Following hefty city pushback, the Board of Architectural Review unanimously advanced plans to renovate City Hall and Market Square with a new certificate of appropriateness at last night’s public hearing (Wednesday).
Board member Andrew Scott introduced a motion to approve a final design stipulating the inclusion of decorative chimneys, lifted archways and other 19th-century flourishes at the site of the 1871 building, garnering some dissent from Director of General Services Jeremy McPike.
With construction expected to start next year, plans to demolish and encapsulate City Hall are heading to the city’s Board of Architectural Review.
Development plans call for City Hall (301 King Street) to be gutted and for the demolition of the Market Square plaza and the underground two-level parking garage. The BAR will review the plans on Thursday (Oct. 16). If approved by City Council at a yet-to-be-scheduled meeting, the project will break ground in the second quarter of 2026 with a completion goal of 2028, according to the city.
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Tuesday, Sept. 16, the 259th day of 2025. There are 106 days left in the year.
⛈️ Today’s weather: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 69—northeast wind 13 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%—new rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
