Facility Overview

The ESA Parking Garage, situated at 2750 Pecan St SE within the revitalized St. Elizabeths East Campus in Washington, DC’s Congress Heights neighborhood, serves as the premier structured parking facility for the adjacent CareFirst Arena (formerly the Entertainment and Sports Arena / ESA). This modern, multi-level covered parking garage provides hundreds of weather-protected, well-lit spaces designed to handle the heavy influx of spectators, staff, and campus visitors.

The garage is engineered with wide driving aisles, intuitive floor-to-floor ramps, and designated accessible bays adjacent to pedestrian stairwells and elevators. Standard passenger vehicles, including compact cars, mid-size crossovers, family minivans, and standard full-size pickup trucks and SUVs, can navigate and park comfortably. However, because this is an enclosed multi-level deck, vertical clearance restrictions apply (standard garage clearance is approximately 7 feet 0 inches). Drivers operating high-roof commercial vans, lifted overland rigs, or vehicles fitted with rooftop cargo carriers or bicycles must check clearance bars at the entrance or utilize nearby ground-level open-air surface parking, such as the campus Green Lot.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Strategically positioned east of the Anacostia River, this facility places motorists within direct steps of top sports, civic, and entertainment destinations:

• CareFirst Arena (Entertainment and Sports Arena - ESA): Located directly adjacent (a 1 to 2-minute walk). Home to the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, the NBA G League Capital City Go-Go, the Washington Wizards practice facility, and prominent concerts, boxing matches, and esports tournaments.
• R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center: A premier community tech, conference, and event hub on the St. Elizabeths East Campus, located just a 3-minute stroll away.
• Gateway DC: A state-of-the-art open-air pavilion and green park hosting festivals, community markets, and outdoor concerts (approximately 4 minutes on foot).
• Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health: The modern hospital and ambulatory pavilion on the St. Elizabeths East Campus, located less than a 5-minute walk north along Pecan Street.
• Historic Anacostia: Approximately 1.5 miles away, featuring cultural landmarks such as the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site and local culinary staples along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE.
• Navy Yard & Nationals Park: Just a quick 8-minute ride on the Green Line Metro from the adjacent transit station across the river to the Navy Yard-Ballpark station.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Reaching the ESA Parking Garage is straightforward from major regional thoroughfares. The facility sits just moments from the Anacostia Freeway (I-295), which directly links to I-695, I-395 toward downtown Washington and Northern Virginia, and I-495 (Capital Beltway). Drivers typically enter the St. Elizabeths East Campus via Malcolm X Avenue SE or Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, following Cypress Avenue until it connects with Pecan Street SE.

For multi-modal commuters, the garage is adjacent to one of Southeast DC’s prime transit centers. The Congress Heights Metro Station (servicing the Metrorail Green Line) is within a short 3- to 5-minute walk along Oak Drive SE. Additionally, multiple WMATA Metrobus routes (including lines A2, A4, A6, A7, A8, A9, and W2) and the local Art to Go-Go Shuttle stop within easy walking distance. A Capital Bikeshare station is also stationed by the Metro pavilion for last-mile commuting.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

• Covered Structured Parking: Multi-tier deck shielding vehicles from summer heat, winter snow, and rain.
• EV Charging Infrastructure: Multiple Level 2 ChargePoint electric vehicle charging ports located on-site for plug-in vehicles.
• ADA Accessibility: Marked barrier-free accessible spaces situated adjacent to elevator lobbies and accessible exit routes.
• Elevator and Stair Towers: Convenient vertical transport ensuring seamless movement between garage floors and street-level sidewalks.
• Safety & Illumination: High-visibility LED interior lighting, CCTV surveillance cameras, and regular security patrols by campus and event operations.
• Flexible Payment Methods: Accommodates digital advance bookings (via Ticketmaster and ParkWhiz), major credit and debit cards, and contactless mobile pay terminals.

Ideal For

• Game-Day Fans: Spectators attending Washington Mystics WNBA basketball games or Capital City Go-Go matchups.
• Concert & Event Patrons: Audiences visiting CareFirst Arena for headline music tours, comedy specials, boxing bouts, or cultural galas.
• St. Elizabeths East Visitors: Guests attending conferences, workforce seminars, or community events at R.I.S.E. Center and Gateway DC.
• Medical & Campus Visitors: Outpatients, staff, and visitors traveling to Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health.
• Metrorail Park-and-Riders: Commuters wanting a secure covered deck near Congress Heights station before catching the Green Line downtown.

Visitor & Driver Tips

Event days at CareFirst Arena generate high traffic volume throughout the Congress Heights neighborhood. Reserving parking in advance through ParkWhiz, Ticketmaster, or official team portals is strongly recommended to guarantee your stall before spaces sell out. Flat-rate event pricing is typically implemented on game and show days, while standard rates apply during routine campus business hours.

To avoid bottlenecks along Pecan Street and Cypress Avenue, aim to arrive 45 to 60 minutes prior to scheduled game tip-off or curtain time. When entering the garage, backing into your space makes egress considerably smoother when hundreds of vehicles depart simultaneously at the conclusion of an event. Finally, set your navigation app specifically to the intersection of Cypress Avenue SE and Pecan Street SE to follow designated campus traffic patterns directly to the garage entrance.