News

Asbestos abatement pushes back Alexandria City Hall reopening to fall 2028

By James Cullum
Brick municipal building with a tall white steeple under renovation; construction barriers line the street in front of a fenced site.
City Hall renovations (staff photo by James Cullum)

Major things are happening at Alexandria’s City Hall, as the city says that the last six months have been spent removing asbestos and other hazardous material from the building at 301 King Street.

In a release, the city also reported that the project has been pushed back 10 weeks due to unexpected areas needing asbestos abatement. Now with that part of the project complete, crews in September will start deconstruction of an addition to the building made in the 1960s.

The city reported that Grunley Construction Company has focused on these behind-the-scenes phases:

  • Environmental abatement — Crews have been carefully identifying, containing, and removing hazardous materials, including asbestos, from the 1960s-era addition to City Hall, in full compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations. Unexpected areas containing asbestos were discovered in the 1960s south façade and east and west interior courtyards. These unforeseen conditions extended the abatement work and the project timeline by 10 weeks. The anticipated completion date is Fall 2028. 
  • Interior demolition prep — Non-structural elements of the 1960s infill section have been prepared for removal ahead of the building’s deconstruction.
  • Support of Excavation (SOE) installation — A temporary pile system designed to stabilize the perimeter of the underground Market Square garage is being installed ahead of the garage’s deconstruction. This work will continue through early Fall 2026.

Today’s City Hall building was constructed in 1871 following a fire that destroyed the city’s original 1817 town hall. Many additions were made to the building and Market Square over the next century, notably in 1961, 1967, and 1981.

The renovation should be completed by fall 2028.

During construction, the city said to expect:

  • A high reach demolition excavator on the Plaza as it deconstructs the building one chunk at a time
  • Increased truck traffic for debris removal along the approved haul route
  • Additional noise during permitted construction hours, in accordance with the City’s noise ordinance
  • Continued fencing and pedestrian detours around the 301 King Street site

A live construction cam provides updates every 10 minutes.

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.