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Alexandria’s plan to fight flooding will close Waterfront Park and Point Lumley Park for at least two years

By James Cullum
1/6

A sweeping plan to redevelop two popular parks on the Alexandria waterfront is heading into the city review process.

Waterfront Park (1 Prince Street) and Point Lumley Park (1 Duke Street) in Old Town flood frequently. The city wants to close both parks from the fall of 2026 until the fall of 2028 to rebuild segments of the sea wall and install a pumping station to recirculate floodwaters back to the Potomac River.

The city is planning for the infrastructure to have a life span of 50 to 75 years. The $145 million project will also result in the loss of public parking spots on The Strand Street and the old paid parking lot outside Chadwicks (203 The Strand Street).

The Waterfront Flood Mitigation Project team is asking the city for an additional $40 million in funding for bulkhead replacements at both parks.

The team will present design updates for Point Lumley Park, Waterfront Park, the Pump Station, and Lower King Street pedestrian improvements at the following public meetings from mid-April to June:

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.