Two proposed housing developments in the city of Alexandria are officially allowed to move forward after receiving City Council’s approval during its Saturday meeting.
A 640-unit, multi-building project in southern Potomac Yard and a 145-unit affordable housing redevelopment in Old Town each received unanimous approval for development special use permits (DSUPs) after advancing through the Planning Commission earlier this month.
The Potomac Yard buildout calls for a mixed-use residential building, affordable housing building and townhomes. In a press release this morning (Monday), Potomac Yard developer JBG Smith’s co-head of development, Taylor Lawch, thanked the city for its cooperation.
“We’re grateful to the community, Alexandria City staff, and City Council for their collaboration and input, which molded this plan into the strongest possible outcome,” Lawch said. “This mixed-use development is designed to bring much needed rental, affordable, and family-friendly for-sale housing to the neighborhood, culminating a quarter century of development in the southern portion of Potomac Yard.”
In total, both projects are slated to contribute some 233 new units of affordable housing in the city, the majority coming from the Old Town project led by the Alfred Street Baptist Church.
On Saturday, Mayor Alyia Gaskins said the church’s project “has a lot of amazing things to highlight” in terms of housing affordability preservation, green spaces, architectural design and more.
“It’s just a commitment to make sure that not only are we committed to passing more affordable homes in our city, we’re making sure that they’re being done in partnership with stakeholders in our community, but also to the highest quality, so that everyone can also live with dignity and respect,” Gaskins said.
Councilwoman Jacinta Greene thanked the faith community “for always stepping up to help those in need — not just in the affordable housing realm, but also food insecurity and many other things.”
“The perseverance to get to this point is admirable, and we thank you for that,” Greene said.
There is no estimated construction date in Old Town, project representative and attorney Mary Catherine Gibbs told ALXnow, although it’s likely the church will not be able to break ground anytime before 2028, according to previous coverage.
As for Potomac Yard, JBG Smith said now that approvals are in-hand, it “can begin actively working through the permitting process.” The group expects to begin those submissions in early 2026.
Looking ahead, the city’s Housing Affordability Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet virtually on Jan. 7, with a Housing 2040 community meeting and open house happening in late February.
