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Alexandria Waterfront

Small Area Plan

City of Alexandria Department of Planning and Zoning Adopted by Ordinance No. 4749 February 25, 2012

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan: Illustrative (Northern Core)

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Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan: Illustrative (Southern Core)

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Table of Contents

Waterfront History | Waterfront Planning History | The Concept Plan | The Plan | Chapter 2: Goals and Waterfront Wide Elements | 13 A Plan for the Public Realm | A Plan for Development | A Plan Which is Uniquely Alexandrian | A Plan Which Creates Systems that Work | Chapter 3: Character and Theme Areas | 33 Gateway North/Canal Center | Tide Lock Park and Rivergate/Rowing Facility | Oronoco Bay Park | West's Point - Robinson Terminal North | Founders Park | King Street to Queen Street - The Waterfront's Core | The Strand | Point Lumley - Robinson Terminal South | The Waterfront Periphery - North and South | Waterfront Hotel/Restaurant Policy | Proposed Zoning for Private Development Sites | Chapter 4: Transportation, Circulation, and Parking | 105 Vehicular Traffic | Pedestrian Movement | Bicycle Travel | Transit | Water Taxi and Water Transportation | Parking | Chapter 5: Implementation | 125 Revenue Potential | Developer Contribution Potential | Taxes and Funding | Phasing | Appendix 1: Community Participation | Appendix 2: Regulatory and Permitting Considerations and Settlement Agreements | Appendix 3: Hotel Technical Memorandum | Appendix 4: Marina Market Assessment Data | Appendix 5: Alexandria Waterfront Art Plan | Appendix 6: Alexandria History Plan - Alexandria, A living History |

List of Figures and Tables

List of Figures and Tables (Continued)

Figure 26: Crowne Plaza Infill Concept | 85 Figure 27: Height Districts | 89 Figure 28a: Active Frontages - North Section | 90 Figure 28b: Active Frontages - South Section | 91 Figure 29: Robinson Terminal North settlement agreement Map | 92 Figure 30: Robinson Terminal North Conceptual Massing Model | 93 Figure 31: Robinson Terminal North Proposed Public Space and Active Frontages | 94 Figure 32: Robinson Terminal South settlement agreement Map | 96 Figure 33: Robinson Terminal South Conceptual Massing Model | 97 Figure 34: Robinson Terminal South and Cummings-Turner Proposed Public Space and Active Frontages | 100 Figure 35: Cummings-Turner Redevelopment Conceptual Massing Model | 102 Table 2: Private Redevelopment Sites: Density and Height Analysis | 105 Table 6: Private Redevelopment Sites: Uses | 105 Figure 36: Road Network | 108 Table 7: Pedestrian Volumes | 110 Figure 37: Crash Map | 112 Figure 38: Motorcoach Locations Map | 115 Table 8: Core Area Garage Spaces and Utilization | 119 Figure 39: Publicly Available Off-Street Parking Locations (Old Town Area Parking Study) | 121 Table 9: Waterfront Demand Generators and Parking Space Analysis | 122 Table 10: Core Parking Area Supply Summary | 122 Figure 40: Public and Private Parking Locations Map | 123 Table 11: Cost by Phasing Location | 142 Table 12: Cost Summary | 142

Acknowledgements

City Council Mayor William D. Euille Vice Mayor Kerry Donley Frank H. Fannon Alicia Hughes Rob Krupicka Redella S. Pepper Paul C. Smedberg

Planning Commission Chair John Komoroske Vice Chair H. Stewart Dunn, Jr. Donna Fossum Jesse Jennings Mary Lyman J. Lawrence Robinson Eric R. Wagner

Committee for Public Arts, Alexandria Commission for the Arts Matthew Harwood, Chair Rebecca Adams Susie Cohen Karen Conkey Mike Detomo Dene Garbow Kathy Glennon Pat Miller (Chair, Alexandria Commission for the Arts)

History Plan Committee, Alexandria Archaeological Commission James McCall, Chair Katy Cannady Ann Davin Tom Fulton Ellen Hamilton Vince LaPointe Ted Pulliam Seth Tinkham

Alexandria Restaurant Commission, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce Tina Leone, President & CEO, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce Jay Palermino, Director, Membership and Sponsorship Investments

Marina Subcommittee, Alexandria Waterfront Committee Doug Gosnell, Chair Linda Hafer Nate Macek (Chair, Alexandria Waterfront Committee) Peter Pennington (Vice Chair, Alexandria Waterfront Committee) Townsend Van Fleet

City Departments

Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Inc. Val Hawkins, President & CEO Stephanie Landrum, Senior Vice President Christine Mindrup, Vice President Commercial Real Estate

Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association Stephanie Pace Brown, President & CEO

City Manager's Office Rashad M. Young, City Manager Mark Jinks, Deputy City Manager Tom Gates, Assistant City Manager

Fire Department Adam K. Thiel, Fire Chief John North, Battalion Chief Rodney Masser, Fire Captain

General Services Administration Jeremy McPike, Deputy Director Patrice McAuliffe, Capital Projects Manager

Office of Historic Alexandria J. Lance Mallamo, Director Dr. Pamela Cressey, City Archaeologist

Police Department Earl L. Cook, Police Chief Tamara Hooper, Captain Len Fouch, Lieutenant

Acknowledgements (Continued)

Planning and Zoning Waterfront Team

Faroll Hamer, Director Jeffrey Farner, Deputy Director Karl Moritz, Deputy Director Barbara Ross, Deputy Director Tom Canfield, City Architect Al Cox, Historic Preservation Manager Nancy Williams, Principal Planner Ben Aiken, Urban Planner

Planning and Zoning

Gary Wagner, Principal Planner Brandi Collins, Urban Planner III Pat Mann, Urban Planner III Catherine Miliaras, Urban Planner III Garry Meus, Urban Planner II Jim Roberts, Urban Planner II Colleen Willger, Urban Planner III Kim Agee, Administrative Support V Barbara Carter, Administrative Support V

Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities

James Spengler, Director Alisa Carrel, Office of the Arts, Director Ron Kagawa, Division Chief Laura Durham, Open Space Coordinator James Hixon, Dockmaster

Transportation and Environmental Services

Rich Baier, Director Yon Lambert, Deputy Director Abi Lerner, Deputy Director Emily Baker, City Engineer Sandra Marks, Division Chief Jim Maslanka, Division Chief Dr. Claudia Hamblin-Katnik, Watershed Program Administrator Lisa Jaatinen, Civil Engineer IV Daniel Imig, Civil Engineer III Daphne Kott, Civil Engineer III Carrie Sanders, Principal Planner Andrea Wilkinson, Principal Parking Planner

Waterfront Plan Work Group (WPWG)

Christopher Ballard Bert Ely Melinda Lyle Elliot Rhodeside Nathan Macek David Olinger Lt. General Bob Wood (Ret.) Councilman Paul Smedberg, Convener

Consultants

Plan AECOM AECOM – Economics AECOM - Transportation Moffatt and Nichol The Perspectives Group

Hotel Analysis W-ZHA, LLC

Model Trojan Models

Alexandria Waterfront Plan: Key Sites and Recommendations

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Windmill Hill Park, Ford's Landing, and Harborside Vicinity

• Passive Recreation Area
• Repairs to bulkhead and other park plan implementation

Point Lumley Park Vicinity

• Expand existing park
• Recall historic shoreline
• Rehabilitate Beachcombers Restaurant
• Celebrate shipbuilding History

Waterfront Park and the Foot of King St.

• Higher activity
• Fitzgerald Square - Hardscaped Plaza
• Pedestrian Oriented Streets
• Enhanced park landscaping

Torpedo Plaza and the City Marina

• Celebrate the Arts
• Improve dining experience
• Enhance commercial harbor

Founders Park

• Passive Recreation Area
• Enhance pathways and landscaping
• Improve water vistas

Oronoco Bay Park

• Improve ecological conditions
• Enhanced landscaping and grading
• Stage for events, theater, music
• Retain rail spur
• Boxcars

Rivergate City Park and Tide Lock Vicinity

• Improve landscaping and pathways
• Possible Kayak launching
• Northward viewing area to DC
• Enhance the existing Tide Lock Park

Continuous Walkway

• Complete and enhance public access along the waterfront
• 25 foot promenade and meandering park pathways

Robinson Terminal South Private Marina

• Potential location for private marina
• 100+ slips to be commercially viable

Cummings-Turner Redevelopment

• 50 foot height limit
• Mixed use with emphasis on Hotel and active ground floor uses
• Subject to BAR approval and Development SUP Process

King Street Pier

• Public pier set just south of King Street
• Docking for a historic ship or ship of character
• Water taxi embarkation point

Cameron Street Wharf

• Commercial harbor expansion area
• Docking for existing vessels and potential future vessels
• Improved access around Chart House Restaurant

Robinson Terminal North Redevelopment

• Heights range from 45 ft. east of Union to 66 ft. west of Union
• Mixed use with emphasis on Hotel and active ground floor uses
• Must maintain access along water's edge
• Subject to Development SUP Process

Robinson Terminal North Pier

• Public Pier/Plaza over water
• Improved as part of Robinson Terminal redevelopment
• Maintain deep water birth for ships

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

Executive Summary

Alexandria’s waterfront is special.

Alexandria’s waterfront is special because of its unique and significant role in the nation’s history and because it is a world renowned example of the revitalizing role of art in the community. The waterfront is a source of prosperity, hometown pride and national significance. It is Alexandria’s front door; it is where the City was born; it is where we often go to celebrate; and it is where we take our guests from out of town. The waterfront is where we live; it is where we make a living; and it is where we go daily to walk, relax, meet neighbors, and see what’s happening.

Weaving art and history into every aspect of the Waterfront

The City is the beneficiary of exceptional efforts by two groups of hardworking Alexandrians that resulted in the Alexandria History Plan – Alexandria, a Living History (History Plan), prepared by the Waterfront History Committee of the Alexandria Archaeological Commission, and the Alexandria Waterfront Art Plan (Art Plan), prepared by the Public Art Committee of the Alexandria Commission for the Arts. These efforts recognize the important contributions of history and art to Alexandria, especially at the waterfront. The Waterfront Small Area Plan (Plan) is an opportunity to add back history that’s been missing from the waterfront for too long. Moreover, the Art Walk concept is ideally suited to link the series of public spaces that comprise the waterfront, and public art has a limitless potential to interpret the stories, people and places of our past.

Based on recommendations in the History Plan and the Art Plan, six Art and Culture Theme Areas are utilized as guiding elements for each of the character areas of the Plan. The Art and Culture Theme Areas, like the Plan’s character areas, are linked by the proposed Art Walk designed to help unify them and other elements of the waterfront together. These Art and Culture Theme Areas are reflected in Figure 1. As one moves from one Art and Culture Theme Area to another, one will be introduced to the rich history of that given area through interpretation, art, architecture, activities and more. Additionally, a History Center in the vicinity of the 200 block of The Strand is proposed. There, one would be able to learn not only about the waterfront’s maritime history but also about other cultural resources, along the waterfront, and throughout the City. The History Center would be the history counterpart to the Torpedo Arts Center a few blocks north. This Plan not only incorporates these concepts and ideals contained in the History Plan and Art Plan but it also includes each plan in its entirety as Appendices 5 and 6, respectively.

Planning Area Boundaries

• The waterfront planning area is approximately 3 miles long and extends between the Potomac River on the east, North Fairfax Street and South Union Street on the west, Daingerfield Island on the north and Jones Point Park on the south.

Planning Process

• Community Participation Process: community and group meetings, charettes, topical meetings, website, video, comment board and more - April 2009 to January 2012
• Concept Plan Released – June 2010
• Draft Small Area Plan Released – February 2011
• Planning Commission Public Meetings and Approval – April/May 2011
• City Council Public Meeting – May 2011
• City Council Meeting – June 11, 2011
• Establishment of the Waterfront Plan Work Group (WPWG) - June 2011
• WPWG Report Released December 2011
• City Council Public Hearing and Plan approval - January 2012

Website Address and Key Content: www.alexandriava.gov/waterfront

• What’s New?
• Approved Waterfront Small Area Plan
• Implementation Activities
• Information Archive
• Public Comment Board

Figure 1: Arts and Culture: Theme Areas

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A Strand that is lively, fun and uniquely Alexandrian

Throughout the planning process, Alexandrians asked for more "things to do" on the waterfront and they identified The Strand, from King Street to Robinson Terminal South, as the place for activities. That makes historic sense – Alexandria once was a working waterfront, bustling with activity, and the Plan returns some of that level of activity to The Strand.

At the hub of the waterfront is a new public space connecting King Street to the Potomac River, and The Strand to the Torpedo Factory, Chart House and beyond. Dubbed "Fitzgerald Square," the new plaza will be almost the size of Market Square. When amassed with Waterfront Park, the combined public space will total 2.3 acres (100,000 sq. ft.), or approximately 64% larger than the existing 1.4 acre Waterfront Park. In the summer there will be food carts, tables and chairs, fountains, and other activities; in the winter there is plenty of room for an ice skating rink.

With Fitzgerald Square, Waterfront Park and a new, expanded Point Lumley Park, The Strand will comprise three distinct outdoor "rooms," each with its own character. Waterfront Park will continue to include a broad lawn shaded by mature willow oaks. The restored Beachcomber’s Restaurant activates the park to the south and creates two doorways – one along the Potomac River – to a new Point Lumley Park, created out of the existing surface parking lot. In the new park, there are multiple opportunities for fun and culture with strong themes of history (especially shipbuilding and maritime history) and public art.

Among the first requests from Alexandrians participating in the Plan: more options for outdoor, waterfront dining. The Plan identifies the few places where this request can be addressed and actually enhance the public spaces nearby.

At the heart of the Waterfront, a new gateway to the City

During its earliest days and for long afterward, Alexandria recognized its waterfront as the front door to the City. Pictures of the ferry terminal that was once located at the foot of King Street remind us that for many visitors and residents, this location was the gateway to the City. As waterfront uses became more industrial, the daily life of Alexandrians moved away from the water’s edge and new waterfront buildings often faced away rather than toward the river.

Early in the public process for this Plan, Alexandrians expressed a strong wish to see the foot of King Street once again become a gateway to the City. The hundred or so participants in an early public meeting identified “extending King Street as a pier” as a highly desired element of the Plan and so it was included in the Waterfront Concept Plan released in the summer of 2010. With the advice of residents, the pier concept has been refined and would provide:

• a dramatically improved arrival experience, with water taxis delivering new visitors and returning residents to a pier with “natural” wayfinding: a clear view of the entire waterfront core area and of King Street to the George Washington Masonic National Memorial as well as easy access to the King Street Trolley;
• a docking location for a historic ship or other “ship of character” as requested by residents to be visible as one walks down King Street toward the Potomac River;
• a connection to Alexandria’s past, since long piers characterized Alexandria’s waterfront for more than 100 years;
• a way to let people do what they really wish when they come to a river: get out over the water and enjoy the view; and
• a clear marker that this spot, where one of America’s great streets meets one of America’s great rivers, is the “center” of the waterfront.

More and better public spaces of all kinds

The essence of Alexandria’s waterfront is public space and the Plan not only increases the amount of space for the public, it also adds to the variety of public spaces. The redesign of Waterfront Park, combined with the new Fitzgerald Square, adds 40,000 square feet (approximately an acre) of park at the heart of the waterfront. Overall the Plan adds nearly six acres, or 250,000 square feet, of new public spaces of all kinds, including new public piers, streets that are converted to pedestrian-oriented spaces, and more. Over 5 acres of public space will be located between Thompsons Alley and Wilkes Street (Table 1).

The Plan completes the long-standing goal of “where land meets water, the public is welcome” by planning for continuous access and accessibility along the river. The Plan calls for continued investment in our existing parks, inspired by art, history, and the environment, and adding small scale active recreation in many locations along the waterfront.

Table 2: Private Redevelopment Sites: Density and Height Analysis

• Heights at Robinson Terminal North shall be limited to 30 feet on Parcel C, 45 feet on Parcel D, and 66 feet on Tract 1.

Guides redevelopment to achieve Plan goals

With just three redevelopment sites in the Plan area, each has an important role to play in achieving the multiple goals of the Plan. The recommendations for redevelopment are fine-tuned to ensure authentic, welcoming and accessible development that reflects Alexandria’ history and showcases public art. Care has been taken to balance neighborhood compatibility – in architecture, land use, and impacts such as noise, traffic and parking – with financial feasibility and long-term economic success. Equally important, the guidelines steer development toward uses that would pay for the new infrastructure and public amenities in the Plan. The Plan also identifies public amenities that new development would be expected to contribute.

Non-residential development, including boutique hotels, would be encouraged on parcels immediately adjacent to the water or to high activity public spaces. Residential would be encouraged to locate in quieter locations near existing housing. Hotels yield significant potential benefit to residents and other waterfront visitors and are among the land uses with the lowest impacts on nearby neighborhoods.

As reflected in Table 2 (Private Redevelopment Sites – Density and Height Analysis), the net increase in development potential (compared to what the current zoning allows), spread over a distance of just over one mile, is about 160,000 square feet). New buildings are limited to 50 feet in height, except for the western half of Robinson Terminal North, where one building would be permitted to be built as tall as the office building next door (66 feet).

X | Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

Table 3: Garage Spaces and Utilization

Resolving the parking problem

Parking has been a front burner issue in Old Town for many years. The Plan addresses parking comprehensively, aided by the City’s renewed focus on Old Town parking with detailed analysis, renewed enforcement, and investments in improved meters and signage.

With those tools, Table 3 (Garage Spaces and Utilization) reflects the existing off street parking capacity and potential capacity. For the waterfront, the most important finding of the recent Old Town Area Parking Study is that during periods of peak demand, there are about 700 unused parking spaces within 3-4 blocks of the intersection of King Street and Union Street. So the challenge is not that there are not enough spaces – the challenge is directing visitors (especially those planning to park for more than 2 hours) to the parking garages. Moreover, through the use of valet parking and by opening private garages to the public, there is potential for parking as many as 1,400 additional vehicles in that “core” area of the waterfront.

Plan implementation includes initiatives to fully use and to increase parking garage capacity with wayfinding, pricing and technology. Parking implementation will involve regular monitoring of parking and set “triggers” for actions – for example, when public garages approach capacity, the City would increase capacity through valets and private garages.

The Plan also balances parking supply and demand by encouraging land uses that minimize parking demand (such as hotels) and by encouraging visitors to arrive by means other than the automobile: trolley, bike, or boat.

Residential areas will be protected by increased enforcement (which has already begun), regular monitoring, and potentially a resident-only parking program.

Public and Priavate Parking Locations (please see Figure 40 on page 121 for full size image)

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Improving environmental conditions

Alexandria’s industrial past has left a legacy that includes pollutants in the soil and in the riverbed. In addition, as in many of the country’s oldest cities, Old Town has combined sanitary and storm sewers that have the potential to overflow into the river during rain events. Flooding is a recurring issue in The Strand area; a two phased solution to the most frequent flooding is included in the Plan.

The City is addressing in-soil contaminants near the foot of Oronoco Street through the use of biosparging technology, while the separation of the sanitary and storm sewers is expensive and long-term. The Plan recognizes these efforts and also addresses flooding by integrating mitigation measures into structures and landscaping. The Plan recommends replacing rip-rap with a more natural shoreline including native plants wherever possible.

Practical and educational initiatives include a series of floating “islands” of water-cleansing plants in Oronoco Bay, as well as the re-creation of a marsh once known as “Ralph’s Gutt” that will also assist in cleansing stormwater runoff.

Practical, cost-conscious, and pays for itself

Throughout the planning process, concerns were raised that the Plan would call for public expenditures that the City could not afford. The Plan addresses this concern by keeping proposed expenditures well within what can be supported by net revenues from new development.

The recommendations in the Plan are estimated to cost $51 million, of which $6.5 million is for flood mitigation. Improved or new bulkheads, along with completing the waterside esplanade, are estimated at $4 to $6 million, with the remainder for improvements to the Marina area and to parks and public spaces from Windmill Hill Park to the Tide Lock.

Revenue estimates were based upon four potential sources of new revenues: the real property taxes on new development, the meals taxes from new restaurants, the lodging taxes from new hotel rooms, and the sales taxes on both the restaurants and hotels. Waterfront improvements are likely to spin off additional economic benefits but these were not included in the analysis and summary, which shows that the Plan could “pay for itself.”

Public spending on parks, flood mitigation, and other benefits can occur after private development (to ensure that tax revenues precede public expenditures - emphasizing fiscal discipline), or they can proceed before private development to ensure that the public benefits come in a timely manner and to encourage higher quality private development. A key aspect of the Plan is that there is significant flexibility as to when the public investments are made.

A plan to complete the final chapter of the Waterfront’s transformation

The Plan reaffirms Alexandria’s commitment to this precious resource. It seeks to continue the remarkable achievement of reclaiming the City’s waterfront for itself and for the country. Not so many decades ago, it took people of tremendous vision to imagine a waterfront dedicated to public enjoyment instead of industrial production. Today, the results of their efforts are clearly evident, enjoyed daily, and the source of great pride.

The transformation of the waterfront over the past four decades was the result of Alexandrians making great plans and working together to achieve them. At each step, the plans aimed high, and it was never certain that every goal could or would be achieved. That’s always true, to some extent, of any long range plan. So it is clear that the heroes of waterfront’s decades-long transformation were more than visionary.

This Plan continues that tradition since it is the collective product of Alexandrians applying their knowledge, understanding, experience, history, and ideas toward the goal of completing the final chapter in the transformation of the waterfront. This Plan is Alexandrian because the key elements of the Plan come from Alexandrians.

Note The illustrative figures in this summary as well as the illustrative figures throughout the Plan should not be construed as final development schemes. They communicate intent. Further design, engineering and planning, and construction-related study will be required for each sub-area design as part of the implementation process.

1 A Waterfront Introduction

Alexandria’s waterfront has long been of great significance to the mid-Atlantic region. Nearly 400 years ago, before early Europeans first stepped foot on its banks, native people settled these shores, fished and sustained their lives along what is now the Potomac River. A small port settlement during the Colonial America period by the 18th century, the port had become a key center for coastal and global trade. Local commerce quickly grew along the waterfront in the form of sugar refineries, mills, foundries, tobacco warehouses, fish markets, distilleries, shipbuilding and repair, and more. Such activity brought a blossoming distinction to Alexandria. According to the Alexandria History Plan-Alexandria, A Living History (History Plan) “. . .by 1779 it was a port of entry for foreign vessels and a major export center for flour and hemp. Its waterfront was soon filled with brigs, schooners and other vessels which engaged in coast-wide and international trade and related businesses. . . ” With the good also came Alexandria’s notoriety as home to one of the largest slave trading operations for the south. Many Alexandrians owned slaves, utilizing their labor to help build and maintain homes, businesses and the City. The Alexandria Waterfront Art Plan (Art Plan) states that “Enslaved Africans should be credited for helping to shape much of Alexandria. They graded the bluff overlooking the Potomac River, built roads and wharves to expand Alexandria’s trade, and constructed brick and frame houses which can still be seen today.”

1930’s Aerial Perspective of the Alexandria Waterfront

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In the 18th and 19th centuries, Alexandria found itself serving a strategic role in several major wars, including the French and Indian Wars, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. It was not only its designation as a key trading port that made it a significant location during these conflicts, but it was its close proximity to strategic points in the North and South. Following these conflicts, Alexandria was able to continue to prosper as a seaport, except for the Civil War; the impacts of that event were so overwhelming that it was difficult for the area to fully recover.

As the 20th century emerged, Alexandria’s waterfront transitioned towards industrial use, and later, became a critical national defense center. During the latter part of the century, the City and the area around it experienced rapid growth as a metropolitan center. With that change, the industrial buildings and uses were replaced with housing, parks and open space. While the area has transformed into a destination for residents and visitors alike to enjoy, there are still opportunities to enhance it by further building on the history and character of the past and incorporating activities and elements that can help sustain its future.

Table 4 is a summary of general historic time periods of Alexandria’s history:

In addition to recognizing the importance of these periods, the City requested and received two white papers from the history and art communities as part of the planning process for the Waterfront Small Area Plan (Plan). Both documents, referenced above, are included as addenda to this Plan and their recommendations will be utilized to help shape the implementation process through the use of historic preservation, interpretative tools, cultural and historic programming, public art and related creative resources. The History Plan was produced by a committee organized by the Alexandria Archaeological Commission. The Art Plan was produced by the Public Art Subcommittee of the Commission on the Arts.

Recognizing and embracing the core components of these documents, the Plan seeks to, as it has eloquently stated in the History Plan, create a vision for the waterfront in which “real people and their daily lives, as well as witnesses to history, form the core of the physical representation of history and programming for the waterfront.”

Waterfront Planning History

The land from Daingerfield Island to Jones Point and generally east of Fairfax and Union Streets has been formally designated as Alexandria’s waterfront in a series of planning documents since the 1960s. In 1965, the City published the Alexandria Waterfront Study consisting of a survey and analysis, and a 20-year plan including urban design concepts. A supplemental study was completed in 1966, which focused on land use concepts. These documents evolved into the 1967 Alexandria Waterfront Adopted Plan. Figure 2 shows the Waterfront Planning Boundary.

In 1971, an Urban Design Study for the Master Plan was conducted for the City's waterfront area. Later, this study was incorporated as a component of the City's Consolidated Master Plan, adopted in 1974. Among other things, the

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Figure 2: Waterfront Planning Boundary

• Waterfront Plan Boundary

Consolidated Master Plan replaced previous waterfront planning documents and served as the new guide for the waterfront. Included in the plan was an outline for future redevelopment.

Three years later, in April of 1977, Alexandria’s City Council adopted ten general waterfront policies to guide planning. These policies evolved into the draft Alexandria Waterfront Plan, published in 1978. The Alexandria Waterfront Plan divided the study area into three sections: North Waterfront, Central Waterfront, and South Waterfront. Each section was given different recommendations. Due to the proximity to the District of Columbia; land-ownership disputes between local, federal, and private entities; and the historic nature of the area, the National Park Service drafted an Alexandria Waterfront Study of Alternatives in August of 1979. After the publishing of this document, the City and the National Park Service began to collaborate in the waterfront planning process.

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Jones Point Park Illustrative Plan

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Figure 3: Activities Map

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Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan 5

In 1982, the City adopted the 1982 Alexandria Waterfront Plan, which updated the previous Alexandria Waterfront Plan and defined the waterfront even further. Breaking the previously delineated three sections into five areas: Jones Point, South Waterfront, Urban Waterfront Core, Founders Park and Oronoco Bay, and North Waterfront, the 1982 Plan successfully combined the previous planning efforts and provided direction on specific areas along the waterfront. Many of the goals in all the above plans are consistent, such as:

• Promotion of public access along the waterfront;
• Multi-modal connectivity along the waterfront, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists;
• Creation of parks and open space and the linkage of those amenities; and
• Redevelopment of obsolete sites and development of a mix of uses to promote an active waterfront with a diversity of activities.

Many goals have since been achieved or remain underway, such as

• 2010-2012 Jones Point park planned improvements;
• Pedestrian bicycle trails;
• Torpedo Factory redevelopment;
• Founders Park improvements;
• Oronoco Bay development;
• Alexandria Public Schools Rowing Facility relocation;
• Restoration of the Alexandria Canal Tidal Lock;
• Daingerfield Island improvements; and
• Acquisition of priority public open space fronting the Potomac River.

The above prior planning efforts and goals have been summarized in Table 5.

The City’s Open Space Master Plan, which was adopted in 2003 and seeks to enhance and grow the City’s open space network through a strategic framework of 15 goals, is also a related component of the waterfront’s planning history. The Open Space Plan includes reference to multiple waterfront properties and states a goal of reviewing and completing implementation of the Potomac River Waterfront Plan, which this Plan replaces. Many of the Open Space Plan’s other goals fall in harmony with the goals of this Plan, and the two plans are complimentary in terms of preserving and enhancing public open space. For example, the Open Space Plan’s goal of “expanding, enhancing, and maintaining public access and spaces” is fully endorsed and buttressed by the goals identified in this Plan.

The City’s Comprehensive Transportation Master Plan, adopted in 2008, envisions a multimodal transportation system which reduces automobile dependence and puts more emphasis on transit-oriented, pedestrian friendly development. The Old Town Area Parking Study has been another transportation related analysis aiding in the waterfront planning process. The study, completed in February 2010, analyzed parking utilization in Old Town. This Plan’s intent for transportation is in keeping with the goals of the Comprehensive Transportation Master Plan, and seeks to achieve a well-planned transportation future for the City’s waterfront. This Plan is informed greatly by the work of both the Old Town Area Parking Study and Comprehensive Transportation Master Plan.

⬚ figure Ford's Landing Promenade

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⬚ figure Tide Lock Looking West

The Concept Plan

By building on the waterfront’s history and prior and related planning efforts, this planning effort continues the process of adapting the City’s waterfront from an active port in the 18th and 19th centuries, and an industrial center in the late 19th to mid-20th centuries, to a 21st century waterfront that is publicly accessible, economically viable, environmentally and historically sensitive, culturally rich and operationally sustainable for residents and visitors alike.

Prior to development of the Plan, staff released an early Concept Plan as an intermediate step in the planning process, providing the public with a broad narrative outlining the vision and goals for the waterfront as heard from the public during an extensive community outreach process . This Plan brings the vision and goals in the Concept Plan to the next level, incorporating more detailed analysis, specificity in design and improvements, and a strategic approach to financing and implementation. This Plan is a result of two years of information-gathering; public input; research and analysis on critical technical issues such as parking and traffic; the commercial, retail and marina markets; shoreline, flooding, and related environmental conditions; financing and implementation. It is the long-term collaborative effort of citizens, City staff, and consultants – entailing meetings, tours, charrettes, and more - which have brought the Plan to its current status. Figures 4a and 4b illustrate the vision for the Concept Plan.

Figure 4a: Waterfront Early Concept Illustrative Plan (May 2010) - North Section

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Figure 4b: Waterfront Early Concept Illustrative Plan (May 2010) - South Section

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Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan 9

The Plan

The boundaries of the planning area extend from Daingerfield Island in the north to Jones Point Park in the south, between the western side of North Fairfax Street and South Union Street to the west and the Potomac River to the east, in Old Town Alexandria.

These boundaries are similar to prior waterfront planning efforts; however, through this Plan, the City is amending portions of the Old Town Small Area Plan and the North Old Town Small Area Plan and, therefore, amending the City’s Comprehensive Master Plan.

This document will be utilized to complete the goals of past waterfront planning efforts through the provision of enhanced and expanded public and open space, visual access of the water by land and by boat, and connectivity from end to end. It will further be utilized to guide the redevelopment of remaining development sites, namely, the Robinson Terminal North and Robinson Terminal South sites and the Cummings/Turner properties in the 200 block of South Union Street to ensure uses, design and scale are compatible with the goals of a revitalized waterfront but also with the ambience, history, and character of the area and surrounding neighborhood. These sites can redevelop under current zoning. In the case of the Robinson Terminal sites, development is also subject to the terms of 1980’s era settlement agreements between the property owner, the City and the federal government. With the Plan, however, the citizenry is given the opportunity to help guide that redevelopment, while also providing a more accessible, creative, and inviting waterfront for all to enjoy.

Figure 5a: Waterfront Small Area Illustrative Plan With Place Names - North Section

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Figure 5b: Waterfront Small Area Illustrative Plan With Place Names - South Section

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View from Potomac River looking toward Canal Center Plaza

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Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

As noted under the Concept Plan section, the planning process for this Plan incorporates extensive information-gathering, public input and technical analysis.

The Plan is organized into chapters and appendices. Chapter 2 - Goals and Area-wide Systems describes the vision and goals for the Plan and the critical area-wide systems needed to help the area function adequately; Chapter 3 - Character Areas and Themes describes existing conditions of each subarea and recommendations for enhancements, improvements and in the case of the development sites, recommendations for development guidelines and a proposed zoning text amendment; this chapter also includes information on how art and history are integrated into the areas based on recommendations of the art and history white papers with particular emphasis on a cultural theme for each area, the Art Walk, and how a History Museum helps establish a cultural anchor in the southern core; Chapter 4- Transportation, Circulation and Parking describes the area’s multi-modal transportation and circulation systems and recommendations for anticipating and addressing potential impacts, including vehicular and pedestrian congestion; addressing handicapped accessibility; and also addressing parking by including a parking inventory and a parking management strategy to ensure adequate parking remains available throughout the implementation of the Plan; and Chapter 5 - Implementation describes recommendations for implementation of the Plan and the projected costs and revenues associated with the implementation process. The appendices include: Appendix 1 - Community Participation Process; Appendix 2 - Jurisdictional Notes and settlement agreements; Appendix 3 - Hotel Technical Memorandum; Appendix 4 - Marina Market Assessment Data; Appendix 5 - Alexandria Waterfront Art Plan; Appendix 6 - Alexandria History Plan - Alexandria, A Living History.

Finally, since the Concept Plan, the City has received various comments regarding the restaurant building once proposed for Waterfront Park. The building has been eliminated from the Plan.

2 Goals and Waterfront Wide Elements

The Design

To help shape the vision, goals and objectives of the Plan, information was gathered from many important sources including the public, technical resources and more. However, a key source of information came from the history community. Having information regarding the subareas of each Culture and Theme Area dating from the beginning of Alexandria’s founding to today was essential to ensuring a document that is authentically Alexandrian.

In addition to the above, and the past planning efforts described in Chapter 1, information for the planning process was gathered relating to community assets, marina design, circulation and parking, historic preservation and conservation, park planning, and more. Information from Citywide planning efforts such as the Open Space Plan, the Transportation Master Plan and the Eco-City Action Plan was also utilized. With the benefit of this information, a design for the waterfront began to take hold, first through an Activity Map, then a Concept Plan and now the Waterfront Small Area Plan (Plan).

The planning principles are highlighted below with the goals and objectives highlighted on pages 18 to 20

A Plan which is uniquely Alexandrian – Art and History Themes …

The Plan embraces the recommendations of the Alexandria History Plan—Alexandria, a Living History (History Plan) and the Alexandria Waterfront Art Plan (Art Plan) by capturing the waterfront’s history and preserving it through art, programming, historic preservation and conservation, and more. Toward that end, these two documents have identified a series of themes and they have matched the themes to physical areas (depicted in Figure 1 in the Executive Summary) along the waterfront based on that area’s history. This Plan recommends implementing the Art Walk as proposed. It also adopts the recommendations for historic interpretation in nearly every location along the waterfront through such actions as:

• adding historic ships and emphasizing the City’s maritime history;
• expressing the City’s historic shoreline;
• recreating historic alleyways;
• greater use of historic names;
• restoring all of the historic buildings on the waterfront and opening them to the public;
• identifying locations for a history center and other cultural anchors;
• proposing commercial uses that recall the taverns and inns of old Alexandria; and
• using a variety of approaches, including public art, to connect Alexandrians with the people, stories and events of our past.

Figure 6: Waterfront Small Area Illustrative Plan

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Figure 7a: Connections - North Section

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Figure 7b: Connections - South Section

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Alexandria Waterfront Plan - Goal Statements

1. Authentic: Create a unique Waterfront identity that is grounded in the City’s history.

• Celebrate and honor the broad history and culture of the Alexandria Waterfront from prehistory to now.
• Respect the scale and character of Old Town.
• Protect identified historic resources, archaeological resources, and cultural resources, including buildings and sites.
• Adaptively reuse identified historic buildings.

2. Connected: Increase and improve access to the public spaces of the Waterfront. Pedestrian connectivity along the Waterfront should be continuous.

• Create continuous pedestrian access along the entire Waterfront.
• Provide continuous north-south bicycle access.
• Enhance visual cues and sight lines for pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles on all grid streets and alleys and increase accessibility for pedestrians, bicycles and, as appropriate, vehicles.
• Create connections to the Waterfront from Metro stations.
• Increase the capacity for access to Alexandria by boat.
• Encourage tourism, commuting, and leisure travel by boat between Alexandria and other regional waterfront destinations.

3. Inclusive: The Waterfront is, and should continue to be, a citywide resource to be enjoyed by all Alexandrians.

• Ensure public access to the entire Waterfront.
• Provide a variety of activities for people of all ages and cultures.
• Link the Waterfront to Alexandria neighborhoods.

4. Dynamic: Maintain a living, active Waterfront that is a destination that attracts all Alexandrians and visitors and should be integral to the visitor experience in Alexandria.

• Expand services and activities for visitors.
• Increase the use, frequency, and effectiveness of public spaces for gatherings and events.
• Emphasize art and history in each new initiative along the Waterfront. Utilize art and history as a unifying element.
• Strengthen the reputation of the area as a regional and national visitor destination by adding uses that complement existing retail, office and tourist attractions.

A Plan for the public realm...

Public spaces comprise the majority of land along the waterfront and appropriately receive the most attention in this Plan. In concert with previous waterfront plans and with input from Alexandrians over the past two years, this Plan emphasizes the value of the waterfront's public spaces: parks, plazas, promenades, trails, marinas and piers, streets and alleys. The Plan also importantly recognizes the significance of the land, largely created with fill over the course of Alexandria's history, that now makes up our public waterfront open space. Opportunities exist for interpreting the historic wharves that existed in these areas throughout the waterfront's preindustrial history. Several goals and objectives for the waterfront speak to expanding, enhancing and maintaining public access and spaces. The Plan's principles for the public realm are as follows:

• There will be a net gain of public space within the planning area.
• There will be continuous public access along the waterfront. Such access will be in the form of parkland and public space as reflected in Figure 8.
• View corridors, when possible, will be strengthened. Alleys should be retained or reopened where feasible, as illustrated by Figures 7a and 7b.
• Existing parks and open spaces will be protected and enhanced.
• New public spaces should add variety to those that already exist and provide locations for locally-desired activities.
• Natural systems will be integrated in an ecologically sustainable manner, and educational opportunities will be provided when possible.

Alexandria Waterfront Plan - Goal Statements (Continued)

5. Variety: Provide a variety of uses, themes, activities, and experiences along the Waterfront.

• Create a diverse scale of spaces along the Waterfront.
• Offer activities and features that delight a diverse range of visitors.
• Provide a range of shoreline treatments and types that offer diverse ways to interact with the water.

6. Manageable: Improve the Waterfront’s vehicular and pedestrian circulation.

• Minimize pedestrian and vehicle conflicts.
• Increase way-finding for residents and visitors.
• Ensure adequate parking throughout the Plan area.
• Maximize underutilized parking opportunities elsewhere in Old Town.
• Promote use of designated pick-up and drop-off areas for motorcoaches.

7. Sustainable: Ensure that the Waterfront is able to sustain itself economically, environmentally and operationally.

• Create revenue, initiate new partners, and leverage other resources that can be applied for enhancing and maintaining public open space and other public infrastructure.

• Maximize the utilization of existing resources.

• Generate sufficient net new tax revenue from new waterfront economic activities to pay for waterfront capital plans and ongoing parks and facilities maintenance

• Identify opportunities for satellite public facilities to provide onsite Waterfront maintenance, security and emergency services.

• Protect the existing amount of open space and, if possible, expand it.

• Ensure that Waterfront development presents Alexandria as an Eco-City.

• Integrate and activate natural systems and processes throughout the Waterfront.

• Identify opportunities for environmental education features.

• Use innovative and creative ideas for flood protection.

• Improve public health (including mental health) through opportunities for active living.

• Allow historic character and scale to influence new development opportunities.

• Facilities for waterfront and marina operations, maintenance, and security will be provided.

• Wayfinding and interpretive signage, to include names of historical figures, quotations, markers of significant places or events, or other creative implementation features, which facilitate access and add visual interest to the waterfront should be incorporated into all designs for improvement or redevelopment.

The waterfront planning area contains a number of public parks which are an important community asset and major elements of the public realm. Two parks are currently approved for renovation: Jones Point Park, a 52 acre facility at the southern end of the planning area near Woodrow Wilson Bridge, and Windmill Hill Park, a 3.5 acre park, also at the southern end of the planning area. The Plan recommends completing these renovation plans, which will work in concert with a redeveloped waterfront through improved facilities on-site and by enhancing connectivity of these parks to other parts of the waterfront. This Plan also calls for several other parks in the planning area to receive some measure of renovation and/or beautification, along with conservation and programming. Equally important is strengthening the connections among parks by completing the continuous pedestrian walkway and providing unifying elements such as art, history and recreational features.

Alexandria Waterfront Plan - Goal Statements (Continued)

8. Compatible:

Ensure that future development in the Waterfront respect the existing residential neighborhoods.

• Protect existing residential neighborhoods from excessive noise and traffic.
• Offer activities and features that delight a diverse range of visitors.
• Meet the needs of residents for open space, recreation and outdoor dining.

9. Permeable:

Enhance vistas of the water from surrounding areas and of the Waterfront from the river.

• Create overlooks with views to the water and to the City.
• Explore piers, especially where east-west streets meet the river.
• Preserve and enhance view corridors to the water, including historic streets and alleys.
• Create a system of visual elements to draw people to the water.

10. Creative:

Be bold, visionary, realistic, informative and offer surprises along the way.

• Offer a variety of locations where the public can become engaged with each other, art, artists and history.
• Offer participatory opportunities for people of all ages.
• Use art and history to tell the unique story of people and experiences.
• Provide flexible spaces that could be used for multiple activities.
• Make the Waterfront an example of design excellence.

Alexandria Waterfront Parks

(Existing within Plan Area - From North to South):

In keeping with the above principles, the Plan adds 1.85 acres of public parks (by expanding King Street Park into Fitzgerald Square and by expanding Point Lumley Park and Roberdeau Park), 1.2 acres of public space (creating pedestrian-oriented plazas in the unit blocks of King Street, Prince Street, and Duke Street as well as two new public piers) and 2.5 acres of public space on the three redevelopment sites. There is a greater emphasis on activities for families, especially in Oronoco Bay Park and the connected trio of parks from King Street to Duke Street: Fitzgerald Square, Waterfront Park, and Point Lumley Park. Services for park users, including restrooms, bicycle racks, and game/equipment rental, are provided in Point Lumley/Waterfront Park and Oronoco Bay Park, as are facilities for park operations and maintenance. Through public action and private redevelopment, the Plan removes the remaining gaps in public access to the water. Figures 9a.- 9d. illustrate the addition of public space on public lands.

Figure 8: Existing and Proposed Public Space

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Additionally, the Plan recognizes and supports the cultural and institutional facilities within the waterfront planning area that support its current and future viability as a visitor and destination center. From south to north: The Athenaeum Fine Arts Museum; the Ramsay House; and the Carlyle House border the Plan area to the west; The Torpedo Factory Art Center, including the Archeological Museum, Art League, and the History Center and Museum Store; and Seaport Foundation are included within the Plan area; and the MetroStage, straddles the Plan boundary in North Old Town. Existing public art along the waterfront includes Promenade Classique in Tide Lock Park, which is a series of fountains and terraces combined with classically inspired sculpture. In each case, it is important to seek to retain these community assets within or near the planning area, for they not only help tell the story of the waterfront’s rich history and the important role it has played in the City’s growth, but are also a critical part of the daily life of the waterfront today, and they help connect and enhance the public realm. When these cultural facilities are joined together with others located just a couple blocks west, they create a cultural system that can broaden the visitor experience while enhancing the overall quality of life for residents.

Figure 9a: Existing Open Space in the Core Area

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Existing Open Space in the core area:

1. King Street Park: .15 ac.
2. Waterfront Park: 1.4 ac.
3. Point Lumley Park: .6 ac.
4. Roberdeau Park: .20 ac.

Total: 2.35 acres

note: areas are approximate

Figure 9b: Proposed Park or Plaza Public Space in the Core Area

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Proposed Park or Plaza Public Space:

1. Redesigned/Landscaped Waterfront Park : 1.4 ac.
2. Fitzgerald Square: .90 ac.
3. Expanded Point Lumley Park: 1.6 ac.
4. Roberdeau Park with Expansion into Wolfe Street Street-End: .28 ac.

Total Additional: 1.83 acres

Total: 4.2 acres

note: areas are approximate

Figure 9c: Proposed Park, Plaza, or On-Pier Public Space at Full Build-out in the Core Area

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Proposed On-Pier Public Space (At Full Buildout):

1. King Street Pier: .40 ac.
2. Cameron Street Wharf: .30 ac.

Total Additional: .70 acres

Cumulative Total Additional: 2.55 acres

Total: 4.9 acres

note: areas are approximate

Figure 9d: Proposed Park, Plaza, On-Pier, or Pedestrianized Street Public Space at Full Build-out in the Core Area

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Proposed Pedestrianized Street (At Full Buildout):

1. King St. Street-End: .10 ac.
2. The Strand: .20 ac.
3. Prince St. Street-End: .15 ac.

Total Additional: .45 acres

Cumulative Total Additional: 3.0 acres

Total: 5.35 acres

note: areas are approximate

A Plan for redevelopment...

Consistent with an emphasis on the public realm, this Plan identifies only a few redevelopment sites (Figure 10): Robinson Terminal North, Robinson Terminal South, and the Cummings/Turner properties in the 200 block of South Union Street. These properties have been anticipated to redevelop for many years. This Plan provides additional guidance for redevelopment of those parcels.

The two Robinson Terminals and the Cummings/Turner block can be redeveloped under current zoning. Both the Cummings/Turner block and Robinson Terminal South are located within the Old & Historic District and contain several buildings that are among the most historic on the waterfront. Adaptive reuse provides an opportunity to add some desired activities and reclaim the historic vibrancy of the waterfront. In addition, Alexandrians said that the new uses on the limited number of redevelopment sites should:

◆ welcome the public by providing accessibility and activity; ◆ be of a scale, type, and character compatible with, and evocative of, Old Town Alexandria; ◆ reflect through design the history and nature of the place on which redevelopment occurs; and ◆ focus new activities, such as cultural institutions and outdoor dining, in The Strand area.

The Plan recommends that any private development in the planning area be subject to design standards and guidelines approved for the waterfront. Private development should not, in any case, be of a type or design which inhibits public access or creates an uninviting disconnect at any point on the water. Any new development must be compatible with the goals of this Plan.

Design elements, New York NY ⬚ figure

Tensile shade structure ⬚ figure

Figure 10: Development Sites

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A Plan which creates systems that work...

The need for improved facilities to support the waterfront, including marina operations, maintenance, security, as well as public restrooms, has been a concern of many of the residents. Multiple areas have been identified in the Plan which can serve these functions and provide valuable facility space which is accessible, manageable, and compatible with the overall fabric of the waterfront. The Plan recognizes that increases in such services will likely be required as the Plan’s vision for the waterfront becomes more fully realized. Implementation must be monitored vigilantly, and the area periodically evaluated on its level of service, and of the public’s perception of its success.

Map showing historic Alexandria street grid

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Design details on walkway, Beaufort, NC

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Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is critical to the future of a vibrant and organic waterfront. For Alexandria’s waterfront this means attention to: (a) shoreline protection, (b) flood plain, flood mitigation and sea-level rise; (c) safeguarding resource protection areas; (d) improving combined sewer outflow systems; (e) monitoring related environmental challenges; and (f) continuing to implement the City’s Green Building Policy.

Shoreline Protection

The Plan addresses the need to improve the condition of Alexandria’s shoreline: to naturalize it where possible, to improve the condition and function of seawalls, and to reduce the need for dredging and debris removal. Other green space features, such as natural swales, rain gardens, bioretention areas, and geographically appropriate plantings, will beautify the environment and create a better organized arrangement of green infrastructure.

Vegetative Green Roof ⬚ figure

Cromley Lofts, a Green Building in Old Town ⬚ figure

Flood Plain, Flood Mitigation, and Sea-Level Rise

Much of the waterfront planning area is subject to flooding from the Potomac River. The area is affected by twice-daily tidal fluctuations, as well as occasional storm surges and heightened water levels caused by runoff from the upstream watershed. The lowest portion of the waterfront, located at the foot of King Street, experiences street flooding at least once a month. A significant portion of the waterfront planning area is within the 100-year floodplain, as mapped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Furthermore, there is a consensus in the scientific community that sea levels, and thus the level of the Potomac River, will rise in the next 100 years. These issues present a challenge to both the present and any future redeveloped state of the waterfront. Therefore, good floodplain management practices, as well as flood mitigation measures are integral to the Plan.

⬚ figure Flooding on The Strand and in Waterfront Park

⬚ figure Flooding at the foot of King Street

⬚ figure Ballasted flood gate

In terms of floodplain management, construction within the FEMA-mapped floodplain is subject to the requirements of the Floodplain Ordinance (zoning ordinance, section 6-300). The core principle is that any new or substantially improved construction within the floodplain must have its first floor at or above the 100-year water-surface elevation. Lower floors may be used for parking, storage, or entry, but not for habitation, cooking or food storage. Below grade floors are not allowed for residential structures.

Additionally, the City has undertaken the Potomac River Waterfront Flood Mitigation Study to identify specific flooding problems and their causes, identify and evaluate solutions, and recommend the most effective solutions. The Potomac River Waterfront Flood Mitigation Study was coordinated with the waterfront planning effort and its project area generally conforms to that of the Plan.

The Potomac River Flood Mitigation Study considers several key water-surface elevations, including the nuisance level (4.0 feet NAVD88, 1.5-year return period), the intermediate level (8.0 feet NAVD88, 30-year return period), and the extreme level (10.2 feet NAVD88, 100-year return period). Through the course of the study, the elevation of 6.0 feet NAVD88, which has a return period of 10 years, emerged as the most cost-beneficial level of protection. Mitigation measures to achieve this level of protection would be required in two locations: at Robinson Terminal North when it redevelops, and from the Old Dominion Boat Club to Robinson Terminal South.

The recommended solutions identified in the study to address flooding include structural measures, such as a combination floodwall/pedestrian walkway at an elevation 6.0 feet NAVD88, elevating the street level for the unit block of King Street and portions of Union Street and The Strand and adding drainage improvements and a pumping system for this area to prevent flood waters from coming up through the storm drains, dry flood proofing individual buildings, and incorporating berms into landscaping. It also includes non-structural measures such as enhancing the existing sandbag program, encouraging internal relocation of goods and valuables, and strengthening the floodplain and zoning ordinances. Some of the recommended mitigation actions are ones which individual property owners and tenants will implement themselves, while others are City government efforts.

Figure 11: Integrated Flood Control System Concept

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The Plan recommends a modified version of the elevated walkway approach in the flood study. An elevated walkway at the shoreline would obstruct views and isolate Alexandrians from the Potomac River, which is undesirable. The Plan recommends integrating the flood protection of the elevated walkway into building walls and park walls and into landscaped berms, and to use automated floodgate systems at the three affected street-ends (King Street, Prince Street and Duke Street) to provide protection when needed and to reserve views at all other times. This integrated system is depicted in Figure 11.

Concerning projected sea-level rise, historical data indicate that there has been approximately 1 foot of sea-level rise experienced in the tidal Potomac over the past 100 years. The scientific consensus is that this rate of rise will continue and likely accelerate over the next 100 years. Data have been extracted and downscaled from an ensemble of global circulation models accepted by the International Panel on Global Climate Change in 2007. These models predict that Alexandria’s Potomac waterfront will experience sea level rises of 2.3 to 5.2 feet by 2100. There are other credible predictions of more feet of sea level rise by 2100. The Plan’s recommendations balance the need for near and long-term flood protection, costs, day-to-day quality of life, and concern about impacts on the fabric of a historic city.

Resource Protection Areas

Resource Protection Areas (RPAs) consist of a 100 foot buffer area measured from the top of bank of a tidal shore, a tidal or non-tidal wetland, or a water body of perennial flow. In the case of the waterfront planning area, the tidal shore or wetland to which it is adjacent is the Potomac River and its tributaries. The 100 foot buffer – between active uses on the land and the adjacent water body – functions to remove pollutants collected from storm flows passing over it, thus intercepting pollutants from ultimately reaching the Chesapeake Bay.

Any new development under the Plan must comply with the City’s RPA regulations and stormwater management requirements. Requirements for RPAs are set forth in the City’s Environmental Management Ordinance (Chapter 13 of the Zoning Ordinance) under the State of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. Within the 100 foot buffer redevelopment is generally restricted as follows: ◆ no increase in impervious surface cover; ◆ no further encroachment within the RPA; and ◆ proposed redevelopment must be consistent with the City’s Master Plan.

Proposed redevelopment must comply with the City Code with respect to erosion and sediment control (Section 5-4-1 et seq.) and the applicable stormwater management requirements in Sec. 13-109(E) as well as stormwater management requirements of state and federal agencies.

Combined Storm Water System

Old Town is served by a Combined Sewer System which is operated under a permit from Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. In addition, storm water outfalls are regulated under a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit. New regulations such as Chesapeake Bay TMDLs (Total Maximum Daily Load) for nutrients and sediments, and Hunting Creek Bacteria TMDLs will potentially require new capital improvements, i.e grey-infrastructure such as storage/retention tanks or storm water facilities in this area. This work, if required by the permits, will most likely be sited in the areas of Oronoco Bay Park, or near Jones Point. Additionally there may be new storm water outfalls needed along the waterfront as part of any sewer separation project required. Beyond meeting any future regulatory and permit requirements, the Environmental Action Plan 2030 calls for eliminating the impacts of the CSOs which requires similar storm water and Combined Sewer System improvements. As the waterfront redevelops, the planning and implementation phases will need to address these regulatory challenges.

The environmental regulatory challenges above will affect redevelopment throughout the waterfront planning area. Additional environmental considerations can be found in Chapter 3 where specific Plan areas are discussed.

In response to concerns, the City confirms that new development will not increase the amount of sewage going into the Potomac River, or increase the likelihood that sewage will go into the river. All of the redevelopment sites are served by a separate sanitary sewer which runs directly to the Alexandria Sanitation Authority facility. This separate sewer line has considerably more than enough capacity to meet the needs of proposed waterfront area development.

Monitoring Related Environmental Challenges

There are a number of other environmental concerns of which the waterfront planning process is mindful and which will impact implementation of the Plan's recommendations. These concerns stem from current or former uses and older infrastructure still in use. Redevelopment presents an opportunity to pursue environmental best practices throughout the planning area, as much of today's waterfront was implemented before many of these practices were expected.

These challenges and opportunities include: ♦ eliminating contamination due to coal tar migration into the Potomac River near Robinson Terminal North; ♦ enhancing RPA buffer areas and stormwater best management practices along the waterfront to improve water quality entering the Potomac River; and ♦ continuing to work with the GenOn Energy Plant to reduce fugitive and stack emissions to further improve local air quality.

These issues are being addressed outside the waterfront planning effort but will be coordinated with implementation of the Plan.

Green Building Policy

In 2009, the City adopted its Green Building Policy which requires all developments requiring a Development Site Plan or a Development Special Use Permit to acquire a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver or equivalent rating for non-residential development or a LEED Certified for residential development. In assessing compliance with the LEED standards, consideration is given by the City to priority elements included within the project's design that: (a) enhance energy efficiency; (b) promote water conservation and reduce stormwater runoff; and (c) reduce the overall carbon footprint of the development. More information on the City's Green Building Policy can be found on the City's website at http://www.alexandriava.gov/GreenBuilding.

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Natural Stormwater Retention Design

Circulation and Parking

One of the most important elements in the Plan in terms of systems that work is parking. Chapter 4 of the Plan provides an overview of the area’s multi-modal transportation and circulation systems and recommendations for anticipating and addressing potential impacts, including vehicular and pedestrian congestion; handicapped accessibility; and it also includes a parking inventory and a parking management strategy to ensure adequate parking remains available throughout the implementation of the Plan

Economic Sustainability

Financial and operational issues are also critical elements to the long-term sustainability of the waterfront. The Plan expects needs to evolve over time, especially at the marina. Strategic phasing of the marina will be a key component in management of the financial expenditures laid out in the Plan. As well, a comprehensive approach to funding will be required in order to properly fund both initial and phased overall improvements and their maintenance over time. Chapter 5 further identifies specific costs and potential sources of revenues, as well as the Plan’s recommendations in approach to its overall implementation.

Parking map of Old Town

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3 Character and Theme Areas

The Waterfront Small Area Plan (Plan) planning area extends approximately 3 miles, from Daingerfield Park in the north to Jones Point Park in the south. However, the focus of the Plan is the "core area" between Canal Center Plaza in the north and Windmill Hill Park in the south because both Daingerfield Park and Jones Point Park are under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Additionally, the GenOn Energy, Inc. power plant is anticipated to close in October 2012. The future use of that site will be addressed as part of a separate community-based planning effort.

This chapter ties the theme areas identified in the Alexandria Waterfront Art Plan (Art Plan) and the Alexandria History Plan – A Living History (History Plan) with character subareas located within the core area. The Plan’s recommendations for these subareas take into consideration the recommendations for these same subareas found in the Art Plan and History Plan. The primary goal of this chapter is to, as recommended by the History Plan, create a system of north-south pedestrian circulation which is linked and anchored by a series of cultural elements and thematic areas (See Figure 1: Arts and Culture Theme Areas in the Executive Summary).

One key component of all the character areas is a continuous walking path adjacent to the riverfront. The idea, which has been a fundamental precept in waterfront planning for decades, is reinforced in the Plan to strengthen connectivity and access. Consistent with previous plans and settlement agreements, this Plan concurs that the walkway should be a minimum of 25 feet in width. Moreover, the walkway should incorporate the vision of an Art Walk as reflected in the Art Plan and it should include appropriate paving, lighting, railing, and other amenities to create a sense of continuity, identity and character. As the signature element of the Art Plan, the Art Walk both expresses and transcends each of the art/history geographic themes and seeks to "unify Alexandria’s waterfront experience by establishing a continuous walking path along the Potomac River with a wide variety of public art inspired by Alexandria’s rich history, culture and natural beauty." The Plan includes the continuous walkway as a stated recommendation 3.4, along with recommendations below relating to the Arts and History Plans.

RECOMMENDATIONS: :

3.1: First and foremost, The City should take proactive measures to retain, enhance, and strongly promote existing cultural institutions on the Alexandria waterfront as the Plan is implemented, including the Seaport Foundation, the Art League, the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, the Torpedo Factory Art Center, and others. 3.2: The parks and public spaces of the waterfront should be considered an integrated system and should have a holistic design vision. 3.3: As the Plan is implemented, the City should take proactive measures to attract new cultural institutions on the Alexandria waterfront that complement its history and existing cultural institutions. 3.4: Create a continuous waterfront public space of at least 50 feet and preferably 100 feet or more to comply to the greatest degree possible with Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act guidelines and to better achieve the goals of the Eco-City Charter. There shall be a continuous waterfront walkway with a minimum width of 25 feet or wider, where appropriate. 3.5: Inscribe historical quotations along the pathway where appropriate.

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Figure 2: Waterfront Planning Boundary

• Waterfront Plan Boundary

3.6: Emphasize the use of local paving and plant materials that may have historical precedent. 3.7: Add where appropriate materials such as glass, oyster shells, coral, fish bones, colored stones etc. as aggregate to the paving material and to reflect past activities occurring in a given area. 3.8: Incorporate in-pavement lighting where appropriate. 3.9: Make the path ADA compliant. 3.10: Keep the bike path and the walkway separate to the greatest degree possible. 3.11: Funding by the Plan for art and history should reflect the importance of these elements to the overall Plan.

In addition to the proposals for art and history, the Plan makes recommendations to address the functional requirements of managing and maintaining high quality waterfront public space throughout the Plan area. Many of these recommendations will require further study in regard to specific maintenance needs for the public spaces; however, the Plan provides a variety of options for services such as park equipment and public restrooms. More information pertaining to the requirements of maintenance, storage, and public facilities can be found in Chapter 5: Implementation.

Gateway North/

Canal Center

- Illumination -

The Arts and Culture theme for this area is Illuminations and it denotes light, recognizing that it has been the location of electrical companies and lighting can be utilized as a form of art to highlight this area and other cultural areas along the water.

The Northern Gateway area extends from Third Street/Bashford Lane southward to Montgomery Street. It includes MetroStage, TransPotomac Plaza, Canal Plaza, Tide Lock Park, and the Crowne Plaza Hotel. While no changes are proposed for Metro Stage, TransPotomac Plaza, and Canal Center, the City has met with a Crowne Plaza Hotel representative to discuss ways to possibly incorporate streetwall elements into the site. The Crowne Plaza Hotel is a suburban tower development, surrounded by parking and located on a full block extending from First and Montgomery Streets between North Fairfax Street to the Mount Vernon Trail. Proposed changes to the streetwall could make it more urban and pedestrian friendly. Such changes might include liner units wrapped around the parameter of the site with added hotel accessory space, possibly at the northeast corner.

Quotations from the Art Plan relating to the Northern Gateway/Canal Center

⬚ figure Aerial View of the Tide Lock and Canal Center ⬚ figure Light display, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo, Japan ⬚ figure "Urban Light," Chris Burden, Los Angeles, CA

“During Alexandria’s first half century . . . Your path would be lit only by the meager light from your own lantern and by the kindness of strangers – candles or oil lamps in the windows of the wakeful and in the taverns that you passed.” Diane Riker in August 2010

“In Alexandria, the lamplighter ‘ goes round at dusk with a light ladder in [his] hands by which [he] ascend{s} the lamp post and set{s} fire to the lamps . . . tenaciously fixed on top of a high post, out of reach, so that disorderly persons may not have it in their power to extinguish them.’” Sketches of History, Life and Manners in the United States, Ann Royall 1826

“The [gas] light is steady and brilliant. Large numbers of our citizens turned out to see the ‘lighting up’ – and all were pleased to see the success exhibited.” Alexandria Gazette in October 1851

Promenade Classique ⬚ figure View from Potomac River toward Tide Lock Park ⬚ figure View from Potomac River toward Rivergate Park ⬚ figure Tide Lock in use during the Civil War ⬚ figure Aerial view of the City Rowing Facility and Rivergate Park ⬚ figure

The Art Plan speaks of Alexandria’s early years when the City paid a lamplighter to walk the streets at dusk and, one by one, hand light the public oil lamps. In 1851, the Alexandria Gas Light Company became the source of illumination.

Embracing this theme of Illuminations, the Plan recommends the following in this area:

3.12: Commission and install public art in this area using light as an integral element and inspired by the suggestions of the Art Plan, such as using solar collectors and working with the owners of Canal Center and the energy plant to build a private/public collaboration as an alternative energy/public art project. 3.13: Establish a cultural anchor on the northern end of the Art Walk by tying park activities into cultural facilities. 3.14: Increase outdoor seating. 3.15: Continue discussions with Crowne Plaza Hotel representatives on the possible incorporation of urban design elements to the site to make it more pedestrian and urban friendly. See also pages 84 and 85.

Tide Lock Park and Rivergate/Rowing Facility

• Ambitions -

The Arts and Culture theme for the next two areas, namely, Tide Lock and Rivergate Parks is Ambitions and represents Alexandria’s early ambitions as the gateway from the Ohio Valley and the West to the world. It celebrates the engineering accomplishments of the Alexandria Canal and the aqueduct bridge and will note the City’s efforts to act as the transition port between sea, canal, road and rail and will address Alexandria of the 1820s-1850s period.

Tide Lock Park

Ambitions

Where Montgomery Street meets the Potomac River, there is a small cove to the north and at the center is the recreated Tide Lock No. 1 of the Alexandria Canal that operated from 1843 to 1886. It is adjacent to parkland and the existing walkway. A maritime museum on the site was not successful in attracting visitors and was closed. Due to a lack of programming, marketing, wayfinding, as well as its isolated location, the Tide Lock itself is not well-visited. The surrounding Canal Center Plaza creates an amphitheater-like space suitable for interpretive programming, music, and other performance arts. A temporary stage could be erected on or near the Tide Lock for performances. The Tide Lock, when filled with water, could be programmed with play features for children, water-related art pieces, or historic elements; a reconstruction of a canal boat would help further understanding of the role of the canal in Alexandria’s economic history.

The cove itself is suitable for canoe and kayak launching due to its depth, location away from other boating activity, and nearby parking. There is a small observation area at the end of Montgomery Street that may be modestly enhanced for the comfort of the visitors who come for the excellent views and where additional historic interpretation would be suitable. The foot of Montgomery Street has been identified as a kayak and canoe loading unloading area only; trailer parking is not recommended for this location. Parking for trailerless vehicles is available in nearby parking garages or on-street spaces.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.16: Establish Tide Lock Park as the gateway to the Art Walk, with in-pavement lighting and signage to distinguish the Art Walk from the bike path. 3.17: Increase programming of the park, focused on history and the arts (including performances). 3.18: Consider additional physical elements that explain or evoke the importance of the canal site in the City's history. Replace and augment the existing interpretive signage as recommended by the History Plan. 3.19: Take greater advantage of the tide lock basin as an interactive water feature. Incorporate glass to evoke the City's glassmaking history. Commission an artistically engineered bridge over the canal. 3.20: Provide a location for the public to launch (or land) canoes, kayaks, and other self-propelled watercraft at Rivergate Park or through joint-use of the City-owned Dee Campbell Rowing Facility, owned and maintained by the Alexandria City Public Schools. 3.21: At the end of Montgomery Street, consider low impact hardscape options and enhance the observation area at the point, possibly with a set of steps leading down to the river and vertical elements to frame the view and possibly angled to the north to better capture views of the nation's capital. 3.22: A public boat ramp for trailered vessels is incompatible with the center of Old Town; trailered boat ramp activity should be accommodated elsewhere in the waterfront study area or nearby.

Kayak stand on the Baltimore Harborfront ⬚ figure

Artist's perspective drawing of Rivergate City Park, looking southwest from the foot of Montgomery St. ⬚ figure

Rivergate City Park and Rowing Facility

Ambitions

Rivergate City Park, just south of the Tide Lock, consists primarily of lawn dotted with trees and is suited to passive enjoyment. Its paths allow walkers and runners to continue along the waterfront from Tide Lock Park to Oronoco Bay Park. Most of the park’s 2.4 acres is owned by the Rivergate homeowner’s association with a public access easement. The balance, about 2/5 acre in the northeast corner, is owned by the City, where there is a volleyball court.

The Dee Campbell Rowing Center, a fixture of youth and community rowing events in the City, is located just south of Rivergate Park, at the foot of Madison Street. The Center is owned and maintained by Alexandria City Public Schools for the use of the TC Williams Crew, and is also used for adult and off-season youth events held by the Alexandria Crew Boosters and Alexandria Community Rowing.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.23: The Plan recommends only minor enhancements to Rivergate City Park. Due to limited nearby parking and proximity to residences, the current level of activity in the park is appropriate. 3.24: Maintain a strong connection to the river; re-orient the pathways so that the main “through” pathway is the one that takes visitors along the river’s edge. 3.25: Provide additional plantings featuring native plants in the western half of the park, in part to subtly orient visitors toward the more public, eastern section of the park. 3.26: Commission artist-designed seating to increase enjoyment of the park’s views of the river and contribute to the unique identity of Rivergate Park. Additional art elements may incorporate original tide lock stones. 3.27: Keep options open for removal/repurposing of the existing volleyball court in this location. 3.28: The Plan recommends no changes to the rowing facility. The facility should be maintained and enhanced as necessary, in order to continue its successful operation.

⬚ figure Aerial view of Oronoco Bay Park

⬚ figure Waccabuc Ampitheatre, Beverly Pepper

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⬚ figure Young boy working in the glassworks factory

⬚ figure Artist’s perspective drawing of Oronoco Bay Park, looking south toward a redeveloped Robinson Terminal North

Oronoco Bay Park

• Transformations -

The theme for Oronoco Bay Park is Transformations. Based on history, Oronoco Bay and West’s Point should form the Northern Cultural Anchor of the waterfront, with the park offering open space and performing arts events. It should quietly evoke Ralph’s Gutt, the original crescent bay, and the importance of Alexandria as a rail center starting in the 1850’s.

Oronoco Bay Park comprises four acres of lawn dotted with trees between Madison and Pendleton Streets. The park features spectacular river views and grand open lawn areas. The signature element, Oronoco Bay, is a natural bay featuring shallow water, wading birds, and riparian plantings.

Figure 12: Illustrative Plan showing Oronoco Bay Park

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Artist’s perspective drawing of Oronoco Bay Park, looking north over a reimagined Ralph’s Gutt

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Water Sculpture, “Flowforms,” John Wilkes, UK ⬚ figure Conceptual “Boxcar Theater” ⬚ figure “Walla Wallas,” Dave Chihuly, St. Louis, MO ⬚ figure Diamond Teague Park Islands, JDLand ⬚ figure

Oronoco Bay is rich in history, anchored as it is by West’s Point at its southern edge. West’s Point is the location of the City’s settlement as a tobacco port in the early 18th century and is now the location of Robinson Terminal North. Oronoco Bay was originally larger than it is today, with a marshy area behind West’s Point known as Ralph’s Gutt. In the City’s more recent history, the area was heavily industrial, with uses that included oil refining (the bay was once known as “Texaco Bay”) and meat rendering. Industrial remnants exist now as environmental issues: arsenic in the bay’s mud and a sewer outfall at the foot of Pendleton Street.

The park is framed on the west and south by office and warehouse buildings and to the north by a narrow parking lot and the Rivergate townhouses beyond. The Mount Vernon Trail enters the park from the northwest corner and continues along its western edge, along with railroad tracks that curve eastward to Robinson Terminal North site.

The park attracts a modest number of visitors compared to nearby Founders Park. The predominant users are the cyclists, runners, and dog walkers who enjoy the park as they move along the waterfront. Park users can also be found relaxing on the lawn or benches, or engaging in low-intensity activities such as bocce or kite-flying.

The park has also provided the location for a number of large-scale events, including the Red Cross Waterfront Festival and Alexandria’s birthday celebration.

During the waterfront planning effort, Alexandrians supported higher levels of activity in Oronoco Bay Park and recommended that the park be enhanced to provide more activities for families and children, to better embody nature and history, and to better support events large and small, including weddings, family reunions, and birthdays.

The park can evolve into a more rich and diverse natural experience in the City, for both active and passive recreation. As identified by the community, a real opportunity for the park lies in improving its ability to better accommodate large events while transforming portions of the space into more natural settings.

There are also opportunities to improve the park’s relationship to adjacent land uses, especially the commercial uses to the west and south. Much of the park is framed by long stretches of blank wall: the parking garages of the United Way and Sheetmetal Workers Union buildings do not engage the park, nor do the walls of the Pipefitter’s building parking lot and Robinson Terminal warehouses. Uninviting access from Fairfax Street at Wythe Street further discourages entry and cuts the park off from adjacent neighborhoods.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.29: Redesign the mews between the United Way building and Sheet Metal Workers building to create a more open, visible, and safe extension of the Wythe Street viewshed toward the river. The current condition is a cluttered and dark ramble and should be a major entry to the park, complete with belvedere and orientation space at the intersection of Wythe Street and the Mount Vernon Trail.

3.30: Enliven the garage walls lining the western edge of the park with public art, lighting, and landscaping. 3.31: Re-grade the park to create a single shallow sloped lawn, creating a more flexible amphitheater-like space facing Oronoco Bay for performances and events. 3.32: Redesign the major paths into a pair of intersecting curved walks to better frame the single great lawn. One of these arcs would include the Mount. Vernon bicycle path so that users of the path would automatically traverse through the park instead of past it. 3.33: Erect a large shade structure at water's edge to provide an overlook, picnic shelter, or stage. This structure would become the focal point of the park and should be a significant work of garden architecture. It may be fitted with solar panels on the roof to provide power for small events or ceiling fans. 3.34: Create a series of terraced wetlands on the south side of the park that recapture the historic drainage swale called Ralph's Gutt. These terraces would be graded into the current ground and planted with aquatic plants which will naturally cleanse the storm water before it enters the river. Boardwalks can cross the wetlands to connect pedestrian desire lines and create opportunities for interpretive education. These wetland enhancements could involve day-lighting the storm water pipes that currently convey the water under the park to the bay. 3.35: Explore opportunities to reduce the impact of the combined sewer overflow (CSO) outfall that discharges at the foot of Pendleton Street. Options include installing a retention basin to reduce the volume of combined sewage discharged into the river during rain events and incorporating features into the proposed extension of Pendleton Street that would direct CSOs away from Oronoco Bay. 3.36: Allow a successional forest to emerge on the north side of the park, extending the natural landscape of the tidal flats to the adjoining uplands. The intent is to plant a variety of trees, shrubs, and groundcovers, and to end the practice of mowing in a small area, allowing that area to evolve naturally. This could be an excellent interpretive and research opportunity for city school children to discover the restorative power of nature. 3.37: A small children's play area is proposed, with recreation equipment and water features – uniquely designed by artists – perhaps comprised of recycled materials or even carefully screened flotsam from the river, so children will see a direct relationship to natural and cultural cycles. 3.38: Replace the existing curved boardwalk along the north edge of Oronoco Bay with one that better handles tide changes and extend the boardwalk to the end of the point to maximize views. Impacts on waterfowl breeding should be avoided, and the point should be evaluated for potential enhancement as an avian sanctuary. The Plan suggests a series of floating islands in the bay, continuing the arc created by the boardwalk and containing water-cleansing plants. 3.39: Replace the existing rip rap with a more natural and inviting shoreline treatment, to include native plants. 3.40: Retain the rail spur through Oronoco Bay Park to support railroad-themed park elements and historic railroad interpretation. The portion of the rail line on Robinson Terminal North property may not be needed when Robinson Terminal North ceases operations.

3.41: Implement the Art Walk proposal, with public art featured in several locations throughout the park. Performing arts would be emphasized with outdoor performances at the proposed waterfront stage structure and possibly a "boxcar theater." Other ideas include a sculptural picnic area, with artist-designed tables and benches, temporary sculpture exhibits around the boardwalk and sculptural elements for bird perching and nesting. 3.42: Retired railroad box cars could also serve as park buildings containing services for park users, such as a place to borrow bocce and croquet sets, chess pieces, or horseshoes. 3.43: Accommodate the need for storage of park maintenance equipment and services for cyclists, especially bike racks. 3.44: Activities that would place people in direct contact with water near the sewer outfall or the creosote seepage area are not envisioned. For that reason, the Plan does not recommend use of the Bay for water-related activities, including paddle boating. The Plan recommends continuing to pursue separation of storm and sanitary sewers when possible. 3.45: If the Sheet Metals Workers building were to be redeveloped, such redevelopment shall provide a high level of pedestrian and visual connectivity between the redeveloped property and Oronoco Bay Park. Provided that the redevelopment is compatible with the uses in Oronoco Bay Park, a rezoning may be considered.

Existing Pipefitters Union Building ⬚ figure

Oronoco Outfall at the foot of Oronoco St. ⬚ figure

Figure 13: Illustrative Plan for Robinson Terminal North showing Conceptual Pipefitter’s Building Expansion

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West’s Point

• Origins -

The theme for West’s Point is Origins with West’s Point representing the origins of Alexandria and the idea of America in the early to mid-18th century and the importance of tobacco to the development of the town. The time period was the colonial era.

Robinson Terminal North Origins

Robinson Terminal North, which is owned by the Washington Post, is bisected by Union Street and currently consists of warehouses, a nearly 40,000 square foot pier, and the terminus of a rail line. Redevelopment of the site has been envisioned for several decades.

In keeping with the goals of this Plan to promote public access and enjoyment of the waterfront, land uses in the redeveloped Robinson Terminal North should be active and welcoming to the public, particularly on the eastern, waterside portion of the site. The existing deep water pier would be retained to continue to accommodate larger ships and, more importantly, to be opened for the use of the public. Reinforcing this concept, Pendleton Street would be extended as a waterside promenade along the south shore of Oronoco Bay and then out into the Potomac River to meet the pier. Views from here would also capture the monumental core of Washington, DC and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and thus become a significant waterfront destination.

Aerial View of the existing Robinson Terminal North ⬚ figure

Figure 14: Original Shoreline ⬚ figure

Alexandria’s original shoreline was established in 1748. As depicted in Figure 14 , the northern point of shoreline can be found at the end of Oronoco Street and the water’s edge (West’s Point) and the southern point of the shoreline is at Duke Street and the water’s edge.

Because the property is located on one of the most historically significant sites in the City – where Virginia tobacco was readied for shipment at West’s Point and where Alexandria originated – redevelopment proposals must make a special effort to find opportunities to recall or interpret the site’s history in the design and function of the project and its surroundings. History should inform every decision about uses, activities, structures, plantings, architecture and design, names, and programming.

Active, publicly-welcoming uses include restaurant, retail, boutique hotel, and cultural institutions. Of these, a boutique hotel is preferred because it is most compatible with the Plan’s goals for Oronoco Bay Park, the active use of the adjacent pier, and its relatively low parking requirement. Residential development would not be optimal in the areas facing the water or public activity areas, as it tends to privatize the waterfront and can be incompatible with the lively activities that are planned for the public realm. However, residential use may be appropriate in locations facing away from the water, including along Union Street. The Robinson Terminal federal government settlement agreement requires open public access on the river side of this property.

Artist’s conceptual aerial view drawing of Oronoco Bay Park and a redeveloped Robinson Terminal North

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Today, Union Street between the two Robinson Terminal North sites is very inhospitable to pedestrians and cyclists, with high blank walls close to the street and one undersized sidewalk. This stretch of Union is periodically closed to vehicles to create a pedestrian promenade between Oronoco Bay and Founders Parks during special events. Redevelopment will provide an opportunity to make Union Street a better pedestrian and cyclist link between Oronoco Bay Park and Founders Park with building frontages that are welcoming, active and of high quality urban design and with street and streetscape elements (such as special paving and removable bollards that allow the street to be closed to vehicular traffic).

A gas manufacturing plant previously existed west of this area and coal tar contamination from that plant remains. The City will be implementing a bioremediation system at the foot of Oronoco Street to prevent migration of coal tar from the former manufactured gas plant from entering the Potomac River. Future redevelopment of North Robinson Terminal will need to be compatible with the bioremediation system that is anticipated to be installed in 2012.

The Plan provides an option for coordinated redevelopment of Robinson Terminal North with the Pipefitters’ building and Dalton’s Wharf, adjacent to the block west of Union Street, providing flexibility to achieve better urban design on both sites by replacing the current blank wall along the south edge of Oronoco Bay Park with a more active street edge and possibly more efficient underground parking.

Figure 15: Illustrative Plan showing Founders Park

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Fish Wharves in 1912

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1749 Plan

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RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.46: Adopt Development Goals and Guidelines for Robinson Terminal North. These are detailed in the Proposed Zoning for Private Development Sites section at the end of this chapter. 3.47: West’s Point represents the origins of Alexandria and was the site of much of the City’s early seaport history. Therefore, this historic wharf should emphasize significant activities that occurred here, such as tobacco shipment, the transit of military forces, Fishtown, railroads, and the gasworks. This may be accomplished through multiple approaches, including: interpretive artwork, text, and signage; sculpture; historically inspired building design; rail linkage; and landscaping. West’s Point could also be a good location for a maritime museum and the docking of an historic ship.

Founders Park

• Foundations -

The theme for Founders Park is Foundations and should celebrate the creation of Alexandria as well as Alexandria, DC, and its development as a trading and commercial center. The park is for passive use, and interpretation should center on the founding to incorporation period, 1749-1779 and through the founding of the District of Columbia through retrocession to Virginia in 1847.

Founders Park is a 4.3 acre, primarily passive, park with a volleyball court, walking paths, shade trees and plantings. The park was originally part of the large crescent bay around which Alexandria was laid out. In the years after West’s Point was established as a tobacco trading port, it is thought that the Founders Park area was used for tobacco storage. The wharves that once lined the shore here saw the landing of slaves from Africa, commercial bakeries, a thriving fishing trade (including a seasonal shantytown known as “fishtown”), and an occupying Union Army during the Civil War. For about the first half of the 20th century the area was industrial, and was home to the Smoot coal and lumber yard. The departure of industry brought a development proposal, which was successfully overcome with the establishment of the park. Founders Park is one example of the efforts of the late Ellen Pickering, an Alexandria Councilmember and longtime waterfront champion.

“School of Fish,” Buster Simpson, Edmonds, WA ⬚ figure

Aerial view of Founders Park ⬚ figure

William Smoot & Co. Coal Yard ⬚ figure

Structural Revetment for Shoreline Naturalization (Center for Coastal Resources Management, Virginia Institute of Marina Science) ⬚ figure ⬚ figure

During the course of the waterfront planning effort, Alexandria advocated protecting the character of Founders Park while beautifying it. The Plan recommends naturalizing the shoreline where possible and improving the landscaping. Shade trees are very important to park users who expressed interest in greater shaded area, with perhaps fewer blocking the view along this shore and a greater number in the western edge of the park, closer to Union Street. A park plan which reconfigures plantings and seating areas to take best advantage of existing trees while siting new shade areas is recommended for this park.

The location’s role as a port in the slave trade and in the Civil War has excellent potential for historic interpretation in the park. The City’s industrial past includes shipbuilding, munitions production, tobacco, coal and lumber. These may be recalled through public art and park infrastructure, among other methods. Implementation of the Art Walk could include small scale performances – such as puppet shows or stops on a “ghost tour” – as well as sculptures and artist-designed benches and other park furniture.

The water’s edge in Founders Park is primarily large diameter rip-rap, which is a detriment to the overall aesthetic, creates a barrier between the park and water, and is generally uncomfortable as seating. The Plan has an overall goal of a more natural, environmentally sensitive treatment for the water’s edge.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.48: Retain the current character and use of Founders Park. 3.49: Prepare and implement a new park plan that incorporates the History Plan’s recommendations for historic interpretation and the Art Plan’s recommendations for public art, and improve landscaping, park furniture, and wayfinding and lighting. Consider naming an important park element, such as the walking path, after Ellen Pickering.

Thompsons Alley looking west

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Aerial view of the Waterfront Core

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3.50: Where possible, replace existing large diameter rip-rap with appropriate (native and/or historic) plantings, using an engineered shoreline restoration system where necessary, in order to achieve the naturalized shoreline envisioned by the Plan. Consider interpretive signage or other means to explain the system to passersby, and to encourage ecologically friendly use and a “tread lightly” mentality in this sensitive area. 3.51: If rip-rap is retained in some locations, incorporate larger, flatter boulders to provide informal seating areas along the water’s edge.

The Waterfront’s Center

– Witness to War –

The theme for the next several areas is Witness to War. This section of the waterfront crosses Alexandria’s major wartime experiences with its varied commercial past through the 20th century. It will also be one location to discuss its role in the slave trade and African American contributions. It will reflect aspects of the 1860’s through the World Wars.

The heart of the waterfront is a two-block area centered on King Street – from Prince Street to Thompsons Alley/Queen Street. The north side of King Street is characterized by the largely successful and vital Torpedo Factory Art Center, the City Marina, and Chart House restaurant. The Food Court and the Old Dominion Boat Club properties do not contribute as much as they could to this ambiance as they present essentially blank walls to the landside public realm. However, the overall impression is still a strong pedestrian environment for residents and visitors. The south side of King Street has a completely different atmosphere as it is comprised of a series of parking lots, secluded park spaces, and buildings that turn away from the river. The terminus of King Street is weak and King Street Park is somewhat visually insignificant given its small size and location between the Old Dominion Boat Club building and its fenced in parking lot. Because of such features, King Street Park is not widely used.

From a historical standpoint, this area contains only the Old Dominion Boat Club and Torpedo Factory as early to mid-20th century architectural pieces, both located north of King Street. To the south, the area retains a number of structures from and invoking the 18th and 19th century. These structures have critical value to the historic fabric of the waterfront and are envisioned to be improved as part of the Plan’s strategy for adaptive reuse. The Strand formed and forms the historic spine of this core area, and should be celebrated as an integral feature.

The urban design opportunity is to create an elegant and more functional Marina area for Alexandria that embraces the reach of the river from Prince Street to Thompsons Alley, that celebrates a waterfront gateway to Alexandria, and that envisions new buildings and public spaces with riverfront addresses. In short, the Plan suggests that the front door to the City face the river, much as it did historically. Specific recommendations have been assigned by sub-areas within this area.

Figure 16: Illustrative Plan view of the Food Court and Chart House, showing Conceptual Piers near the foot of Thompsons Alley and extending from Cameron Street

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Existing perspective of the Food Court and Chart House

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Thompsons Alley Witness to War

The area of the waterfront south of Founders Park but north of the Torpedo Plaza is centered on the point where Thompsons Alley meets the Potomac River. This location is challenged by frequent nuisance flooding, a failing bulkhead, a narrow sidewalk (given the large number of pedestrians), and is one of the major spots where floating debris collects in the water. Wayfinding is not intuitive and pedestrians often find themselves in the "alley" between the Chart House and Food Court.

The spot could be one of the highlights of the waterfront, but is currently most notable for several conflicting uses: back of house activities for the Chart House and Food Court, such as dumpsters and deliveries; misdirected drivers looking for the parking garage under the Food Court; water-related emergency services (the fire boat is docked here). The trees block the excellent views, but there is little opportunity to enjoy the shade. These conditions do not attract visitors to the elevated dining area behind the Food Court and discourage pedestrians from lingering near the Seaport Foundation floating building, which is one of the highlights of this area.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.52: Rebuild and realign the bulkhead with a gently curving and much wider promenade that would intuitively lead pedestrians from Founders Park around the Chart House to the Torpedo Plaza.

3.53: In conjunction with changes to the Food Court and Chart House, relocate the dining area rear staircase to be adjacent to the promenade, possibly bridging the “alley” with a walkway or small dining terrace for the Chart House. Address handicapped access with an outdoor lift. 3.54: Look to the History Plan and Art Plan for guidance to improve Thompsons Alley with the use of special paving, artistic elements, lighting, or minor façade treatment to help screen the parking garage and “back of house” activities, beautify the alley, interpret, and assist in wayfinding for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. 3.55: Provide parking for electric carts to bring mobility-impaired visitors to commercial boat docks and other Torpedo Plaza locations.

Chart House and Food Court Witness to War

The Chart House and Food Court are the major non-floating dining destinations on the waterfront. The land upon which the Chart House, Food Court, and Torpedo Factory sit are owned by the City. In 1986, in order to improve the Marina area, the City leased air rights where the Food Court and Chart House now sit, the Torpedo Factory retail “arcade” and offices, as well as some surface area just outside where the Torpedo Factory’s riverside entrances are located, to a private development company. It is a long-term lease with more than 30 years remaining.

The Chart House is a popular and successful regional dining destination. However, the building does not fully capitalize on views – especially upriver – or on additional potential outdoor dining demand. Because of floodplain issues, the main floor and outdoor dining area of both the Chart House and Food Court are well elevated and somewhat removed from the activities of the Torpedo Plaza and Marina (it is difficult for passersby to know if an outdoor table is available). The Chart House has overcome this elevation disadvantage to a greater degree than the Food Court.

Looking north from rear of Food Court

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In recent years, the Food Court has not been able to capitalize on its location and does not draw sufficient customers to be successful. However, the Food Court attracted the Snack Shack, which serves light meals, snacks and other treats from the Bittersweet café/bakery, which has increased its appeal. Residents and other participants in the planning process have expressed a strong desire for a more successful use (or set of uses) at the Food Court site and have expressed a willingness to support major changes to the building and adjacent public spaces. Among the uses suggested by members of the public: a market hall (like Eastern Market in the District of Columbia), a cultural or performing arts venue, and dining options that complement the Chart House offerings, and/or shops that specialize in Alexandria or Virginia-made crafts. The leaseholder has expressed interest in redeveloping the Food Court into two restaurants and is actively pursuing the restaurant option. Figure 17 shows a conceptual perspective of such a redesign.

Currently, the entrances to the Chart House and Food Court comprise a confusing and awkward set of stairs and ramps, divided by a narrow alley that is not intended for pedestrian passage. A coordinated redesign of the two entryways, possibly as a series of terraces and seating walls, would expand outdoor seating and dining space, be more welcoming to patrons, and define the marina plaza in a more inviting manner. There is a small bandstand near the Food Court entrance.

Colonel Ellsworth and the Marshall House Hotel

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Figure 18: Illustrative Plan showing Torpedo Plaza and the Expanded Marina Concept

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The air-rights lease for the outdoor area of the Torpedo Plaza permits food vending and outdoor dining, although those locations have not been regularly used for that purpose. Regular programming of vendors would serve to enliven the Marina Plaza as well as the Torpedo Factory entrance, welcoming visitors to this world class arts destination.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.56: Work with the leaseholder of the Food Court to attract more successful uses that better meet resident and visitor needs, including options such as a market hall, cultural venue, restaurants or shops featuring locally-made goods. The Plan supports interior and exterior changes to the Food Court structure, including replacement, that are necessary to accommodate more successful uses. A renovated or replaced Food Court structure should be designed to actively engage with Torpedo Plaza and Marina activity, better address the use conflicts and other design problems in Thompsons Alley, and generally maintain a similar height and footprint as the current building.

3.57: Prepare a comprehensive redesign of the access area in front of the Chart House and Food Court, providing a unified series of terraces or decks that gradually rise to the main floor level for both buildings and better define the outdoor space at Torpedo Plaza. Replace the handicap ramp between the two structures with a lift, retaining the ramp along the western edge of the Food Court.

3.58: Evaluate the utility of the bandstand outside the Food Court for more active programming or demolition.

Torpedo Plaza and the Cameron Street Wharf Witness to War

The wharf in front of the Food Court and Chart House aligns with Cameron Street and is the location of a famous early event of the Civil War: the landing of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth on May 24, 1861 as part of the seizing of Alexandria by the federal government. Ellsworth’s killing later that day – after having taken down a Confederate flag from the Marshall House Hotel on the 400 block of King Street– created one of the first martyrs of the war and President Lincoln ordered that his body lie in state at the White House. Alexandria was occupied during the war to 1870 by Union forces.

The area is currently furnished with benches for visitors to use while looking out onto the Potomac, waiting for a water taxi or cruise ship. The dockmaster booth in front of the Chart House will be renovated in the spring of 2011. A ticket booth for Potomac Riverboat Company cruises and water taxis is located on the dock. Some portions of the dock are not handicapped accessible.

Portions of the bulkhead under the City Dock are in need of repair.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.59: Because this site has often played a key role in Alexandria’s history and its identity as an arts destination, look to the History Plan and the Art Plan for guidance in designing the spaces, as inspiration for providing new features of all kinds, and for historic interpretation (including naming). Celebrate the Torpedo Factory Art Center with public art at a variety of scales in the public spaces surrounding the building. 3.60: Encourage active use of the outdoor vending sites adjacent to the Torpedo Factory, including more intensive uses than are currently permitted, such as outdoor food/beverage service. Delineate the space with planters, art, or other hardscape features to help with wayfinding and visibility. Encourage visitors to linger with shade structures or tables with umbrellas. 3.61: Ensure adequate pedestrian circulation and access throughout the Torpedo Plaza and Marina area, and minimize conflicts between pedestrians and services to the river and activities along the river. 3.62: Create overall design guidelines to ensure consistency for elements such as paving, lighting, street furniture, etc. 3.63: Rebuild the bulkhead in areas where it is failing in a way that is compatible with other newly designed bulkheads in the waterfront. 3.64: In conjunction with improvements to the City Marina, provide a better location for dockmaster functions.

Torpedo Factory ⬚ figure Light projections, Lucette de Rugy, Pittsburgh, PA ⬚ figure Rooftop cafe, Paris ⬚ figure

Figure 19: Activity Levels in the Core Area

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The Torpedo Factory Art Center Witness to War

The Torpedo Factory is an internationally-recognized art center, one of the City's principal tourist attractions, and a key element of the City's identity as an arts destination. The adaptive reuse of the Torpedo Factory to house working artists' studios and galleries in the mid-1970s is also a significant turning point in the story of reclaiming the waterfront for public use. The Torpedo Factory has also been home to the Alexandria Archaeology Museum for 31 years.

In the past two years, a strategic planning effort for the Torpedo Factory has culminated in the establishment of a new board for the purpose of providing oversight and management of the facility. The new board will be considering a number of potential initiatives that are relevant to the Plan. Such initiatives include: longer hours; gallery expansion and a café on the first floor; building modifications at the first floor level that would make it easier for visitors to see inside or to locate entrances, including direct entry for the building at 101 North Union Street at sidewalk level on King Street to help activate the commercial space in the Torpedo Factory Arcade; and the greater use of signage and public art outside and on the building. These are potentially beneficial changes that would enliven the public areas surrounding the Center and make the Torpedo Factory building more welcoming. Recently, the Hirshhorn Museum on the National Mall announced the future installation of a temporary blue “bubble” which could be the inspiration for some kind of temporary structural installation at the Torpedo Factory.

The large roof area of the Torpedo Factory could serve as extremely attractive event space – the building’s concrete construction is sufficiently strong to support additional activity – but the Center’s elevator does not reach the roof. A solution could be to renovate the existing Torpedo Factory elevator so that roof access can be achieved.

The Arts Commission has noted that images projected onto the Torpedo Factory could create a temporary artwork out of the Factory itself, and the Plan endorses this idea. This method and others – such as a re-enactment each May 24 – could be used to remember Colonel Ellsworth’s 1861 landing. To recall a different era, swing dancing or big band concerts could be hosted in the Center or on the public space outside. Any arts related function should be timed and planned as to limit disturbance (light and noise) to the surrounding residential neighborhoods.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.65: Work with the new Torpedo Factory governing board to identify and implement initiatives to strengthen the arts center and its role as the heart of the waterfront. Include for consideration ideas generated during the waterfront planning effort. 3.66: Explore direct entry of the building at 101 North Union Street directly from King Street, also known as the Torpedo Factory Arcade, in order to help activate commercial space within the building.

Torpedo Factory in the 1920s

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King Street at the River, Waterfront Park and the City Marina

• Gateway -

The theme for the King Street at the River area is Gateway. This area should convey the historic sense of arrival and focus, celebrating the bustle of Alexandria as the point of entrance and departure in the past and present.

One of America's great streets meets one of America's great rivers where King Street reaches the Potomac River. Alexandrians participating in the planning process agreed that improving this area should be a cornerstone of the Plan, and that the new public space should be active and create feelings of celebration and arrival.

During the periods that Alexandria's waterfront was its most commercially active, it was lined on the water side with a series of wharves and piers extending into the river, and lined on the land side with warehouses and industrial buildings. Activity was almost entirely commercial in nature.

The wharves and warehouses of 19th century Alexandria inspire the Plan's vision for the foot of King Street, The Strand, and the Marina. It is not possible nor desirable to try to duplicate the level or type of commercial activity that Alexandria once experienced, however the Plan proposes an increase in commercial boat activity over that which exists today - from Cameron Street to the area near King Street - and guides development in the four blocks between Cameron Street and Wolfe Street to enliven both the land and water sides of the "core area" of Alexandria's waterfront.

Residents and tourists alike want to connect to Alexandria's history when they are visiting the waterfront. One good place to see evidence of Alexandria's original shoreline is the intersection King Street at South Fairfax Street (Figure 14: Original Shoreline). Looking west from Fairfax Street toward the Metrorail station, King Street is largely flat. But looking east to the river, King Street descends approximately 30 feet in two blocks to the river below, and one can picture how the city was originally positioned on a bluff overlooking the bay.

The two blocks of King Street between Fairfax and Union Streets are among the City's busiest during tourist season. The unit block of King, between Union Street and the Potomac, is quieter, terminating in the tiny King Street Park, where one can seek some view of the river. The park is bordered to the north by the Old Dominion Boat Club (ODBC) building and to the south by the ODBC parking lot. Beyond the parking lot to the south is Waterfront Park. For a number of years the City has been negotiating with ODBC to change this situation, but to date no agreement has been reached.

Nuisance flooding is a regular occurrence here; the intersection of King Street and The Strand is slightly lower in elevation than land closer to the river and river water comes up through storm drains, often during highest tides of each month, and when the Potomac River rises from storms locally or upstream.

Waterfront Park is primarily an open turf area bordered on the north and south by trees as well as floral and shrub planting beds. There are two stands of mature Willow Oaks that frame the lawn area’s view of the river. Other amenities include a chess table, benches and trash receptacles and a very large 18th-century cannon that the children like to climb on. Waterfront Park is also currently available to be rented for events by the public.

Waterfront Park is often very quiet, even on days when the nearby Torpedo Plaza is quite crowded. This is in part because the ODBC parking lot and ODBC concrete wall limits views of the park from King Street, but another reason is that there are very few and direct active uses facing the park from any side. On the western edge of the park, there is a single row of parking spaces; across The Strand are the “backs” of the buildings in the 100 block of South Union Street, including the historic Fitzgerald Warehouse at 106 South Union Street, which is currently being converted into a restaurant. At the ground floor, these buildings have either parking garages or loading docks. Near the southwest corner are three businesses that actively engage the public: Chadwick’s, Big Wheel Bikes, and Old Towne Gemstones.

During the planning process, Alexandria residents stated that they would like to see a greatly improved public space at the foot of King Street and along The Strand. Many residents embraced the idea of extending King Street into the river as a pier and relocating the ODBC parking lot to enable King Street Park to be joined with Waterfront Park. Residents asked for more things to do and to visit at the waterfront – outdoor dining, museums and cultural sites, fountains, events and activities for all ages – and identified The Strand as where these activities should go. There was clear consensus that there should be more waterfront dining options at The Strand.

There is no federal “settlement agreement” for land upon which the ODBC and parking lot sit, and given the U.S. Court of Appeals decision in January 2011, a settlement agreement will not likely occur between the Old Dominion Boat Club and the federal government.

The waterfront planning process revealed both a strong market and a strong interest for an expanded marina for both pleasure and commercial boats. Currently the City Marina area hosts approximately ten commercial vessels (passenger, tour and charter). There are approximately 80 docking locations, including slips and T-heads, within the City Marina. The marina offers electric, pump-outs, potable water, fire suppression, and other services not including fuel or repair. However, much of marina infrastructure is fair to poor condition or outdated (insufficient electric service for modern boats, for example).

Existing ODBC Parking Lot ⬚ figure

Looking North on The Strand ⬚ figure

Garage Parking Fronting The Strand West of Waterfront Park ⬚ figure

The Marina planning process was greatly informed by the Marina Subcommittee of the Waterfront Committee and the special “Marina Night” held early in 2010. From these efforts came the suggestion that the City should plan for the expansion and improvement of docking locations for both commercial and pleasure boats and for visiting or permanent historic ships. There was debate about whether it is better to have slips in several different locations all along the waterfront, or to focus the expansion near the existing Marina. There was some agreement that it is useful to separate commercial and pleasure boat activity as well as high frequency commercial boat activity (such as water taxis) from lower frequency activities, such as dining cruises. There is considerable interest by pleasure boaters in visiting Alexandria for the day or the weekend. There is also interest expressed by the private sector in expanding commercial boat activities.

The City commissioned a Marina Market Analysis in 2009 by the firm of Moffatt and Nichol Engineers. The market analysis concludes that the Washington area is a very strong market for boat owners and there is market support for a large number of pleasure boat slips in Alexandria. In addition, a new marina could meet current user demand for slip sizes, utilities, and other services, and a larger marina would have the potential to be operated without subsidy and possibly by a private entity.

Figure 20a: Existing Public Spaces - King Street Park and Waterfront Park

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Figure 20b: Conceptual Proposed Public Spaces - Fitzgerald Square and Waterfront Park

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Accordingly, the design for the waterfront includes two marinas under the Plan. The City's Marina located east of the Torpedo Factory is currently utilized for both commercial and pleasure boat activities; under the Plan it would be utilized solely for commercial boats, thus allowing expanded commercial boat docking opportunities. Pleasure boat slips would be located east of Robinson Terminal South in a new 100+-slip marina. Parking for users of the pleasure boat marina at Robinson Terminal South would be accommodated within a redeveloped Robinson Terminal South.

In addition to the above, permanent docking space for a historic ship would be located off the King Street pier and docking space for a visiting historic ship would be located off Waterfront Park.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.67: Implement the vision of the Plan for King Street at the river, Waterfront Park, and the City marina. The component elements of this vision are outlined below but the sequence and timing of the elements will vary based on the unique challenges and opportunities of each element. Phasing is also addressed in Chapter 5 of this Plan;

Element 1 - Pedestrian Plaza from Union Street to the River; Marina Repairs and Upgrades

The Plan recommends closing the unit block of King Street to daily vehicular traffic and transforming it into a pedestrian-oriented plaza, with access limited to emergency services, deliveries, motorcoaches and trolleys. The plaza would extend from Union Street to the water, incorporating the existing King Street Park. The project would include reconfiguration of trees and other plantings in order to create a strong visual connection to and from the water and King Street.

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Figure 21: Portion of Plaza Constructed over Water as Proposed.

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A multipurpose public plaza Kendall Square, Cambridge -

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View looking southeast toward Waterfront Park

Model depicting a redesigned Waterfront Park with surface parking

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Model depicting potential for de-mountable structures to serve activity at Waterfront Park.

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The creation of this plaza may be an opportunity to complete an initial element of a comprehensive program to mitigate the most frequent “nuisance” flooding: raising the elevation of the foot of King Street and The Strand.

Completion of both the plaza and the flood mitigation may not be feasible without involving the ODBC parking lot, and so these elements may need to wait until the parking lot issue is resolved.

The Plan recommends completing repairs and upgrades of Marina and shoreline elements as needed, with emphasis on elements in immediate need of repair, such as bulkheads, or are needed for the daily operations of the Marina, such as a dockmaster facility. Bulkhead repairs should be limited to those which will not be replaced or removed in later phases.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.68: Limit vehicular access to the unit block of King Street and The Strand between Prince and King Streets to emergency vehicles, deliveries (limited hours), motorcoaches, and the King Street Trolley. The Strand would also be open to vehicles accessing the parking garages and lots that have entrances on this block of The Strand. 3.69: Implement initial elements of the comprehensive strategy to mitigate nuisance flooding by elevating the unit block of King Street and The Strand as feasible. 3.70: Retain the ODBC building with ongoing use by the ODBC. 3.71: Complete repairs to bulkheads and other facilities as needed, as well as marina upgrades consistent with the long-term vision of the Plan.

Element 2 – Eliminate the Parking Lot at the Base of King Street; Create New Public Plaza at the Foot of King Street.

The Plan proposes a long term goal of eliminating the ODBC parking lot, which is currently located on the site of the original Fitzgerald Wharf. This would open up continuous public access along the waterfront and increase the amount of public space at one of the most important locations on the waterfront.

The Plan recommends providing ODBC with equivalent vehicle parking but relocating boat and trailer storage elsewhere (possibly at a location in the Eisenhower Valley).

The elimination of the parking lot creates the opportunity for a major new public space between the Fitzgerald warehouse and the water. The Plan envisions the construction of a hardscaped park extending east from The Strand, framed by the ODBC on the northern edge. The new plaza will be more than an acre in size and serve as a hub of activity, as it links King Street with the river and Torpedo Plaza with The Strand. This public space is envisioned to extend over part of what is now unimproved shoreline and open water (Figure 21). The final design and support method will be determined by further study and engineering analysis as part of the Plan’s implementation. Any extension of public space, as a platform or other material over water, will be subject to review and approval by State and Federal permitting agencies.

The Plan proposes locating an open-air structure or structures within the new park/plaza, to be used for public activities, markets, arts and crafts displays, and other events and to provide a shady refuge for waterfront visitors, who will be able to look across the new park to the broad expanse of the Potomac River. The plaza is sized to support an ice skating rink and could also be rented for parties, weddings, and meetings, providing a revenue stream to help support the adjacent park. At the water’s edge, a new promenade will connect the foot of King Street to the existing riverside promenade in Waterfront Park. This park/plaza area will both significantly improve the experience of local residents and visitors to Alexandria’s waterfront, and stimulate the future improvements in later phases.

The King Street Pier/Fitzgerald Square concept is the optimal design for this very important location on the waterfront. To the extent this design is not possible, the Plan acknowledges the value of reaching an interim agreement with the ODBC that would improve public access to the Potomac River and/ or Waterfront Park, prior to relocation of the ODBC parking lot. Options under discussion include one which would add a public path along the river from King Street to Waterfront Park and one which widens The Strand into a public plaza between King Street and Waterfront Park. Other interim options may be considered.

Looking south on The Strand past what is currently an inactive frontage

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RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.72: Pursue eliminating the ODBC parking lot along The Strand, preferably through negotiation with the ODBC. 3.73: There should be a significant public space on King Street between Union Street and the river that acts as the gateway to the City from the river and functions as the focal point of pedestrian-related waterfront activities for residents and visitors. 3.74: The detailed design of the new park/plaza should look to both the History Plan and the Art Plan for guidance in design, functionality, and historic interpretation (including naming). An iconic piece of public art is suitable for this location. The design could include an open-air structure suitable for hosting a variety of public activities and private events as well as an information kiosk to provide a concierge role for arriving visitors. 3.75: Orient and design the public space in such a way as to accommodate multi-seasonal programming, to include vending carts, moveable tables, chairs, and umbrellas in the warmer months, and an ice rink during the winter. If an ice rink is not feasible in this location, other waterfront locations should be considered, such as the foot of Prince Street near The Beachcombers Restaurant site. 3.76: Include a fountain or other water feature, and identify or create an area to be used as a small stage or performance area as part of the final design of this public space or in nearby Waterfront Park.

Aerial view of existing condition at the foot of King Street ⬚ figure

Looking South West Across the Existing Waterfront Park ⬚ figure

3.77: At a minimum, improvements to this site reached through negotiation with the ODBC should include public access along the waterfront and preserve public access at King Street Park.

Element 3 - Add Activity along The Strand at Waterfront Park:

An eliminated parking lot is a clear improvement over the current condition, but it does not solve the problem of inactivity. Although passive parks are highly desirable in the right locations (and Founders Park is a good example), residents have identified The Strand area as where they would like to have more things to do, especially more outdoor dining, fountains and other water-related elements, ice skating rink and other fun activities, and opportunities to learn about Alexandria’s history, such as museums and tall ships.

The Plan is informed by retail analyses conducted specifically for the Plan as well as studies conducted for King Street and for other areas of the City (Landmark, Potomac Yard, and Carlyle). Of the findings, three are key: (1) the current market (residents, employees and tourists) will support more retail and restaurant space at the waterfront; (2) a larger and more successful collection of retail at the waterfront will foster, rather than compete with, retailers and restaurateurs on King Street – functioning as an anchor to the retail district; and (3) to be fully successful and to act as a strong anchor for King Street, waterfront retail should be perceived as a single, cohesive unit.

Fountains in Yards Park in nearby Washington, DC

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Aerial view of the existing Strand from King Street to Duke Street

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A restaurant building (part of an idea for the relocating of the ODBC parking lot) was once proposed for the western edge of Waterfront Park. That concept has been eliminated from this Plan. Desired activity will be supported with much smaller scaled activities for families and other visitors.

The Plan recommends redesigning Waterfront Park to be parallel to the river and to capture the historic pattern of wharfs that have been filled in over time. As Waterfront Park currently exists, the functional lawn space is oriented east-west and is constrained by the planter beds which line the north and south interior edges. The redesign of the park would largely maintain or increase functional lawn space, by reorienting it north-south, removing the planter beds, creating shade lawn under the willow oaks to be retained, and opening up the connection to the new park plaza at the foot of King Street. A terraced landscape and low walls could provide informal seating areas with views of the river and to a newly constructed stage or stage-like tensile structure at the eastern edge of the park.

There is currently around 1.5 acres of public space in the area at the foot of King Street, which includes Waterfront Park and King Street Park. This phase of the Plan's implementation will increase this public space to approximately 2.25 acres, which includes a slightly larger Waterfront Park in combination with the new Fitzgerald Square. This new space is not only larger, but more functional from a design perspective - creating an unabridged and inviting connection from the foot of King Street through Waterfront Park and on to the southern Strand area. Figures 20a and 20b on page 59 graphically depict this public space reorientation.

The City's flood mitigation strategy calls for low flood walls or barrier to be integrated into new parks and buildings in the area between the ODBC and Robinson Terminal South. In this area, flood walls may be part of the construction of a seating wall in the redesigned Waterfront Park. The flood walls would protect the area from the most frequent flooding, to approximate elevation 6.0.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.78: Implement a redesigned Waterfront Park to include a newly landscaped lawn framed by the existing willow oaks and new tree plantings. 3.79: Integrate low flood walls into the design of the park in order to protect against frequent flooding. To the extent possible, walls should be constructed to be used as functional seating elements and to allow park users to view the stage.

The Ferry Arch at the foot of King Street

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View from the water toward King Street showing ferry boat in 1900

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3.80: Encourage the active enjoyment of Waterfront Park with elements such as.

• Food and other carts, tables and chairs, small scale recreation activities, and programming of events, displays or performances providing entertainment, culture, history and the arts.
• Kiosks and other temporary or seasonal structures serving as outdoor cafes, unique retail (such as made in Alexandria items), cultural or history-themed displays.
• An open-air market structure or pergola, suitable for farmer's markets, art shows, and the like, possibly glass enclosed in winter to support ice skating and other winter recreation activities.
• A new public pier, which will serve both to bring park users out onto the water as well as a location for water taxis and other boats to bring visitors to Alexandria.
• Permanent and/or visiting historic ships and other ships of character.
• A stage supporting performances, movies, and other entertainment or cultural events, using the natural slope of Waterfront Park and the low berms or seating walls of the flood mitigation strategy to allow park users to view the stage.

Figure 22: Illustrative Plan showing a Marina Arrangement Extending only to the Pierhead Line

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Element 4 – Create a New Pier and Expanded Commercial Harbor:

In the heyday of Alexandria’s commercial waterfront, piers accomplished the efficient transfer of goods from boat to land and back again. Piers were also arrival and departure points for visitors. Ferries once arrived at Ramsay’s Wharf at the foot of King Street. The ferry building’s arched portico was a focal point of the view down King Street to the river.

When people glimpse a river from inland, it creates within them a wish to come closer to the water. Once they do, they like to continue out into the water – on a pier, bridge or boat – and turn to view the land from the river. The nearly universal desire for this type of experience can be met by restoring or recreating some of the historical features of Alexandria’s waterfront in this key location.

The Plan proposes expanding the City’s commercial waterfront and creating a new pier at the foot of King Street to extend the new public space and celebrate Alexandria’s relationship to the Potomac River. The February 2011 draft of the Waterfront Plan showed an expanded harbor flanked by two new piers that would have extended from Cameron Street and King Street into the Potomac River in a distinctive “crab claw” shape. The original design has been scaled back; while the end of King Street and the current City Marina are still designated for commercial vessels under the Plan, there is only one new pier recommended. Pier and harbor designs are conceptual at the small area plan stage; however, this Plan shows a new pier extending from Fitzgerald Square that is smaller in length and width than previously shown. It also has a T-head shape which commercial boat operators have indicated is a more practical design. The pier is planned to host water taxis, visiting ships, and a permanent historic ship that would be partially visible as one approaches the river from King Street. There would also be a stage area on the southwestern edge of the new pier for performances that can be enjoyed by visitors at nearby at Fitzgerald Plaza and Waterfront Park.

The latest design concept for the King Street/Fitzgerald Square pier continues to reflect input from users and other experts as well as the general public. The location – approximately centered on Fitzgerald Square – responds to public input that historically, Alexandria’s wharves were not typically at public streetends, but rather built in front of the warehouses that would receive the shipped goods. The location also responds to the public’s suggestion that pedestrians on King Street should either see water or a ship at the foot of King Street. The Plan shows a historic ship berthed at the pier, which depending on the size of the ship, could be visible for a considerable distance on King Street. It is likely that for much of the length of King Street, a pedestrian would be able to see both the Masonic Temple and the ship at the foot of King Street. This pier plan would require relocation of one of the ODBC’s piers which currently sits within King Street City-owned riparian rights.

The City Marina

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Fitzgerald Square and the new pier create a signature public space that invites pedestrians from King Street to walk out over the river and experience both the Potomac and Alexandria in more satisfying way. Views would be considerably improved by a pier that extends beyond the current pierhead line so that visitors would have uninterrupted views of the Alexandria shoreline. Even a pier that extends a relatively short distance beyond the pierhead line would provide views of the Torpedo Factory and Torpedo Plaza area to the north and The Woodrow Wilson Bridge and the blocks of The Strand to the south. In addition, the pier and square would have a view up King Street to the George Washington Masonic Memorial. Combined with the new waterfront, the pier and adjacent public spaces create a varied sequence of experiences and invite visitors to both linger and to explore.

The Plan proposes to expand the ability of Alexandria’s waterfront to support commercial boat operations and host ships of character devoting the Marina area in front of the Torpedo Factory and Chart House to these purposes. The pleasure boat slips in this area would be relocated to a new marina at Robinson Terminal South. The expansion of the City Marina for commercial vessels could be accommodated within the current pierhead line, as depicted in Figure 22.

The City Marina would accommodate an expansion of the current commercial fleet as well as the local cruise ships now docked in the Strand area, including the Dandy and Nina’s Dandy. The operation of these vessels requires accommodation for passengers (parking, ticketing, protected waiting areas), offices, storage, deliveries and servicing. Waiting area and concession facilities would be included on or nearby the new pier and at the area of the City marina where docking for local cruise ships would be expanded.

Model depicting the concept for a new commercial habor, centered on the Torpedo Factory with additional docking locations and a new pier at or near the foot of King Street.

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Artist’s perspective of an expanded Point Lumley Park, looking south from the foot of Prince St.

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Figure 23: Illustrative Plan showing an Expanded Point Lumley Park and a Portion of the Redevelopment in the Surrounding Area

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Access for service deliveries to commercial vessels would be improved by eliminating the conflicts with emergency vehicles in Thompsons Alley and by ensuring continued access to both Robinson piers and other key locations (such as street ends) for heavy trucks, such year round potable water, wastewater pumpout, and electrical service, as well as adequate and convenient trash receptacles. Passenger arrival could occur via the King Street Trolley, via motorcoach (current locations to be retained), or via private vehicle with parking in garages off Union Street (such as the currently underused parking garage under the Food Court). The mobility-impaired would be served by fully-accessible facilities and the Plan suggests parking locations for privately provided airport-type "golf carts" to shuttle the mobility-impaired between motorcoaches and cruise ships.

The new Pleasure-boat Marina located in front of Robinson Terminal South could be operated privately and without public subsidy – possibly in conjunction with uses on the redeveloped Robinson Terminal South. This marina, located east of the existing Robinson Terminal deep water pier and out into the Potomac River shipping channel, would replace and slightly expand the existing number of pleasure boat slips currently at the City Marina.

The proposed waterside elements will involve a number of different regulatory and governmental approvals, including agreements with the federal government and the District of Columbia. There was previously some concern that the District of Columbia might withhold permission for Alexandria to extend a pier across the existing pierhead line, which is also the boundary between Virginia and the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia has communicated to the City its legal finding that existing law permits Alexandria to extend piers beyond the current pierhead line.

Some elements could also require modification of the western boundary of the designated "shipping channel" by Congressional action; the current channel was established in part to accommodate regular deliveries to and from both Robinson Terminals. It is the recommendation of the Plan to retain at least one of these locations for continued use by larger vessels, and that the channel only be modified in order to create the desired pier and permit the construction of the new marina at Robinson Terminal South. The pier aids in creating a functional docking location that can serve a variety of vessel types and operations. As was requested by some residents, the Plan does not propose expanded marine operations in the river in front of Founders Park. However, the opportunity for tie-ups for transient boaters exists along the bulkhead between King Street and Robinson Terminal South. Such spaces, while encouraging turnover, would allow short-term visitors by boat to enjoy Alexandria without docking at the commercial marina.

The Waterfront Concept Plan considered inclusion of a jetty or breakwater which was located upriver from the harbor area and was proposed to reduce debris and siltation. Further review showed that it would not serve either purpose adequately. Therefore, the Plan does not include this feature.

All required archeological assessments and protection measures would be applied, pursuant to Section 11 of the Zoning Ordinance, in undertaking improvements under the Plan.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.81: Create a new commercial pier in the vicinity of King Street to accommodate water taxis and historical vessels. Pier designs shown in this Plan are illustrative; the ultimate design will be determined during the implementation phase and may be of a different length, width or location from that shown in the Plan. 3.82: Attract a tall ship or other ship of character to be berthed at the new pier. In addition, there should be other berthing opportunities along the waterfront for other ships. 3.83: Incorporate where appropriate interpretive elements which recall or pay homage to the historic wharves in and around this location. 3.84: The Alexandria waterfront shall provide sufficient dock space and other facilities required to support existing and expanded commercial vessel operations, including tour boats and water taxis.

1865 image looking north up The Strand

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3.85: Any pleasure boat marina should be a modern, well-maintained facility for docking boats that meets the technical specifications and market demands of recreational boaters. Re-locate the pleasure boat marina to avoid conflicts with commercial operations. The marina should be a self-sufficient enterprise, with user fees covering the cost of operations, maintenance, and capital improvements that primarily benefit boaters. Consider private construction and operation. 3.86: Retain the capacity for docking large vessels at Robinson Terminal North and Robinson Terminal South. To minimize dredging expenses, consider docking large shallow-draft vessels at Robinson Terminal North while maintaining the option of docking deep-draft vessels at Robinson Terminal South. 3.87: Relocate the City fireboat and the Seaport Foundation floating building to the waterfront near the foot of Duke Street 3.88: The next phase of the design and engineering of the comprehensive strategy to mitigate flooding should take into consideration: drainage impacts on existing buildings, storm sewers, vehicle and pedestrian access issues, and visual and historic character. Consider impacts of nuisance flooding along the entire Waterfront within this comprehensive strategy.

The Strand

• The Working Seaport -

Point Lumley and The Strand South of Waterfront Park

The theme for The Strand is The Working Seaport and the 100 and 200 blocks of The Strand and South Union Street contain the last observable vestiges of Alexandria’s golden maritime era from the last half of the 18th century to the early 20th century. This area should evoke the character of the heyday of the waterfront in The Strand and should be used as the Southern Cultural Anchor.

Much of the two-block section of the waterfront between Wolfe Street and Prince Street is warehouses and surface parking. As a consequence, a large amount of the total redevelopment planned for the waterfront occurs in these two blocks.

Aerial of existing condition along The Strand

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At the same time, the area features a concentration of some of the last remaining historic buildings on the waterfront and it encompasses Point Lumley, part of the City’s original shoreline and a former center of shipbuilding.

The northern block, as it exists today between Prince Street and Duke Street, is bisected by The Strand. The waterside half of the block contains a surface parking lot, the former Beachcombers Restaurant building, the Crenshaw building at 210 The Strand, and the Alexandria Marine building at 226 The Strand. This building is owned by Robinson Terminal and contains historic fabric of an old sumac mill. The two Dandy dining cruise boats dock and have and office adjacent to The Beachcombers Restaurant building. The City purchased The Beachcombers Restaurant building, the Crenshaw building, and part of the adjacent parking lot with City Open Space Funds, and plans to acquire the remaining two parcels of the surface parking lot between them in the near term. These purchased lands were identified within the Open Space Master Plan as priority open space properties.

The block on the west side of The Strand, between Prince and Duke Streets, is composed of nine parcels totaling 77,000 square feet, with the majority owned by the Cummings and Turner families. The block is home to Chadwick’s restaurant, the offices of the Potomac Riverboat Company, Old Towne Gemstones, and a number of other offices and retail stores. The Art League leases two warehouses in the southern third of the block, while the northern third contains a number of 19th and early 20th century warehouses in need of restoration and/or repurposing.

The warehouses of Robinson Terminal South cover much of the block between Wolfe and Duke Streets. A historic brick warehouse at 2 Duke Street is surrounded on three sides by more modern structures. These structures are currently being actively used as warehouses, but the owner wishes to have these properties redeveloped over the long term. Deep water access is maintained to the pier, accommodating larger boats. The warehouses are also home to the Seaport Foundation’s boat building activities.

The Art League and the Seaport Foundation embody core attributes of the City’s history and are important to the City’s daily life. The continued operation of both institutions is a high priority of this Plan.

Because of the historical significance of Point Lumley, and of the character of the collection of buildings in this area, any plans for redevelopment must respect and contribute to the appreciation of these elements. The Plan recommends that the 19th and early 20th century warehouses be restored and adaptively reused, with priority toward public or non-profit uses oriented toward history, the arts, or recreation. These could possibly include new or relocated/expanded museums devoted to Alexandria’s history and arts centers with galleries or classrooms. Also appropriate are private, for-profit uses that which are open to the public, such as retail shops or restaurants or other publicly-welcoming uses associated with the adjacent redevelopment.

Then and Now: The Beachcombers Restaurant

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RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.89: Draw inspiration from The Strand's role in Alexandria's history as a working waterfront in public improvements, private development, and programming, including park design and the scale and positioning of new development in this area. 3.90: Establish The Strand area, south of Prince Street, as a cultural anchor of the waterfront, with reference to history and art. In planning and implementation, consider the public realm from King Street to Robinson Terminal South holistically. 3.91: Create a comfortable pedestrian-focused zone along The Strand from King Street to Point Lumley, limiting vehicular access where possible. Open alleyways and other east-west links between Union Street and the river.

Aerial with highlight of existing conditions at the Cummings /Turner Block

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Model depicting the Cummings - Turner Block redevelopment potential under the Plan

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Between Prince and Duke Streets: An Expanded Point Lumley Park and the Cummings/Turner Block

The Plan recommends that the riverside properties between Prince and Duke Streets be transformed into a greatly expanded Point Lumley Park, which could showcase Alexandria’s shipbuilding history and other elements of its past. Along the water’s edge, the entire length will be a pedestrian promenade. The new park is an excellent location for interpreting the City’s history through physical markers, monuments, educational signage, or artistic elements. The materials within this park should embrace principles of sustainable landscapes including native plants, rain gardens, porous paving, and recycled materials. Waterside activities should include opportunities to get into the water, such as kayak, canoe, rowboat or small sailboat rental. The Plan anticipates that the park may include one or more park buildings at the southern end, possibly on the footprint of the Alexandria Marine building at 226 The Strand, to house visitor services, historical exhibits or programs, and other civic, institutional, and park support functions. The building at 210 The Strand would be demolished, but the channel leading to it maintained and enhanced.

The Plan also envisions that the park design will recall both the historic wharf-line and shoreline in this location. Raised hardscaped areas, positioned to mimic the historic piers, could be constructed and designed to not only provide historic interpretation but as part of the functional floodwall in this area. These pier-like elements in the park could also provide locations for small scale activities or be designed in such a way as to frame a model-boat basin. Undulating wave-like grass berms in the lawn area could also provide an interpretive feature. More detailed park planning will follow the adoption of this Plan.

Celebrating the City’s shipbuilding industry is an ideal focus of the expanded Point Lumley Park because it is the location of historic wharfs and shipbuilding activities during the 18th and 19th century. Nearby Robinson Terminal is already the site of the contemporary educational boat building program of the Seaport Foundation, but the workshop is not accessible to the public. The Plan recommends continuing the Seaport Foundation’s current activities in The Strand area, as well as exploring how the Seaport Foundation’s boat building activities could be part of a multifaceted engagement with Alexandria’s shipbuilding past, along with outdoor display of boats and boatbuilding, “living history” programs onboard historic ships, and other creative approaches to involve the public.

In the shorter term, the Plan recommends relocating the Seaport Foundation’s floating building from Thompson’s Alley to a location near the foot of Duke Street to be close to their boat building workshop and as part of an effort to reduce the number of conflicting uses at the Thompson’s Alley waterfront. Similarly, the Plan recommends relocating the City’s fire boat to the same general location at the foot of Duke Street, which is better suited to accessing their emergency water-related activities from the Prince Street firehouse.

The Beachcombers Restaurant building is a 3,630 square foot former restaurant building built over the water in the early 1950s at the corner of The Strand and Prince Street. Over time the water all around and underneath the building was filled, in part with the excess from a concrete business located adjacent to this building. The site was a restaurant for only a few years and later became a gun shop and military surplus store. There is some interest in the public and the private sector in restoring the building to active use as a restaurant, although the building is not historic in a classic historic preservation sense. The City supports the restoration to uses that are found to be economically viable.

The City undertook a review and engineering analysis of the structure, and found that options exist for both demolition with reconstruction, and rehabilitation. The Plan recommends that further cost-benefit analysis be undertaken and that the building only be preserved if it is found most cost effective to do so. There has also been some interest in demolishing this building to open up the view of the river from the public areas along the river; however the Plan recommends trying first to retain and repair or reconstruct the building for use as a restaurant. It was acquired in 2005, along with one-third of The Strand parking lot to its south, from dedicated Open Space Fund monies as one of the priority acquisition sites. Later in 2006, the City acquired another property on The Strand to help complete more of the waterfront corridor. The remaining adjacent properties in the 200 block of The Strand are on the City's priority list to be acquired for this purpose (middle and far south end of The Strand parking lot.)

Model depicting an expanded Point Lumley Park and redeveloped Beachcomber Restaurant

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Depiction of potential for a hardscaped plaza in an expanded Point Lumley Park

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The range of estimated costs to rehabilitate the building (i.e., gut to the four walls) to make code compliant (such as ADA) and to outfit as a restaurant could cost $2 to $3 million or more. It is an open question as to whether this concept is economically viable.

If The Beachcombers Restaurant building can be restored or reconstructed, high quality design is a priority since the building is highly visible and will define the transition from Waterfront Park to the expanded Point Lumley Park created on the Dandy parking lot. A unique water feature could also be incorporated as part of the building’s redevelopment to recall the fact that the building was once sited over the water in the river. The roof of the building could potentially be used for outdoor dining along with the porches on the second floor.

Between Prince and Duke Streets on the west side of The Strand, the Cummings/Turner block is one of the Plan’s Development Sites for which a redevelopment strategy has been proposed. A coordinated development for the block is desirable, although major parcels in the block are owned by two different entities. In either scenario, it is important that redevelopment address the restoration and adaptive reuse of the 19th and early 20th century warehouses located on the southern portion of the block and that the site’s location adjacent to active, open space along the waterfront be a motivating factor in massing, uses and orientation of development. Generally, the Plan recommends that development for this block be a use type, such as boutique hotel, which is of a scale that activates the street frontage, improves the pedestrian realm of The Strand, and does not create actual or perceived privatization of an expanded Point Lumley Park.

A goal of the Plan generally is to improve both physical and visual access to the water’s edge by retaining and reopening, where possible, the historic alleys. On the Cummings/Turner block, there is more than one opportunity. The first is the alley between Chadwick’s and Big Wheel Bikes. Completely reopening this alley is challenging because that would require the demolition of an existing building that connects the historic warehouses. Instead, the Plan recommends that when the block is redeveloped, this connecting structure be rebuilt in transparent material so that there is a visual connection through the alley from Union Street to The Strand.

In addition, the Plan recommends that redevelopment of the Turner Property at 209 The Strand retain a portion of the existing parking lot as an alley. The alley would be along the northern edge of the property so that, for example, the building that currently houses the Potomac Riverboat Company would front the new alley, rather than a parking lot as it does today. The mid-block location of this alley would retain desirable access from Union Street to the River. It would also allow the historic warehouses in the 200 block of South Union Street to be distinct from new construction on the Turner parcel. This alley should be open for public use and be of a character appropriate in scale and design to historic alleys in the area.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.92: Complete the acquisition of the waterside properties between Prince and Duke Streets and develop them as a public park showcasing shipbuilding, and other important elements of the City’s past. Look to the History Plan and the Art Plan for guidance in park features and structures, naming, historic interpretation, and art.

3.93: Provide varied activities and recreation opportunities in the park, such as a model boat basin, climbable ship’s rigging, rowboat or canoe rental, rented bocce or croquet, and others. Look to other waterfronts worldwide for inspiration.

3.94: Consider a civic structure in the park, with potential uses including history, art, or shipbuilding activities, as well as services for park users and other park functions. Relocate the Seaport Foundation’s floating building to the foot of Duke Street. Provide one or more temporary or permanent berths for historic ships.

3.95: Create a varied water’s edge with piers, inlets, boat ramps – consistent with the shapes of wharves in Alexandria’s history. Continue the waterside public promenade, using small drawbridges over inlets to maintain a continuous path while allowing for a varied shoreline. Echo or recall the historic shoreline with landside features.

3.96: Continue to pursue reuse or reconstruction of the Beachcombers Restaurant Building as a working restaurant, provided it is financially feasible without public subsidy. Demolish this building if an economically viable use is infeasible.

3.97: Preserve, restore, and adaptively reuse all of the historic warehouses in The Strand area, with emphasis on cultural uses or uses that allow these elements of the City’s past to be open to the public.

3.98: Pursue the use of one or more of the warehouses, or the civic building in the park, as a history center as described in the History Plan.

3.99: Development Guidelines for the Cummings/Turner block are detailed in the Proposed Zoning for Private Development Sites section at the end of this chapter.

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Model depicting Robinson Terminal South redevelopment potential under the Plan

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Aerial of the existing Robinson Terminal South

Robinson Terminal South

The block between Duke and Wolfe Street is now occupied by Robinson Terminal South and consists of two parcels totaling approximately 130,000 square feet of lot area. Currently the site contains warehouses (including a historic and very attractive historic brick building at 2 Duke Street) and an approximately 15,000 square foot pier with deep water access. As with the Robinson Terminal North site, the eventual redevelopment has been planned by its owner, the Washington Post, for several decades.

This property is located on one of the most historically significant sites in the City, and redevelopment proposals must make a special effort to find opportunities to recall or interpret the site’s history in the design and function of the project and its surroundings. The southern point of the City’s original shoreline can be found on this property at Duke Street and the water’s edge with the northern point at the West’s Point site at Oronoco Street and the water’s edge. History should inform every decision about uses, activities, structures, plantings, architecture and design, names, and programming. Robinson Terminal South’s location in relation to the northern-adjacent sites, including the expanded Point Lumley Park and potential Cummings/Turner redevelopment area creates a unique opportunity to implement a coordinated design strategy which illustrates the significance of Point Lumley and which is compatible in nature with the scale and character of the surrounding Old Town neighborhood.

Figure 24: Illustrative Plan of Robinson Terminal South showing Conceptual Marina

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In recommending uses for the redeveloped Robinson Terminal South, the Plan applies the same approach as it does for Robinson Terminal North. New structures with water frontage should have uses which are welcoming to the public, do not restrict public access or create a perceived privatization of the waterfront. The Robinson Terminal federal government settlement agreement requires future public access on this property. This goal is accomplished through public-welcoming uses such as boutique hotels and active ground floor uses in strategic locations and by orienting privacy-seeking uses, such as residential, away from the water and the new park. The Plan envisions a well-developed public space along the waterfront, as well as a private marina for pleasure boats adjacent to the development.

The Plan’s conceptual design envisions The Strand continuing south through the block with the option of connecting with Wolfe Street, and a connection from The Strand extension to Union Street to allow public access and views of the water. Other configurations that meet the Plan’s goals are possible and will be evaluated during the development review process, but this configuration serves to facilitate public access while still allowing flexibility among block segments to serve market acceptable floor plates for a variety of use types.

Model depicting Robinson Terminal South redevelopment potential under the Plan

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Model looking North along The Strand from Wolfe Street

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Although this site is not envisioned to redevelop in the near term, the goal of continuous public access through the site along the water is a primary goal of the Plan and is encouraged to be accomplished as soon as possible. The landowners have been approached and have indicated a willingness to consider providing limited waterside public access across the Robinson Terminal South site prior to redevelopment.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.100: Development Goals and Guidelines for Robinson Terminal South are detailed in the Proposed Zoning for Private Development Sites section at the end of this chapter.

3.101: Pursue the concept of a limited public access agreement along the waterside of Robinson Terminal South in collaboration with the landowners of the property.

3.102: In coordination with the redevelopment of Robinson Terminal South, pursue expansion of Roberdeau Park west on Wolfe Street as is generally depicted on the illustrative plan.

Windmill Hill Park to Jones Point Park

South of Point Lumley, the two main opportunities for change from current conditions are Windmill Hill Park and Jones Point Park. Both of these areas have up-to-date park plans adopted and ready for implementation.

Looking south through Windmill Hill Park

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Figure 25: Windmill Hill Park Concept Plan

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WINDMILL HILL PARK APPROVED CONCEPT PLAN

The Windmill Hill Park Plan (Figure 25) adopted by the City in 2002 identifies a number of improvements. The Plan does not propose changes to that plan, which is the result of considerable public review, but instead supports its full implementation, with replacement of the bulkhead as one of the earliest priorities. As the adopted plan begins to be implemented, choices in design, materials and other elements should be consistent with other sections of the waterfront. Adherence to the adopted plan should not constrain opportunities to add public art, to interpret the City's history, or to be consistent with future design guidelines for the waterfront.

Union Street divides Windmill Hill Park; the approved plan shows three pedestrian crossings of Union Street in the park area that have a special paving treatment, as well as one or more speed tables on Union Street. The Plan recommends applying the special paving treatment to the length of Union Street within the park to further reduce vehicle speeds and with the expectation that the street may be closed periodically to join the two halves of the park.

The National Park Service, through a Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) construction contract, has begun implementing the Jones Point Park Plan. The Plan does not propose changes to the Jones Point Park Plan. VDOT has initiated a neighborhood liaison process to aid in the implementation of the Jones Point Park Plan.

The Plan emphasizes the importance of the continuity of the public pathways (bicycle and pedestrian) from Point Lumley south to Hunting Creek and onward to Mount Vernon, as well as crossing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Maryland. The 1982 Waterfront Plan shows the Mount Vernon Trail proceeding as a boardwalk along the shore of Hunting Towers and Porto Vecchio. The Plan recommends implementing this vision of a boardwalk trail, as funding or redevelopment permits.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.103: Implement the adopted Windmill Hill Park Plan. Ensure consistency with the balance of the waterfront in terms of design of paths, facilities, and other park elements. Look to the History Plan and the Art Plan for guidance for public art and historic interpretation within the park. In particular, implement the proposal to complete and conclude the Art Walk in Pomander Park. 3.104: Assess pedestrian/bicycle trail conditions between Windmill Hill Park and Jones Point Park and repair or elevate as needed.

Tide Lock Park to Daingerfield Island

Although the Plan focuses most of its attention on the section of the City's waterfront between Tide Lock Park and Point Lumley, there are areas of potential change north of Tide Lock Park, principally the GenOn Energy, Inc plant and Daingerfield Island, a unit of the National Park Service. There is also some long-term potential for redevelopment within the Plan area along Fairfax, Royal and Pitt Streets.

The 106-acre Daingerfield Island is home to the full-service Washington Sailing Marina with slip rentals, boat ramp, learn-to-sail programs, boat and bike rentals, marine services, sailing clubs, restaurant and snack bar, gift shop and restrooms. Daingerfield Island also hosts fishing and field sports and is busy with cyclists and joggers on the Mount. Vernon trail. Options for change to Daingerfield Island are constrained as the site is part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Other constraints include environmental issues and its location in the flight path of National Airport, both of which discourage uses that accommodate large numbers of people. Alexandria residents requested that the future Daingerfield Island include a boardwalk or path along the Potomac shoreline and park elements that support nature interpretation, bird watching, and similar activities. The Plan recommends requesting that the National Park Service undertake a Daingerfield Island master planning process as soon as practicable. In addition to the park itself, there is likely future demand for public access to the Mount Vernon Trail along the George Washington Memorial Parkway from several points in the Potomac Yard development. In addition, there is potential demand for pedestrian access to a future Potomac Yard Metrorail station from North Old Town via the Mount Vernon Trail. Addressing either of these demands would involve pedestrians crossing the George Washington Memorial Parkway; a crossing at the Daingerfield Island entrance would facilitate access to the park from Potomac Yard while an alternative path could follow along or near the train tracks from the GenOn Energy, Inc. Plant to the Bashford Lane entrance to Potomac Greens, and then through Potomac Greens to the Metrorail station.

There has been a power plant at the site of the plant since the 1930s. The Plan provides the following general guidance for the eventual reuse of the area when the plant is no longer in operation, which is anticipated in October 2012: Extension of Old Town's grid network of streets should be considered; doing so would provide a means for organizing and connecting the site to the rest of the City in a compatible way. Potential uses may take advantage of the outstanding views and the close proximity to National Airport and may include office, hospitality, or meeting facilities. Redevelopment should be designed to improve public enjoyment of – and access to/along – the waterfront and could include a significant new public amenity. The identification by the Open Space Master Plan of the plant as a priority open space site should also be taken into consideration as part of the future planning effort for the site described in the implementation chapter.

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Looking from the water past Tide Lock Park (Crowne Plaza showing in background - left) ⬚ figure

The Crowne Plaza hotel provides approximately 250 hotel rooms and approximately 10,500 square feet of meeting and event space. The 12-story building is podium-style surrounded by surface and garage parking, an urban form that is outdated and inconsistent with much of Old Town North. The addition of low-rise (2-4 story) development fronting Fairfax, Montgomery and/or First Streets would improve the pedestrian experience and this building's compatibility with its neighbors. It would also integrate the Perfect Pita building into the fabric of the neighborhood. The block is zoned OCM (50); existing development uses all of the density permitted by this zone. There are no immediate development proposals for this site, but the Plan supports consideration of low-rise infill development on this site fronting the street. Figure 26 gives an illustrative example of a conceptual infill/liner unit redesign of the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Similarly, there are buildings on the east side of North Fairfax Street in the 700 and 800 blocks that are either pulled back from the street edge or have an inactive presence at the street level. Redevelopment or renovation is an opportunity for these buildings to better engage with pedestrians and the neighborhood.

The west side of North Fairfax Street is outside the Plan boundary, but there are existing office and warehouse buildings on the west side of North Fairfax Street where the owners may be interested in upgrades or redevelopment to meet current tenant demands. In that regard, the Plan supports outreach to these property owners to explore urban design improvements. When an update to the North Old Town Small Area Plan is scheduled, it should consider whether flexibility in the building envelope may be needed to encourage or allow modernization. Renovation or redevelopment should emphasize a continuous street wall. in order to accommodate such changes to the building envelope.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

3.105: Request the National Park Service to begin a Daingerfield Island master planning process and address resident proposals for a waterside boardwalk and other features. 3.106: Support redevelopment of the North Old Town parcels in the Plan area when redevelopment is compatible with existing uses, will improve the relationship of buildings to the street and will provide an active presence at the street level.

Figure 26: Crowne Plaza Infill Concept

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Waterfront Small Area Plan

Policy for Restaurant/Hotel/Commercial Uses

The cultural and historic ambience of Old Town provides the primary attraction for visitors and for residents. Restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues, marinas and other commercial establishments along the waterfront will provide activity and destinations for residents and visitors, allowing enjoyment of the City’s Potomac River location. Such uses, however, must be sited in appropriate locations and designed in such a way to ensure that goals of the Waterfront Plan are achieved, including:

◆ Enhancing enjoyment of the waterfront for residents and visitors alike; ◆ Appropriately locating uses consonant with public open spaces, development sites, and the Potomac River; and ◆ Maintaining compatibility with both the historical and residential character of the adjacent neighborhood.

Restaurants, hotels, farmers’ markets, retail, personal service, private recreational facilities, and marinas each require SUP approval in the Waterfront area. The SUP process is designed so that each use is reviewed and assessed for its appropriateness at a specific location and for its ability to coexist with adjacent and nearby uses without impacts to the character of the area, the plan goals as a whole, and the enjoyment of nearby property.

The Small Area Plan for the adjacent area of Old Town states the City’s policy that the fragile balance between the residential and commercial areas “must be preserved if both are to remain strong and if the ambience of Old Town is to be preserved. Further, the commercial areas contain a mix of activities that is unique within the metropolitan area, and that mix needs to be protected if the character of Old Town is to be preserved.”

The Old Town Small Area Plan (and the King Street Retail Strategy by reference) includes the City’s policy with regard to restaurants, establishing guidelines to assist in SUP decision-making. The Old Town Restaurant Policy requires that Council review each restaurant application for its impacts on noise, late night hours, alcohol, parking, litter and the balance of retail and restaurant uses. A similar approach should be taken to protect the Waterfront, King Street and the nearby residential areas as to future uses and SUP review.

Each SUP for a restaurant, hotel, entertainment, or other commercial use on the waterfront must be reviewed, and appropriate findings made, according to the following guidelines:

1. City Council shall not approve an SUP for a use on the waterfront unless it finds that the use does not create significant negative impacts on the vitality and character of King Street or the character and enjoyment of nearby residential neighborhoods
2. City Council shall consider the cumulative effect of the proposal and the number of already established uses in the nearby area.
3. In the case of an expansion or other intensification, the entire operation shall be taken into account in determining the impact on King Street and nearby residential neighborhoods.
4. In making its determination, City Council shall consider the following factors as applied to the proposed use: a. Restaurant i. The potential for undue congestion of pedestrians or vehicles; ii. The extent to which the use is open in the late night hours and situated so as to potentially disturb residential areas; iii. The extent to which alcohol consumption will predominate over food consumption and situated so as to potentially disturb residential areas and negatively impact waterfront public spaces. iv. The availability of off-street parking for the restaurant’s patrons and employees, including whether the restaurant has contracted with nearby garages for additional off-street parking for patrons and/or employees. v. The predicted extent of litter generated; vi. The potential for loud or otherwise inappropriate noise; and

WATERFRONT RESTAURANT/HOTEL POLICY (CONTINUED)

vii. The extent to which other restaurants already exist in the same area. Restaurant uses should not located in such proximity as to detract from the character and authenticity of the waterfront by creating a monoculture similar to a Food Court or “restaurant row” environment. viii. The extent to which the restaurant provides incentives for employees who are able to use transit. ix. The extent to which new parking is available to support overlfow parking needs of Old Town residents. x. The extent to which adequate and reasonable buffers are provided between new active uses and existing residential development. xi. The extent to which architecture and site design reflect the important design principles illustrated by the scale model prepared by the City during the Waterfront planning process, including alleys as view corridors; design elements that minimize the impacts of height, such as setbacks above the third story along Union Street and incorporation of the top story within a roof form; and small footprint buildings instead of large “superblock” development.

b. Hotel i. The potential for undue congestion of pedestrians or vehicles; ii. The type and size of hotel, and whether it is designed to attract large conventions, banquets, or other functions (such as trade shows). Hotels shall be “boutique” hotels: that is, hotels with 150 rooms or less, no ballroom, and meeting rooms for on-site use by guests. The Waterfront Small Area Plan allows the addition of up to two hotels in the W-1 zone, with a total limit of 300 rooms. iii. The ability of the hotel to accommodate, and screen all of its service needs on site, including loading and delivery operations. iv. Parking for visitors, customers and employees must be provided on site. Additional parking may be provided by contract with a nearby garage for patrons and/or employees. Although the Plan anticipates low parking ratios, the applied ratio must be consistent with industry norms for similar hotels. v. The extent to which garage spaces will be available to the public. Parking garages must be operated so that they are open to the public at least at peak times. vi. A restaurant within a hotel that is open to the public shall be the subject of a separate SUP and the same requirements as other restaurants. vii. The location of the hotel and whether its layout is designed to produce the least impact on nearby residential areas and on the lower King Street area. viii. The extent to which the hotel provides incentives for employees who are able to use transit. ix. The extent to which new parking is available to support overlfow parking needs of Old Town residents. x. The extent to which adequate and reasonable buffers are provided between new active uses and existing residential development. xi. The extent to which architecture and site design reflect the important design principles illustrated by the scale model prepared by the City during the Waterfront planning process, including alleys as view corridors; design elements that minimize the impacts of height, such as setbacks above the third story along Union Street and incorporation of the top story within a roof form; and small footprint buildings instead of large “superblock” development.

c. Other commercial uses: Factors from the above lists shall be applied as relevant to the specific SUP under consideration.

Proposed Zoning for Private Development Sites

Three private sites, as depicted in Figure 10, have been identified in this Plan as Development Sites:

• Robinson Terminal North
• Robinson Terminal South
• Cummings/Turner Block

Large, new development on each site has been anticipated for decades and permitted by either settlement agreements with the federal government, Alexandria zoning, or both. All sites are now zoned W-1, Waterfront Mixed Use zone. The zone permits residential, office and retail development, at an FAR of up to 2.0 with an SUP, depending on the uses included in the project. Hotels are not now permitted in the W-1 zone. Where both a settlement agreement and zoning apply, the 1992 W-1 zoning is more restrictive than the agreement.

This Plan provides the City with an opportunity to create a more refined approach for each development site, focusing on design, historic importance and amenities and, most importantly, each site’s physical connection with the new public open spaces and facilities in the Plan. As to each site, the Plan proposes some increase to what existing zoning already permits, but does so with additional requirements. Thus, increases in density are permitted but only with SUP approval, and only if the proposed development is found to comply with the specific Development Goals and Guidelines outlined below.

Figure 10: Development Sites

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A system of active frontages is integral in connecting waterfront places, as illustrated in Figures 28a and 28b. Specific requirements for active frontage are depicted for each development site on the following pages.

Each of the development sites will continue to be subject to the W-1 zone, but the zone text is proposed to be modified

• to allow hotels with SUP approval;
• to allow additional density with SUP approval; and
• to require compliance with the Development Goals and Guidelines listed below.

No height limits are proposed to change with the exception of the portion of Robinson Terminal North to the west of Union Street, which is proposed to increase from 55 ft. to 66 ft. This change will align the Zoning Ordinance with the Height Districts for this area (Figure 27).

As to Robinson Terminal South and the Cummings/Turner block, each are located within both the Old and Historic Alexandria District and the Potomac River Vicinity Height District, making them already subject to design guidelines and standards in existing zoning regulations that will not change at sections 6-404 and 10-105(A)(4).

Specific zoning changes and Development Goals and Guidelines for each site are outlined below.

Within the Development Guidelines, a stated preferred use is a boutique hotel for certain locations. The typical characteristics of boutique hotels - small, unique, and offering limited meeting space but high levels of guest services - are compatible with the waterfront area. The Plan considers a "boutique" hotel to be one with 150 rooms or less, no ballroom, and meeting rooms for on-site use by guests. The Waterfront Small Area Plan allows the addition of up to two hotels in the W-1 zone, with a total limit of 300 rooms. A February 2011 hotel analysis conducted by W-ZHA, Inc., as part of the waterfront planning process, states "Future improvements to the area as well as expanded access options (e.g., water taxi service as well as trolleys and shuttles), will give the waterfront a prime location for future lodging development . . . an improved core area waterfront could support new lodging development of roughly 700-1,000 new rooms."

It is the clear intention of this Plan that buildings designated as historic are to be preserved, restored and adaptively re-used. In reviewing redevelopment proposals that addresses the preservation, restoration and adaptive re-use of historic buildings. All historic preservation actions contained in an approved development proposal should be phased to occur beofre or contemporaneously with the construction of new buildings.

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Figure 28a: Active Frontages - North Section

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Figure 28b: Active Frontages - South Section

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Robinson Terminal North

The W-1 zone is more restrictive than the federal government settlement agreement in terms of density and height. The settlement agreement allows a square footage of 238,816 square feet on three development parcels with a total buildable lot area of 91,814 square feet, resulting in an effective Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.69. Under existing zoning, a total of 195,296 square feet is permitted with an SUP (1.38 FAR). The proposed maximum density in this Plan constitutes a 43,520 square foot increase over the existing W-1 zoning, but does not exceed the settlement allowances. Tract 1, or the parcel of property on this site located west of North Union Street, is limited to 66 feet in height and heights east of North Union Street are limited to 45 feet on Parcel D and 30 feet on Parcel C, as described in the settlement agreement.

Figure 29: Terminal North settlement agreement Map

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Robinson Terminal North

DEVELOPMENT GOALS:

1. Employ a land use mix and design which invites the public and encourages activity within the proposed development and in the adjacent public spaces.
2. Provide extensive public amenities and free access to and along the water’s edge.
3. Improve access by extending Pendleton Street as a pedestrian connection to an improved public pier.
4. Pay homage to historic West’s Point through public space design and interpretive features
5. Maintain a building scale compatible with existing fabric to the south and west.
6. Maximize water views from buildings, streets and rooftop open spaces.

Figure 30: Robinson Terminal North Conceptual Massing Model

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Robinson Terminal North

DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES:

1. Active uses should be part of any development and should constitute the predominant ground floor uses. Active ground floor uses shall be generally located as depicted in the Public Space and Active Frontages Diagram (Figure 31), and shall consist of uses that are open and welcoming to the public during normal business hours, such as lobbies, restaurants, retail, civic or cultural uses.
2. The preferred use on the site is is mixed use, emphasizing arts, history and culture (including a museum) and including vibrant commercial uses (such as hotel).
3. Residential use and design should be compatible with a high level of public activity and located away from the water.
4. Residential use should not be the primary use of the site. The location, design and specific type of residential use proposed must coexist well with the other planned uses on the site and planned public activity in the public spaces adjacent to the residential development. Ground floor residential units are not permitted.
5. The streetscape and pedestrian experience along North Union Street should be enhanced; in addition to undergrounding utilities, providing street trees and appropriate light fixtures, Union Street should present an obvious continuation of pedestrian access between open space areas to the north and south and be improved with, at minimum, wide sidewalks, landscaping and special street paving.
6. Historic interpretation, consistent with the recommendations of the History Plan, should inform every aspect of the design of the redevelopment and adjacent public spaces, with particular attention given ot the West's Point site which is the area which extends from the water west up Oronoco Street to Union Street, and represents the origins of Alexandria.
7. Encourage modern design inspired by historic precedent (such as 18th century Alexandria warehouse architecture) while maintaining compatibility with nearby residential neighborhoods and ensuring compliance with the Potomac River Vicinity Height District regulations. Reflect historic east-west orientation of buildings, alleys and wharves.

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Figure 31: Robinson Terminal North Proposed Public Space and Active Frontages

Robinson Terminal North

DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES CONTINUED:

8. Redevelopment proposals shall require review on an advisory basis by the Old and Historic District Board of Architectural Review prior to being considered by the Planning Commission and City Council prior to approval.
9. Parking for new buildings should be accomodated on site and below grade. Although the Plan anticipates low parking ratios, the applied ratio must be consistent with industry norms for similar hotels.
10. The bulk and scale of the buildings should be stepped down from Union Street toward the water.
11. Curb cuts should not be located on any building and/or block frontages facing the water or North Union Street, and should be minimized if facing open space along Oronoco Street.
12. Shoreline treatment at Robinson Terminal North should include native plantings and naturalization where possible.
13. Redevelopment should be compatible with any biosparging technology, or other bioremediation, being employed by the City in treatment of the Oronoco Outfall-Alexandria Town Gas site located at the eastern end of Oronoco Street.
14. As part of redevelopment, on and off site public amenities shall be provided by the developer of the site. The specific amenities to be provided will be determined during the development review process. Desirable public amenities include:
    • Public art as a prominent feature of the public realm, both on public and private property. The recommendations of the Art Plan should be incorporated, to the greatest extent possible, in the design for the redeveloped warehouses, pier, and public spaces.
    • Open spaces with public access easements and/or dedications, provided as generally reflected in the Proposed Public Space and Active Frontages (Figure 31). The Plan encourages new open space to be provided on an improved pier, consistent with the federal settlement agreement. Riverside open space widths of less than 100 feet are acceptable only if it is found that an alternative site design better meets the objectives of this Plan.
    • Retention of the Robinson Terminal pier, repaired and expanded to be used as a public space and incorporated into the public space/pedestrian concept for the Plan as a whole. The Plan encourages retaining the pier’s ability to accommodate larger ships visiting Alexandria. Use of the pier should be active and welcoming to the general public, and should advance the goal of the uninterrupted public pedestrian walkway along the water’s edge. Examples of potential uses include water features, river watching, bocce, horseshoes, shuffleboard, plant and sculpture gardens, or outdoor cafes. Any structure erected on the pier should be temporary in nature, such as a tensile structure, fabric awning, or prefabricated, demountable, glass pavilion. The responsibility for the design, construction, maintenance and programming of the pier and public space will be determined in the future; the Plan recommends close coordination between the City and the developer on all of these issues.
    • Environmental amenities, above and beyond the minimum required.
15. The maximum FAR and floor area allowed is included on the chart at page 105.

Robinson Terminal South

Like Robinson Terminal North, the Plan envisions redevelopment in the same general scale as outlined in the settlement agreement, with height not to exceed fifty feet, which is the existing limit. The two primary parcels, between Duke and Wolfe Streets, consist of 134,158 square feet. Adjacent to the primary parcels is 226 The Strand, a 6,258 square foot parcel which currently contains the Alexandria Marine building. This parcel is also considered part of the Robinson Terminal South site under the settlement agreement.

Under the settlement agreement, a total of 380,529 square feet is allocated across the three parcels. The City's W-1 zone allows a total of 327,293 square feet at a maximum of 2.0 FAR across the three parcels; the Plan's recommendations to move to the settlement agreement allowances would increase the maximum permitted density by 53,136 square feet. Under the 1992 Zoning Ordinance, the allowable height is 30 feet above the average finished grade, which can be increased to a maximum of 50 feet with the approval of a Special Use Permit.

Figure 32: Robinson Terminal South settlement agreement Map

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Robinson Terminal South

DEVELOPMENT GOALS:

1. Employ a land use mix and design which invites the public and encourages activity within the proposed development and in the adjacent public spaces.
2. Provide extensive public amenities and free access to and along the water's edge.
3. Improve access by extending neighboring streets and creating new east-west alleys.
4. Create improved pedestrian connections to an improved and expanded public pier.
5. Pay homage to historic Point Lumley through public space design and interpretive features.
6. Maintain a building scale compatible with existing fabric across South Union Street and Wolfe Street.
7. Maximize water views from buildings, streets and rooftop open spaces.
8. Redevelopment that includes a new pleasure boat marina is encouraged.

Figure 33: Robinson Terminal South Conceptual Massing Model

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Robinson Terminal South

DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES:

1. Active uses which welcome the public should be part of any development, and constitute the predominant ground floor uses. Active ground floor uses shall be located as generally depicted in the Public Space and Active Frontages Diagram (Figure 34), and shall consist of uses that are open and welcoming to the public during normal business hours, such as lobbies, restaurants, retail, civic or cultural uses. There shall be adequate and reasonable buffering of the existing residential uses facing the site on Wolfe Street and South Union from the active uses in the new development.
2. The preferred use on the site is is mixed use, emphasizing arts, history and culture (including a museum) and including vibrant commercial uses (such as hotel). In particular, facilitate the vision for The Strand and its uses.
3. Residential use and design should be compatible with a high level of public activity and located away from the water.
4. Residential use should not be the primary use of the site. The location, design and specific type of residential use proposed must coexist well with the other planned uses on the site and planned public activity in the public spaces adjacent to the residential development. Ground floor residential units are not permitted.
5. The streetscape and pedestrian experience along South Union Street, The Strand, Duke Street and Wolfe Street should be enhanced; in addition to special pavement, undergrounding utilities, street trees and appropriate light fixtures, and design should enhance the views of the water, pedestrian access and porosity and reflect the historic orientation of buildings and alleyways.
6. A new east west connection north of Wolfe Street between South Union Street and the pier is strongly encouraged.
7. An extension of The Strand from Duke Street is strongly encouraged, with a pedestrian-only connection at the The Strand/Wolfe Street intersection to buffer the Harborside community.
8. Historic interpretation, consistent with the recommendations of History Plan, should inform every aspect of the design of the redevelopment and adjacent public spaces, including recognition of the southern point of the original shoreline.
   • Buildings and open space should reflect Alexandria’s maritime history.
   • The Plan encourages modern design inspired by historic precedent (such as 18th century Alexandria warehouse architecture) while maintaining compatibility with nearby residential neighborhoods and ensuring compliance with the Potomac River Vicinity Height District regulations.
   • Architecture should reflect historic east-west orientation of buildings, alleys and wharves.
   • The historic 2 Duke Street warehouse shall be preserved and adaptively reused.
9. Curb cuts should not be located on any building and/or block frontages facing the water or South Union Street, and should be minimized if facing residences along Wolfe Street.

Robinson Terminal South

DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES CONTINUED:

10. Parking for new buildings should be accomodated on site and below grade. Although the Plan anticipates low parking ratios, the applied ratio must be consistent with industry norms for similar hotels.

11. Shoreline treatment at Robinson Terminal South should include native plantings and naturalization where possible.

12. Robinson Terminal South is a potential location for a new and expanded pleasure boat marina. The proposed marina is conceived to be financially self-supporting as either a publicly or privately built and operated marina, and may be developed and operated in conjunction with the landside redevelopment of Robinson Terminal South. If the developer of the Robinson Terminal South development site does not develop the marina, it shall cooperate with the City and others to allow its development by others.

13. As part of redevelopment, on and off site public amenities shall be provided by the developer of the site. The specific amenities to be provided will be determined during the development review process. Desirable public amenities include:

    • Public art as a prominent feature of the public realm, both on public and private property. The recommendations of the Art Plan should be incorporated, to the greatest extent possible, in the design for the redeveloped warehouses, pier, and public spaces.
    • Open spaces with public access easements and/or dedications, provided as generally reflected in the Proposed Public Space and Active Frontages (Figure 34). The Plan encourages new open space to be provided on an improved pier, consistent with the federal settlement agreement. The Plan encourages the use of Parcel E for park, civic, or cultural activities. Riverside open space widths of less than 100 feet are acceptable only if it is found that an alternative site design better meets the objectives of this Plan.
    • Significant improvements shall be designed for Duke, Wolfe and additional street ends with green, pedestrian areas extending from The Strand to the water to expand the waterfront open space area.
    • A new kayak launching area at the foot of Duke.
    • Retention of the Robinson Terminal pier, repaired and expanded to be used as a public space and incorporated into the public space/pedestrian concept for the Plan as a whole. The Plan recommends that connections be provided at both the northern and southern ends of the pier, and improvements made to ensure the safety of users. Examples of potential uses on the pier area include water features, river watching, bocce, horseshoes, shuffleboard, plant and sculpture gardens, or outdoor cafes. Until or unless a pleasure boat marina is constructed adjacent to the Robinson Terminal South pier, the use of the pier as a docking location for larger vessels should be maintained.
    • Environmental amenities, above and beyond the minimum required.

14. The maximum FAR and floor area allowed is included on the chart at page 105.

Robinson Terminal South - Cummings / Turner

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Figure 34: Robinson Terminal South and Cummings - Turner Proposed Public Space and Active Frontages

Cummings / Turner Block

This large block between Duke and Prince Streets, now owned by three landowners, contains a total lot area of 64,180 square feet. The owners of the major parcels are the Cummings and Turner families; a parcel of 1,025 square feet is owned by the Young family. The Development Guidelines anticipate redevelopment with a series of breaks within the block allowing access from South Union Street to the water and park areas. The Guidelines also require the retention and reuse of the historic buildings on the northwestern portion of the block. No settlement agreement governs this property, so the W-1 zone provides the legal development constraints. The Plan recommends changing the zoning to allow development density similar to the adjacent Robinson Terminal South. Under the 1992 Zoning Ordinance, the current height limitation of 30 feet above the average finished grade, which can be increased to a maximum of 50 feet with approval of a Special Use Permit, would be retained.

The proposed increase in zoning will allow a total of 192,540 square feet, or 64,180 square feet more than the maximum development (128,360 square feet) allowed under existing W-1 zoning. About 83,000 square feet of the total development potential could occur on the Turner properties and the balance on the Cummings and Young properties.

Cummings / Turner Block

DEVELOPMENT GOALS:

1. Employ a land use mix and design which invites the public and encourages activity within the proposed development and in the adjacent public spaces.
2. Provide extensive public amenities, with particular attention to the restoration of the historic buildings on the block.
3. Improve access and views to the Potomac River by creating new east-west alleys.
4. Pay homage to Alexandria’s waterfront history through public space design and interpretive features.
5. Maintain a building scale compatible with existing fabric across South Union Street and Wolfe Street.
6. Maximize water views from buildings, streets and rooftop open spaces.

Figure 35: Cummings-Turner Redevelopment Conceptual Massing Model

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Cummings / Turner Block

DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES:

1. Active uses which welcome the public should be part of any development, and constitute the predominant ground floor uses. Active ground floor uses shall be located as generally depicted in the Public Space and Active Frontages Diagram (Figure 34) and shall consist of uses that are open and welcoming to the public during normal business hours, such as lobbies, restaurants, retail, civic or cultural uses.
2. The preferred use on the site is is mixed use, emphasizing arts, history and culture (including a museum) and including vibrant commercial uses (such as hotel).
3. For the cluster of buildings that includes the historic warehouses, residential (including owner occupied units) is permitted above the first floor along Union Street and around the northwest corner on Prince Street.
4. Residential use should not be the primary use of the site. The location, design and specific type of residential use proposed must coexist well with the other planned uses on the site and planned public activity in the public spaces adjacent to the residential development. Ground floor residential units are not permitted.
5. The streetscape and pedestrian experience along South Union Street, The Strand, Duke Street and Wolfe Street should be enhanced; in addition to special pavement, undergrounding utilities, street trees and appropriate light fixtures, and to enhance the views of the water, pedestrian access and porosity and reflect the historic orientation of buildings and alleyways:
   • At least two midblock breaks between new buildings, with public space, including alleys and courtyards shall be provided extending from South Union Street to The Strand;
   • A third alleyway between 10 Prince Street and 204 South Union Street shall be opened, with new infill construction permitted, provided that it creates an open, transparent space reflecting the historic alley in that location.
   • Access to uses within the alleys and courtyards is essential to the pedestrian experience;
6. Historic interpretation, consistent with the recommendations of History Plan, should inform every aspect of the design of the redevelopment and adjacent public spaces.
   • Buildings and open space should reflect Alexandria’s maritime history.
   • The Plan encourages modern design inspired by historic precedent (such as 18th Century Alexandria warehouse architecture) while maintaining compatibility with nearby residential neighborhoods and ensuring compliance with the Potomac River Vicinity Height District regulations.
   • Architecture should reflect historic east-west orientation of buildings, alleys and wharves.

Cummings / Turner Block

DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES (CONTINUED):

7. Redevelopment of any portion of the block should be coordinated with restoration and adaptive reuse plans for the historic warehouse buildings in the block. As part of any SUP for any development of Cummings property, the applicant shall provide a plan for the restoration and adaptive reuse of the historic buildings at 10 Prince Street, 204 South Union Street and 206 South Union Street. Adaptive reuse should emphasize uses that are open to public access and shall include a civic or cultural use.

8. Public art should be a prominent feature of the public realm, both on public and private property. The recommendations of the Art Plan should be incorporated, to the extent possible, in the design for the redeveloped warehouses, pier, and public spaces.

9. Contribute significantly to the public amenities in the new park between the redevelopment block and the Potomac River, including environmental amenities, above and beyond the minimum required.

10. Open space with public access easements and/or dedications shall be provided as generally reflected in the Proposed Public Space and Active Frontages (Figure 34).

11. Curb cuts should not be located on any building and/or block frontages facing open space.

12. Parking for new buildings should be accomodated on site and below grade. Although the Plan anticipates low parking ratios, the applied ratio must be consistent with industry norms for similar hotels.

13. Both the Cummings and the Turner properties are encouraged to develop jointly under a single scheme and in such a way as to share amenities such as an on-site restaurant or other common space. However, if that does not occur, each site can develop on its own. At ultimate buildout, the underground parking will share a single entrance on Duke Street, with a knock out panel provided between the underground garages.

14. The maximum FAR and floor area allowed is included on the chart at page 105.

Table 2: Private Redevelopment Sites: Density and Height Analysis

• Heights at Robinson Terminal North shall be limited to 30 feet on Parcel C, 45 feet on Parcel D, and 66 feet on Tract 1.

Table 6: Private Redevelopment Sites: Uses

4 Transportation,

Circulation, and Parking

Old Town Alexandria – and the Waterfront Small Area Plan (Plan) planning area in particular – is predominantly mixed-use and pedestrian-oriented, having been used by City residents, businesses and visitors for more than 400 years. In addition to walking, visitors and residents to the waterfront use all forms of travel ranging from personal vehicles to water taxis, motorcoaches, trolleys, buses and bicycles, giving the waterfront a true multi-modal transportation system.

Testing the Plan's proposed changes with the area's multi-modal transportation and parking systems has been an essential element of the waterfront planning process; the City will only support a future vision for the waterfront that has adequate transportation and parking systems to support it. It has therefore been imperative in planning for the City's waterfront that any increase in private or public activity not overwhelm the existing multi-modal transportation and parking systems by increasing vehicular or pedestrian congestion or parking impacts for residents, businesses or visitors beyond which this area can support.

Recent studies on pedestrian and vehicular traffic, motorcoach travel and parking allow a better understanding of existing and future conditions, opportunities and constraints and help ensure that the proposed Plan will coexist in Old Town's sensitively calibrated transportation and parking systems. To support a more active waterfront, the transportation and circulation strategies in this Plan strengthen the existing multi-modal system and strengthen the range of mobility options for employees, residents and visitors. They also address parking needs for the future, with approaches that involve monitoring waterfront resident and visitor habits over time. The goal is for Old Town residents and businesses, living with a residential, commercial and civic mix of uses as neighbors, to be assured a balanced, livable environment into the future.

Vehicular Traffic

Alexandria's location within the region makes it highly accessible to other parts of Virginia and to Maryland and Washington, DC due to an adjoining interstate transportation network and to north-south principal arterials. Washington Street and Patrick/Henry Streets, which are just blocks from the planning area's western boundary, connect Old Town to the George Washington Memorial Parkway and to Route 1, respectively. These regionally important roadways provide critical north-south connections for drivers travelling not only to and from Alexandria but also through Alexandria and to and from areas beyond it. The upper end of King Street includes the passenger heavy rail service of Metrorail, VRE commuter rail and Amtrak. As shown in Figure 36, within the waterfront planning area, there is a network of roads that run in the east/west direction. At both the southern and northern end of the area, development or natural areas create a terminus to eastbound traffic, blocking travel to the waterfront.

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The Alexandria Waterfront Traffic Impact Study was performed as part of the waterfront planning effort to analyze future conditions in the transportation network that attends Old Town and the waterfront. The study identified six key intersections for analysis of traffic and pedestrian volumes as well as operations and capacity limitations at the intersections. The intersections were selected because they are major access points from Washington Street to the east-west streets that carry vehicular traffic to and from the east part of Old Town and the waterfront. These six key intersections were studied during peak weekday morning and evening hours and the mid-day peak hours on Saturday:

• First Street/ Washington Street
• Cameron Street/Washington Street
• King Street/ Washington Street
• Prince Street/ Washington Street
• Duke Street/ Washington Street
• Franklin Street/Washington Street

The traffic study concluded that traffic will continue to increase on Washington Street through 2030 with a corresponding deterioration in the level of service at intersections. However, the increased congestion is not a result of the planned new development along the waterfront but primarily due to growth in regional background traffic, including through traffic coming in from or going to Fairfax County to the south. Significantly, the study found that the traffic generated by the additional waterfront development would not be perceptible to persons driving through the six intersections that were studied. The most impacted intersections under current conditions are Duke Street and Washington Street during the AM peak hour and Cameron Street and Washington Street during the PM peak hour. The most congested intersections under projected conditions in 2030 are Franklin Street and Washington Street during the AM peak hour and Cameron Street and Washington Street in the PM peak hour.

The City does not plan to add or widen streets within the existing street grid. Signal timing adjustments and exploring the addition of protected left turn movements, will not only help manage through traffic but can also optimize the distribution of waterfront-bound traffic. As to waterfront-specific traffic, the City's strategy is to remove the vehicles from the street as soon as possible by proactively directing drivers to parking garages. The City is currently implementing a Wayfinding Program, which is a toolbox of signage and information resources to efficiently guide and disperse all modes of transportation – pedestrian, vehicular, bicycle, transit and motorcoaches -- to and through the waterfront and relieve congestion on heavily traveled routes, such as King Street. The Plan recommends a parking approach for the waterfront that builds on the work of the recent Old Town Area Parking Study and the Old Town Area Parking Study Work Group to identify parking locations and intercept vehicles before they reach the waterfront and the residential neighborhoods near the Potomac River in order to reduce vehicular congestion in those areas.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

4.1: Complete implementation of the City’s Wayfinding Program to facilitate access to and throughout the planning area, to provide pedestrian and bicycle way-finding, and to direct motorists to parking garages. 4.2: Enhance the current carpool and bus ridership campaign. 4.3: A Transportation Management Plan that comprehensively addresses parking, motor coach, freight loading and other impacts along the Union Street corridor should be completed prior to approval of any new development.

Pedestrian Movement

With its historic buildings, parks, small blocks, narrow roadways and alleys in a traditional grid, Old Town accommodates pedestrians better than any other mode of travel. Pedestrian travel is the most basic and essential means of mobility along the waterfront, with opportunities ranging from the boardwalks near the Marina and Torpedo Factory to the popular sidewalks along King Street where the eclectic, pedestrian-scaled character of the area encourages residents and visitors alike to explore by foot. The Plan therefore includes recommendations to improve pedestrian connectivity and safety and to reduce pedestrian congestion.

The most significant pedestrian recommendation in the Plan envisions that a pedestrian walkway will extend along the entire Alexandria riverfront to include the eastern frontage of Daingerfield Island on the north. Implementation of this key Plan feature will create connectivity from one end of the waterfront to the other and give pedestrians wider public access to the Potomac River in the future.

The path along the river is not fully accessible today because of both visual and physical barriers that interrupt the connectivity. Examples of physical barriers include the private future redevelopment sites at both Robinson Terminal North and South, as well as the ODBC facility and parking lot. Visually, pedestrian wayfinding is confused by such barriers, and by visual and physical impediments associated with the two Robinson Terminal sites. With the implementation of the Plan, the Robinson Terminal sites will include public access along the water, part of which will be incorporated as an extension of the public walkway. The Plan also recommends removal of the ODBC parking lot, which will expand open space at the foot of King Street and aid in the connections between King Street and the southern portions of the waterfront.

There are also locations that are not fully wheelchair accessible, presenting additional challenges for persons with disabilities. For the disabled, accessibility should mean ensuring that there is multi-sensory access to public art and historic interpretation and multi-sensory and physical access to and within public spaces. It also means accessibility to and along an expanded marina and to commercial and private water-related vessels. The Plan recommends that the City's Commission on Persons with Disabilities be involved to ensure that persons who are vision, hearing, and mobility impaired have full access to the waterfront and its many resources and activities.

The Alexandria Waterfront Traffic Impact Study, which focused on access from the main north-south arterial, Washington Street, to the waterfront, found that pedestrian volumes are the greatest at the King and Washington Streets intersection, with 1,569 pedestrians crossing at the peak hour on Saturdays. The second most popular intersection for pedestrians on Washington Street is at Prince Street, with 292 pedestrians crossing at peak times on Saturdays. As a general rule, volumes of pedestrians are highest along King Street, and in addition to the Washington Street intersection, particularly between Lee Street and the waterfront.

Data from pedestrian counters at the entrances of the Torpedo Factory show a 471,271 count in 2008 and 514,414 in 2009. Additionally, Recreation Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA) maintains a counter on the flagpole near the Potomac Riverboat Company ticket booth at the Marina. It helps measure increases and decreases in pedestrian trends by tracking weekly volumes for certain times of day within 15 feet of the device eye. For the week of July 4, 2010, the weekly count was 18,462; the count for the week of Labor Day (September 6, 2010) was 20,519; and the count for the week prior to Labor Day was 12,065.

To improve pedestrian safety in general and, in particular, between pedestrians and bicyclists and pedestrians and vehicles, the City regularly improves sidewalks, signs and markings, and installs ADA accessible ramps and encourages the use of City-designated bicycle routes by cyclists. Further, the Plan recommends pedestrian safety improvements at high-conflict intersections, with specific locations identified in Figure 37: Crash Map. In terms of pedestrian and vehicular conflicts, crash analysis shows that injuries tend to be minor because of the slow speeds occurring at the conflict intersections reflected in Figure 37.

PEDESTRIAN CONGESTION RECOMMENDATIONS:

4.4: Enlarge the pedestrian hub at King and Union Streets, by closing the unit block to most vehicular traffic, maintaining police, fire, EMS, and delivery, trolley and motorcoach access as necessary. Creating a significant public space will give pedestrians more room to congregate, and allow them a sense of where they are in relation to other points of interest along the waterfront. Consider eliminating on-street parking along the unit block of King and at the immediate intersection of King and Union Street. 4.5: Place key activities along the waterfront to help disperse pedestrians and vehicles both north and south of King Street. 4.6: Implement the Art Walk concept, which will be physically continuous, to provide visual interest all along the riverside path.

4.7: Implement the adopted Wayfinding Program to guide pedestrians to key activities. 4.8: Use pedestrian counters at strategic locations along the waterfront and frequent monitoring and tracking of the counts to enable adjustments when necessary to strategies designed to address pedestrian congestion.

Pedestrian Safety Recommendations:

4.9: Add pedestrian facilities including pedestrian signals where appropriate and accessible curb-ramps where missing. 4.10: Accessible pedestrian infrastructure should be incorporated into new pedestrian facilities and the current practice of inclusion of the Commission on Persons with Disabilities at 30% design should be continued in the design of public infrastructure, public art and historic interpretation to make sure that persons who are vision, hearing and mobility impaired have full access to interior and exterior public resources, including the Marina. Such access plans need to be coordinated with federal boat standards.

Bicycle Travel

The Alexandria waterfront has excellent bicycle access. While the on-street bicycle network has relatively few bicycle lanes, the slow design speed and pedestrian orientation of most streets on the waterfront encourage bicycles to ‘take the lane’ when traveling on Old Town streets. Significant off-street facilities include the 18-mile long Mount Vernon Trail (north-south) and the 3-mile long Woodrow Wilson Bridge Trail (east-west). Bicycle sales, rentals, repair facilities, as well as bicycle parking and restrooms are available along the waterfront.

Figure 37: Crash Map

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The Mount Vernon Trail runs between George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and the Key Bridge in Rosslyn. In Alexandria, the Mount Vernon Trail begins and ends as a shared-use paved path, but through Old Town cyclists must use local streets, including a signed, on-road bikeway along Union Street between Pendleton and Jefferson Streets. This Plan is not recommending changing that arrangement. While Union Street is considered the “spine” of the Mount Vernon Trail in Alexandria and is often used as the slow route through Old Town, many cyclists also use an alternate, parallel route on Royal Street because it offers a faster and more direct connection between the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and Daingerfield Island with fewer potential pedestrian conflicts.

At a regional level, the Mount Vernon Trail also provides connections to the 45-mile long W&OD Regional Park and the 184-mile C&O Canal.

Since 2009, the Mount Vernon Trail has also provided a connection to Prince George’s County, Maryland via the three-mile long Woodrow Wilson Bridge. A junction on South Washington Street near Jones Point Park also provides a non-motorized connection to Huntington Avenue in Fairfax County and allows bicyclists to navigate around the formidable Route 1 corridor from Huntington to Old Town.

The east-west bikeways that connect to the waterfront range from shared use paths at Four Mile Run and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to on-street bikeways in Old Town. Pendleton Street is a key route to the Braddock Road Metrorail station which has been designated with shared-lane markings for bicyclists. Two one-way couplets, Cameron Street and Prince Street (partially one-way), offer wide lanes and typically slow-moving traffic to facilitate on-road bicycle travel. The City is also making safety improvements along Wilkes Street between Route 1 and the Wilkes Street Tunnel to encourage better bicycle connections to the Eisenhower Valley.

A critical planned enhancement along the Mount Vernon Trail for pedestrians and bicyclists is funded through the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. Safety improvements on East Abingdon Drive west of the GenOn Energy, Inc plant will improve safety and connectivity to the waterfront for southbound cyclists on this section of trail. Additional enhancements for cyclists will include better connections to Jones Point after completion of the park renovation, safety improvements along Wilkes Street, and a variety of other improvements to bicycle trails serving the area that are currently underway by the City or U.S. National Park Service.

Improved bicycle services, including parking, is an important element of the Plan. The Plan creates an opportunity to expand upon current successful bicyclist services, such as the recently included bike racks on DASH buses. Because cyclists are understandably reluctant to visit an area without support services available, this Plan proposes to add those services at key locations along the waterfront. Specifically, the Plan envisions a bicycle parking station at or near the foot of King Street, with additional parking facilities in Oronoco Bay Park. In addition, facilities for refreshments as well as bicycle repair are envisioned as part of the non-vehicular waterfront experience.

BICYCLE RECOMMENDATIONS:

4.11: Provide improved signage for bicyclists to improve safety and help delineate the urban section of the Mount Vernon Trail between Bashford Lane and Green Street. Encourage through traffic to use Royal Street as a preferred route through Old Town. 4.12: Implement a bike sharing station to connect the waterfront to a larger regional system that will extend the reach of transit and the parking system as part of a City-wide program. 4.13: Rehabilitate and make surface improvements to the Mount Vernon Trail. 4.14: Reconnect waterfront bicycle routes to Jones Point Park as part of the renovation efforts for that park. 4.15: Apply and enforce on and off road bicycle laws to help improve bicycle safety and minimize pedestrian and bicycle conflicts and vehicular and bicycle conflicts as recommended in the 2008 Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility Plan. The City should proactively explore and implement urban design approaches that help minimize these conflicts. 4.16: Provide additional bicycle parking on the waterfront in Oronoco Bay Park and near or at the foot of King Street with more racks and/or covered bicycle shelters. 4.17: Explore improved bicycle facilities on North Union Street and North Royal Street, as recommended in the 2008 Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility Plan.

Transit

The waterfront planning area is well served by the King Street Trolley and a network of bus routes, primarily operated by the DASH system.

The King Street Trolley conveyed 1.2 million passengers between the Potomac River and the waterfrontbetween in April 2009 and 2011. It runs seven days a week and, through June 2011, it operated every 20 minutes, between 11:30 a.m. and 10:15 p.m. conveying people between the Torpedo Factory at the waterfront and the King Street Metrorail station. In response to its success, trolley headways were decreased in July 2011 to run every 15 minutes, rather than every 20 minutes. Periodic count samples show that approximately 68% of east bound ridership begins at the King Street Metro and 42% of west bound ridership begins at Union and King Streets. It is free to users, supported by an increase in the transient lodging tax rate. A survey of riders found :

◆ 98% view the trolley as making Alexandria a more desirable place to visit; ◆ 76% of nonresidents said it increased the number of restaurants and businesses used; and ◆ 24% said they would not have made the trip to Old Town but for the trolley. Of the 76% who would have come anyway, 33% would have used a personal car or taxi amounting to approximately 300,000 people who would have added to the vehicular congestion in Old Town without the trolley.

A series of recommendations for enhancing King Street Trolley service are included in the 2009 King Street Retail Study. This Plan supports those important transit recommendations, most notably:

◆ Expanding the trolley hours to 9:00 am to 11:00 p.m., or later on Friday and Saturday nights, to better accommodate a range of users, including employees, students, visitors; ◆ Maintaining the trolley turn-around location at the foot of King Street.

With a new one added in July 2011, there are now six dedicated trolleys used for the King Street Trolley service, four of the six are used everyday to provide the service. The other two are spares. All of the trolleys have a lift for persons with mobility disabilities. In cases of major emergencies or vehicle breakdown, other trolleys may be put into service which are non accessible; however, this is a rare and infrequent occurrence. The City has purchased five new hybrid diesel-electric trolleys with American Reinvestment and Recovery Act stimulus funds which will go into operation in spring 2012. The current fleet is leased.

There are six Alexandria DASH bus routes that provide regular and reliable east-west and north-south service through the waterfront planning area and including stops at the Braddock and/or King Street Metro Stations. Moreover, WMATA provides regional bus services to the greater Alexandria, Fairfax and Arlington county areas as well as to the District of Columbia, supplementing the Metro which also provides service to those areas. The City’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services reports that all DASH buses are accessible as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, meaning they are all wheelchair accessible with room for wheelchair seating.

Figure 38: Motorcoach Locations Map

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During development of the Plan, residents and stakeholders expressed a desire to supplement the King Street Trolley route with a north-south route that originates in The Strand area to connect to activity centers located north of Founders Park. Future parking needs may also support the need for an easy connection to existing parking garages in the north Old Town area along the Potomac River. Shuttles or an expansion of the trolley service can be explored if and when development and tourism supports its operation, and may be part of a route for connecting the waterfront to the Braddock Road Metro station, the future Potomac Yard development and/or Del Ray, provided it can be done without harm to existing neighborhoods. Until that time, existing bus transit service appears adequate to serve the north-south routes near the waterfront and can be enhanced during special events to garages outside the core Plan area.

Motorcoach routes and loading and unloading are difficult issues requiring careful balancing of the needs of visitors, businesses and residents. The question relates to the transportation system however and it is important that coaches not overwhelm the capacity limitations of the transportation network. A City stakeholder task force met over the last few years to assess the issue and develop solutions. Figure 38 is a map of the approved motorcoach circulation in Old Town providing access to loading, unloading and parking facilities.

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Motorcoaches may currently load and unload passengers in convenient proximity to the waterfront activity centers in designated locations shown in Figure 38, which were recommended by the City Motorcoach Task Force. Figure 38 also shows on-street reserved parking spaces available in Old Town as well as long-term parking spaces available at the George Washington Masonic Temple and Wheeler Avenue near Duke Street. Users may reserve the spaces through an online permitting system or by contacting the City by phone. Information about Motorcoach parking and loading in the City and in Old Town is found on the City website (http://alexandriava.gov/Motorcoach). Any changes in locations to current loading or parking areas as part of the implementation of this Plan shall not result in a loss of motorcoach parking spaces and parking areas and will be made in coordination with the recommendations of the City Motorcoach Task Force.

TRANSIT RECOMMENDATIONS:

4.18: Continually assess existing transit service to determine where enhancements are needed. 4.19: Consider transportation linkages between the waterfront, Braddock Road Metro, Potomac Yard and Del Ray. 4.20: Increase King Street Trolley service between the King Street Metrorail station and the waterfront by decreasing headways and reinstating longer hours of operation. 4.21: In the short and mid-term explore use of shuttle and other short-distance transportation services for those utilizing remote parking facilities and Metrorail Stations during special events and other activities as the City directs. 4.22: Modify the trolley route to conform to the new vision of the foot of King Street and to maintain the linkages between the King Street Trolley and the waterfront and water-based modes of transport 4.23: As Plan implementation affects motorcoach parking needs and locations impacts, study and identify motor coach drop off and parking locations that are not in conflict with public or private facilities on Union Street. Include potential increase in motor coach traffic in the Union Street traffic study.

Water Taxi and Water Transportation

Among transportation modes, the most relevant and historically important to the waterfront are those that provide travel by water. Water transportation was once the lifeblood of the City; Alexandria was created because of its port potential. Today, communities in the Washington D.C. region are rediscovering and replanning their waterfronts and recognizing the efficiency and desirability of water transportation. With density centers located along the Potomac River, water vehicles have become one of the main opportunities for people to enjoy the water. The Potomac River is the last major untapped north-south transportation corridor in the D.C. region.

The Potomac Riverboat Company, which operates from its offices on The Strand, offers water taxi service between Alexandria's City Marina and National Harbor in Prince George's County, Maryland, ferrying an estimated 125,000 visitors per year. The service – a 20-minute one-way trip – runs daily in the spring, summer and fall and on an abbreviated evening schedule during the winter months, with plans for expansion. The Potomac Riverboat Company also offers boat service from Alexandria to Washington, DC with service to the Nationals Stadium during baseball season and to Georgetown. In addition to offering water taxi service, the company offers cruises to Mount Vernon and private charters. The Potomac Riverboat Company has a total fleet of 8 vessels, a current license to dock vessels at the City Marina, and anticipates expanding its services.

Two other commercial vessel companies also have current licenses to dock at the City Marina, thereby attracting residents and visitors to the waterfront. Potomac Party Cruises offers lunch and dinner cruises daily along the Potomac River on two vessels: the 98 foot Dandy and Nina's Dandy, which is 138 feet long. In addition, the Potomac Belle, a 59 foot long vessel, accommodates approximately 25-35 passengers and offers charters along the Potomac to Georgetown and Mount Vernon during the spring and summer season.

Alexandria is periodically a stop for cruise ships and visiting historic ships such as the Godspeed, which bring visitors to the waterfront. The City also recognizes the possibility of a high speed water commuter service emanating from Prince William County to Washington, D.C, with the potential for a stop in Alexandria. Water taxi service to National Airport may also be feasible.

This Plan recommends that as part of the Marina expansion, more emphasis be placed on docking for commercial vessels to help improve the financial viability and sustainability of the marina and the local economy, and to reduce vehicular traffic and parking demand.

WATER TAXI AND WATER TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDATIONS:

4.24: Commercial and pleasure boat activity should be segregated as much as possible to enhance each operation. Commercial boat activities should generally be north of King Street (primarily the Torpedo Factory/Chart House area).

4.25: Water taxi stops should be pursued for the new pier in the vicinity of the foot of King Street in order to reinforce that area as the “hub” of the waterfront and make the commercial boat operations, especially the water taxi, more visually and physically accessible to the public. Additional stops may be considered.

4.26: Locate lower-frequency commercial boat operations, such as regular lunch and dinner cruises and charters, at the wharf near the Chart House and on an expanded Cameron Street wharf. If needed, a third commercial pier is recommended between Thompsons Alley and Founders Park.

4.27: All public locations in the commercial and pleasure boat marinas should be accessible, including facilities for boarding vessels. The Plan recommends that a parking station for airport-style golf carts be provided in the Food Court parking garage so that carts can be employed by the private sector to shuttle mobility-impaired passengers to commercial boats.

4.28: Deep-water docking should be retained at the Robinson Terminal North location.

4.29: Appropriate accomodation should be made for daytrippers visiting by boat.

4.30: Ensure all ancillary facilities needed to operate the Marina in an efficient manner are provided and that appropriate amenities are provided for boaters and commercial passengers visiting the waterfront.

4.31: Commuter service with a stop in Alexandria via marine vessel should be encouraged with Potomac River speed limitations along Alexandria lifted for such vessels as long as low-wake boats are used.

Parking

When the waterfront had many industrial and warehouse uses, parking was a waterfront land use as well as an amenity for visitors to Old Town and the waterfront. As time has passed, the area’s multi-modal connectivity has improved. However, as well as the waterfront area may be served by pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and water transportation, motor vehicles will continue to bring people to Old Town to enjoy the waterfront, especially when the enhanced features of this Plan are implemented. Therefore, the Plan includes strategies, analysis and recommendations for the parking needs that attend the future changes the Plan envisions.

Parking Strategy: Principles Guiding Waterfront Parking

The goal of the Plan’s parking strategy is to support existing and desired land uses and to safeguard nearby neighborhoods, and is supported by the following principles:

◆ The land adjacent to the water is for people, not cars. The Plan proposes to eliminate the ODBC parking lot. In order to accomplish a change in the ODBC parking lot situation, negotiations in regard to land would need to occur. The Plan also proposes to eliminate the surface parking lot on The Strand between Chadwick’s and the river and replace it with a park. The Plan also proposes to eliminate a few on-street parking spaces where King, Prince and Duke Streets meet the Potomac River and reorient that space for public use.

◆ Do not build new public spaces; maximize use of existing spaces. The Old Town Area Parking Study found that even at peak periods, such as Friday evening, there are some 700 available unused parking spaces in the waterfront core area. The Plan’s Parking Strategy is to continue actions to promote greater use of garage spaces by people who are now parking on the street, especially longer term parkers. These actions include the Wayfinding Program and installation of multi-space meters. These steps also encourage short-term use of on-street parking, resulting in more rapid turn-over and a greater likelihood of spaces being available for short-term parkers. Over time, as parking demand increases, the Plan proposes that the City and the business community work with the owners of existing private garages to open them for public use. ◆ Protect nearby neighborhoods from excessive parking impacts from waterfront visitors. The City is implementing a series of recommendations of the Old Town Area Parking Study, including regular monitoring of parking in the adjacent nearby neighborhoods, and further discussion about permit parking, with the intent to implement protection strategies when or if they are needed. ◆ Move some uses closer to existing parking. When all of The Strand surface parking lot becomes a park, the Plan proposes to relocate the Dandy cruise boats to the Cameron Street wharf area, close to several parking garages. ◆ Parking for certain waterfront uses – cultural, retail and restaurant locations – need not be located within or adjacent to the use. People visiting the waterfront for fun will have multiple destinations, so they only need to park close to one of those destinations. The area immediately adjacent to the waterfront is a very pleasant walk and the walk from car to destination is part of the experience of Old Town. ◆ Parking for new hotel, office and residential uses should be provided on site; new development projects in these categories should provide the parking on site that its users will demand. Workers and residents are people who are going to the same destination every day and those who drive will expect to have parking very close by. The Plan proposes that new hotel, office, and residential development projects provide the parking their users will need. The parking ratios should be low, to reflect the multiple modes of travel available and the City’s interest in encouraging arrival by modes other than single-occupant vehicle.

Supply and demand

The Old Town Area Parking Study, completed in February 2010, analyzed parking utilization and occupancy in approximately 85 city blocks of Old Town between King Street Metro Station and the Potomac River and centering on King Street. The study identifies all parking spaces in the study area and highlights those locations where parking is currently under utilized and further capacity exists. Although parking in the Old Town area is often perceived to be limited with a demand beyond its capacity, the study concludes that issues with Old Town parking relate to proximity, rate, and availability and not to overall capacity. A significant finding of the study relates to the excess capacity in many garages in Old Town, even at peak times. Thus the study’s parking management recommendations include serious suggestions for better utilization of garages as a key to improving parking availability now and in the future.

As to the waterfront, the study overlaps the waterfront planning area in part and provides critical information to guide the City's efforts and to assure that adequate parking exists for future planned waterfront uses. For example, within the waterfront core area, consisting of those blocks between Union and Pitt Streets, and between Duke and Princess Streets, there are currently a total of 2,693 on street and garage parking spaces available to the public. Of those, a full 721 spaces were not being utilized on a Friday evening, thus providing ample existing capacity. When only the spaces in garages that are open to the public are considered, the study found a total of 1,265 spaces exist and a peak (Friday evening) utilization rate of 52%, leaving 604 spaces still available for parking.

Existing capacity in garages in the core area can be enhanced to increase utilization by:

◆ Existing space within garages open to the public should be made available at consistent times for consistent rates, and some garages should be enhanced to be perceived as attractive and safe for the public. ◆ The Wayfinding Program is being implemented: its first phase, including parking identification and directional signs, so that drivers can find existing garages, has been approved. ◆ Existing garage space can be used for attendant/valet parking, thus increasing significantly the number of cars that will fit in the garage.

Figure 39: Publicly Available Off-Street Parking Locations (Old Town Area Parking Study)

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Table 9: Waterfront Demand Generators and Parking Space Analysis

Table 10: Core Parking Area* Supply Summary

• Defined as between Duke St. and Princess St. and between Pitt St. and the Potomac River ** Strand Restaurant has been removed from the Plan, so actual demand is less than what is reflected in the chart.

An analysis of the proposed new uses in the Plan has been done, specifically focused on their estimated parking demand, based on standard parking generation rates, in order to assess that demand relative to existing and future supplies of parking. Beyond the new private development, which will be required to provide its own parking, the overall Plan should increase the off-site parking demand in a range between 197 and 390 spaces. Under the Plan, 171 spaces, both on and off street, will be lost, bringing the total demand to between 368 and 561 spaces as shown in Table 9.

This analysis shows that the demand – even at the high end of the range – can be met with the existing unused parking capacity in the waterfront core area, even if only garage space is considered.

Furthermore, there are several ways to increase the supply of parking both in and outside of the core area.

There are 385 private garage spaces in the waterfront core area that could be open to the public, at least at peak times. Contact with garage owners and operators confirms that they are willing to open their facilities if and when there is sufficient demand to make it financially feasible for them to do so. Monitoring the usage of the existing public parking facilities will help private facility owners recognize when demand reaches the economically feasible point for additional parking spaces to be made public. Typically, an 85% occupancy rate indicates that a garage is reaching practical full capacity. Once the existing publicly available spaces reach an approximate 85% occupancy rate, private garages will be encouraged to respond to the demand and open their facilities to the public at times that do not conflict with current uses.

When the garages in the waterfront core area are successfully occupied at peak times, additional garage space to the west of the core area along King Street and also to the north of the area in large commercial buildings along the River can be utilized. The study identifies some 5,000 parking spaces in those locations, including both public and private garages. Especially with enhanced trolley service on King Street and future transit to Old Town North, these parking garages provide opportunities to significantly expand parking supply in the short and long term, in particular for special events. It is recommended that staff continue to work with privately owned garages to open the facilities to include public parking during time periods of high demand. The City's monitoring program will alert it to approach additional garage owners when there is demand for their use.

Another option for increasing capacity in the existing garages is through the implementation of a public valet program. Valet parkers are able at times to double or triple the parking capacity in garages through maximization of the existing parking area. Proper location of valet services helps unfamiliar visitors find parking easily, and reduces the demand for on-street parking, thus minimizing the impact of the loss of on-street spaces for valet loading and unloading. Additional advantage can be achieved by strategic location of valet loading spaces and garages for valet parking, thus intercepting vehicles prior to their reaching the most congested areas of Old Town near the waterfront. The City will explore valet parking for this area as well as for King Street generally in the future.

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Figure 40: Public and Private Parking Locations Map

• Public Garage
• Private Garage
• Waterfront Core
• Parking Area
• Boundary

Many of the benefits of valet parking, especially the increase in parking garage capacity, can also be achieved through the use of parking attendants at garages. Attendant-parked garages can accommodate many more cars than self-park garages.

Based on a conservative 1.5 factor applied to all of the garage parking in the core area, as well as the area west and north of it, an astonishing total of over 8.000 parking spaces could be achieved by an aggressive parking program for Old Town and the waterfront.

In addition to the large, untapped supply of parking spaces available, the City and the Old Town business community will have to actively take steps to better utilize those spaces. In addition, before new restaurant uses that place significant new demand for parking are allowed through the SUP process, parking solutions to meet that new demand will need to be calculated, identified and detailed in the SUP report recommendations in order to ensure that sufficient parking is in place contemporaneously with the opening of a restaurant. Part of the parking solution will also need to be addressed through transportation demand management (TDM) programs which can incentivize restaurant employees and customers to use transit when traveling to and from Old Town. The expansion of the King Street trolley hours and headways also will reduce parking demand.

Parking Management

There is some on-street parking in almost every block throughout the waterfront planning area, and includes spaces that are metered, restricted to short-term parking (less than two or three hours), and spaces that have no time limits or payment requirement. Other on-street spaces are reserved for disabled parking, loading and unloading, valet, taxicabs, tour buses, or the trolley. On-street spaces in the residential areas operate under a Residential Permit Parking program, which allows residents to buy a permit for their vehicle to exempt them from time restrictions for non-permit holders.

The Old Town Area Parking Study showed that on-street parking spaces in the core waterfront planning area are generally fully utilized for the majority of the study periods. There are a total of 1,428 on-street parking spaces in this area, with an overall average utilization of 90% at peak times. Although approximately 10% of the spaces are open, the occupancy rate indicates that on-street spaces are effectively full. The study shows that some of these on-street spaces are possibly being used for long term parking, instead of the short term parking opportunity that they should be providing, resulting in the higher on-street occupancy, the lower off-street occupancy, and the perceived parking problem.

Subsequent to the study and as a result of it, the City has taken a series of steps to more effectively manage its on-street parking assets. Specifically, the City is seeking to maximizes available parking spaces for short term and long term parking needs through the use of meters and effective meter pricing. For example, it has raised its parking rates from $1.00 to $1.75 an hour. By raising the rate of on-street spaces, shorter turnover and more space availability will occur, and drivers are economically encouraged to use parking garages. In addition, blocks near the waterfront that had not been metered, have been metered with convenient, multi-space meters. Similar meters replaced existing ones along the remainder of King Street, with pricing to support short term use. New parking technologies that use smart phone applications and other devices are likely to emerge in the near future to help drivers including those coming to Old Town be better able to quickly find open and available spaces. Continued monitoring and performance parking strategies can encourage use of off-street parking facilities for long term parking needs by adjusting meter pricing. Long term public parking in unmetered on-street spaces in the residential areas should be discouraged. Future examination of the Residential Permit Parking program will be necessary to ensure that parking on residential streets is properly managed and so that visitor parking does not conflict with residential parking. The new Wayfinding Program will also assist with this effort.

PARKING RECOMMENDATIONS:

4.32: The Plan recommends that a Waterfront Parking Implementation Plan be created in order to articulate those actions that must proceed in the future to support the Plan and the events that are deemed appropriate triggers for such actions. It should include at least four specific categories of implementation measures both to create additional parking opportunities and to protect existing residential areas: a. Public garage capacity. Monitoring utilization in existing public garages, setting triggers for the need for specific number of new parking spaces to be added to parking capacity at peak times. For example, assuming full utilization of on street parking, when the utilization of public garages in the waterfront core area reaches a level of 85% use, then additional parking spaces would be added to the parking capacity during peak times, through the use of garage attendants, valet parking programs, and the opening of now private garages (supported with appropriate wayfinding signage). b. Waterfront development. Requiring additional parking capacity at the point that new parking demand generators are constructed on the waterfront. c. Valet parking. Implementing a systematic valet parking program generally for Old Town and King Street, with specific emphasis on the waterfront core area. Implementation of valet parking should not add to congestion or create queing backups on Old Town streets. d. Protecting residential parking. Testing and monitoring the effect of waterfront development on residential parking areas, with the understanding that additional protective measures should be taken to protect those residential parking areas. New residential parking controls, such as restricting parking to permit holders after 6:00 p.m., should be considered an implementation priority. The Parking Implementation Plan should be created immediately after the adoption of the Plan. It should be led by a multi-agency team and also be assisted by the advice of stakeholders affected by parking issues in the waterfront area. 4.33: Before new restaurant uses that place significant new demand for parking are allowed through the SUP process, parking solutions to meet that new demand shall be calculated, identified and discussed in the SUP report recommendations in order to ensure that sufficient parking is in place contemporaneously with the opening of the restaurant. 4.34: Continue to implement the City's Wayfinding Program to facilitate access to public parking facilities throughout the waterfront planning area. 4.35: Continue to implement the recommendations of the February 2010 Old Town Alexandria Area Parking Study and the 2010 Old Town Alexandria Area Parking Work Group, including those strategies designed to encourage use of on-street spaces in shopping areas for short-term visits, to encourage the use of parking garages for longer-term parking, and to protect residential areas from excessive parking impacts. 4.36: Consider implementing new parking technologies such as smart phone applications that show locations, rates, and spaces available in parking garages. Use pricing to incentivize parking away from the waterfront and consider using pricing to encourage use of garages. 4.37: New parking capacity on redevelopment sites should be made available to support the overflow parking needs of Old Town residents.

5 Implementation

Among the most important attributes of any plan is implementation. This chapter reviews key factors affecting the Waterfront Small Area Plan (Plan) implementation – phasing, costs and revenues, and options for civic uses.

Revenue Potential

Much of the Plan addresses public spaces and, compared to recent small area plans, there is a relatively low level of potential development. The revenue implications of Plan implementation are significant, however. Over the life of the Plan, revenues resulting from the Plan’s recommendations will exceed their costs, with public investment in Alexandria’s waterfront yielding both returns from new development as well increased commerce for existing businesses.

When completed, the redevelopment of the three redevelopment sites will yield a net increase in annual tax revenues of $3.5 million. Even with development phased over 15 years, cumulative revenues at the end of 28 years will total $51 million (in 2011 dollars).

Revenue is estimated solely from net tax increases due to new development in the following categories: real property, sales tax, meals tax, BPOL tax, and transient lodging tax. The positive impact of new waterfront development, parks, and/or cultural attractions on existing development value or on the sales of existing businesses, is not included.

Developer contribution potential

In recent small area plans it has been the practice to estimate the potential for redevelopment to contribute to public amenities. The analysis determines the potential profit for proposed projects based upon land costs, costs of construction, type of project, and market rents. After accounting for the developer’s need to make a return on investment, the remainder of the profit is potentially available for investment in on-site or off-site amenities desired by the community.

If there are specific developer proposals on the table, it is considerably easier to calculate the developer contribution potential with a high degree of validity. In the waterfront, the three major development sites have not yet been sold to a developer. In addition, the region is currently at a recovering point in the real estate cycle. It is therefore premature to attempt to estimate the profit potential (in dollars) on these sites.

In addition, this Plan defines expectations for developer contributions to the public realm on their property and in the immediate vicinity of their projects. For example, both Robinson Terminal sites have significant stretches of shoreline that will need to be become publicly-accessible promenades. In addition, this Plan anticipates investment by developers into transforming the large piers at both sites into high quality public spaces. For the Cummings/ Turner properties, developer contributions could go toward desired civic uses and/or the new park. In all cases, there will be high expectations for urban design and for implementing the recommendations of the waterfront Art and History Plans.

Analysis of the value of the additional density provided in this Plan strongly suggests that, at a minimum, a per-square-foot developer contribution to off-site amenities of $9.00 in 2012 dollars is financially feasible. The actual contribution will be determined at the time of development approval. The per-square-foot contribution should be calculated based upon all new square-footage, including that which replaces existing structures. The value of in-kind contributions, which may include property, buildings or construction of planned improvements, should be credited against this contribution.

A $9.00 per-square-foot contribution applied to approximately 800,000 square feet of new development in today’s (2012) dollar, would total $7 million.

All contributions from redevelopment within the Waterfront Plan area should be applied toward improvements within the Plan area.

Increase in the Property Tax Base (New Development)

The current assessed value of the redevelopment sites is $47 million. Buildout of the redevelopment permitted in the Plan will add $220 million to the tax base. This figure includes redevelopment of both Robinson Terminal sites, and the Cummings/Turner properties in the 200 block of The Strand.

Using the FY2011 real property tax rate of $0.987 per $100 assessed value, the net increase in real property tax rates will be $2.2 million.

Meals Tax

For the purposes of estimating revenue, the Plan anticipates 50,140 square feet of restaurant space, including restaurants in up to two boutique hotels and operation of The Beachcombers Restaurant. This amount of restaurant square footage would yield at least $700,000 per year in net new meals tax revenues.

The meals tax revenue estimate does not assume a change in the revenues from the Food Court; if the operator is successful in his plans to attract restaurants to that location, meals tax revenues could increase substantially.

In addition, restaurants pay both sales tax and Business/Professional/Occupational Licensing (BPOL) tax. The revenue from these taxes from restaurants is estimated to be $210,000 per year.

Sales Tax

The Plan anticipates about 22,000 square feet of retail other than restaurants, and the City’s sales tax revenue is anticipated to increase by about $85,000 per year as a result. . This estimate does not include increases in retail activity on Union Street, King Street, or in the Torpedo Factory arcade. The local share of sales tax revenues is 1 percent.

Transient Lodging Tax

The number of hotel rooms that are ultimately constructed on the three redevelopment sites will depend on a variety of factors. For the purposes of estimating revenues, the Plan is looking at a figure of 300 rooms, which reflects the Plan's limitation on the size of boutique hotels to 150 rooms. The estimated transient lodging tax revenue to the City from 300 hotel rooms is $770,000 per year.

The transient lodging tax is one dollar per room-night and 6.5 percent of gross revenues.

In addition, hotels would pay both sales and BPOL tax; the estimated revenue is $107,474 per year.

Total Net New Tax Revenues

In calculating new tax revenues, it is important to be looking at net, rather than gross, tax revenues. Calculating net tax revenues involves subtracting property taxes currently paid on the redevelopment parcels as well as subtracting new revenues that need to be set aside to provide City services to the redevelopment sites. Using City models, about 15% of potential revenue needs to be set aside for City services. This figure is closely related to proposed land uses; if a greater share of future development is residential, a larger proportion of potential revenues would need to be set aside for City services.

Grants

Both grants and other forms of fundraising are a potential source for funds to support Plan implementation. There is considerable competition for grants and while the Plan does not assume grant-funding, this should not limit the pursuit of these sources of funds.

Local fundraising is also a possible source of funds. For over 30 years, the Founders Park Community Association has been working to protect, preserve, and improve Founders Park – including by raising funds for maintenance and improvements.

Increased Visitor Spending

Recent studies, including the two King Street retail studies completed in 2005 and 2009, indicate strongly that visitors to the waterfront (both tourists and Alexandria residents) would spend more money if they had additional opportunities to do so. The 2009-2010 Visitor Profile prepared for the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association (October 2010) notes that per-visitor spending by Alexandria’s 3 million annual visitors is $807 per visitor, which is an increase but less than the per-visitor spending for Northern Virginia as a whole ($900) and for the District of Columbia.

An important factor in per-visitor spending is the whether the visitor stays overnight and if so, how many nights. A little more than half (55%) of Alexandria’s visitors pay for a guest room, similar to Northern Virginia (57%) but well below DC (74%).

The profile of Alexandria’s visitors strongly suggests that Plan elements that appeal to residents will also appeal to visitors. Two-thirds of Alexandria’s visitors come primarily for leisure – and for most of these (70%), the primary reason is to see friends or relatives – suggesting that when they explore the waterfront, they will be doing so with, or at the suggestion of, local friends and family. Moreover, Alexandria visitors are highly educated and the top three activities of Alexandria visitors are museums, urban sightseeing, and historic sites.

Development Phasing

Fiscal sustainability is an important aspect of any plan and particularly important in the waterfront where there are limited sources of new revenues. The Plan employs a number of strategies to balance costs and revenues, including recommending land uses that have the most positive fiscal impacts (such as boutique hotels and restaurants, which are also highly desirable for the waterfront for non-fiscal reasons), by reducing unnecessary investments (such as new public parking) and by developing a Marina concept that can be constructed and operated without subsidy, or with only a partial governmental subsidy.

The phasing concept shows how the Plan can “pay for itself” and that the City has considerable flexibility in phasing public improvements.

Development Phasing Assumptions

The phasing concept is a set of assumptions about the pace of development and other private sector activity, the revenue generated by new development and new economic activity, and the pace of public investments. The three timeframes for the phasing are: 0-3 years, 3-5 years, and 5-15 years. The assumptions about the pace of development are conservative; a faster pace of development would increase revenues more quickly than is assumed.

The phasing concept assumes that in the first 3 years of the life of the plan, the Cummings property will redevelop as a boutique hotel and The Beachcombers Restaurant will begin operations. In years 3-5, the phasing concept assumes that the mid-block Turner property will redevelop as a boutique hotel and Robinson Terminal North will redevelop – half as a boutique hotel and half as multifamily residential. In years 5-15, the phasing concept assumes that Robinson Terminal South will redevelop as mixed use, the majority of which would be residential, about one-third boutique hotel, and some ground floor active uses.

The timing of public investments in the waterfront may precede, be coincident, or follow, the private sector investment that will generate the new tax revenues. The timing of Plan implementation will be the subject of future City Capital Improvement Program (CIP) decision making, as well as the result of opportunistic decisions related to timing of the indicated elements of the Waterfront Plan.

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Assumed revenues are based on a limited set of tax categories for these properties only. The tax categories are: real property tax, meals tax, sales tax, and transient lodging tax. The phasing concept does not include any new tax or lease revenue from the Food Court itself (other than anticipated additional outdoor dining), does not count any revenues from commercial boats or any revenues from user fees, such as park rental, food carts, and other potential revenues. The phasing concept does not anticipate any increase in tax rates, the creation of tax districts, or directing tax revenues from existing waterfront development toward the waterfront improvements in this Plan. The phasing concept does not assume federal funding of any of the improvements that would be eligible.

While it is reasonable to expect an increased number of waterfront visitors as well as increased spending by each waterfront visitor (beyond what is spent in the new hotels and restaurants), the phasing concept does not count on increased revenues from either source.

The phasing concept is purposefully conservative in the sources of revenues that are counted, but this should not be interpreted as the Plan limiting the amount, type, structure and source of funds that may be applied to the waterfront in the future.

Both the History Plan and the Art Plan suggest significant investments; a limited number of these are included in the Plan’s “base budget” that is the basis of this phasing concept. Both the History and Art Plans emphasize fundraising to pay for their recommendations; while this Plan encourages such fundraising, the Plan also recognizes that the City may decide to make investments in the waterfront beyond what is in the base budget.

Artists Perspective showing how proposed flood mitigation can be integrated into the building and park design. Here, flood control is highlighted - along building facade at a repurposed Beachcomber, through grading, and integrated into a series of pier-like structures in an Expanded Point Lumley Park.

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Phasing of Physical Improvements and Implementation Activities

There are two elements to phasing: phasing of physical improvements, and phasing of implementation activities (legal, financial, permitting, governance and coordination).

The phases of physical improvements are generally grouped by location; in many cases it is more efficient to complete all planned improvements in one location in the same phase. Each phase of physical improvements is described below; the detailed spreadsheet that accompanies this document shows the calculated costs for each phase.

Phasing Elements (Physical Improvements)

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Fitzgerald and Waterfront Park Phases: These phases are designed to provide the most immediate improvement to the waterfront as a City asset, visitor and resident attraction, and anchor of commerce on King Street. The key is the removal of the Old Dominion Boat Club (ODBC) parking lot, which opens up a continuous shoreline from the ODBC clubhouse to the parking lot in the 200 block of The Strand. All elements involving the ODBC, including the elimination of the parking lot, anticipate the successful conclusion of a negotiated agreement with the ODBC. These phases also include the early elements of the flood mitigation strategy.

Elements:

• Remove the ODBC parking lot from its current location. This element addresses the key problem at the most important spot on the waterfront: the parking lot that substantially undermines the public’s experience where King Street meets the river and blocks access to the waterfront south of King Street. Relocation or removal of the parking lot is the optimal solution for this very important location on the waterfront; to the extent this is not possible, the Plan acknowledges the value of reaching an interim agreement with the ODBC that would improve public access to the Potomac River and/or Waterfront Park, prior to removal of the ODBC parking lot.
• Implement other elements of mutual interest to the ODBC and City. Such elements may include: a boat ramp, off site boat storage, screening, and boat slips.
• Elevate King Street and The Strand slightly; repave, creating a pedestrian-oriented plaza or square in the unit block of King Street; trolley and bus lane retained and marked with bollards. This element addresses some of the nuisance flooding at one of the places where it is most problematic and creates a new public plaza or square, significantly improving the public’s experience between Union Street and the river and adding pedestrian capacity in an area where sidewalks can be congested.

• Create a continuous public space in the area occupied by the ODBC parking lot. This element would ideally involve implementing the Plan recommendations for the open space including the former parking lot, Waterfront Park and the foot of Prince Street. At a minimum, this would involve creating a pedestrian promenade connecting the existing King Street Park to Waterfront Park and a plaza between the river and The Strand.
• This phase may include the construction of a new pier somewhere between King and Prince Streets. This is a relatively low-cost element that is a key design feature for this area. It may also begin accommodating either commercial boats or visiting ships of character. Extending this pier just beyond the pierhead line will provide the best views of the Alexandria waterfront, the U.S. Capitol dome, and other points up and down river.
• Pursue reuse or demolition of The Beachcombers Restaurant building (depending on the outcome of further financial analysis and private sector interest). Disposition of this building is important to both Waterfront Park and Point Lumley Park; it should be included in whichever phase moves forward first. Reuse of the building depends on public support and financial feasibility. Because the City owns the building (and neighboring land) there are relatively few barriers to implementing the Plan's recommendations. Demolish the 210 The Strand - Crenshaw building.
• Implement other flood mitigation elements for King Street, Prince Street, and Waterfront Park. These elements were described in the Flood Mitigation Study; about half would be completed in this phase. These costs cover flood walls, pumps, and other elements. Additional elements include automatic flood gates at the foot of King and at the foot of Prince. These may be accomplished in a later phase but should be coordinated with improvements to Waterfront Park.

The "Fitzgerald" and "Waterfront Park" phases of the Plan are estimated to cost $6.5 million and $3.5 million respectively, exclusive of contingency (estimated at 30%) and design and engineering (estimated at 20 percent).

City Marina Repairs and Utility Upgrades and Thompsons Alley Bulkhead Replacement: This phase makes ongoing maintenance/improvements to the Marina, upgrades the Marina utilities to meet current standards, and makes the most critical bulkhead repairs outside of the King Street/The Strand area: about 140 feet of bulkhead in the vicinity of Thompsons Alley. This phase also includes at 25-foot-wide walkway atop the new bulkhead and incorporation of flood mitigation measures. Immediate improvements to the Marina include utility upgrades, planned security upgrades, and other maintenance/repair. The long-term plan is for the north end pleasure boat slips to be replaced with commercial boat facilities, but that is not likely to happen for some time. These projects have been included in the FY2012-2021 CIP, with the exception of the cost to improve the walkway atop the new bulkhead and the flood mitigation measures.

The elements of this phase that are not already included in the CIP are estimated to cost $1.6 million, exclusive of contingency (estimated at 30%) and design and engineering (estimated at 20 percent). The majority of this cost ($1.3 million) is for the potential expansion of commercial boat docking facilities.

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Point Lumley: Along with the “Fitzgerald” and “Waterfront Park” phases, this phase will complete much of the public realm in The Strand area of the waterfront: an expanded Point Lumley Park. Elements include construction of a bulkhead and walkway (or esplanade) along the shoreline, generally between Prince and Duke Streets; construction of a park in the location of the parking lot; demolition of 210 The Strand and 226 The Strand; construction of a new park/civic building and other park elements; and the remaining flood mitigation elements.

Disposition of The Beachcombers Restaurant building is included in the “Waterfront Park” phase, but should be included in this phase if this phase moves forward first.

The cost of completing the acquisition of the parking lot is not included, as funds have already been identified for this purpose. This phase includes capital funding for a debris skimmer, including trailer and associated equipment so that waterborne debris can be removed on a regular basis. The operating cost estimates of this Plan include the cost of two staff persons for debris removal activities.

The “Point Lumley” phase of the Plan is estimated to cost $6.0 million, exclusive of contingency (estimated at 30%) and design and engineering (estimated at 20 percent). A civic building on the site of the Marine Supply building is estimated to cost an additional $3.6 million.

Chart House, Food Court and Thompsons Alley: This phase includes pedestrian improvements to the front, rear, and between the Chart House and Food Court, improving the relationship of these buildings to visitors and providing better screening of “back of house” activities such as deliveries and dumpsters. Elements include dining terraces and pedestrian walkways and a tensile structure on the expanded Cameron Street wharf to provide shade and shelter.

The planned improvements are estimated to cost $900,000, exclusive of contingency (estimated at 30%) and design and engineering (estimated at 20 percent). The dining terraces and other improvements should benefit the restaurants in this location, and private financial participation would be a condition for project elements that directly benefit the restaurants.

Torpedo Factory Marina area: This phase includes repairs to the bulkhead in the Marina near the Torpedo Factory, associated dredging, and possible expansion of the Cameron Street Wharf. This phase also includes funds for public art. Funds for the bulkhead repair are not included in the cost estimate as they were already programmed.

This phase is estimated to cost $1.7 million exclusive of contingency (estimated at 30%) and design and engineering (estimated at 20 percent). The major cost is the expansion is the Cameron Street Wharf ($1.4 million), which is optional.

Founders, Oronoco Bay, and Rivergate Park Improvements: The three elements of this phase are relatively independent, but all three involve naturalization of much of the current shoreline, which will cost about $2 million for all three parks. Very modest changes to Founders Park are planned, and these include lawn repair, a general increase in the number of shade trees away from the water's edge and some reduction of trees along the shore; and other ornamental plantings. The Plan calls for re-grading Oronoco Bay Park to emphasize its role as an amphitheater and construction of a waterside stage area, creation of a "Ralph's Gutt" wetland, replacement and extension of the curved boardwalk, and other improvements. Improvements to Rivergate Park include some additional plantings and a reorientation of the main public path to a location closer to the shore. In addition, at the foot of Montgomery Street, a set of stairs into the water is planned so that residents can better enjoy both the water and the view of the National Capitol and a kayak launching area is planned in the cove facing Tidelock Park.

Windmill Hill Park: This phase includes the improvements to Windmill Hill Park contained in the approved park plan, including the bulkhead repair and shoreline improvement projects.

The cost estimates for the proposed park improvements include Rivergate Park at $1 million, Oronoco Bay Park at $2.5 million, and Founders Park at $700.000 exclusive of contingency (estimated at 30%) and design and engineering (estimated at 20 percent).

Other important elements: A number of Plan elements are not included in the overall cost estimates. These elements may be pursued when funding is identified.

The Plan shows one or more historic ships or ships of character; there are a variety of options for having ships of this type on display, not all of which require the City to acquire them outright. Among the ideas raised during the planning process is to commission the construction of a replica of George Washington's brig, the Farmer. For comparison purposes, the Godspeed replica in Jamestown cost $2.4 million to construct in 2006. Private fundraising is often the mode for financing the construction or purchase of ships of character. If the ship was to be used for tours/charters, then the private sector might fully fund it.

The Plan also endorses the proposal for an Art Walk along the river, for which significant pieces of public art would need to be acquired. A commonly-used estimate for the average cost of a major public art piece is $200,000. The Plan's cost estimates include funds for one piece of public art. The Plan also anticipates considerable investment in historic interpretation, well beyond what is included in this Plan as major physical elements. Both the History Plan and the Art Plan place importance on private fundraising as a key component of implementing the history and art recommendations in the Plan.

A new pleasure boat marina is proposed at the Robinson Terminal South shoreline, to be accessed from the existing pier. The intention of this Plan is that it will be constructed and operated without subsidy.

Phasing Elements (Implementation Activities)

There is a range of implementation activities not associated with specific physical improvements to the waterfront. These include work to resolve legal issues, obtain required permits, continue design and engineering work, pursue funding sources, strengthen governance, and support strong and continuous community involvement in each step.

In the immediate period after the adoption of the Plan, and for the next several years, implementation activities will include:

Negotiations, coordination and inter-governmental issues: These activities include: negotiating with the ODBC regarding the parking lot and other elements of mutual importance (boat ramp, boat storage, etc.); formalizing any changes to existing settlement agreements with the National Park Service; pursuing alteration of the stated boundaries of the navigation channel; working with regulatory agencies to obtain required permits for bulkhead repair and other water-based improvements; working with the leaseholder of the Food Court/Chart House/Torpedo Factory retail spaces on both physical improvements and regulatory approvals; and coordinating with the new Torpedo Factory Board.

All of the relevant governmental and regulatory entities have been kept abreast of the recommendations in the proposed Plan and have been given opportunities to provide comments or responses. None of the entities are in a position to either endorse or reject the Plan’s recommendations until they have a formal request or application before them. However, based on discussions and feedback from these governmental entities, City staff is sufficiently encouraged to continue to recommend them in this Plan.

Any development proposal on the waterfront will be subject to the City’s standard procedures for development review, to include public engagement and review by the Board of Architectural Review.

Parking: The Plan recognizes that Old Town parking, particularly in the blocks closest to the waterfront and the nearby residential streets, must be actively managed. The City is pursuing a multi-pronged parking program for Old Town that includes new signage and parking meters, coordination with garage owners, and regular monitoring of both parking space usage and neighborhood impacts. Active management of parking in Old Town, including along the waterfront, will address needs in addition to those related directly to the waterfront. However, Plan implementation will be closely coordinated with implementation of the parking strategy to ensure that there is parking capacity available at each stage of the Plan’s implementation, as well as at each restaurant SUP stage.

The Plan’s parking strategy is discussed in Chapter 4; among the specific recommendations is an emphasis on intercepting vehicles early by directing them to garages or valet stations before they enter the most congested streets in Old Town. The Plan also recommends, as an implementation action, developing a detailed parking program with triggers. This would be completed in partnership with Old Town stakeholders following the guidance in the Plan.

Engineering and Design: The Plan recommends, as follow-up to adoption of the Plan, that a design and engineering phasing plan be prepared. This will involve preliminary engineering to 15 percent design for the proposed infrastructure and park improvements in the Plan. This work will involve preliminary geotechnical and underwater investigation, preliminary grading of streets, pathways and park areas. It will include a preliminary layout of flood mitigation elements, storm sewer improvements and bulkhead replacements. This will also include a construction phasing plan to establish how the improvements will be accomplished while allowing continued use of the waterfront facilities. This preliminary design and engineering plan will allow for the prioritization of improvements such as the bulkhead replacements. This phase will involve significant outreach to the community as the infrastructure elements move from planning to engineering. Significant coordination with permitting agencies will also be required. There will be specialized geotechnical and underwater investigation and marine engineering associated with this project.

Decision-making and leadership, operations and maintenance, programming, and fundraising: The Alexandria waterfront is a unique treasure and like many of the country’s most important public places, it both requires and deserves a high level of care. Implementation activities include identifying service level targets and structuring operations and maintenance activities to meet them and developing the capacity for enhanced programming of appealing activities and events at various scales and locations.

An important implementation step is developing an effective model that continues to marshal the high level of interest and expertise of waterfront stakeholders, and identifies additional leadership and financial resources to support the Plan’s objectives. Both the papers attached to this Plan as appendices, call for establishment of a non-profit entity with the mission of implementing the Plan. While their suggestion focuses on the implementation of the history and art elements of the Plan, there will be an equivalent need for leadership in supporting the parks and waterside elements of the Plan.

Old Town residents have suggested that an oversight body be established to manage parking and traffic initiatives and to manage public spaces and programming.

The Plan recommends, as an implementation element, that an implementation advisory model be explored, including the potential establishment of one or more committees charged with elements of Plan implementation and/or operations. The Waterfront Committee will be part of any implementation equation.

The Plan also encourages the Arts and History commissions to continue their cooperation on the Plan to assist with its implementation. Both groups will respect existing policies set by the City Council for each commission, including the policy on acquired art.

Among the early Plan implementation activities, a high priority is for staff to work with the community to develop a recommendation to the City Council for a foundation or other type of non-profit organization to support realization of the arts, history and cultural elements of the Plan as well as support active enjoyment of the waterfront.

Early Phasing Elements

Of the phasing elements in the Plan, those recommended for early implementation include:

• Continuing to actively track, report and manage parking, particularly in the Old Town area of the waterfront. Conduct regular checks on supply and demand, success in directing visitors to garages and on neighborhood impacts. Continue to implement parking strategies.
• Complete acquisition of The Strand parking lot for use as public park.
• Address failing bulkheads and marina electrical system inadequacies.
• Prepare a CIP project description for the flood mitigation project.
• Pursue reuse or reconstruction of The Beachcombers Restaurant building, potentially with a release of a Request for Proposals.
• Complete ODBC negotiations, pursue agreements with the National Park Service and Washington DC, and continue discussions with permitting agencies.
• Work with Art and History Plans representatives to implement early phases of arts and history plans. Continue working with all stakeholder groups during implementation. Explore organizational options for implementation, management, fundraising, and programming.
• Complete the engineering and permitting plan.
• Begin the technical analysis to convert The Strand parking lot to a park, including bulkhead design and design of the flood mitigation elements.

Early phasing elements will also include working with the private sector, including the Food Court. The phasing schedule will also depend on the timing of the major redevelopment projects. As specific projects are proposed, it will be necessary to devote staff resources to working with the developers and the public to achieve the best possible outcomes for all. When the private sector indicates that redevelopment is ready to move forward, the City will evaluate if nearby public investments need to be coordinated with private sector construction. Coordinating public investments with private investments also helps the City financially, so that public expenditures do not occur too far ahead of City tax revenues.

Civic Uses

There are number of important cultural, civic, and operational uses to be accommodated on or near the waterfront. The role of the Plan is to suggest locations which are suitable for these uses. Implementation of the Plan will involve specific arrangements for specific uses.

History Center

The Plan recommends establishing a Southern Cultural Anchor and History Center in the waterfront area as recommended by the History Plan, as a compliment to the Torpedo Factory Arts Center. The Southern Cultural Anchor may include a Maritime Museum, History Center encompassing elements from Alexandria’s existing history museums (and be a starting point for further explorations of Alexandria’s history) and a museum shop. The History Center could also include a relocated or expanded Archaeology Museum, if an assessment determines that relocation is the best option for the Archaeology Museum. Other potential elements of the Southern Cultural Anchor include a ship of character, the Seaport Foundation, and uses in the restored historic warehouses. Funding for the elements of the Southern Cultural Anchor/History Center could come from a number of sources, including as part of the proposed Point Lumley civic building, developer contributions, direct City funding and/or private contributions.

The City currently operates a history center/museum shop in donated space in the Torpedo Factory retail arcade. For planning purposes, the Plan uses 5,000 square feet as a potential size of the History Center, which does not include the space that would be needed for the Archaeology Museum if it were co-located. Location options for the History Center include the new civic building or any of the three historic warehouse buildings. The “concierge” function suggested by the History Plan could occur in the Point Lumley civic building or in a historic warehouse. Since a preferred location is near the foot of King Street, a freestanding kiosk in the new public space is another option.

The Archaeology Museum currently occupies 3,200 square feet in the Torpedo Factory. A specific assessment of future needs has not been done; for planning purposes 3,500 square feet has been used. The location options for the Archaeology Museum include: remain in Torpedo Factory, new civic building, or any of the three historic warehouse buildings in the 200 block of South Union Street.

Alexandria Seaport Foundation

Through the building and use of wooden boats, the Alexandria Seaport Foundation helps at-risk youth turn their lives around and provides families, community groups, and schools with meaningful educational, social, and recreational experiences. The Seaport Foundation currently uses its floating office/classroom at the foot of Thompsons Alley and approximately 4,500 square feet in Robinson Terminal South (classroom, workshop and more).

The Plan recognizes the importance of supporting the Seaport Foundation’s work on the waterfront, and, to the extent that the Seaport Foundation is interested, expanding their role. In the short term, the Plan recommends relocating the floating building to an area near the foot of Duke Street to be closer to their current workshop. Over the longer term, the Plan’s vision for this area includes an emphasis on the City’s shipbuilding heritage, which the Seaport Foundation is in a unique position to demonstrate. A new workshop location may be needed when Robinson Terminal South redevelops or earlier if/when the Seaport Foundation is ready. A more visible or accessible location near Point Lumley would allow the Seaport Foundation to showcase

shipbuilding activities in a location where these activities occurred historically. Specific options include space in the new Point Lumley civic building or on a ground floor of one of the restored warehouse buildings in the 200 block of The Strand.

The Seaport Foundation’s involvement in interpreting shipbuilding would be very valuable. In addition, the Plan recommends a small boat rental operation at the foot of Duke Street; the Plan supports the Seaport Foundation’s involvement in waterside activities, including boat rental sailing lessons, or other educational/recreational activities.

Small Boat Rental

The Plan recommends that a small boat rental operation be located in the vicinity of the new park in the 200 block of The Strand, possibly at the foot of Duke Street and possibly operated by an organization such as the Seaport Foundation. Rental of canoes, kayaks, rowboats, small sailboats and other low-impact watercraft should be considered. The space needs for this operation could include a small kiosk, hut or booth for cashier and life jackets and rolling racks for boats.

The Art League

The Art League is a multifaceted visual arts organization that meets its mission of nurturing artists and the community through its gallery, fine art school, art supply store, and outreach programs. The Art League is not only a cornerstone of the City and regional arts community but has also been an important part of the daily life of the waterfront for decades.

The Art League is currently housed in multiple locations, centered around its presence in the Torpedo Factory, where it occupies 7,775 square feet. The Art League’s Torpedo Factory space includes gallery, classroom, art supply store and office space. The Art League occupies 13,000 square feet in its Madison Street Annex and about 10,000 square feet in its Duke Street Annex. The total current space occupied by the Art League is 30,700 square feet; the Art League has determined that their future space needs are about 40,000 square feet, plus retained space in the Torpedo Factory.

The site of the Duke Street Annex is planned for redevelopment, the timing of which is market-dependent but could be in the short-term. The Art League has indicated their interest in pursuing a long-term solution for their space needs, including identifying a location for a future building for which they could begin fundraising. The Art League has indicated that designation in this Plan of potential locations for the Art League would assist in the fundraising efforts. The Art League also stresses the importance of a location in proximity to the Torpedo Factory.

The Plan desires the continued operations of the Art League in a location near the waterfront and the Torpedo Factory. Staff has explored a variety of potential locations – these have varying costs, degrees of suitability, and for some, the availability is not known.

In the case of the Cummings warehouse, the Art League could continue operations there until it is ready to pursue a new building; however, there is a potential near-term sale of this property for private redevelopment.

Initially, one option was the possibility that the Art League could occupy some, most or all of the historic warehouses in the 200 block of The Strand. Together these buildings encompass 28,000 square feet, which is shy of the 40,000 square feet the Art League ultimately needs. However, Since the identification of this location as a possible option, the warehouses have been purchased for conversion to office space with an identified tenant.

Another option is for the Art League to continue to rent in the short or long term and seek additional space at the Madison Street Annex in order to consolidate its activities. Toward that end, discussions are occurring with the building representative to determine availability of space.

Staff also looked at a number of different locations in North Old Town near the Art League’s Madison Street Annex. These locations begin to be farther away from the Torpedo Factory than the Art League would like, but the area has the advantage of redevelopable parcels, a location near the water, nearby cultural uses (such as Metro Stage) and proximity to the Braddock Metro Station.

The parcels in the 700 block of North St. Asaph Street are a redevelopment opportunity and several lots offer a potential location for the Art League. However, since the analysis was completed, a proposal has come forward for a mixed use development project on that block to include a Harris Teeter grocery store with housing above. This project was approved by the City Council in June 2011.

Other parcels in the North Old Town area with potential for the Art League include the warehouses at 1112 - 1120 N. Fairfax Street and the auto repair facility at 501 Bashford Lane. The owners of these properties have not been approached about a potential sale, however, the zoning of these parcels would permit a building of the size and type needed by the Art League.

Inclusion within a redeveloped Robinson Terminal South is also a possibility; portions of that site are within the 100 year flood plain, which limits the types of uses that can be accommodated on the ground floor, making the Art League tenancy an option. Inclusion within other redevelopment projects is also a possibility; redevelopment proposals should be evaluated for their potential to accommodate Art League needs.

Event Space

Over the course of the planning process, input has been received that there is a very limited set of options for holding meetings and other indoor events near the waterfront. Current options include the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Torpedo Factory; the Mary Gates conference center at the United Way headquarters overlooking Oronoco Bay Park is a recent addition. The Plan has evaluated alternative event space sizes and locations:

• Space suitable for meetings of 100-150 people, including prep kitchen and storage, requires about 1,750 square feet.
• Space suitable for meetings of 200-300 people requires about 3,450 square feet.
• Space suitable for meetings of 400-600 people requires about 6,900 feet.

Potential locations for event space include the new Point Lumley civic building or within a restored historic warehouse. Cultural institutions, such as museums, are also often used as event space (something that the Torpedo Factory does today).

Some residents have expressed concern about the parking demand that would be generated from of event space in The Strand area. Any event space parking demand would need to be managed.

Black Box Theater

The Art Plan suggests that a black box theater be considered as part of one of the cultural anchors along the waterfront. Black box theaters can vary greatly in size (which makes them relatively easy to locate); for evaluation purposes the Plan determined space needs for theaters accommodating 100 patrons (2,500 square feet including space for lobby and backstage needs), 150 patrons (3,000 square feet), and 200 patrons (3,500 square feet).

This size space could be accommodated in the new Point Lumley civic building, in one of the restored historic warehouses, or within one of the redevelopment sites.

However, the uses along the waterfront should be waterfront related, and a black box theater which focuses inward and not outward toward the water is not a priority use for valuable waterfront property. Parking demands are also present with this type of use.

Park Operations and Services

It is not typical for a Small Area Plan to be so detailed as to discuss locations of park services and operation facilities with any specificity. However, in many ways the Plan is a plan for public space, and stakeholders have expressed interest in where services and operations could be housed or located.

One element involves locations for City maintenance vehicles and equipment. Although small scale equipment and storage could be accommodated in a number of different locations, for efficiency purposes a location near maintenance vehicles is desirable. The Plan recommends exploring the allocation of parking spaces within garages at various locations along the waterfront for vehicle, equipment, and other storage. Parking spaces in garages can be secured using fencing. These garage locations could be within new garages built as a result of redevelopment (locations in The Stand and

near Oronoco Bay Park are suitable) or, potentially, obtained through a rental arrangement with owners of existing garages.

Another important element involves public restrooms, park guest services, concession space, information or ticket counters, and storage for those services. Guest services could include rental of play items such as model boats, bocce sets, chess pieces, and the like. The square footage requirement is estimated at about 350 square feet for two ADA restrooms, concession, storage and mechanical. Location options in The Strand area include the new Point Lumley civic building, or in a nearby garage.

Oronoco Bay area location options include a restored boxcar or a new freestanding building.

Marina Services

A new marina at Robinson Terminal South would likely require space for a dockmaster office, showers, and a laundry room, which could total about 1,100 square feet. The Plan's expectation is that these services would be provided on-site by the operator, and potentially incorporated into the Robinson Terminal South redevelopment.

Park/Emergency Staff

Over time it may become desirable to provide some park or emergency services office space within or near the parks in The Strand area. For example, an increase in programming in these parks could make it desirable to have on-site staff. A three-person office can be accommodated in 400 square feet. There are several options for space of this size in each of the new or restored buildings along or near the waterfront.

Options by Building

To provide additional information about which uses can be accommodated in the various locations in the Waterfront Plan, scenarios for some of the potential buildings were developed. These are illustrative scenarios and not proposals, and they show that there a many different configurations of the potential cultural, civic and operations needs that can be considered.

The New Point Lumley Civic Building

This parcel, the site of the Marine Supply building, 226 The Strand, is currently owned by Robinson Terminal. The lot is 6,258 square feet; a two-story building that uses most of the site could be 10,000 square feet (a possible tensile structure on a third story could be open or enclosed). Scenarios for use of this building include:

• 8,300 square feet could accommodate rest rooms, guest services, storage & mechanical (352 sf); Seaport Foundation functions now in Robinson Terminal South (4,500 sf); and event space for 200-300 (3,375 sf)
• 10,000 square feet could accommodate rest rooms/guest services (352 sf), park staff offices (400 sf); a 5,000 square foot History Center/Maritime Museum, and a 150-person Black Box theater.
• 10,000 square feet could accommodate rest rooms/guest services (352 sf), Seaport Foundation (4,500 sf); and a 5,000 square foot History Center/Maritime Museum.

The funds identified for the construction of a civic building are intended to be used to implement the “Southern Cultural Anchor” recommended by both the Art and History Plans as well as the Plan itself – even if that implementation does not include a new building.

Historic Warehouses

The three historic warehouse buildings in the 200 block of South Union Street could be used separately or in combination. This Plan notes that all three buildings encompass about 28,000 square feet and could be suitable for a relocated Art League. In addition, there is a historic warehouse at 2 Duke Street that is partially enveloped by the Robinson terminal warehouses and would be preserved during redevelopment.

Illustrative scenarios for individual building include:

10 Prince Street: This building is two stories tall and is 8,760 square feet in size.

• 7,275 sf could accommodate the Archaeology Museum (3,500 sf), event space for 200-300 (3,375 sf) and office space for park/police/fire personnel (400 sf).
• 8,500 sf could accommodate a combined Archaeology Museum (3,500 sf) and History Center (5,000 sf)
• 8,750 sf could accommodate a smaller History Center (4,375 sf) on one floor and a private sector use (office/studio/other) on the second (4,375 sf)

204 South Union Street: This building is two stories tall and is 7,875 square feet in size.

• 7,863 sf could accommodate a 3,938 square foot Archaeology Museum, event space for 200-300 (3,375 sf), additional rest rooms and space for park operations (550 sf)
• 7,875 sf could accommodate a combined Archaeology Museum & History Center
• 7,875 could accommodate the Seaport Foundation need for 4,500 sf as well as event space for 200-300 (3,375 sf).

206 South Union Street: This building is three stories tall and is 10,665 square feet in size.

• 10,665 sf could accommodate a 3,555 square foot Archaeology Museum and an equally-sized History Center and event space for 200-300.
• 10,555 sf could accommodate event space for 200-300 (3,555 sf), the Seaport Foundation (4,500 sf) , and a Black Box theater with capacity for 100 (2,500 sf)
• 10,665 sf could accommodate a History Center (3,937 sf), Black box theater with 200 capacity (3,500 sf) and event space for 150-250 (3,228 sf)
• 10,500 sf could accommodate the Seaport Foundation (4,500 sf) and a combined History Center/Archaeology Museum (6,000 sf).

2 Duke Street: This building is two stories tall and is 6,000 square feet in size.

• The building could be incorporated in the redevelopment of Robinson Terminal South. In addition, the 6,000 square feet could accommodate the Seaport Foundation, a History Center/Archaeology Museum, or a combination of black box theater and event space for 200-300 people.

Box Cars

Box cars have been proposed for use in Oronoco Bay Park as park buildings (restrooms, guest services, park equipment) and as a theater. Box cars can be used individually and in combination; they come in 40, 50, 60, and 86-foot inside lengths; inside width is about 10’; inside height is 10-13 feet. A common older boxcar is about 40 feet in length, 10 feet wide, and has a 10 foot inside height (400 sf).

Planning for the GenOn Potomac River Generating Station Site

The GenOn Potomac River Generating Station is scheduled to cease operations in October 2012. This site is of considerable importance to the City of Alexandria, the Waterfront, and to Old Town North and Northeast communities. As soon as practicable, the City should commence and conclude a community-based planning effort for the GenOn site, to potentially include all or portions of the Old Town North Small Area Plan. The planning effort should aim to appropriately incorporate the connectivity, parks, arts, history and cultural themes of the Waterfront Small Area Plan while also recognizing and balancing the unique needs of the Old Town North and Northeast Small Area Plans.

IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS:

5.1: The net additional City revenues generated by redevelopment of the waterfront should generally be dedicated and applied to waterfront-area amenities, including parks, programming and other public uses. The City should prepare an annual waterfront capital and operations budget, and the annual funding should be sufficient for timely implementation of the Plan and annual expenditures should generally be no less than the net annual revenues generated from redevelopment.

5.2: During implementation of improvements to the ODBC parking lot, the existing chain-link fencing should be removed or, if replaced, constructed of materials consistent with the architectural fabric of Old Town. Art and Historic interpretation should be incorporated into the reconfigured site.

5.3: Pier designs in this Plan are illustrative; the engineering and design will be determined during the implementation phase and may be of a different length, width or location from that shown in the Plan. Pier location and design should be compatible with interim or ultimate agreements with ODBC and recognize the different operational needs of water taxis and other commercial boating operations.

5.4: Waterfront public spaces should be actively managed - both maintenance and programming - as an integrated system. City staff should be organized in a manner to ensure this integrated approach occurs with a designated senior-level lead manager to establish clear accountability for implementation of the Plan and the necessary resources and authority for consistent progress.

5.5: The City will pursue early phasing elements outlined in the Plan with immediate attention on predevelopment activities such as tracking, reporting and managing parking; completion of City acquisition of the Strand properties and technical analysis work to convert it to parkland; addressing failing bulkheads; completion of the Union Street study; preparation of CIP for the next phase of design and engineering for flood mitigation; pursuing reuse of the Beachcombers Restaurant; completing ODBC negotiations; working with Art and History commissions on early phases of their plans; completing an engineering and permitting plan; and others such as an analysis for a new civic building with a related spatial needs assessment for the Archaeological museum; updating settlement agreements; development of a grants strategy; etc.

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City of Alexandria Department of Planning and Zoning Adopted by Ordinance No. 4749 February 25, 2012

A.1

Appendix 1:

Community Participation

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

Community Participation: Outreach Activities

The outreach activities for the Waterfront Small Area Plan (Plan) began in April 2009 and continue to the present. The outreach program has multi-faceted and extensive, with a variety of activities, including tours, meetings, and charrettes that have promoted access to information and involvement in the process. Additionally, different outreach tools such as eNews and the waterfront webpage are being utilized to help citizens and other interested stakeholders keep abreast of activities and stay involved. The Plan and information generated at various activities can be downloaded from the webpage at www. alexandriava/Waterfront. The City is committed to continuing this level of community outreach throughout the public review process for the Plan and its implementation.

The following pages discuss the iterative community process which led to the draft Plan, beginning with: (1) Early Outreach Activities; (2) Ideas and Guiding Concepts; (3) Activity Map; (4) Goals and Objectives; (5) Concept Plan; (6) Core Area Draft Design; and (7) the Plan.

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

Table A1: Early Outreach Activities

Community Participation: Early Outreach Activities from April 2009 to April 2010

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

Community Participation: Ideas and Guiding Concepts

From the activities noted above, a series of Ideas and Guiding Concepts from the community emerged for an Activity Map which followed.

Ideas and Guiding Concepts:

• Celebrate the Foot of King Street
• Improve the Public Realm of the Waterfront
• Enhance Access and Connectivity
• Strengthen View Corridors
• Protect and Beautify Founders Park
• Strengthen Oronoco Bay Park with Celebrations, Family Activities, Special Events and Concerts
• Preserve and Celebrate History
• Public Art and History as Unifying Elements
• Enhance The Strand
• Expand Water-related Activities
• Improve Shoreline Treatment
• Expand Multi-Modal Access
• Make Economically, Operationally and Environmentally Sustainable

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

Community Participation: Activity Map

The community created an Activity Map which organizes the Ideas and Guiding Concepts in geographic order along the waterfront.

Activity Map

Waterfront Plan Activity Map based on Community input-

Daingerfield Island: Waterfront trail with interpretation and nature

Mirant Plant: Explore long-term opportunities

Mid-Section of Map Oronoco Park (Green): Events, families and nature

Robinson Terminal North (Red): Redevelopment that invites the public and transforms the pier

Founders Park (Green): Protect and beautify

City Marina Plaza (Red): Waterfront hub

Foot of King (Arrow & Spiral): Feelings of celebration, arrival and anticipation

The Strand (Red): A destination; dining; a place to be seen

Windmill Hill Park (Green): Realize the vision of the park plan

Jones Point Park (Green): Work with NPS to implement park plan

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Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

Community Participation: Goals and Objectives

Based on the vision reflected in the Activity Map for the waterfront, and community input during various Early Outreach Activities, the following Goals and Objectives were developed. These Goals and Objectives shaped the Concept Plan:

1. Authentic: Create a unique waterfront identity that is grounded in the City's history.

   • Celebrate and honor the broad history and culture of the Alexandria Waterfront from, from prehistory to now.
   • Respect the scale and fine grain of Old Town.
   • Protect identified historic resources, archaeological resources, and cultural resources, including buildings and sites.
   • Adaptively reuse identified historic buildings.

2. Connected: Increase and improve access to the public spaces of the Waterfront. Pedestrian connectivity along the Waterfront should be continuous.

   • Create continuous pedestrian access along the entire Waterfront.
   • Provide continuous north-south bicycle access.
   • Enhance visual cues and sight lines for pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles on all grid streets and alleys and increase accessibility for pedestrians, bicycles and, as appropriate, vehicles.
   • Create connections to the Waterfront from Metro stations.
   • Increase the capacity for access to Alexandria by boat.
   • Encourage commuting and leisure travel by boat between Alexandria and other regional waterfront destinations.

3. Inclusive: The Waterfront, is and should continue to be, a citywide resource to be enjoyed by all Alexandrians. Ensure public access to the entire Waterfront.

   • Provide a variety of activities for people of all ages and cultures.
   • Link the Waterfront to Alexandria neighborhoods.

4. Dynamic: Maintain a living, active Waterfront that is a destination that attracts all Alexandrians and visitors and should be integral to the visitor experience in Alexandria.

   • Expand services and activities for visitors.
   • Increase the use, frequency, and effectiveness of public spaces for gatherings and events.
   • Emphasize art and history in each new initiative along the Waterfront.
   • Utilize art and history as a unifying element.
   • Strengthen the reputation of the area as a regional and national visitor destination by adding uses that complement existing retail, office and tourist attractions.

5. Variety: Provide a variety of uses, themes, activities, and experiences along the Waterfront.

   • Create a diverse scale of spaces along the Waterfront.
   • Offer activities and features that delight a diverse range of visitors.
   • Provide a range of shoreline treatments and types that offer diverse ways to interact with the water.

6. Manageable: Improve the Waterfront's vehicular and pedestrian circulation and parking.

   • Minimize pedestrian and vehicle conflicts.
   • Increase way-finding for residents and visitors.
   • Maximize underutilized parking opportunities elsewhere in Old Town.
   • Promote use of designated pick-up and drop-off areas for motorcoaches.

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

7. Sustainable: Ensure that the Waterfront is able to sustain itself economically, environmentally, and operationally. ◆ Create revenue, initiate new partners, and leverage other resources that can be applied for enhancing and maintaining public open space and other public infrastructure. ◆ Maximize the utilization of existing resources. ◆ Generate sufficient net new tax revenue from new Waterfront economic activities to pay for Waterfront capital improvements and ongoing parks and facilities maintenance. ◆ Identify opportunities for satellite public facilities to provide onsite Waterfront maintenance, security and emergency services. ◆ Protect the existing amount of open space and, if possible, expand it. ◆ Ensure that Waterfront development presents Alexandria as an Eco-City. ◆ Integrate and activate natural systems and processes throughout the Waterfront. ◆ Identify opportunities for environmental education features. ◆ Use innovative and creative ideas for flood protection. ◆ Improve public health (including mental health) through opportunities for active living. ◆ Allow historic character and scale to influence new development opportunities.

8. Compatible: Ensure that future development in the Waterfront should respect the existing residential neighborhoods. ◆ Protect existing residential neighborhoods from excessive noise and traffic. ◆ Offer activities and features that delight a diverse range of visitors. ◆ Meet the needs of residents for open space, recreation and outdoor dining.

9. Permeable: Enhance vistas of the water from surrounding areas and of the Waterfront from the river. ◆ Create overlooks with views to the water and to the City. ◆ Explore piers, especially where east-west streets meet the river. ◆ Preserve and enhance view corridors to the water, including historic streets and alleys. ◆ Create a system of visual elements to draw people to the water.

10. Creative: Be bold, visionary, realistic, informative and offer surprises along the way. ◆ Offer a variety of locations where the public can become engaged with each other, art, artists and history. ◆ Offer participatory opportunities for people of all ages. ◆ Use art and history to tell the unique story of people and experiences. ◆ Provide flexible spaces that could be used for multiple activities. ◆ Make the Waterfront an example of design excellence.

Community Participation: The Concept Plan

The Concept Plan was developed as an intermediate step in the planning process by taking the vision, ideas, activities and goals and shaping them into a narrative and preliminary design for the planning area. Following the release of the Concept Plan in May 2010, the City attended nearly 20 meetings with public stakeholder groups to solicit their comments on the information in the Concept Plan. The Concept Plan and meetings were an opportunity to check-in with stakeholders to determine if the document was a valid representation of their earlier input. That feedback helped in further shaping the Plan.

The group meetings occurred between May and October 2010:

• 5/3/2010 Community-wide Meeting on Concept Plan
• 5/12/2010 Old Town Civic Association Meeting
• 5/13/2010 Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Committee Meeting
• 5/18/2010 Waterfront Committee Meeting
• 5/20/2010 Park and Recreation Commission Meeting
• 5/25/2010 City Council Work Session
• 5/25/2010 Rivergate Homeowners Association Board Meeting
• 5/27/2010 Old Town North Community Partnership Event
• 6/2/2010 BAR – Old & Historic District Meeting
• 6/8/2010 Waterfront Committee – Waterfront Walk
• 6/15/2010 Waterfront Committee Meeting
• 6/15/2010 Historic Alexandria Resources Commission Meeting (with the Archaeological Commission and the Historic Restoration and Preservation Commission)
• 6/21/2010 Commission for the Arts Meeting
• 7/30/2010 Waterfront Alliance Meeting
• 9/15/2010 Archaeological Commission Meeting
• 9/21/2010 Commission for the Arts Meeting
• 9/21/2010 Historic Alexandria Resources Commission Meeting
• 10/13/2010 Commission on Persons with Disabilities Meeting

The above meetings, along with emails and letters, provided an opportunity for members of the community to share what they liked about the Concept Plan, most notably the prospect of expanding the King Street pier and offering residents and visitors more public access, more connectivity and more activities along the waterfront. Key questions which the public had relative the Concept Plan were incorporated into a Frequently Asked Questions document that is posted online. The positive feedback from the Concept Plan and the questions helped to shape the next stages of the process.

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

Community Participation: Proposed Design for the Core Area

Following the Concept Plan, the City developed a more detailed proposed design for the core area of the larger waterfront planning area. The core area generally extends from approximately First Street to Wolfe Street.

The more detailed proposed design for the core area was released in December 2010 at a Waterfront Open House and Community Meeting. The Open House consisted of an Exhibit Hour highlighting 4 related components of the waterfront planning process: the Alexandria Waterfront Art Plan 2010 produced by the arts community, the Alexandria History Plan 2010 produced by the history community, the Potomac Waterfront Flood Mitigation Study prepared in October 2009 by URS Corporation for the City, and an internally developed Waterfront Parking Strategy which in part utilized data from the Old Town Area Parking Study prepared in February 2010 by Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for the City. The Exhibit Hour was followed by a presentation consisting of a powerpoint and a video tour of a scaled model highlighting features of the proposed design for the core area. Breakout sessions to solicit community feedback on the proposed design followed the presentation. Nearly 200 people attended this event. Like other events, the presentation and related materials are posted on the waterfront webpage.

Following the Waterfront Open House and Community Meeting, the City again attended 13 regular meetings of stakeholder groups to solicit their direct feedback on the proposed design. Examples of the stakeholder groups include:

• 1/11/2011 Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee Meeting
• 1/12/2011 Old Town Civic Association Meeting
• 1/12/2011 Waterford Place Homeowners Association Meeting
• 1/18/2011 Commission for the Arts Meeting
• 1/19/2011 Archaeological Commission Meeting
• 1/20/2011 Park and Recreation Commission Meeting
• 1/24/2011 Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association Meeting
• 1/24/2011 Environmental Policy Commission Meeting
• 2/1/2011 Planning Commission Work Session
• 2/2/2011 Old & Historic District Board of Architectural Review Meeting
• 2/7/2011 North Old Town Civic Association Meeting
• 2/8/2011 City Council Work Session
• 2/9/2011 Commission on Persons with Disabilities Meeting

Information from these meetings, along with the information generated through earlier community participation activities, technical data and analysis, design and regulatory expertise, meetings with property owners, meetings with commercial boat companies regarding the marina, and meetings with staff of various City departments was utilized to finalize the proposed design and other key recommendations for inclusion in the Plan.

Figure A2: Waterfront Small Area Illustrative Plan

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Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

Community Participation: Small Area Plan

Feedback, questions and comments from the community and other stakeholders are welcome on the Plan. That information will then be incorporated into an updated draft that is anticipated to proceed to the Planning Commission and City Council in preparation for another round of community input during the Planning Commission and City Council public hearing processes in spring.

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

A.2

Appendix 2: Regulatory and Permitting- Considerations and Settlement Agreements

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

Regulatory and Permitting Considerations

Under the Plan, the City is proposing redevelopment of the marina to separate and expand the commercial and recreational boating activities. These proposed facilities would extend piers beyond the jurisdictional line between the City of Alexandria and the District of Columbia. The jurisdictional line is the pierhead line. Additionally, the proposed facilities would pierce the federal navigational channel. See the graphic at the end of this section, prepared by Moffatt and Nichol Engineers, for more information about the pierhead line and the navigational channel. In addition to changes to the marina area, the Plan is also proposing other shoreline modifications/improvements.

Proposed waterfront improvements would likely trigger both state and federal environmental review, thus the City would need to follow both the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) and the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) processes.

Additionally, the proposed waterfront improvements would require District of Columbia approval if piers are extended into District waters.

Moreover, although the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is responsible for the federal navigational channel, potential waterfront improvements would be subject to review not only by USACE but also by a number of federal and state agencies such as the US National Park Service (NPS), the US Coast Guard, and a variety of agencies within the Commonwealth of Virginia. For most activities that would disturb either tidal or non-tidal wetlands or shallow water habitat, a Joint Permit Application would be utilized. Activities that are subject to joint applications include:

• Bulkheads
• Stone Revetments
• Piers
• Boatlifts
• Boathouses
• Boat Ramps
• Moorings
• Marinas
• Aquaculture Facilities
• Marsh Toe Stabilizations
• Dredging
• Breakwaters
• Beach Nourishment
• Groins
• Jetties
• Road Crossings over Tidal Waterways
• Filling Waters of the US or Wetlands
• Stream Restoration Projects

Additionally, the NPS played a key role in the settlement agreements which guide the use of many City-owned and private properties along the waterfront. Elements of the Plan, such as expansion of the marina, change of use within street ends along the waterfront, or change in use of parts of Waterfront Park would require adherence or, in some cases, amendments to the settlement agreements. Such changes or amendments would require the approval of the NPS. See the next section for more information on settlement agreements.

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Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

The City has held meetings with the District of Columbia and federal and State lead agencies to inform them about the Plan and the proposal to expand the marina facilities and to improve and/or modify the shoreline treatment in areas of the waterfront. Through these meetings, which have been positive in outcome, and through guidance from the Plan consultant team, the City is readying itself to pursue the required regulatory and permitting processes once the Plan is adopted.

Figure A3: Jurisdictional Boundaries

⬚ figure

*Note: East Limit of Federal Navigation Channel Is Defined by -24 ft Contour

settlement agreements

As background, in 1632, King Charles granted a charter to Lord Baltimore and that charter included the bed of the Potomac River. In 1791, Maryland ceded a portion of its territory including part of the Potomac riverbed to help form the nation’s seat of government. Although Virginia also ceded territory on its side of the river, including Alexandria, the 1791 high-water mark became the District’s border and marked the edge of the federally owned riverbed when the US retroceded Alexandria back to VA in 1846. In 1973, the federal government commenced legal action against 34 Alexandria riparian owners pursuant to two statutes that authorize the US Attorney to bring quiet title actions against parcels of dry or submerged land in the District of Columbia: 1912 – Public Law No. 62-138 and Public Law 79-208.

The federal government claimed ownership of all filled and submerged lands on the District of Columbia side of the 1791 high-water mark and argued that no riparian owners had any right to fill the land at issue.

In 1979, the City of Alexandria and the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) agreed to a process for joint planning and public participation. The resulting 1981 Alexandria Waterfront Draft Joint Land Use Plan helped to guide settlement agreements with a majority of the 34 owners in the 1980’s. Through the settlement agreements the property owners retained ownership, with restrictions on land uses, including the requirement of public access.

Three defendants have continued to defend the lawsuit, with the latest decision in favor of those defendants issued on January 11, 2011 by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Court Circuit (United States of America v. Old Dominion Boat Club).

The settlement agreements have facilitated substantial public parkland and the public walkway which this Plan intends to enhance. More information regarding the settlement agreements is included on the next page with detail on each agreement found in the NPS document titled Alexandria Waterfront: Land Use Agreements, June 1992.

NPS and the City have held frequent meetings to discuss waterfront and other City-NPS issues. NPS also participated with the City in the multi-year negotiations with ODBC (where some of the ideas in this waterfront Plan originated).

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

Table A2: Settlement Properties

*United State of America vs Old Dominion Boat Club, US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, decided January 11, 2011.

Figure A4: Settlement Properties

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Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

A.3

Appendix 3:

Hotel Technical Memorandum

Alexandria Waterfront Small Area Plan

W-ZHA, LLC 1031 Skidmore Drive Annapolis, MD 21409 410-267-7070

MEMORANDUM

To: Nancy Williams City of Alexandria Dept. of Planning & Zoning

From: Dick Paik, W-ZHA, LLC Sarah Woodworth, W-ZHA, LLC

Date: February 10, 2011

Re: Waterfront Hotel Development

This memorandum presents findings regarding the long-term feasibility of lodging development on the core area waterfront in Old Town Alexandria.

KEY DEFINITIONS

“ADR” means “average daily rate.”

“RevPAR” means “revenue per available room,” which is calculated by multiplying the achieved room rate by the average occupancy rate among available rooms.

“Old Town Core” describes the lodging submarket comprising 7 properties located along King Street: Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Hilton Inn, Lorien, Hotel Monaco, Morrison House, and Residence Inn.

“East Alexandria” is not a recognized phrase, but shall be used herein to describe the lodging market that includes Old Town and extends north and southwest from the Old Town core to 1st Street on the North to Telegraph Road on the southwest. In addition to those properties included in the “Old Town Core,” this submarket includes: Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn & Suites, Sheraton Suites, Westin, Residence Inn Carlyle, Holiday Inn and Courtyard.

I. REGIONAL MARKET CONTEXT

• The Washington DC lodging market is one of the nation’s most resilient. According to Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, the DC market was one of just seven in the nation to achieve RevPAR

growth during 2008. In addition, as shown in the table below, in comparison with other major metropolitan area markets, the DC market has sustained comparatively minor losses since 2007.

TABLE 1

Source: Smith Travel Research; Hotel & Leisure Advisors

• On a macro level, lodging growth bears a strong correlation to overall economic growth, as measured by GDP (GMP for metropolitan areas). Given the positive growth projected for the Washington region, RevPAR is likely to resume growth as the national and regional economies recover from the recent recession.

TABLE 2

• • "CAGR" = compounded annual growth rate

Source: Moody's economy.com

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II. ALEXANDRIA MARKET PATTERNS AND DYNAMICS

• Market Support: The Alexandria lodging market derives much of its support from (1) government- or government-related business travelers visiting federal government offices in the region; and (2) leisure travelers visiting destinations in DC, among others. According to recent data prepared by TNS TravelsAmerica for the Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association, “leisure-” and “business-related” travelers account for the main bulk of paid lodging nights in Alexandria; the leisure segment accounts for a slightly larger portion.¹ Among business travelers, government-related business travelers are cited as an important subset; this category provides a stable market base, with per diem allowances generally targeting regional mid-range rates.

• Alexandria’s Competitive Position: Old Town Alexandria’s historic ambience and retail presence gives it an advantage for many travelers. While Arlington Metro station areas are closer to Washington DC, Old Town Alexandria offers a strong competitive location for travelers targeting DC destinations.

• Overall Alexandria Market Performance: As shown in the table below, in recent years the overall Alexandria market has achieved higher occupancies than the overall DC regional market. At the same time, the DC regional market has achieved higher ADRs and RevPAR figures. This pattern suggests that Alexandria does not contain as many higher-end properties as the DC regional market. This is borne out by the finding, according to Hotel & Leisure Advisors, that while Alexandria contains 7.7 percent of regional market supply, it contains just 5 percent of the regional “upper-priced” room supply.

TABLE 3

Source: Smith Travel Research

• Market Strength in Old Town Core:

  Within Alexandria, the Old Town core area represents the strongest lodging submarket. As shown in the preceding table, occupancies, ADR, and RevPAR in the Old Town core consistently and substantially exceed those in the overall Alexandria and broader regional markets.

  The following table presents additional data on these properties’ performances. Overall, with the exception of declines in 2009 from peak-year performances, over the last six years this market has shown strong growth in revenues, demand, and RevPAR, and for the entire period has maintained occupancy rates in excess of 73 percent.

TABLE 4

• Includes Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Hilton Inn, Hotel Monaco, Lorien, Morrison House and Residence Inn (Duke St.)

Source: Smith Travel Research

• RevPAR Growth Overcomes Difficult Challenges:

It should be noted that the Old Town Core Area market has achieved its recent successes (shown in the preceding table) despite (1) declining regional employment (shown previously in Table 2) and (2) increasing competitive supply. New supply has included rooms at The Lorien (107 rms, 2008) as well as the Residence Inn Old Town (240 rms, 2008).

In addition to these core area properties, Table 5 below shows that new supply has also been added to nearby locations. This table presents market indices for an expanded trade area encompassing the Old Town core but also extending north to First Street, and south and southwest to Telegraph Road. Recent properties added to this area in recent years include the Westin hotel (319 rooms, 2007), and the Residence Inn Carlyle (181 rms, 2008). As this supply has increased, occupancies fell, but in 2010 have rebounded to a 77.1 percent year-to-date level. Moreover, despite the recent supply growth, this expanded “East Alexandria” submarket has continued to achieve RevPAR growth, as revenue growth has exceeded supply growth.

• 6-

TABLE 5

• Includes all properties included in the "Old Town Core Area" group shown in the preceding table as well as the Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn & Suites, Sheraton Suites, Residence Inn Carlyle, Holiday Inn, Westin and Courtyard.

Source: Smith Travel Research

• Sustainable Advantages:

  Old Town derives its advantages from (1) reasonable proximity to the King St. or Braddock Road Metro Stations; (2) the historic ambience of the Old Town district and the retail/restaurant presence along King Street; (3) its proximity to Reagan National Airport; and (4) the scarcity of other easily developable property in close-in suburban locations. Over a long-term time frame, new developments in the Potomac Yards area may be competitive for high-quality lodging, but over the next ten years Old Town will be able to offer the dominant location for future opportunities in Alexandria.

  Within Old Town, the waterfront offers a prime location. Future improvements to the area (as envisioned in the City’s waterfront plan) as well as expanded access options (e.g., water taxi service as well as trolleys and shuttles), will give the waterfront a prime location for future lodging development.

  It should also be noted that several lodging brands (and entire companies, most notably Hyatt and Carlson, among others) -- maintain limited or no presence in Alexandria. Where such brands can identify desirable locations in strong markets such as Old Town, brand loyalty

• 7 -

introduces an additional market factor, wherein traveler brand preferences would drive additional business to Old Town.

If an historic property was well suited for adaptive reuse to a hotel the project may be able to capitalize on tax credits for rehabilitating historic property. The Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit can effectively reduce the cost of rehabilitating an historic structure. Lower capital costs improve a project’s financing feasibility.

III. SHORT-TERM PROSPECTS

In the short-term (2 to 3 years) future, the foregoing discussions portray a strong market, but hotel development in the waterfront core area faces challenges. These include:

• Costs and Financing: For institutional investors, lodging is the most volatile of the major sectors; rather than seeking tenants over 1-, 5- and 10-year lease terms, lodging properties must achieve occupancies on a nightly basis. Under current economic conditions, lenders remain cautious. Anecdotal evidence suggests that while investors are likely to pursue acquisitions of well- performing properties, new developments would incur high costs and difficult financing terms.

• Niche Limitations: While Old Town appears to offer an upscale location with upscale properties, the upper-most tiers of the market area may be limited by (1) per diem GSA-imposed spending limits for room rates, which generally target regional middle-market averages; and (2) a leisure market that features a relatively high presence of families (compared to leisure segments at high-end properties in locations such as Georgetown or DC) – which often face more stringent budget constraints than couples.

• Distance from Metro Station: New hotels on the Old Town waterfront would sit more than one mile from the closest (King Street) Metro station. This relative disadvantage, however, can be partly offset by the waterfront’s proximity to the Old Town core, by an improved waterfront setting with new amenities, and by a combination of transportation options that will include shuttle services, trolley service, and possibly expanded water taxi services.

Notwithstanding these challenges, it should be noted that, even without regional employment growth, Old Town Alexandria has supported additional lodging supply based on its sites’ abilities to compete with other properties in Northern Virginia. Recent RevPAR gains during a time of (1) declining regional employment; and (2) new competitive supply provides a strong indicator that the market may have been underserved in Alexandria. Older properties, less upscale properties, and suboptimal locations may have contributed to this underservice. In any event, developers will perceive opportunities for upscale waterfront hotel development even in the absence of significant office or tourism growth. Regardless of the market’s capacity or growth prospects, a high-quality hotel in an improved waterfront setting should be positioned to outperform other properties – in other parts of Northern Virginia as well as Alexandria – and succeed.

IV. LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT OUTLOOKS

Long-term development prospects for the core area waterfront will most likely overcome the short-term challenges. Such prospects will be driven by growth in general business conditions – as reflected in general office employment; by ongoing tourism growth; and by the strength of Old Town’s amenities. In forecasting additional hotel room capacity this analysis applies two alternative methodologies.

Methodology #1: The first and simplest methodology is based on projected employment in Alexandria’s accommodations & food services industry sector. As forecasted by Moody’s economy.com, this is as follows:

Applying this growth factor to 2009’s total room-demand of approximately 1.1 million room-nights (see Table 3) in Alexandria, this would increase by 443,000 rights, to roughly 1.55 million room-nights. Over a 365-day year, applying an overall City-wide market occupancy rate of 70 percent,¹ this growth would result in demand for approximately 1,700 additional rooms in Alexandria.

Old Town and the core area waterfront would occupy the strongest location and would capture the largest share of new development. As mentioned previously, Old Town has achieved the strongest performances in the Alexandria market, and new lodging development will face a limited range of other high-quality sites. Overall, under this forecast scenario, over 10 years Old Town should be able to capture roughly to 800 to 1,000 net new rooms, and the waterfront is likely to offer the prime location for such rooms.

Methodology #2: The second forecast methodology presents a more conservative scenario, resting in the assumption that, over a ten-year time frame, visitation to national and international destinations such as the Washington area is likely to grow – simply as a function of increased population as well as increased national (and global) economic growth leading to increased incomes for travel. In deriving a reasonable growth factor, this methodology blending three different growth factors:

(1) Office employment growth in Alexandria. Interviews and statistics both indicate that Alexandria’s office tenant market is based predominantly in three sectors: “professional service,” “federal government” and nonprofit associations (“Religious, Grantmaking, Civic & Professional organizations”).

TABLE 6

Source: moody's economy.com

Recent federal government civilian employment has helped drive lodging market in recent years. While this growth is likely to decelerate, forecasts indicate that growth will continue in Alexandria’s major office-oriented sectors at a rate of 2.2 percent per year over the 11-year (2009-2020) forecast period.

While this factor is substantially lower than the 2005-2009 growth factor, it provides a reasonable basis for projection.

TABLE 7

• Includes professional & business services, religious, grantmaking, civic & professional organizations, and civilian federal government sectors.

Source: moody's economy.com

(2) Regional Deplanements: Airport activity provides as a reasonable proxy for regional overnight visitation. The following presents the historical trend of deplanements at Reagan/National and Dulles International Airports. While passenger volumes at Reagan/National have remained relatively stable, this is probably attributable to the airport’s size and constrained ability to expand. In contrast, as its profile and capacity has expanded, since 1980 Dulles deplanements have increased from approximately 2 million deplaned passengers/year to more than 20 million passengers in 2009. Over this 30-year period, the total combined number of deplanements has approximately doubled, increasing from a range below 20 million annual passengers to more than 40 million.

FIGURE 1

Deplanements: Reagan/National and Dulles International Airports: 1980-2009

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Over this long-term history, deplanements have increased at compounded annual averages of 4.6 percent in the 1980s, 3.1 percent in the 1990s, and 1.5 percent in the previous decade. Over the entire 29-year period, deplanements have increased at a compounded annual growth rate of 3.0 percent. For the purposes of projection, however, this analysis applies the lowest and most recent (1.5 percent) growth rate for regional visitation. This would result in 16.6 percent growth in visitation through 2020.

(3) GMP: On a macro- level, lodging bears a strong relationship to real GDP growth. As shown earlier in Table 2, Moody’s economy.com projects the Washington area’s GMP to grow at an annualized rate of 3.4 percent per year over the next four years. Extending this growth rate over a 10-year period, anticipated growth attributable to GDP growth would increase the regional lodging demand by 43.7 percent, enough to support an additional 635 rooms.

Applying each of these three growth factors to a one-third share of Alexandria’s 2009 room-night demand, the following table shows new room-night demand, which amounts to a blended total of 325,000 additional annual room-nights by 2020. Assuming a City-wide average market occupancy rate of 70 percent, this new room-night demand would support an additional 1,273 rooms.

TABLE 8

Under this more conservative growth scenario, hotel development opportunities would be more limited than under the previous forecast. Given the more limited growth, however, developers would be less aggressive and would limit their projects to those on high-amenity sites. Thus, Old Town and the core area waterfront may be able to capture the largest share – roughly 700-900 rooms -- of this supportable room increase.

V. FORECAST CONCLUSION

Overall, considering the two different forecast methodologies, it is likely that over time, as economic cycles proceed, an improved core area waterfront could support new lodging development of roughly 700-1,000 new rooms. These new rooms would be offered in 3 to 5 properties that would most likely fit an upper-mid-price-with-food-service niche.

A.4

Appendix 4: Marina Market Assessment Data

TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM

TO: Andrea Sweigart EDAW/AECOM

FROM: MOFFATT & NICHOL

DATE: December 4, 2009

RE: MARKET ASSESSMENT DATA

This memorandum documents the Alexandria regional boating market as it relates to the existing Alexandria City Marina in accordance with Moffatt & Nichol's limited scope of services in support of EDAW/AECOM. The objective of this summary, prepared in accordance with task 4.3 of the Phase 1 scope of work, is to outline trends in the regional boating market with regards to slip demand, vessel class and size, slip pricing, support facilities, and amenities to assist EDAW/AECOM with programming of the waterfront. Information within this summary is based upon professional knowledge and experience in the region, city reports, discussion with city staff and memoranda from City staff (RPCA Park Planning, June 12 and November 18, 2009).

1.0 Alexandria City Marina

The Alexandria City Marina consists of 62 boat slips, three T-head piers and hundreds of feet of seawall docking space. The following summarizes marina operations as reported in the memoranda by City park planning staff (RPCA Park Planning, June 12 and November 18, 2009) and communication with the project team (RPCA Park Planning, August 12 2009):

• Docking facilities include 57 annual pleasure boat lease slips, 1 fire boat slip, 4 transient slips, 17 T-Head, seawall slip ( no electric) and gazebo docking locations and 6 commercial lease moorings
  • Total capacity approximately 85 vessels
  • 6 commercial vessels currently berth at the docks
    • Lease rates vary - negotiated individually
  • 57 slips reserved for license agreements (annual leases)

• In the past five years, typically there was reported a waiting list (25 to 50 names)
  • $8.00/ft/month for residents; $9/ft/month non-residents. Annual lease only
  • 22 slips for transients
    • Demand exceeds supply in-season
    • $12 for a 4 hour stay in 2009; $15 in 2010
    • Longer stay is $1.50 per ft in-season per night plus electric
  • Location of short-term commercial visits is dependent on length, beam and freeboard of vessel; commercial vessels can be scheduled to dock in slips.
  • Short term commercial visits on "T" heads
    • Demand "far exceeds" supply
    • $3 per ft per day
  • Boat Slips Utilities & Amenities
    • Electric
      • 61 slips and 3 T-heads have electric
      • 3 T-heads and 2 slips have 50 amp electric
      • One 100 amp
    • Potable water on each dock
    • Fire suppression installed in 2002
    • Pump-out - free for agreement holders, $25 for others
    • Showers and restrooms available (access controlled and available to leaseholder and over-night guests only)
  • Revenue and Expenses are identified tables below with description as provided by RPCA staff in memo dated November 18, 2009:

Table 1: Operating Revenue

Table 2: Expenses

• Note most marina expenses are incurred in services provided to pedestrian foot traffic and maintenance of tourist destination (pedestrian). Expenses incurred in service of boat traffic (exclusive of pedestrian traffic) are unknown.

**Note in FY2008 and FY2009 RPCA Department Administrative Personnel Costs were split across all accounts regardless of relevancy. There is no mechanism to allow for the removal of personnel costs that were not directly or indirectly assumed by the marina.

• Facilities
  • Based on a summary of the June 12, 2009 RPCA memo, the Marina Subcommittee minutes of September 17, 2009 and discussion with city staff, a number of facility improvements are needed including, but not limited to: sidewalk repair, seawall and infrastructure repair, replacement of broken pilings, improved security (access, control, surveillance), ADA improvements, improved amenities (such as electric), additional slips to accommodate larger vessels and tall ships, improvements to dockmaster’s office, restrooms and floating docks, etc. Please refer to the June 12, 2009 memo for more information.

2.0 Market Area

Nationwide studies and boater interviews suggest boaters are willing to travel up to one hour from home to reach their boat. Using this guideline, the marina market region for Alexandria City may be defined geographically as Washington D.C. (D.C.) and surrounding areas including Montgomery and Prince George’s County in Maryland and Fairfax, Arlington and Prince William County in Virginia (Figure 1). North of this area, the narrowing of the Potomac River, low clearance bridges, and the presence of the Brookmont Dam limits the marina market. The D.C. geographic market area overlaps with adjacent marina markets including the Annapolis market and coastal Chesapeake Bay as boaters in the D.C. area may choose to keep their boat in these adjacent markets; however, boaters do not tend to travel regularly between these markets. In addition, these markets vary demographically as boaters in the Annapolis market are more predominantly sailing and open water oriented, reflecting Annapolis’ proximity to the

Chesapeake Bay, while boaters in the D.C. market participate in river based and local destination based activities.

According to information provided by RPCA, all current non-resident leaseholders in the City’s marina reside in Fairfax and Prince William Counties. RPCA also notes that the largest percentage of transient vessel owners hail from Prince William County. Many factors contribute to the willingness of boaters to travel including their individual recreational interests, access, availability of slips, and nearby amenities as well as the price of fuel and transient slip prices. Boaters will return to a destination based on their experiences on prior visits including customer service at the marina.

The Washington D.C. market area can be further geographically separated into two sub-markets; 1) downtown marinas and 2) suburban marinas in Maryland and Virginia. Boat usage in these two sub-regions differs. The “downtown” marinas serve the adjacent tourist destinations and provide berthing for the majority of the tourist transient vessels as well as accommodating local boaters and several social clubs. In addition, the downtown marinas are popular among “live-aboard” boaters. Only two marinas in the regional market area, the City of Alexandria and National Harbor, maintain a substantial number of designated transient slips. The “suburban” marinas tend to support regional boaters and are analogous to “parking lots” for boats with no live-aboards permitted.

It should be noted that there is a trend with recent waterfront development to promote water-based connectivity between regional market areas. Commercial water taxi service will connect the City of Alexandria waterfront with Diamond Teague, at the Nationals Ballpark as well as National Harbor.

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Figure 1: Context Map

<u>Existing Marinas</u>

For this study, 26 marinas were identified in the D.C. market comprising approximately 3,800 slips. The location of each marina is shown in Figure 2 and number and size of slips in each marina is shown in Table 3. The source of the data is a historical database of regional marina markets; the data was compiled by a combination of site visits and phone interviews by Moffatt & Nichol. As part of this study, the regional database was reviewed and updated by telephone interview, where possible, in June 2009.

The marinas in Table 3 range from residential community marinas to members-only yacht clubs. There are more than 2,500 slips less than 40 feet in length in the existing market and only 1 percent of slips capable of accommodating vessels 80 feet and longer. The majority of the vessels occupying slips in the D.C. market are power boats and small sailboats. While weather in this area is favorable for sailing, which is a popular activity in the nearby Chesapeake Bay, river width restrictions and shallow draft (outside of the federal navigation channel) limit the size vessel that can comfortably sail these waters. Height restrictions due to bridges are also deterrents for sailboats. The 75-foot clearance afforded by the newly reconstructed Woodrow Wilson Bridge can accommodate a sailboat up to approximately 46 feet (Tobiasson, 2000). Larger vessels may still be accommodated through the Woodrow Wilson Bridge drawbridge opening, although the hours are restricted to off-peak times.

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Figure 2: Existing Marinas

Table 3: D.C. Market Marina Slip Allotment by Size

Source: Moffatt & Nichol historical database; updated June 2009. Note: Table is organized alphabetically.

Amenities

Table 4 indicates potable water and electric are the two most commonly provided amenities in the regional market. As many of the marinas in the market area are older and have a predominance of smaller slips, power is generally available at 30 amps with some marinas offering 50 amps and two marinas offering 100 amps. The 50 and 100 amp services are offered only at a few slips. National Harbor, opened in spring 2008, caters specifically to larger vessels with large slips and 100 amp power. Dockmasters in the market reported increased power as the most necessary amenity upgrade at existing facilities due to increased standard amenities offered on vessels, such as air conditioning, television and audio systems.

Sanitary pump-outs are becoming a more prevalent amenity at marinas as the use of pump-outs creates a cleaner marina environment by decreasing the number of vessels that illegally empty waste into the marina basin. Newly constructed or renovated marinas are often required to have pump-out available in order to obtain a permit to decrease the negative impact of the marina on the environment. However, pump-outs are not required in all regional marinas.

Table 4: Available Amenities

The amenities offered at most regional marinas, especially the “suburban” marinas, are consistent with serving the local boating market. Marinas catering to local boaters offer amenities such as ice and packaged food and drink consistent with day-boating activities like fishing or cruising. These marinas may also include on-site repair capabilities and include a ship’s store for parts. Marinas serving live-aboards and transient boaters typically provide

showers, laundry, satellite TV/cable, telephone, and internet in addition to sufficient power and water. A marina may be considered a destination if shopping, restaurants, and bars are located within close proximity or the marina facilitates access to a tourist location.

As identified above, the City of Alexandria Marina has many of the basic services offered at marinas catering to local boaters. At the City Marina there is potable water service to all docks. The majority of slips (61) have 30 amp electric service; 3 T-heads and 2 slips have 50 amp service and there is one 100 amp outlet. Sewer pump out facilities are available. The City Marina does not have gates or full-time security staff monitoring the area. (RCPA, September 2007)

Recommendations have been made by City staff to enhance out-dated facilities and infrastructure, upgrade base electric and provide security commensurate with other facilities in the market which cater to both local boaters and transients. (RPCA Park Planning, June 12 2009)

Pricing

Slip lease rates in the regional market vary and are influenced by location, type of facilities, amenities, season and slip size. Table 5 shows published rates for the regional market area.

In the region, marinas provide electric services to slip holders using one of three different pricing methods. The Capital Yacht Club meters power at each slip and passes the electricity rates through to the slip holder based on the power company’s metered rates. This requires the additional cost of electric meters for each slip and effort to read the meters. Columbia Island and the City of Alexandria marinas, as noted in Table 3, include utility services in the base lease rate. Several marinas charge an additional fixed monthly rate for an electric hook-up based on the slip size; for example, at James Creek a monthly utility charge for a 40 ft vessel per connection is $45/month, or an additional $1.125/ft/month above the base rate.

The existing wet slip lease price range for a transient vessel is $1-$3 per foot per day. Marinas located near downtown D.C. and Alexandria as well as larger slips command the higher end of the spectrum while those on the lower end are further from the city center and have older, smaller docks. These trends carry into the monthly and annual lease slip rates. Monthly ranges

are on the order of $6-$17 per foot per month and the annual ranges are slightly discounted to $5.50-$15 per foot per month.

Table 5: Marina Market Slip Lease Rates