The Alexandria Waterfront Alliance proposed moving Alexandria’s controversial flood mitigation pump station from Waterfront Park to the long-vacant building at 1 Prince St., according to presentation materials from Tuesday’s Waterfront Commission meeting.
The unsolicited presentation to the Waterfront Commission included detailed architectural renderings showing how the pump facility could be integrated into the existing structure while creating space above for a maritime museum, education center or commercial development. The group argued the location would preserve the park while utilizing the building’s existing deep foundation piles.
The Alexandria Waterfront Alliance has been vocal in its opposition since at least July, when it sent a 15-page letter to City Council calling the pump station “a complex and expensive solution in search of a problem.” The group, which includes the Historic Alexandria Foundation, Old Town Civic Association, and Old Dominion Boat Club among its members, argues the project violates federal deed restrictions on Waterfront Park and questions whether a $145 million solution is justified for what it describes as infrequent nuisance flooding affecting only three historic buildings.
According to city presentation materials, relocating to 1 Prince St. would require an additional $25 million to $45 million in new funding and push back the project timeline by two to four years. The alternative would also create more extensive construction impacts, requiring street closures on South Union Street from King to Prince for up to eight months and closures on Strand Street and the Prince Street block for eight to 18 months.
The commission meeting materials included the city’s flood mitigation update on design modifications to the original Waterfront Park plan that ALXnow first reported in September. According to presentation materials, the building has been shortened by 18-22 feet, bringing its total length down to 74 feet from the original 96 feet. The city also presented three different site plan options, ranging from covered plazas on both sides of the pump station to maximizing open lawn space by eliminating plaza areas entirely.
The city is also seeking input on architectural styles, showing examples from modern industrial designs with green walls to more traditional approaches compatible with Old Town’s historic character. The current design draws inspiration from Alexandria’s maritime heritage, incorporating board-formed concrete panels and nautical-inspired elements.
According to the city’s presentation data, the waterfront experienced 227 flooding events at Prince Street level in the past year, compared to a 20-year average of 145 events. At the existing bulkhead, flooding occurred 93 times last year versus a historical average of 37 times annually.
By 2100, the city projects 353 annual flooding events at Prince Street level. Current flood-related costs already run $400,000 to $800,000 annually in cleanup, sandbagging and lost business revenue, not counting secondary impacts from cancelled events and reduced tourism.
The 1 Prince St. building spans 21,739 square feet and sits in the Commercial Downtown zone, allowing for mixed uses with a maximum height of 50 feet. The Alexandria Waterfront Alliance noted the building was developed in 1985, which would reduce the likelihood of archaeological complications that often slow Old Town projects.
Opposition to the Waterfront Park location has been building for months through multiple groups. A Change.org petition organized by the group “Friends of Waterfront Park” has collected more than 928 signatures. The petition, which does not propose alternative locations, calls for stopping the pump station in Waterfront Park. The Alexandria Waterfront Alliance has separately described the project as “destructive, unnecessary, wasteful and in violation of public trust” and characterized the proposed structure as a “giant rusty metal box” in the historic park space.
Mayor Alyia Gaskins told ALXnow in September that waterfront flood mitigation has become the top concern coming through the city’s 311 system, with residents specifically focused on the pump station component of the broader infrastructure project.
Despite ongoing design discussions and the new location proposal, city materials indicate officials maintain their timeline of closing Waterfront Park and Point Lumley Park from fall 2026 through fall 2028. Construction would begin in summer 2027 with completion targeted for spring 2029.
Public input sessions are planned for October as part of broader community engagement efforts that began in September. The Waterfront Commission will review options again at its Oct. 21 meeting, with no formal vote scheduled before City Council considers the project in November.
This report is based on presentation materials and documents from the Sept. 16 Waterfront Commission meeting.
