The Caryle neighborhood could be getting its own Hanging Gardens

The recreation of the Lighthouse of Alexandria might not be the city’s only ancient wonder soon.

The Carlyle neighborhood could be home to Alexandria’s own elevated park with what seems to be a Hanging Gardens of Babylon aesthetic.

Alexandria’s Park & Recreation Commission has docketed a public hearing at their Tuesday, March 18 meeting for the large park planned for the Carlyle neighborhood alongside a planned multi-family residential development. Community feedback on the proposal can be submitted via email until Wednesday, March 17, or at the public hearing.

Plans submitted to the city show the highest portion of the park at the western end, flowing on a 5% downward slope to a playground, amphitheater and an athletic field at the Alexandria Rewnew site.

A press release noted that the project will eliminate Eisenhower Circle, a proposal the City Council reluctantly agreed to move forward because at it became too expensive to cancel despite the negligible benefit.

According to a press release:

The Carlyle Plaza II / Carlyle Park Towers  development approval includes four tower buildings with a four-to-five story, above-grade parking garage that will provide parking for all the buildings and is designed to accommodate a green roof which will be open to the public as open space. The rooftop open space will connect the development properties with the athletic field on the Alexandria Renew site (Limerick Field), creating more than 5 acres of integrated open space. The developer will also design and construct the parks created by the elimination of the Eisenhower Circle, referred to as North-Circle Park and South-Circle Park. The extensive rooftop public open space is connected to grade via a “transition zone” — a landscaped assemblage of overlooks, terraces and stairs that leads down to the South-Circle Park.