The Alexandria Economic Development Partnership showcased a year of significant economic achievements during its annual impact meeting on Monday, held for the first time in the organization’s new Carlyle neighborhood offices at 1940 Duke Street.
AEDP President and CEO Stephanie Landrum noted that the organization deliberately chose the Carlyle location to support a part of the city that “needs and wants more business activity.” The new space allows AEDP to showcase Alexandria’s potential directly to visiting businesses and prospects.
“Our business and the way that we conduct business is all about people and meetings and opportunities,” Landrum said. “Being able to bring prospects into this office space and show them literally what Alexandria looks like from the windows, but also show them the type of product that we have right here in Alexandria, is really important.”
Mayor Alyia Gaskins highlighted the city’s resilience in facing ongoing challenges, from federal government changes to economic uncertainties. She pointed to the recent Systems Planning and Analysis expansion as an example of successful partnership-driven economic development.
The defense contractor announced plans to create almost 500 new jobs in Alexandria with an average salary of $153,000, representing a $15 million investment in a new state-of-the-art facility. The project marks the first “Alexandria First” commitment, requiring the company to invest back in the community through partnerships with Alexandria City Public Schools and local small businesses.
“Systems Planning and Analysis, they’re committed to new partnerships with Alexandria City Public Schools,” Gaskins said. “A week after we made that announcement, I looked at the little PTA chart and I found out they were at my school during a STEM night, teaching kindergarteners how to learn about science.”
Council member John Taylor Chapman emphasized the importance of small business investment for the city’s future resilience. “If we are to progress as a city, we are to make it over the next hunt, make it through the next shutdown, make it through the next administration. It’s really the investment that we have for our small businesses that’s going to take us there,” Chapman said.
Chapman introduced Roberto Gomez, executive director of Cornerstone Craftsman, as an example of successful small business development. Gomez’s organization provides trade skills training to young people from low-income backgrounds, serving 28 kids year-round with 26 more on a waitlist.
“Several years ago, I was not the executive director of Cornerstone Craftsman. I was just a guy who wanted to do something good in my city and show up for my city,” Gomez said. “And what I got for that is my city showed up in return, in many ways.”
Gomez described how AEDP staff provided crucial support in navigating the nonprofit creation process and connecting him with resources. His program teaches participants construction skills including drywall, framing, and electrical theory, with graduates earning $27.50 per hour at age 18 through union and non-union apprenticeship programs.
“On average of these kids work and stay in these career paths, they’ll make over $4.6 million throughout their career with no college education,” Gomez said. “That’s pretty powerful.”
Dr. Rina Bansal, President of Inova Alexandria Hospital, outlined two major healthcare milestones achieved in partnership with AEDP. The organization opened its Oakville Health Center in Potomac Yard, which has served over 10,000 emergency patients, performed over 1,000 surgeries, and provided care to over 22,000 patients in primary care and specialty services.
The second milestone involves the groundbreaking of a new Alexandria Hospital at the former Landmark Mall site. The project will create a state-of-the-art tertiary care hospital and cancer center, serving as an anchor for transforming the West End area.
“This campus will be a hospital which will be the state of the art tertiary care hospital, probably best in the nation, if not just the Northeast,” Awdish said. “This project will be the anchor for the development of that space. This will transform that space from Landmark Mall into a thriving community.”
The new hospital, scheduled for completion in 2028, represents part of a larger 4 million square foot mixed-use development that will include new transit connections and public spaces.
AEDP Senior Vice President Marian Marquez, who oversees business development, small business, and real estate teams, referenced the city’s first economic summit in 15 years. The initiative involved more than 840 community touchpoints and interviews with over 75 stakeholders to develop a strategic framework for Alexandria’s economic future.
AEDP’s annual impact statistics show that the organization facilitated the creation or retention of 4,106 jobs, provided 312 hours of small business counseling, and hosted 42 events. The city’s office vacancy rate stands at 21.6% as of June 30, 2025.
The organization’s small business team has expanded services to eight languages, including new resources in Amharic and Spanish, alongside existing support in Dari, Korean, and Russian. The team conducts neighborhood outreach to connect entrepreneurs with tailored support.
Recent federal agency developments include the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s announcement that it will relocate 2,700 employees to Alexandria, moving into the Eisenhower Avenue building, which the National Science Foundation currently occupies. The General Services Administration has also issued a notice seeking information on potential new locations in Alexandria for the NSF headquarters.
Other notable achievements include the conversion of the long-vacant Victory Center office building at 5001 Eisenhower Avenue into 376 workforce and affordable housing units, representing the first use of a partial real estate tax abatement for a residential project in Alexandria.
The fiscal year achievements come as Alexandria faces ongoing challenges from federal government changes and economic uncertainty. However, city leaders emphasized the community’s resilience and collaborative approach to economic development.
“No matter what the challenge is, Alexandria seems to always be ready to tackle it,” Mayor Gaskins said. “It is an approach that is built on partnerships and a recognition that economic development is not successful if we’re not investing in transit, if we’re not investing in housing, if we’re not investing in small businesses.”
