development | ALXnow

Hotel redevelopment could make Vulcan Materials site off Van Dorn Street ‘live long and prosper’

Published February 5, 2024 at 2:00PM | Updated February 5, 2024 at 7:58PM

The Vulcan Materials site (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated 6:20 p.m.) After a few years on backburner, plans to remediate and redevelop Vulcan Materials — an industrial site near the Van Dorn Metro station — could be reheating.

An application filed by the Lennar Corporation and Potomac Land Group II LLC with the City of Alexandria calls for the remediation of the existing site to create a new mixed-use development. The new project features a hotel facing S. Van Dorn Street, retail, condominiums, townhouses, two-over-two units and a six-acre park along Backlick Run dedicated to the city.

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Robinson Terminal North, a major piece of Alexandria’s Waterfront Plan, headed to city review next month

By Vernon Miles

Published January 31, 2024 at 10:00AM

Plans for Robinson Terminal North (via City of Alexandria)

Plans for Robinson Terminal North, one of the last missing pieces of Alexandria’s aspirations for a contiguous waterfront, are headed to city review next month.

The development, first reported last November, involves a multifamily residential building with ground-floor retail and a restaurant. The project is headed to the Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday, Feb. 21.

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Alexandria City Council approves redevelopment in Old Town North with more affordable housing for seniors

By Vernon Miles

Published January 23, 2024 at 3:50PM

Proposed massing for the Ladrey High-Rise (via ARHA)

At a meeting this weekend, Alexandria’s City Council unanimously approved an affordable housing redevelopment for seniors despite pushback from neighbors.

While many projects in Old Town come under fire from neighbors for being too tall, the Ladrey redevelopment is creating a shorter building but one more spread out across 600 N. Fairfax Street.

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Off-site parking and shuttles are being considered for the new arena at Potomac Yard

By James Cullum

Published January 23, 2024 at 1:30PM

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and JBG Smith conducted a roundtable discussion with Alexandria business leaders at Pork Barrel BBQ in Del Ray on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Officials planning the $2 billion arena at Potomac Yard say that there will be multiple ways to park around and access the site, from accessing parking garages in nearby Crystal City and at Metro stations, with fans getting carted around in shuttles running up and down Potomac Avenue.

Transportation issues were the most frequently mentioned in a roundtable discussion on Monday with local business owners and representatives at Pork Barrel BBQ in Del Ray. The dozen or so business leaders otherwise expressed support for the project.

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Del Ray’s Junction Bakery & Bistro wants a patio in the parking lot

By James Cullum

Published January 17, 2024 at 1:30PM

A patio area is being proposed for Junction Bakery & Bistro (1508 Mount Vernon Avenue) in Del Ray (via City of Alexandria)

A Del Ray restaurant is planning on expanding its footprint with a 750-square foot patio addition.

Noe Landini, owner of Junction Bakery & Bistro (1508 Mount Vernon Avenue), wants to build on the northern end of the restaurant on a repurposed area of the parking lot used for outdoor seating the last several years.

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First National Bank coming to former Nando’s Peri-Peri spot in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published January 2, 2024 at 3:30PM

First National Bank is coming to 704 King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)_

First National Bank is coming to 704 King Street in Old Town.

The 4,200-square-foot retail building has been vacant since Nando’s Peri-Peri moved from the location last July.

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High vacancy prompts office-to-apartment conversion proposal in Old Town North

By James Cullum

Published December 27, 2023 at 2:45PM | Updated December 27, 2023 at 5:27PM

1201 E. Abingdon Drive in Old Town North (via Google Maps)

(Updated 5:25 p.m.) The owner of an aging office building in Old Town North wants it converted into a 136-unit apartment building, and credits the decision to the “ongoing and diminished office market and current high vacancy rate.”

The five-story, 112,000-square-foot office building was built in 1983. It’s owned by Principal Life Insurance Co. of Des Moines, Iowa, and managed by PF III Abingdon LLC, an affiliate of the D.C.-based real estate investment firm the Pinkard Group.

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Inova Landmark development will have fewer beds than the current hospital

By Vernon Miles

Published December 20, 2023 at 3:45PM

The proposed Inova Alexandria Hospital building on the former Landmark Mall site (via City of Alexandria)

Inova Alexandria Hospital is currently a 318-bed community hospital. Once it opens its new hospital in Landmark in 2028, it’ll be a 192-bed hospital.

At a City Council meeting last week, Councilwoman Alyia Gaskins raised concerns from the community about the loss of beds in the new development. Dr. Rina Bansal, president of Inova Alexandria Hospital, said the decrease in beds is part of making services more efficient.

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New petition calls for halt of Potomac Yard arena before ‘ruining our communities’

By James Cullum

Published December 19, 2023 at 1:30PM

Rendering of aerial view of Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)

A new Change.org petition opposing the new Washington Wizards/Capitals arena at Potomac Yard is slowly gaining steam.

Last week, Ted Leonsis, the CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment and owner of both teams, announced the move alongside Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson. The $2 billion proposal would mean a new entertainment district for the area, which critics say will worsen traffic and decrease property values.

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Poster lampooning Potomac Yard development calls on Washington Commanders to move to the area

By James Cullum

Published December 15, 2023 at 1:55PM | Updated December 15, 2023 at 2:44PM

A new poster in Potomac Yard lampooning development by calling for the Washington Commanders football team to come to the area (courtesy photo)

Updated at 2:45 p.m. New posters are lampooning the recent announcement that the Washington Capitals and Wizards are moving to Potomac Yard by demanding one more thing — for the Washington Commanders to also move to the neighborhood.

“BUILD THE STADIUM COMPLEX,” headlines the five posters, which say, “We must act fast! This mega complex will be suitable for (football, basketball and hockey stick emojis) and T Swift concerts. The streets of Del Ray will become sanctuary for riotous celebrations of multiple championships. We must not lose out to suburban Maryland!! Let’s make our suburb great again!”

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Alexandria Mayor: Potomac Yard arena will have minimal parking, but Metro station currently inadequate

By Vernon Miles

Published December 14, 2023 at 10:15AM

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson speaks at the announcement of a new arena for the Washington Wizards and Capitals in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Dec. 13, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Yesterday’s announcement of the possible new arena at Potomac Yard turned a previously scheduled conversation with Mayor Justin Wilson into one of the first public discussions of the contentious project.

The Del Ray Citizens Association was packed with 375 participants on a Zoom call to ask Wilson questions about the new project. Across social media — and at a small protest outside the announcement — concerns focused on the secrecy around the project, car congestion at the site, and the Potomac Yard Metro’s ability to handle the amount of traffic.