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S.P.
South Patrick Street
HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY
STRATEGY
Adopted by Ordinance #5165 on October 13, 2018
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Adopted by Ordinance #5165 on October 13, 2018
South Patrick Street Housing Affordability Strategy Adopted by Ordinance #5165 on October 13, 2018
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | ii |
|---|
| Why Plan Now | | Strategy Objectives |
| What is Affordable Housing? | | Importance of Planning Now | | The Economics of Preserving Housing Affordability | | Relocation and Right to Return | | Recommendations |
| Planning | | Land Use | | Urban Design | | Height and Massing | | Zoning | | Infrastructure and School Capacity | | Recommendations |
| Short, Mid, and Long-Term Improvements | | Recommendations |
| Implementation Table |
| A.1 Community Engagement Process | | A.2 Background on Housing Affordability | | A.3 Existing conditions | | A.4 Historic Resources |
Mayor Allison Silberberg Vice Mayor Justin Wilson Councilman Willie F. Bailey Sr. Councilman John T. Chapman Councilman Timothy B. Lovain Councilwoman Redella S. “Del” Pepper Councilman Paul C. Smedberg
Mary Lyman, Chair Nathan Macek, Vice Chair David Brown Stephen Koenig Mindy Lyle Melissa McMahon Maria Wasowski
Mark Jinks, City Manager Emily Baker, Deputy City Manager
Joanna Anderson, Deputy City Attorney Dori Martin, Assistant City Attorney
Stephanie Landrum, President & CEO Christina Mindrup, Vice President of Commercial Real Estate
Helen McIlvaine, Director Eric Keeler, Deputy Director Melodie Seau, Division Chief Vicente Espinoza, Housing Program Specialist Tamara Jovovic, Housing Planner Lucinda Metcalf, Asset Manager Caridad Palerm, Housing Analyst
Karl Moritz, Director Jeffrey Farner, Deputy Director Thomas Canfield, City Architect Carrie Beach, Division Chief Nathan Imm, Principal Planner Catherine Miliaras, Principal Planner Chrishaun Smith, Acting Zoning Manager Raymond Atkinson, Urban Planner (former) Jose C. Ayala, Urban Planner Katherine Carraway, Urban Planner William Cook, Urban Planner Heba ElGawish, Urban Planner Ashley Labadie, Urban Planner Sierra Latham, Urban Planner Richard Lawrence, Urban Planner
Jack Browand, Division Chief Dana Wedeles, Principal Planner Lucresha Murphy, PARKnership Manager
Yon Lambert, Director Hillary Orr, Deputy Director Christoper Ziemann, Division Chief Erin Bevis-Carver, Civil Engineer IV Melanie Mason, Watershed Management Planner Ramiro Rios, Principal Transportation Planner
The City gratefully acknowledges the financial support and ongoing collaboration provided by the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) in developing the South Patrick Street Housing Affordability Strategy. A VHDA Community Impact Grant was essential to the City’s ability to be proactive in this effort to preserve affordable housing. Special thanks to Susan Dewey, VHDA Executive Director, Mike Hawkins, Managing Director of Community Outreach, and team members Chris Thompson, Ayan Addou and John Payne.
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The South Patrick Street Housing Affordability Strategy (Strategy) establishes a framework to guide the preservation of housing diversity along South Patrick Street within the Southwest Quadrant Small Area. The Strategy represents a singular opportunity for the City to work proactively with the community, property owners, and residents who may be impacted, to address a near-term challenge carrying tremendous human and economic costs—the potential loss of affordability of 215 homes at The Heritage at Old Town and Olde Towne West III. Inclusive planning and implementation is essential to providing a Strategy that is financially sustainable, responsive to the needs of residents, and respectful of the neighborhood.
This Strategy is about people—about the current and future residents of The Heritage at Old Town and Olde Towne West III, their neighbors, and the community they all call home. Strategic redevelopment and measured incentives will help enable many long-time Alexandrians to remain in their neighborhood, ensure displaced residents are cared for during temporary relocation, and efficiently safeguard housing affordability through the retention of valuable federal rental subsidy contracts. Importantly, this Strategy balances the need for redevelopment with responsible design and height recommendations to ensure future redevelopment is not only compatible with the existing neighborhood, but also enhances it. It identifies opportunities to improve neighborhood connectivity and safety, to create inviting gathering places that are accessible to all, and to re-envision South Patrick Street, south of Duke St., as a welcoming gateway to the city.
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| 🟨 | Core Area |
| 🟦 | The Heritage at Old Town Sites |
| 🟪 | Olde Towne West III Sites |
| 🟧 | Other Potential Redevelopment Sites |
| -- | Old & Historic Alexandria District (OHAD) Boundary |
| ⓕ | Redevelopment Site Number as shown in the Development Summary Table (Table 1) |
There are currently 215 committed affordable units within The Heritage at Old Town and Olde Towne West III that serve low- to moderate-income Alexandrians, including seniors and others on fixed incomes, through federal housing assistance contracts that have ensured the affordability of the units for over three decades. The rental subsidy contracts for these affordable units are subject to voluntary annual renewals at The Heritage at Old Town and are scheduled to end in late 2019 or early 2020 at Olde Towne West III.
Both property owners have existing zoning and development rights that would allow them to redevelop the properties as townhouses and would have no legal obligation to continue the rental subsidy contracts after granting adequate advance notification. Without proactive planning, incentives, and implementation, the affordability of the 215 units will be permanently lost if their property owners choose to redevelop and/or opt out of the contracts. This will cause the displacement of the existing 215 households that live in the subsidized units, as well as exacerbate the city's affordable housing shortage, reduce its inventory of family-sized units, and shrink its number of deeply-affordable units.
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This Strategy is primarily focused on a core area (Figure 1.1) within the Southwest Quadrant Small Area Plan (SAP) that includes 215 units of committed affordable housing, as well as commercial properties on South Patrick Street, south of Gibbon Street. Although the primary focus was the “core area”, development of the Strategy considered a broader planning context and connections within the SAP and to adjoining neighborhoods. The Strategy will be an overlay to the Southwest Quadrant SAP and will only amend those portions of the SAP that are directly addressed in the Strategy. The Strategy provides a 15-year framework that will be implemented in phases. The recommendations were informed by a community engagement process that included a design charrette, multiple community meetings, property owner discussions, targeted outreach to residents, work sessions, pop-ups, open houses, and on-line participation. The community will continue to have opportunities to provide feedback as future redevelopment and the public improvements recommended by this Strategy are brought forward for review. (Additional information about the community engagement process can be found in Appendix A.1).
Many of the City's Plans and policies are echoed in the objectives and guiding principles in this Strategy. The City's Strategic Plan aspires to an Alexandria that is a "caring, kind, compassionate, fair, just and equitable city that supports an affordable and livable community for all."¹ This Strategy is consistent with these objectives for an inclusive City, as well as for vibrant and distinctive neighborhoods that are safe for all residents and visitors. The Strategy provides a framework to create and maintain deeply subsidized committed affordable units and use land use tools to incentivize the preservation of affordable and accessible units. Further, the Strategy aligns with the Housing Master Plan by preserving housing opportunities for Alexandrians at different incomes, abilities, and stages of life; with the City's recently adopted Vision Zero Action Plan to create safe streets for all; and with the Environmental Action Plan related to site and building design, streetscaping, and improved options for walking and biking.
Note: Figures and percentages included in the Strategy are expressed in 2018 dollars/percentages unless otherwise specified.
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GUIDING PRINCIPLE: PRESERVATION OF HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND DIVERSITY IN THE SOUTH PATRICK STREET AREA
Providing housing affordability and opportunity for people of all incomes, abilities, and stages of life is at the core of the City’s 2013 Housing Master Plan and is a cornerstone of Alexandria’s commitment to diversity as articulated in the City’s Strategic Plan. It is the foundation of household stability and well-being. Children have better educational outcomes when they live in housing that is stable and healthy. Seniors and others on fixed-incomes have opportunities to remain and age safely in homes that are affordable, accessible, and secure.
Housing affordability is also critically important to the city’s economic vitality and competitiveness. Businesses look for a diverse and stable local workforce when deciding whether to locate, remain, or expand their operations in the city. Individuals who live in housing that is affordable tend to be longer-term employees because they do not move as frequently or face extended unpredictable commutes with limited transportation options. Businesses, in turn, benefit by having a more reliable workforce and lower training costs due to reduced turnover.
Additional information about affordable housing, including definitions of terminology, can be found in Appendix A.2.
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Affordable Home one that costs a household or family no more than 30% of its gross monthly income.
Housing Cost Burdened A household that spends more than 30% of its gross income on housing and housing related costs, such as utilities, property taxes, and insurance.
Family of Four Full time retail worker, full time dental assistant, and two dependents
Seniors or Persons with Disabilities Individuals living on SS/SSI
Family of Two Full time City librarian II and dependent
Full-time Single Worker Childcare provider Restaurant worker Bank teller Receptionist Parking lot attendant
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An affordable home is one that costs a household or family no more than 30% of its gross monthly income. This threshold is important for low- to moderate-income Alexandrians, because housing affordability reduces the likelihood that a household may have to decide between paying the rent or paying for other necessities, such as groceries, healthcare, transportation or daycare, or investing in education and savings.
Affordable rental housing serves a wide range of Alexandrians, from those on fixed incomes, including seniors and persons with disabilities, to working families earning up to 60% of the area median income ($70,000 for a household of four).
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Like many communities across the region and country, the city is facing a worsening shortage of affordable housing fueled by rising rents, stagnating wages coupled with job growth in lower-wage sectors (such as retail, hospitality, and healthcare), and limited federal housing funding to maintain existing housing stock and subsidies.
The city’s market affordable inventory—historically its primary source of housing diversity—has shrunk by approximately 16,000 units, or 88%, between 2000 and 2018, while its stock of committed affordable units has experienced only limited change. During the same period, the average rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the city has doubled and the average residential assessment has almost tripled, while the region’s median income has increased only 42%.
This widening gap has magnified the housing-cost burden of many low- to moderate-income Alexandrians. More than 15,500 low- to moderate-income households earning less than $75,000/year spend 30% or more on housing-related costs. Housing cost burden is particularly acute for renters earning less than $50,000/year. 7,000 of these households spend half or more of their income on housing-related expenses.
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Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2012-2016
SOUTHWEST QUADRANT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
OTW olde towne west III 75 committed affordable rental units 0-40% AMI
Contracts can serve renters with incomes up to 80% AMI. Mix of (28) 1-bedroom, (12) 2-bedroom, (29) 3-bedroom units, and (6) 4-bedroom. See Figure 1.1 for location. 22 of the units are on the Alfred Street Baptist Church site which is outside of the Core Area.
HOT the heritage at old town 140 committed affordable units 0-40% AMI 104 market-rate units 65-70% AMI
1 mid-rise building. 12 garden-style apartment buildings. Contracts can serve renters with incomes up to 80% AMI. Mix of (174) 1-bedroom, and (70) 2-bedroom units. See Figure 1.1 for location.
The Southwest Quadrant has historically offered a range of housing options. However, as the desirability of the area and regional demand for housing has increased, housing costs have been escalating, pricing out Alexandrians. For example, the 104 "market" units at The Heritage at Old Town are now affordable to those earning 65% of the area median income (AMI), up from 55% AMI a decade ago. Incomes needed to afford an average one-bedroom at the Clayborne Apartments exceed $100,000, while incomes needed to afford a one-bedroom at Gunston Hall or in the apartment buildings along S. Alfred, Green, and Jefferson Streets reach $56,000/year, higher than the starting salaries of City teachers and police officers. These trends help illustrate the critical role that the 215 deeply affordable rental units within The Heritage at Old Town and Olde Towne West III play in maintaining the area's economic, social, and cultural diversity. There are few housing options available if these units are lost.
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Olde Towne West III
The Heritage at Old Town
Funded by the federal government, project-based housing vouchers (PBVs) are a critical source of deeply affordable housing. They constitute approximately 30% of the city's committed affordable rental housing stock. Residents pay 30% of their income toward the rent, and the PBV pays the difference up to an established fair market rent, as well as some utility costs. PBVs operate similarly to housing choice vouchers ("Section 8") but are tied to a specific property rather than a household. PBV contracts typically have a 20-year term of affordability with varying options to renew or extend for specific periods of time.
In the city, some PBVs are administered by the Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority (ARHA), while others, such as The Heritage at Old Town and Olde Towne West III, are administered through contracts managed directly by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Virginia Housing Development Authority, or other agencies.
$718,938 average assessment for single-family residential units in SWQ
$500,629 average assessment for residential condominiums units in SWQ Source: Office of Real Estate Assessments, January 2018
$2,514 - $3,075 Average 1- and 2- bedroom rents at the Clayborne, a multi-family property in the Southwest Quadrant Source: Office of Housing, Point in Time Survey, January 2018
AMI: Area Median Income
IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING NOW
There are currently 215 committed affordable units within The Heritage at Old Town and Olde Towne West III that serve low-to moderate-income individuals and families, including seniors and others on fixed incomes, through federal housing assistance contracts (referred to as project-based voucher contracts) that have ensured their affordability for over three decades. These contracts make the units deeply affordable by subsidizing rents for households with incomes typically between 20% and 40% AMI ($16,000-$54,000 depending on household size).
The rental subsidy contracts for the 140 committed affordable units at The Heritage at Old Town are subject to voluntary annual renewals pending the owner’s assessment of the property’s performance. The contract for the 75 committed affordable units at Olde Towne West III is scheduled to end in late 2019 or early 2020. Both property owners have existing zoning and development rights that would allow them to redevelop the properties as townhouses and would have no legal obligation to continue the rental subsidy contracts after granting adequate advance notification.
Without proactive, strategic, and inclusive planning and implementation, the affordability of these units will be permanently lost if their property choose to redevelop and/or opt out of the contracts. This will cause the displacement of the existing 215 families that live in the existing properties. There are few housing options within the city if these residents are displaced. A plan in place to guide the contracts’ preservation within the neighborhood is also critical to working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in order to extend its commitment to the rental subsidy contracts which ensure deep affordability along the South Patrick Street area and provide a vision for future mixed-income development.
This Strategy responds to a singular opportunity for the City to work with all stakeholders, including the multi-family property owners who have participated in developing the Strategy, to proactively establish a plan that will enable these owners to preserve both the number and levels of affordability of the committed affordable units. Successful preservation will involve the long-term renewal of the rental subsidy contracts and replacement of the existing affordable units through redevelopment and/or rehabilitation with limited need for City gap financing.
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In 2014, 76 committed affordable units were lost at Parkwood Court (now 101 North Ripley). The property owner opted out of renewing the project-based contract for the property.
THE ECONOMICS OF HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
“Are there other ways to preserve housing affordability?”
There are different ways to preserve housing affordability. The following scenarios highlight the stark differences – both in terms of impacts to the residents at The Heritage at Old Town and Olde Towne West III and in potential economic costs to the City – that different approaches to preservation carry. They also help illustrate why additional density is an important incentive needed to achieve successful long-term preservation of deep affordability along South Patrick Street.
Scenario 1: In this scenario, the multi-family properties redevelop under existing zoning. This redevelopment would likely be market-rate townhomes, capitalizing on strong market demand and high land values. The committed affordable units and the associated rental subsidy contracts that exist now would be permanently lost, resulting in the displacement of 215 households and the erosion of housing diversity and affordability in the Southwest Quadrant. The cost to the City to replace the committed affordable units off-site and maintain the deep level of affordability over 20 years is estimated at $43-$72 million. This level of investment would likely preclude all other City investment in affordable housing for the next 5-10 years. The success of this scenario also hinges on the availability of highly competitive tax-credit financing and scarce developable land in neighborhoods with comparable access to services, jobs, and transit.
Scenario 2: In this scenario, the multi-family properties are “repositioned” through redevelopment or renovation at existing levels of density, and the rental subsidy contracts are lost. Partial displacement of existing residents occurs due to the anticipated loss of family-sized units. The cost to the City to maintain affordability of the units on-site to allow current residents to remain (if the owners were willing to accept subsidies and forego higher returns) is estimated at $72-$98 million over 20 years. This level of investment is prohibitive and would likely stifle all other City investment in affordable housing for the next 10-15 years.
Scenario 3: In this scenario, the committed affordable units are replaced on-site through redevelopment involving additional density and height. Rental subsidy contracts and housing affordability are preserved without sacrificing project returns, and all eligible residents have the opportunity to return to the community. Most costs related to the construction of the units, and the interim relocation of residents pending their return is borne by the owners and/or federal subsidy sources. Limited City gap financing might be provided to enhance the sustainability of the new mixed-income communities, to incorporate on-site community amenities, or to assist current low-to moderate-income residents of the existing 104 market-rate units to afford to return to the neighborhood.
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PRESERVING AND CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Preserving and creating affordable housing is essential to supporting existing and fostering new successful mixed-income communities across the city, including along South Patrick Street. Preservation itself involves a complex process that relies on pairing many tools, such as partnerships, multi-layered financing and leveraging of non-City resources, as well as the use of regulatory incentives. It is anticipated that each of the South Patrick Street affordable housing properties will use these different tools to varying degrees to ensure housing opportunity is retained.
Partnerships
Collaborative, long-term partnerships are essential to preserving and developing sustainable affordable housing. City support for and investment in affordable projects (in the form of technical support, gap financing, and/or public land) helps leverage other public and private funding and tax-credit equity and facilitate relationships between non-profit affordable housing providers, faith-based institutions, and market-rate developers.
Multi-layered Financing
There is a widening gap between market rents and what low- to moderate-income households can afford to pay for housing. Due to this gap, conventional lenders cannot lend the full amount needed to acquire or develop affordable housing projects that have capped rents because their rental revenue stream will not cover the cost of loan repayment. Based on what can be repaid, alternative funding sources need to be incorporated into affordable housing deals to close the gap between what a lender will finance and the actual cost of the project. These include tax credit equity, federal and other funding and grants (including state and federal Housing Trust Fund), and City gap investment.
| $425K | estimated cost to construct an affordable unit in the city in 2018 | $125K | estimated cost to renovate and preserve an affordable unit in the city in 2018 |
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St. James Plaza
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Beasley Square
The City has a long history of facilitating and supporting affordable housing partnerships.
Regulatory Tools
The City’s primary tool to incentivize affordable housing through the development process is Section 7-700 of the Zoning Ordinance, commonly referred to as the Bonus Density and Height Program. This zoning tool incentivizes the provision of low- and moderate-income housing in exchange for “bonus” (up to 30%) density and/or height (up to 25 feet) in new development, wherein at least one-third of the bonus approved must be affordable. In the case of The Heritage at Old Town and Olde Towne West III, the bonus density allowed through Section 7-700 under existing zoning is not sufficient to accommodate the density needed to retain the existing affordable housing units.
As is illustrated in Scenario #3, the only viable alternative is to grant the property owners additional density through a recommended rezoning, paired with some added height, to retain the committed affordable units without sacrificing project returns or high-quality design and other community-serving amenities. This would also minimize the need for City funding for housing at these sites, allowing scarce public resources to be invested in services and infrastructure that serve the community, and in expanding housing affordability and diversity in other parts of the city.
WHAT ARE MIXED-INCOME COMMUNITIES?
Mixed-income communities, which serve a broad range of incomes, life stages, and abilities, can occur within a single building, a series of properties, and across entire neighborhoods. Successful mixed-income communities feature shared open spaces and community amenities, properly trained and proactive property management, inclusive neighborhood associations, and services and programs tailored to the needs of lower-income residents. These elements all contribute to the viability and cohesion of true mixed-income communities.
PRESERVING AFFORDABILITY THROUGH ZONING INCENTIVES
The ratio of market-rate to affordable units needed to finance (build) and sustain a project is a function of many variables: unit tenure (rental versus for-sale) of both the affordable and market-rate housing; unit affordability and size; investor objectives, return, and timing; market conditions, including land values; and level of available City investment for housing. Typically, the higher the ratio, the lower the demand for City gap financing. When needed, City assistance is traditionally issued in the form of below-market interest loans and is repaid from property cash flow, over time.
Based on land values and market conditions current at the time, the 2008 Braddock East Master Plan indicated that approximately 1.8-2.5 market-rate for-sale units would be required to span the funding gap to replace each public housing unit, along with tax credit equity and short-term City bridge funding. The City’s experience at Chatham Square and, subsequently, at Old Town Commons were consistent with this ratio when paired with public financing. Rental projects, however, have historically required higher ratios to generate desired returns. For example, Foxchase Alexandria, an established privately-owned 2,113-unit rental community at Duke and North Jordan Streets, has 423 affordable units, for a four-to-one ratio of market to affordable units. Recent analysis of a redevelopment concept for the Andrew Adkins site immediately adjacent to the Braddock Metro Station revealed a ratio of greater than five market-rate rental units to one affordable unit. (In this case, no City investment was anticipated). Other rental projects have combined added density with multi-layered financing to both preserve and expand housing opportunity. One example is Ramsey Homes, a 52-unit redevelopment on North Patrick Street. To help preserve 15 deeply affordable public housing units, this project is constructing 37 additional rental units at higher levels of the affordability range, along with tax-credit equity and City gap funding of $3.6 million. The current market conditions of cost of construction, labor, and limited access to federal funding create significant challenges for affordable housing.
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The total number of units in the potential redevelopment sites will not be known until the projects are proposed for development review. Unit count for a project can vary as it is affected by many factors, such as unit size and number of bedrooms for each unit, Low Income Housing Tax Credit requirements, or site constraints, to name a few. For planning purposes, based on previous projects as described, it is anticipated that, on average, approximately three additional units will be required to preserve each affordable unit in the South Patrick Street area, as illustrated below. The final number of units for each site could be higher or lower depending on project development factors and will be determined as part of the development review process subject to the constraints and requirements outlined above.
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CAUs = Committed Affordable Units MRUs= Market Rate Units
Note: Estimated number of new units is based on average ratio of market rate to affordable units. Final number of units will be determined as par of the development review process
The City is committed to working with the property owners and current residents of the affordable housing to minimize adverse impacts, including length of displacement, resulting from redevelopment of the South Patrick Street properties. All eligible residents (i.e., tenants in good standing) will have the opportunity to return to the community after redevelopment and will receive support to adjust to their interim relocation (including tenant protection vouchers if made available by HUD, moving assistance, and coordination with City agencies, as well as Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) to mitigate disruption to students). Consistent with the City's relocation policy, property owners will provide relocation advisory services to displaced tenants, a minimum of 120 days written notice, and moving expense payment.
To inform further planning regarding future housing and relocation needs, this Strategy recommends that, in collaboration with the property owners, a survey of residents of the affordable housing multi-family properties be undertaken as soon as possible. The Beauregard Small Area planning process provides a model for this effort.
Development applications that involve displacement must be accompanied by a relocation plan. Following review by the Office of Housing, each relocation plan is distributed to impacted tenants and to the Landlord-Tenant Relations Board. The Board, a City Council-appointed public body, is required to hold a public meeting with the owners and tenants to review the plan and make recommendations on the plan in consultation with the property owners or managers. These recommendations are considered by Planning Commission and City Council in their review and potential approval of a development application.
Eligible residents are those in “good standing.” While the “good standing” definition has not yet been negotiated with owners of the South Patrick Street properties, the definition will likely be similar to that approved in the Beauregard Small Area Plan's Tenant Assistance and Relocation Plan (TARP) for Properties Scheduled to be Demolished. The TARP noted tenants in “good standing” as those who:
FUTURE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE HERITAGE AT OLD TOWN AND OLDE TOWNE WEST III:
2.1 Use additional density and height as a tool to incentivize the retention of all existing 215 committed affordable units at The Heritage at Old Town and Olde Towne West III.
2.2 Consider rezoning(s) for the affordable housing sites that retain the recommended committed affordable housing units. Rezoned properties are also subject to all other recommendations of the Strategy.
2.3 Explore and leverage partnerships, financial and other incentives, and City gap investment, to preserve and expand housing affordability in the community and to enable properties to redevelop as mixed-income communities serving a broad spectrum of incomes.
2.4 Retain the current levels of affordability by working with property owners to extend their federal rental subsidy contracts.
2.5 Require long-term affordability in the committed affordable units.
2.6 Provide a mix of unit types to meet current and future community need.
2.7 Ensure eligible residents have a right to return to the community after redevelopment and receive support and assistance to mitigate impacts of temporary relocation (including financial and moving assistance, as well as coordination with ACPS, Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), and other City agencies).
2.8 Work with property owners to secure federal funding support, as available, including tenant protection vouchers, to provide the greatest housing choice, including within the City of Alexandria, to tenants impacted by redevelopment.
2.9 Collaborate with the property owners to conduct a survey of residents’ housing needs, including housing size and type, income, and accessibility needs, to inform potential development plans and prepare for future relocation and return processes.
2.10 Enhance access to City and community resources, including workforce development, housing counseling (including homeownership readiness), and training, to build self-sufficiency and well-being, through collaboration with the Office of Housing and other City agencies.
2.11 Include shared community resource spaces and gathering places, when feasible, and ensure equal access for all residents to community amenities on site.
ALL PROPERTIES:
2.12 Incorporate accessibility, visitability and universal design features to enable residents to remain and age safely in the community and to ensure new homes are accessible to individuals regardless of their physical abilities.
2.13 Incorporate energy efficiency and green building elements to lower housing costs for residents and enhance the quality and health of interior living environments.
The standard length of the term of affordability for City-assisted affordable housing projects and for projects involving bonus density (Section 7-700 of the Zoning Ordinance) is 40 years. Housing projects with HUD-funded Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contracts (such as The Heritage at Old Town and Olde Towne West III) typically carry a maximum term of 20 years. The City will work with each of the property owners in advance of contract expiration to renew or extend their contracts to maintain the deep levels of affordability they provide to residents to potentially align with the typical 40-year term.
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GUIDING PRINCIPLE: BUILDING AND SITE DESIGN THAT COMPLEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
The current design of South Patrick Street in this area emphasizes moving vehicles through the neighborhood rather than balancing movement by people, bikes, and vehicles within the neighborhood. Limited connectivity across South Patrick Street creates a challenging environment for people walking and biking, and the area lacks an appropriate gateway entry into the neighborhood and the city.
This Strategy strives to reconnect the people and the neighborhoods through planning, land use, and design. Public and private investment can make the area safer and more attractive for people walking and biking, and otherwise moving on and across streets, improve the quality of public and open space, and create an enhanced gateway entrance to the city. This transformation will knit the neighborhoods on the east and west sides of South Patrick Street together and signal to those traveling through that they have entered Alexandria and also a community; one where the sidewalks and open spaces are active with people encountering one another and enjoying their inclusive and accessible neighborhood. Figure 3.1 provides an illustrative vision for the future.
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Figure 3.1: South Patrick Street looking north
Illustrative rendering of South Patrick Street Improvements with redevelopment
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This Strategy recommends zoning and height incentives for potential redevelopment sites (Figure 3.2) within the core area as detailed in the development summary table (Table 1) to achieve the affordable housing recommendations. The potential redevelopment sites are limited to the commercial sites on South Patrick Street, south of Gibbon Street, and the affordable housing sites. Existing zoning and building heights outside of the core area are not proposed to change with this Strategy. Future redevelopment will be subject to the City's development review process and will implement this Strategy's planning, land use, and design recommendations. Additionally, a portion of the core area lies within the Old and Historic Alexandria District (OHAD), as shown in Figure 3.2. Buildings located wholly or partially within the OHAD boundary will be subject to Board of Architectural Review.
The existing land uses in the core area are a mix of multi-family residential and auto-oriented commercial uses. For the redevelopment sites, the Strategy recommends predominantly residential uses to ensure compatibility with the adjoining residential uses (Figure 3.3). Residential uses may also include senior housing to allow for aging in place and a diversity of housing types. Residential uses are anticipated to include a variety of building types, including multi-family and townhouses, to ensure a mix of building heights and forms compatible with the neighborhood.
The Strategy maintains flexibility for future accessory ground floor commercial uses that may be appropriate and positively contribute to the neighborhood. Proposed ground floor accessory commercial uses will be considered as part of the development review process for each site.
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| LEGEND | |
|---|---|
| Potential Redevelopment Sites | |
| # | Redevelopment Site Number as shown in the Development Summary Table (Table 1) |
| Wilkes Street Park | |
| Core Area | |
| - - | Old & Historic Alexandria District (OHAD) Boundary |
Figure 3.3: General Land Use Map
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| LEGEND | |
|---|---|
| Predominantly Residential * | |
| Public Open Space | |
| Core Area | |
| # | Redevelopment Site Number as shown in the Development Summary Table (Table 1) |
Notes:
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Within redevelopment, the buildings will create a well-defined edge, also known as the building streetwall, to frame the public streets and open spaces. The streetwall provides a sense of spatial definition so that the street (and Wilkes Street public open space) functions as an outdoor room and reinforces pedestrian activity on the sidewalk. Because it is the portion of the building which is experienced most by pedestrians, the design, location, and quality of the building fronting the street (and Wilkes Street public open space) should be given the most attention and the highest quality design and materials. It is also important that some of the buildings have building breaks, front yards, recesses, and courtyards, which are character defining elements of this neighborhood. In addition, buildings defining the edge of the street will better aid in calming traffic on South Patrick Street and the neighborhood streets and provide a more welcoming environment for pedestrians by reinforcing that this area is a neighborhood and an extension of the existing city fabric.
As these sites are redeveloped, buildings, open space, and the public realm will be held to high standards of quality and design, ensuring that redevelopment provides value to the neighborhood and to the city while fulfilling the goals of the Strategy. Therefore, future redevelopment will comply with the Strategy’s site standards to shape and improve the public realm, tree preservation, site and building design, and open space. The site standards are intended to ensure neighborhood compatibility.
Through redevelopment, this Strategy recommends significant improvements to the streetscape—the public realm or spaces between buildings—to provide spaces that engage the human senses, encourage public encounter, and contribute to the beauty of the neighborhood. Improved sidewalks, street trees, and landscaping are an integral part of the streetscape. The Strategy recommends, where feasible, that existing large street trees be retained (Figure 3.4) as part of the development review process. Further, the Strategy recommends that as part of redevelopment, a landscape area and sidewalk be provided to create a safe buffer between pedestrians and South Patrick Street, and buildings be positioned to reinforce the public realm as depicted in Figures 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7, based on the street typologies established in the City’s Complete Street Guidelines.
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| LEGEND | |
|---|---|
| South Patrick Street Streetscape Improvements | |
| Enhanced Public Park | |
| Street Tree Protection | |
| Additional Enhanced Gateway Open Space | |
| Potential Improvements to Existing Median | |
| Core Area | |
| # | Redevelopment Site Number as shown in the Development Summary Table (Table 1) |
Complete Street Typology: Mixed-Use Boulevard
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LEGEND
Figure 3.6: Franklin and Gibbon Streets Section
Complete Street Typology: Neighborhood Connector
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Figure 3.7: Alfred and Wolfe Streets Section
Complete Street Typology: Neighborhood Residential
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03 - Planning, Land Use, & Design 23
Figure 3.8: Wilkes Street Public Open Space Looking East
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Illustrative rendering
OPEN SPACE
The Strategy recommends that with redevelopment, the existing approximately one-acre Wilkes Street public open space be improved to include play areas, seating, and open passive areas that will be designed to be accessible and accommodating to all ages and abilities. This improvement will be implemented by adjacent property owners through redevelopment with all applicable approvals. At such time, pathways for pedestrians, cyclists, and those using other ways to move will be designed. There will be opportunity during the development review process for community input into the design of the public open space.
The Wilkes Street public open space (Figure 3.8) will be a visual and functional green connection for people rather than cars between the neighborhood east to the Wilkes Street Tunnel and west to the open spaces created by the cemeteries. The improvements of the Wilkes Street public open space also present an opportunity to incorporate the history of the neighborhood through interpretive design elements.
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Figure 3.9: Urban Design Elements
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LEGEND
Figure 3.10: South Patrick Street looking north
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GATEWAY ELEMENTS
Through redevelopment, the Strategy recommends introducing new elements that announce this area of entry to the neighborhood and city. The gateway will be expressed through the provision of open space and building massing that reinforce the importance of this intersection. The recommended scale, character, elements, and orientation of new buildings will emphasize and reinforce the gateway as depicted in Figures 3.9 and 3.10.
SIGNATURE FACADES
Signature facades are building frontages which utilize high levels of design and materials to reinforce their prominent visual and civic location. The Strategy recommends that the buildings fronting onto the Wilkes Street public open space have signature facades due to their visually prominent location on this important gathering area within the neighborhood as depicted in Figure 3.9.
MID-BLOCK BUILDING BREAKS
For sites 1 and 4, the Strategy recommends that as part of the redevelopment, mid-block building breaks be provided as depicted in Figure 3.9.
PARKING
Parking for the residential multi-family buildings will be provided underground. Accommodating the parking underground instead of on existing surface parking lots fronting onto South Patrick Street and neighborhood streets will improve the pedestrian experience and allow for better consolidated usable ground level open space. Parking for townhouses will be accessed from a rear alley resulting in fewer curb cuts on the street frontage which creates a better environment for pedestrians and retains on-street parking.
Figure 3.11a + b: Building Heights - Examples of Building Transitions, Articulation, and Massing
Figure 3.11a: Building Transitions
Courtyard
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Building Setback - Landscape Buffer
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Building Stepback
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Building Shoulder
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Figure 3.11b: Articulation and Massing
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Building Recesses
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Building Bays/Pavilions
Current allowed building heights for the potential redevelopment sites are 45 feet for the properties within the RB zone, up to 50 feet for commercially zoned properties along South Patrick Street, and up to 62 feet for The Heritage at Old Town mid-rise building zoned RC. This Strategy recommends an increase to 55 feet on a limited number of blocks primarily along South Patrick Street, to enable the return of affordable housing with redevelopment and to enable the redevelopment of the commercial properties (Figure 3.12).
The Strategy’s approach to height is to provide a variety of building heights and appropriate height transitions to the existing neighborhood, and to use buildings and open space to denote the gateway entrance to the neighborhood and the city.
A defining element of the existing neighborhood character is the variety of building heights, differing scales, and relatively small components within the buildings. As sites redevelop, it will be important that buildings provide height variation, building stepbacks, and other comparable approaches (Figure 3.11).
To ensure appropriate building height transitions between new and existing buildings, new buildings will be required to step down in height and/or provide a courtyard, stepback, building setback-landscape buffer, or building shoulder as shown in Figure 3.11. In particular, height transitions will be required in locations adjacent to existing lower scale buildings as depicted in Figure 3.12. The type of building transitions will be determined as part of the development review process, based on the context of each site.
An important element for new buildings will be variety in the building streetwall through elements such as building recesses, building bays, and porches. These are important human scale elements that prevent “flat” facades and enable the new buildings to incorporate character defining elements from the neighborhood.
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LEGEND
| 45’ | 55’ |
| 50’ | 62’ |
| IIII Required Height Transition | |
| — Core Area | |
| # Redevelopment Site Number as shown in the Development Summary Table (Table 1) |
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Simply defined, Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is a tool used to show the mass of a building by calculating the ratio between the building square footage and the lot square footage. The FAR calculation used by the City is defined in the City Zoning Ordinance.
The existing zoning for the potential redevelopment sites within the core area range from CL- Commercial Low, CSL- Commercial Service Low, and RB- Townhouse zone as shown in Table 1. The existing zoning is intended for auto-oriented uses on South Patrick Street and townhouses on the remainder of the sites.
To achieve the affordable housing objectives of the Strategy, a new zone is recommended for the affordable housing sites (sites 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5). Consistent with the objectives of the Housing Master Plan to expand options for affordable housing in the city, this new zone will become a new tool in the City’s overall affordable housing program, in addition to the existing Bonus Density Program. The new zone will allow additional Floor Area Ratio (FAR) to incentivize retention of the existing 215 affordable units, in a manner consistent with the recommendations of this Strategy. In addition, a rezoning of the commercial sites (sites 5, 6, 7, and 8) on South Patrick Street is recommended to incentivize redevelopment consistent with the intent of the Strategy. Figure 3.13 identifies parcels recommended for a new zone or rezoning. As shown in Table 1, the Strategy recommends a FAR between 2.0 – 3.0 for these sites. Land use will be multi-family, townhouse, and neighborhood serving ground floor commercial uses that are compatible with the adjacent residential uses.
The additional floor area provided by the new zone is available to the affordable housing sites (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) that provide the recommended committed affordable housing units. The additional floor area provided by a rezoning is available to the commercial sites (5, 6, 7, and 8) that meet the intent of the Strategy. Rezoned properties are also subject to all other recommendations of the Strategy.
Further, this Strategy recommends that the Wilkes Street public open space be rezoned from RB (Residential) to POS (Public Open Space) to ensure long term retention of this important public park.
Figure 3.13: Parcels Recommended for New Zone/Rezoning
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LEGEND New Zone/Rezoning Public Open Space (POS) Zone (CL) Existing Zoning Core Area
Table 1: Development Summary Table
| BLOCK | SITE (1) | ADDRESS | PARCEL SIZE (2) | EXISTING ZONE | EXISTING BUILDING HEIGHT LIMIT | EXISTING LAND USE | RECOMMENDED FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR) (3)(5) | RECOMMENDED BUILDING HEIGHT LIMIT (4)(5) | RECOMMENDED LAND USE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | FT | FT | |||||||
| 1 | The Heritage at Old Town | 900 Wolfe | 80,349 | RB | 45’ | Residential | 3.0 | 45’-55’ | Predominantly Residential |
| 2 | The Heritage at Old Town | 431 S Columbus | 48,243 | RC | 62’ | Residential | 3.0 | 45’-55’ | Predominantly Residential |
| 3 | Olde Towne West III | 500 S Alfred | 55,084 | RB | 45’ | Residential | 3.0 | 45’-55’ | Predominantly Residential |
| 4 | The Heritage at Old Town | 510 S Patrick | 78,566 | RB | 45’ | Residential | 3.0 | 45’-55’ | Predominantly Residential |
| 5 | Olde Towne West III | 601 S Alfred | 40,407 | RB | 45’ | Residential | 3.0 | 45’-55’ | Predominantly Residential |
| 6 | West Marine | 601 S Patrick | 33,561 | CSL | 50’ | Commercial | 2.0 | 45’-55’ | Predominantly Residential |
| 7 | Old Town Windows and Doors | 631 S Patrick | 13,280 | CSL | 50’ | Commercial | 2.0 | 45’ | Predominantly Residential |
| 8 | Speedway Gas Station | 620 S Patrick | 16,667 | CL | 45’ | Commercial | 2.0 | 45’ | Predominantly Residential |
| 9 | Liberty Gas Station | 700 S Patrick | 20,308 | CL | 45’ | Commercial | 2.0 | 45’ | Predominantly Residential |
Notes:
Figure 3.2 depicts sites where potential redevelopment is projected to occur over the next 15 years. The Strategy acknowledges that for various reasons some of these sites may not redevelop; however, in the event that they do, they are expected to comply with the site and design recommendations of the Strategy and applicable zoning requirements. Sites not located in the core area may propose redevelopment but will be subject to the recommendations of the Southwest Quadrant Small Area Plan and all applicable zoning and development approvals.
The development parcel size is based on the City's Real Estate records, not on survey data. Parcel and building sizes may be adjusted based on future survey information.
FAR assumes future rezoning that meets the intent of the Strategy. The additional floor area provided by a new zone is available to the affordable housing sites (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) that provide the recommended committed affordable housing units. The additional floor area provided by a rezoning is available to the commercial sites (5, 6, 7, and 8) that meet the intent of the Strategy. All rezoned properties are also subject to all other recommendations of the Strategy.
Building height limits are depicted in Figure 3.12, which reflect maximum height for different portions of the blocks. For areas with a 55-foot height limit, an increase of five feet may be permitted for architectural embellishments, if approved as part of the development review process.
Use of Section 7-700 will be subject to compliance with the Strategy's affordable housing, planning, and land use recommendations and ensuring that the building scale is compatible with the neighborhood and intent of the Strategy. Use of Section 7-700 for bonus density and/or height requires a special use permit approval by City Council.
INFRASTRUCTURE
An important element of planning for this and any neighborhood's future is consideration of adequate infrastructure capacity and upgrades. The identified redevelopment sites are located within the City's combined sewer system. With redevelopment comes the opportunity to replace and update stormwater and sanitary sewer infrastructure on the identified sites to comply with current requirements, reduce the amount of stormwater runoff, and improve stormwater runoff quality through the installation of stormwater best management practices (BMPs), thus contributing to cleaner waterways.
In addition, as part of the development review process, each project will be required to complete a transportation study to determine the impact of additional development and potential mitigation measures, if necessary.
SCHOOL CAPACITY
In the Long Range Educational Facilities Plan (LREFP), adopted in June 2015 by City Council and the ACPS School Board, City and ACPS staff worked closely to develop forecasting methodology for student generation and enrollment by housing type. The detailed study and methodology for enrollment projections can be found in Chapter 2 of the LREFP.
As recommended by the LREFP, City and ACPS staff annually recalculate enrollment projections and capacity utilization, as well as update student generation rates. In addition, the City works in coordination with ACPS on each small area plan to develop an estimate of new students that could be generated by additional development. Shown in Table 2 are the estimated net new students for the potential redevelopment sites in this Strategy's core area. Based on 2015-2017 student generation rates, approximately 12 elementary, 7 middle, and 4 high school students will be generated by the net new proposed redevelopment over time, which represents 23 net new students over the current number of students. Redevelopment of the identified sites will likely occur in multiple phases over a five to 15-year period, so the additional students would not all be added at once. Also, since the stated goal of the Strategy is to retain/replace the existing affordable units and maximize opportunities for current residents to relocate locally, remain in their schools in the interim, and return to the community following redevelopment, the impact of replacement affordable units should have a negligible impact on associated student generation.
While Lyles-Crouch Elementary is currently over capacity, elementary enrollment is projected to stabilize in this area over the next decade according to enrollment projections, which are jointly developed by ACPS and the City. ACPS will continue to coordinate with the City to review, plan, and allocate resources for necessary additional capacity to ensure all ACPS students are provided with safe and equitable learning environments. ACPS and the City will also coordinate future enrollment impacts on after school programming and enrollment at the Nannie J. Lee Center.
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Table 2: Estimated Net New Student Generation
| TOTAL ESTIMATED NET NEW STUDENTS BY PHASE AND BY SCHOOL LEVEL * | |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 (0-5 years): | 4 students (comprised of approx. 2 ES, 1 MS, 1 HS) |
| Phase 2 (6-10 years) | 18 students (comprised of approx. 9 ES, 6 MS, 3 HS) |
| Phase 3 (11-15 years) | 1 Student (Comprised of approx. 1 ES, 0 MS, 0 HS) |
| Total over 3 phases | 23 students (comprised of approx. 12 ES, 7 MS, 4 HS) |
3.1 Potential redevelopment sites will be subject to all requirements and applicable provisions of the Development Summary Table (Table 1).
3.2 Redevelopment should include a variety of housing types and building heights.
3.3 Redevelopment should explore opportunities to incorporate space for community neighborhood-serving facilities such as community rooms, or space for after-school tutoring and job training activities, a satellite library satellite/media center, or other community serving needs in coordination with the City.
3.4 Residential uses may include senior housing to allow for aging in place and a diversity of housing types.
3.5 Redevelopment will provide improved streetscapes for their frontages consistent with the intent of the applicable cross-sections in Figures 3.5, 3.6, and 3.7.
3.6 The City will explore the feasibility of landscaping, including the use of native plants, for the existing sound walls on South Patrick Street, in consultation with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
3.7 The City will explore the feasibility of removing and/or modifying the sound wall at the intersection of Franklin Street and South Patrick Street to reinforce the gateway envisioned by the Strategy in consultation with VDOT.
3.8 Streetscape and open space design should include interpretation of neighborhood history.
3.9 Redevelopment should retain the existing street trees as depicted in Figure 3.4, to the extent feasible.
3.10 Street light fixtures will be single black Dominion Virginia Power acorn lighting fixtures for all streets (except South Patrick Street) with a standard black finish. The street light fixtures on South Patrick Street will be double acorn with a standard black finish.
3.11 Redevelopment of sites adjacent to the Wilkes Street public pen space will improve the pen space (securing all applicable approvals) with multi-functional spaces for the use and enjoyment of people of all ages and abilities to meet the intent of the open space as described in the Strategy, and with similar design and amenities, as depicted in Figure 3.8. These improvements may be considered as a part of the open space requirements for the adjacent sites.
3.12 Redevelopment sites should provide recreational open and public spaces for the use of building occupants.
3.13 Redevelopment should design and configure ground level open space to be visible from adjoining streets to the extent feasible.
3.14 Redevelopment will provide gateway elements at locations as shown in Figure 3.9. The gateway elements will use distinctive building shapes and open spaces to denote their location.
3.15 Signature façades fronting the Wilkes Street public open space, as depicted in Figure 3.9, will use design and materials that convey the importance of this prominent neighborhood location.
3.16 Mid-block pedestrian connections should be applied, as depicted in Figure 3.9, to avoid long building spans while providing pedestrian circulation through sites.
3.17 Parking for each multi-family building (excluding stacked townhouses) will be located below grade. Some of the underground parking for sites 1, 4, or 5 may be partially exposed due to the topography of site. The exposed portion will be integrated into the building through the use of design and materials as part of the development review process.
3.18 Surface parking lots are prohibited.
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