development | ALXnow

City to host public meeting on new density and affordable housing options

Published April 4, 2022 at 10:00AM

The City of Alexandria is hosting a community meeting for a plan to allow additional bonus height in new zones in exchange for affordable housing.

Currently, developers can only apply for bonus height in zones with height limits of 50 feet. The new ordinance would take that down to allow developers to apply for bonus height in zones with 45 foot high limits. It’s a relatively minor change on paper, but it opens new density options across the city as well as more opportunities for affordable housing.

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City outlines what’s ahead for Potomac Yard development

By Vernon Miles

Published March 30, 2022 at 3:50PM

With Potomac Yard Metro Station coming along, city staff and leaders recently took a look at the rest of the planned development.

At a meeting of the Potomac Yard Metrorail Implementation Work Group on Monday, Principal Planner Dirk Geratz took group members on a virtual tour of the development site and outlined how far development in the area has come — and how far some parts still have to go.

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New mixed-use development, and potential dance space, coming to Old Town North

By Vernon Miles

Published March 28, 2022 at 11:00AM

Rendering of 901 North Pitt Street development from N Montgomery Street, image via City of Alexandria

Just caddy corner to where an office building is getting a new restaurant space, another developer is coming forward with plans to redevelop 901 N Pitt Street into an eight-story mixed-use building.

At an April 7 meeting (Item 9), the Planning Commission is scheduled to review the development’s development special use permit. The 901 N Pitt Street development is proposed by the somewhat unimaginatively named 901 N. Pitt Street, LLC, which the application says is a mix of The Oliver Carr Company and Carr Holdings II LLC.

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‘Save Del Ray’ website launches in opposition to Bonaventure’s mixed-use shopping development on Mount Vernon Avenue

By James Cullum

Published March 25, 2022 at 1:00PM | Updated March 25, 2022 at 1:31PM

A conceptual design for Bonaventure's property at 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. (Via Bonaventure)

A movement decrying Bonaventure’s proposed mixed-use development in the heart of Del Ray launched online this month, and its organizer says the plan will ruin the neighborhood’s peaceful vibe.

Nate Hurto and a few dozen of his neighbors aren’t happy about the proposal to convert the old 88,500-square-foot former home of the Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services building at 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue into a four-story, 43-foot-tall building with 12,530 square feet of retail and 79 rental units.

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Inova campus concept plans at former Landmark site filed with city

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 24, 2022 at 3:30PM

One of the first looks at the proposal for the Inova hospital campus at the old Landmark site was filed with the city last week (screenshot via City of Alexandria permit system)

Inova has filed concept plans for the 10-acre site that will relocate the Alexandria hospital to the former Landmark Mall property and is expected to start construction in 2024.

Phase I of the campus construction proposal includes a 565,525-square-foot level 2 trauma hospital with below-grade and structured parking, a 107,239-square-foot cancer center and a 88,085-square-foot specialty care building, according to the development concept plan filed with the city last week. The existing parking garage will remain, adding 550 parking spaces for the campus to the additional 950 spaces to be constructed.

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Carlyle health center development starts to seek tenants ahead of construction

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 23, 2022 at 2:20PM

A rendering of the John Carlyle Center (courtesy of Cushman Wakefield)

With construction slated for later this year, the planned John Carlyle Center for Health and Wellness is looking for tenants.

The developer behind the 126,000-square-foot medical facility is starting to push out the word ahead of construction that space is available to lease. Cushman & Wakefield is handling the leasing of the medical offices and retail spaces.

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Beautification Commission announces 2022 Alexandria Architecture Award winners

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 22, 2022 at 10:50AM

Beaconcrest Homes and the owners of 128 and 128A East Walnut Street were among the 2022 winners (staff photo by Brandi Bottalico)

The Alexandria Beautification Commission announced its 2022 Alexandria Architecture Award winners Monday.

The commission asked for nominations and also toured the city looking for candidates that “speak to the character and future of the City, inspire others to enhance the beauty and architecture of their properties and help make Alexandria a creative, dynamic community.”

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Plans unveiled for parking lot redevelopment in the heart of Old town

By Vernon Miles

Published March 16, 2022 at 3:45PM | Updated March 17, 2022 at 3:12AM

912-920 King Street, image via Winstanley Architects & Planners

Long-awaited plans for the redevelopment of a block of parking on King Street are finally coming forward.

Plans for the redevelopment of 912-920 King Street are scheduled to be presented at the Wednesday, April 6 Board of Architectural Review meeting, the Washington Business Journal first reported.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published March 11, 2022 at 3:45PM

It’s been a busy week in Alexandria, with some controversies at the school, city, and even state levels.

At ACPS, a new report detailed the arrests and safety incidents that have occurred in this school year, and then last night some School Board leaders butted heads over a lack of transparency in the creation of a new advisory board to review school safety issues.

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Old Town North office building getting restaurant conversion

By Vernon Miles

Published March 10, 2022 at 3:45PM

Madison Place office building in Old Town North, image via Google Maps

An office building in Old Town North could be getting a refit to open up a restaurant and retail space on the ground floor.

A Special Use Permit application filed by Asana Partners for 500 Montgomery Street indicates that the owners of the Madison Place office building are looking to make changes to the ground floor to bring in restaurant and retail space.

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Old Town North’s tiny The Perfect Pita could be getting an upgrade

By Vernon Miles

Published March 10, 2022 at 2:30PM | Updated March 11, 2022 at 3:11PM

Perfect Pita in Old Town North, image via Google Maps

(Updated 3/11) If you’ve been around Old Town North, you know the Perfect Pita in question.

It sits at 951 N. Fairfax Street street, but it’s perhaps better known as the franchise location situated in a tiny standalone space. At an Urban Design Advisory Committee meeting yesterday (Wednesday), the committee endorsed plans for The Perfect Pita to expand the building and upscale its operations.