development | ALXnow

Housing Alexandria breaking ground on new Arlandria affordable housing development this summer

Published March 28, 2023 at 2:45PM

Concept rendering of Sansé and Naja development in Arlandria (courtesy of Housing Alexandria)

Local nonprofit Housing Alexandria said it will break ground on a new 474-unit affordable housing project in Arlandria this summer at the intersection of Mount Vernon Avenue and Glebe Road.

The project — a pair of buildings the nonprofit announced will be called Sansé and Naja — will create 474 units of affordable housing, 36,000 square feet of commercial space and a two-level underground parking garage. All of the units will be affordable for households making up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) with 105 units set aside as deeply affordable — available to those making 40% AMI.

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Walgreens redevelopment in Old Town headed to city review

By Vernon Miles

Published March 28, 2023 at 1:30PM | Updated March 31, 2023 at 3:40PM

The proposed redevelopment of a pair of blue and white buildings, a former Burke & Herbert Bank and a former Walgreens, is heading back to city review next month.

The plan is to combine the two buildings into a single mixed-use development called The Mansley with ground-floor retail and three stories of residential space above.

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Inova at Landmark project unanimously approved by Alexandria City Council

By James Cullum

Published March 20, 2023 at 3:45PM

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

The 1.1 million-square-foot Inova at Landmark project got unanimous approval by the Alexandria City Council on Saturday, giving the hospital system the green light to build the future home of Alexandria Hospital.

Inova wants to start construction on the former Landmark Mall site in 2024 and have the four-building hospital campus finished by 2028. The hospital building is designed to face I-395, making it a gateway for drivers traveling north.

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West End neighborhood associations band together against new residential development

By James Cullum

Published March 20, 2023 at 10:45AM

The proposed apartment building at 1900 N. Beauregard Street (via City of Alexandria)

Three West End neighborhood associations say that a proposed residential development at 1900 N. Beauregard Street will create too much density.

The Seminary West Civic Association (SWCA), Seminary Heights Condominium Association and the Seminary Park Home Owners Association wrote City Council discouraging the proposal by Monday Properties.

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Waterfront warehouse and Civil War mess hall to become new tavern

By Vernon Miles

Published March 16, 2023 at 1:30PM

Rendering for proposed Cooper Mill development at 10 Duke Street (courtesy image)

One of Alexandria’s last waterfront warehouses is becoming a tavern.

According to a press release, the squat brick warehouse at 10 Duke Street is going to be converted into a market, tavern and event space called Cooper Mill, a throwback to the site’s history of making barrels for the Alexandria Flower Company.

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Massive housing reform process for Alexandria kicks off this month

By Vernon Miles

Published March 9, 2023 at 1:45PM

The Eisenhower Square townhouse development (staff photo by Brandi Bottalico)

Alexandria is preparing to launch a massive overhaul of its housing zoning with a kickoff event later this month.

The Zoning for Housing/Housing for All initiative was announced late last year but has been in the works since 2020. The initiative is essentially a top-t0-bottom review of the city code to rewrite the city’s zoning code to emphasize affordability and equity.

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Large residential overhaul in Old Town clears bureaucratic hurdle

By Vernon Miles

Published March 7, 2023 at 3:45PM | Updated March 8, 2023 at 8:37AM

Tycon Building redesign plans (image via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria’s Board of Architectural Review can be infamously picky about urban design, but the board unanimously voted to approve a large new project in Old Town with significant enthusiasm.

Applicant City House Old Town, LLC is applying to have the office building at 1101 King Street — currently a mostly vacant office space called the Tycon Building — changed into a residential development with 210 units.

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Full redevelopment of Old Town North block heading to Planning Commission

By Vernon Miles

Published March 6, 2023 at 2:55PM

Montgomery Center site layout, image via Cooper Carry/City of Alexandria

The Montgomery Center redevelopment is heading to Alexandria’s Planning Commission later this month.

The proposed development, first announced last spring, is a sweeping overhaul of a block at the heart of Old Town North.

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Renovated Mount Jefferson Park awaits city inspections before reopening

By James Cullum

Published March 3, 2023 at 1:20PM

The renovation of Mount Jefferson Park is complete, and the city will conduct inspections between now and May 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

After more than six months of delay, the renovation of Mount Jefferson Park is complete.

City inspections now stand between the park reopening to the public, according to the city. That process could take another two months.

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Inova wants 250-foot height allowance for its Hospital at Landmark project

By James Cullum

Published March 2, 2023 at 3:45PM

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

The 1.1 million-square-foot Inova at Landmark project is headed to the Alexandria Planning Commission on Tuesday, signaling the beginning of an official public approval process. If all goes according to schedule, construction of the four-building medical campus could wrap in the second quarter of 2028, according to site development partner Foulger-Pratt.

The hospital building is designed to face Interstate 395, and is proposed to have a two-story glass atrium at its entrance, above which would be a six-story Z-shaped inpatient tower. Inova anticipates that the building will be 184 feet tall (nearly 17 stories) to hide hospital mechanical equipment, although the hospital system is asking for a maximum height allowance of 250 feet, or 23 stories.

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New West End senior living community aims for 2024 launch

By Vernon Miles

Published March 2, 2023 at 3:15PM

Rendering of Benchmark at Alexandria (image via Benchmark Senior Living)

A new senior living community in the West End has hit a construction milestone and has targeted a 2024 opening.

The project recently “topped out” — meaning the superstructure of the building was finished. Benchmark at Alexandria will include 89 assisted living apartments and 26 memory care units with personalized care for those who need it once it launches sometime next year.