Alexandria will eliminate requirements for third-party green building certifications under a new policy aimed at reducing development costs while maintaining environmental standards.
The City Council is expected to consider the updated Green Building Policy later this year after review by the Planning Commission and Environmental Policy Commission. The changes would take effect Jan. 1, replacing the current 2019 policy.
A proposal to build a 275-unit workforce housing multifamily apartment building on the southwest portion of the sprawling WestEnd development is heading to the Alexandria Planning Commission.
Plans for the seven-story development from landowner Foulger Pratt and its partner Landmark Holdings LLC call for a seven-story structure with 210 parking spaces (a reduction from the 327 required spaces), with 80% of the units available for between 80% and 120% area median income. The proposal heads to the Planning Commission on Thursday, Oct. 9.
A proposal for an office-to-residential conversion in Old Town is heading to the Alexandria Planning Commission.
The two-building offices at 601 Wythe Street is home to the American Water Federation, which bought the property in 1985, according to city records. Now AWF wants to convert the five-story commercial complex into a mixed-use property residential apartments. The proposal will go to the Planning Commission on Oct. 9 (Thursday).
The owners of a historic townhouse in Old Town with ground floor retail want to expand the property with a 700-square-foot addition and use it as their primary residence.
Plans to redevelop 107 N. Fairfax Street will head to the Planning Commission on Thursday, Oct. 9. The four-story townhouse was built in 1800, and is located in the city’s Old and Historic District. It’s located directly across from City Hall (301 King Street), and the first floor is home to dessert and coffee shop Dolci Gelati.
The owner of the former Vulcan Materials property near the Van Dorn Metro station is looking to sell, as a new hotel, retail, hundreds of new homes, and a park are being built on the site.
Last year, the city approved a plan to redevelop the site into an 11-story, 256-room hotel with 4,500 square feet of retail space, 323 new townhomes and condos, and a 4.4-acre park. The development promised to be “the most vibrant, new residential development that this area has seen in several years,” according to marketing materials released by Maryland-based Cohn Property Group (CPG) and first reported by the Washington Business Journal.
Developer JBG Smith will soon discuss an updated proposal to build a mix of multifamily, townhome and committed affordable housing across from the Potomac Yard Metro station.
Next Wednesday (Aug. 27), the Potomac Yard Design Advisory Committee (PYDAC) will review updated plans for Landbays G and H (see rendering above),
Alexandria’s Department of Planning and Zoning has a full docket at its upcoming bi-monthly virtual community meeting.
On Sept. 2 (Tuesday), planning and zoning staff will conduct a meeting via Zoom to discuss updates to these issues:
Alexandria is asking for public feedback on plans to upgrade crosswalks near schools in Arlandria and Del Ray.
The city’s Crossing Improvements Phase II would transform the sidewalks around Charles Barrett Elementary School (1115 Martha Custis Drive) and George Washington Middle School (1005 Mount Vernon Avenue). The deadline to submit feedback on the plans is Friday, Aug. 29.
Alexandria’s extended public poll on the Duke Street Land Use Plan wraps today.
Hundreds of people have participated in the poll, according to the city. Once completed, the plan will guide city officials in the development of the Duke Street Corridor from the former Landmark Mall to Alexandria Union Station. The plan is expected to be ready for City Council consideration and adoption in late 2026/early 2027, according to the city.
Welcome to Friday, Alexandria! Here’s our recap of the most-read stories.
Our top story this week is on two Alexandria business owners charged with possession of an illegal gambling device for operating skill games. The news marks the first indictments against Alexandria business owners for the devices. Dozens of skill game machines operate at multiple convenience and grocery stores in the West End and Arlandria neighborhoods, despite police hand-delivering warning letters to more than a dozen offending businesses. Skill games were outlawed as illegal gaming by the Virginia legislature in 2020, and Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter told ALXnow that his office is assessing “all potential investigative leads.”
Virginia Tech plans to renovate its Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center in Old Town to improve accessibility with a new elevator, sprinkler system, and handicapped-accessible ramp, according to a request going before the Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
The building at 1001 Prince Street was loaned to Virginia Tech by Alexandria in 1980, and the school bought it in 1989, according to city records.
