[7] In February 1999, the major property owners in the vicinity of the proposed station agreed in principle to contribute approximately $25 million in private financing for the project.

[8] The money would be collected from all commercial property owners within .5-mile (0.80 km) radius of the proposed station by being charged special tax assessments.

The groundbreaking for the station occurred on December 16, 2000, with Mayor Anthony A. Williams and D.C.'s Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton present for the festivities.

[18] Its design differs from that of previous stations and is indicative of the lessons learned by Metro over its years of operation in several respects.

[14][19] The station also provides ten racks and 28 lockers for bicycle users, carsharing with Zipcar and connections to several Metrobus routes.

[18] The station is notable for its artistic elements incorporated into its design as part of MetroArts, Metro's Art in Transit Program.

[20] Created by sculptor Barbara Grygutis, The 2nd Street entrance contains a 27-foot (8.2 m) tall aluminum sculpture of a leaf from a scarlet oak.

[21][22] On each side of the sculpture is a poem entitled "Journeys" composed by Dolores Kendrick, Washington's poet laureate.