The city of Alexandria will showcase progress and accept feedback for the ongoing Duke Street Land Use Plan during an open house next week.
The open house will feature informational “interactive stations,” and attendees can “engage with staff about specific opportunities they see on the corridor” from Alexandria Union Station to Van Dorn Street.
The event is scheduled from 6:30-8:30 p.m. next Wednesday at Bishop Ireton High School at 201 Cambridge Road, “directly off the main entrance in the upper parking lot.”
The corridor has not seen a comprehensive land use update since 1992. Over the past three decades, the area and surrounding neighborhoods have experienced several development changes, according to the city.
“Updating the Land Use Plan now gives us the opportunity to align with current best practices and City policies, such as tree canopy preservation, stormwater management, and green building standards, while also setting a clear, forward-looking vision for the future of the corridor,” according to the plan’s webpage.
In the past, small area plans have contributed to new parks, retail and “improved public spaces” across the city. Planners hope to address “key issues like safety, housing affordability and aging infrastructure” while providing support to the corridor’s roughly 600 small businesses.
According to the city’s Oct. 23 land use plan presentation, residents have expressed complaints about traffic congestion, safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and the corridor’s overall attractiveness. Residents are also interested in preserving and creating more opportunities for affordable housing.
The city began planning for the project over the summer and is expected to wrap up within 18 to 24 months, with City Council consideration expected in late 2026 or early 2027.
The land use plan is underway as the city also makes progress on Duke Street in Motion, a “multi-phased effort” to ensure the corridor’s transit services meet residents’ needs.
Refreshments and interpretation services for Spanish and Amharic will be available at the open house. Other language interpretation requests must be sent to Urban Planner Christian Brandt by this Wednesday, Dec. 3.
The event will not be available to livestream, but interested residents can interact with a “digital version” on the city’s online Engagement Hub, according to the city. The meeting location is available via DASH’s Bus Route 30.
After next week’s open house, the city intends to host workshops covering the same content in January.
