Facility Overview

The Green Lot (commonly known as the ESA Green Lot or CareFirst Arena Green Lot) is a primary surface parking facility situated on the historic St. Elizabeths East Campus in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast Washington, DC. The facility entrance is positioned at the intersection of Malcolm X Avenue SE and 8th Street SE (navigational address: 2915 8th Street SE). As an open-air surface parking lot, the Green Lot offers an easily navigable, single-level paved expanse featuring generous drive aisles and standard stalls, managed in partnership with Events DC and professional parking operators.

Because it is a flat, uncovered outdoor lot, there are no low-hanging beams, concrete overhangs, or restrictive overhead clearance bars. This makes the Green Lot exceptionally accommodating for standard passenger vehicles, full-size pickup trucks, large three-row SUVs, and high-roof conversion or passenger vans. Drivers operating ADA wheelchair-accessible conversion vehicles equipped with roof racks or rear ramps will find the open-air layout and level pavement far easier to negotiate than older multi-level parking garages in the District.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

The Green Lot provides vital parking infrastructure for the vibrant sports, cultural, and healthcare hub thriving on the St. Elizabeths East Campus:

• CareFirst Arena (formerly Entertainment & Sports Arena - ESA): Located just a 3- to 5-minute walk (approx. 0.2 miles) from the lot, this modern 4,200-seat venue serves as the official home court for the WNBA Washington Mystics and the NBA G League Capital City Go-Go, as well as the training facility for the NBA Washington Wizards and a prime venue for headline concerts, boxing matches, and esports tournaments.
• Sycamore & Oak: Situated directly next to the arena within a 4-minute walk, this community-driven retail and culinary village features Black-owned retail boutiques, local restaurants, open-air seating, and cultural events.
• Gateway DC Pavilion & R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center: Located within a 5- to 7-minute stroll across campus, hosting outdoor farmers markets, festivals, conferences, and community gatherings.
• Whitman-Walker Max Robinson Center: Situated along Sycamore Drive SE, this state-of-the-art healthcare facility is accessible within a 5-minute walk for patients and visitors.
• Anacostia Historic District & Frederick Douglass National Historic Site: Located just a short 5- to 7-minute drive north along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Reaching the Green Lot is straightforward from across the National Capital Region. Drivers traveling via Interstate 295 (Anacostia Freeway) can take the Malcolm X Avenue SE exit and proceed directly east toward 8th Street SE, bypassing the inner-city grid. The venue is also swiftly accessible from Interstate 395, Interstate 695, Suitland Parkway, and the Capital Beltway (I-495).

For mixed-mode transit users, the Congress Heights Metro Station (servicing the Metrorail Green Line) is located immediately north of the arena grounds, roughly a 5-minute walk away. Major WMATA Metrobus routes (including the A2, A4, A6, A7, A8, and W4 lines) run nearby on Malcolm X Avenue SE and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, connecting Southeast DC to Southern Avenue, Anacostia, and downtown Washington.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

• Unrestricted Overhead Headroom: Open surface design accommodates high-profile pickups, passenger vans, and vehicle cargo carriers without vertical ceiling constraints.
• Cashless & Digital Pre-Booking: Integrated digital reservation capabilities through platforms like ParkWhiz and Ticketmaster, along with drive-up payment accepting major credit cards and mobile contactless payments.
• ADA Accessible Stalls: Designated barrier-free accessible parking spaces situated near entry gates with paved, step-free pathways connecting directly to the CareFirst Arena plaza and adjacent pedestrian routes.
• Security & Lighting: Equipped with perimeter fencing, bright night illumination floodlights, and on-site parking attendants and campus security during major scheduled events.
• Smooth Ingress/Egress: Direct access off 8th Street SE and Malcolm X Avenue SE facilitates efficient departures onto major outbound arterials after high-attendance games and shows.

Ideal For

• Sports Fans: Attending Washington Mystics basketball games or Capital City Go-Go matchups at CareFirst Arena.
• Concert & Live Event Attendees: Seeking reliable, official on-campus parking for live entertainment, comedy specials, and combat sporting events.
• Campus & Clinic Visitors: Patients and staff visiting the Whitman-Walker Max Robinson Center and surrounding East Campus offices.
• Local Diners & Shoppers: Patrons visiting Sycamore & Oak retail village and seasonal festivals at Gateway DC.
• Oversized Vehicle Drivers: Drivers of work trucks, commercial vans, or large sport-utility vehicles that exceed garage height limits.

Visitor & Driver Tips

When attending high-profile events or sellout Mystics games, parking on the St. Elizabeths campus fills up rapidly. Visitors are strongly advised to purchase parking passes in advance through the official ticketing portal or parking apps like ParkWhiz to guarantee entrance. Enter '2915 8th Street SE' or 'Malcolm X Ave SE & 8th St SE' into your navigation app to arrive at the correct entry checkpoint without confusing it with the multi-level St. Elizabeths Garage on Cypress Avenue. Aim to arrive at least 45 to 60 minutes prior to tip-off or performance start times to beat event-traffic delays along Malcolm X Avenue.