sedans, midsize crossovers, standard minivans, and regular passenger SUVs. However, full-size lifted pickup trucks, high-roof commercial cargo vans, and passenger vehicles mounted with rooftop cargo carriers, bike racks, or ski boxes will exceed overhead limits and must seek nearby open-air surface parking alternatives.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Positioned right along the corridor between the federal office district and the Southwest Waterfront, this location offers exceptional pedestrian access to top cultural, governmental, and entertainment venues:

Museum of the Bible: Located only 3 blocks northeast (approximately a 6-minute walk).
The National Mall & Smithsonian Museums: An easy 8- to 12-minute stroll north delivers visitors to the National Air and Space Museum, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the National Museum of the American Indian.
The Wharf DC & The Anthem: A short 8- to 10-minute walk south leads directly to the vibrant waterfront promenade, offering waterfront dining, nightlife, and premier live concerts at The Anthem.
Federal Agency Headquarters: Steps away from the Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building, FEMA, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), USAID, and NASA Headquarters.
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater: About a 12- to 14-minute walk south for world-class theatrical performances.
L'Enfant Plaza: Just 3 blocks west, offering an extensive subterranean retail concourse and food hall.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Vehicular ingress and egress are situated along Virginia Avenue SW, positioned directly between 6th Street SW and 4th Street SW. This arterial layout provides seamless connectivity to the Southwest Freeway (I-395) and the Southeast Freeway (I-695), allowing commuters and out-of-town visitors to bypass interior downtown congestion when arriving from or departing toward Northern Virginia via the 14th Street Bridge or suburban Maryland.

For multi-modal commuters, the location is a short walking distance from two major transit hubs: the Federal Center SW Metro Station (serviced by the Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines, roughly 3 blocks away) and the L'Enfant Plaza Metro & VRE Station (servicing the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green, and Yellow Lines along with Virginia Railway Express commuter trains).

Facility Amenities & Key Features

Fully covered subterranean parking protected from rain, snow, and summer heat.
Automated ticket dispenser and gate arm entry/exit systems.
Electronic payment options accepting major credit cards and digital wallet transactions.
Designated ADA accessible parking stalls positioned conveniently close to elevators and pedestrian exits.
Well-illuminated interior corridors with surveillance monitoring and emergency egress points.
Modern directional signage for seamless navigation between parking tiers.

Ideal For

Federal Employees & Government Contractors: Convenient daily and monthly parking for professionals working in the Southwest Federal Center complex.
National Mall & Museum Tourists: A secure, central home base within walking distance of Washington's most visited Smithsonian institutions.
Concertgoers & Evening Diners: Convenient parking for events at The Anthem or dining at The Wharf without paying premium waterfront valet rates.
Business Visitors: Efficient parking for delegations attending meetings across surrounding agency and private office buildings.

Visitor & Driver Tips

When routing your GPS, set your destination to 510–533 Virginia Ave SW to ensure turn-by-turn guidance directly to the vehicular entrance ramp, rather than the pedestrian office lobby on D Street SW. If visiting during standard business hours, plan for morning rush-hour traffic along the I-395 off-ramps onto 6th Street SW. Drivers planning to attend evening shows at The Anthem or dinner reservations at The Wharf should verify the facility's closing hours upon entry, as commercial garages in this district typically close their gates in the evening on weekdays and may remain closed over weekends.