Alexandria Design Review Board – October 22, 2026

The board met on October 22, 2026, to consider a restaurant sign application, a five-townhome demolition/encapsulation and construction proposal, and proposed updates to multiple chapters of the city's design guidelines. No agenda or minutes were available; this summary is based solely on the raw transcript.

Sign Application

• The applicant sought approval for an illuminated sign associated with a business hoping to open by Thanksgiving.
• A board member moved to approve the sign with two approved options for the applicant: halo-lit letters that fit within the canopy, or larger letters extending above the canopy with external or non-internal lighting such as uplighting the canopy crown.
• The motion also included external illumination of the sign's side/wall area as discussed.
• A separate interior wall sign/decal graphic was not part of the motion; staff noted it had already been administratively approved.
• The sign was approved by voice vote with no audible opposition.

Demolition and Townhouse Project (Case 600354)

• Architect Steven Kulinski presented a five-townhome proposal on a lot across the street from the meeting location, with demolition and encapsulation work associated with the site. He cited Old Town warehouse precedents, including the Curly Warehouse, Grilly Warehouse, Portner Brewery, Corn Exchange, and examples on King Street.
• The revised design lowered parapets, added metal rails, recessed door entries, widened sidewalks and planted landscape areas by giving land back to the city, and added brick detailing, dentals, belt courses, quoins, and precast headers.
• Public commenter Christine Roberts, speaking personally, asked about the cornice material above the dental molding and urged use of a high-quality material. The applicant stated the decorative cornice would be painted PVC with an aluminum coping, and offered to work with staff on a higher-quality material.
• Board members asked about the penthouse cladding, brick color, and the durability of PVC. One member wanted to see an actual brick sample; another asked staff to work with the applicant on the final cornice material.
• The board approved the demolition/encapsulation and townhouse design, incorporating staff recommendations and the direction to work with staff on the final cornice material. The roll-call vote was approved; no opposing votes were heard.

Public Comments on Design Guidelines

• Staff presented background on proposed updates to 11 design guideline chapters. The Design Guidelines Committee was formed in 2019, currently has six members, and used a new approach endorsed by the AER on April 22, 2026, with chapter discussions in May, June, and July 2026 and a community meeting on August 19, 2026. Staff reported no substantial changes since the August 19 meeting.
• Christine Roberts, speaking for the Historic Alexandria Foundation, said the revisions may inadvertently weaken preservation protections. The foundation recommended retaining protections in the existing guidelines; creating a presumption against roof decks on early buildings; expanding protection beyond decorative details to original brickwork, roof framing, structural systems, materials, and craftsmanship; establishing meaningful visibility standards for complete rooftop installations from multiple public vantage points; requiring reversibility and avoiding intrusive construction methods; and requiring better documentation from applicants.
• A civic association representative offered minor comments, including clarifying jurisdiction over side yards visible from the street, defining street-facing sides for corner lots, replacing poor-quality photos of EV charging stations and security equipment, and explaining why Parker Gray's rooftop screening rules differ from the Old and Historic District.
• Amon Callahan, 735 South Lee Street, representing the Old Town Civic Association, requested full code citations, agreed with the Historic Alexandria Foundation on roof decks, asked whether exterior lighting rules apply to public alleys, objected to the EV charger photo, suggested a smaller size threshold for security cameras, and requested another public review round because final wording arrived late and the city system was down.

Design Guidelines Discussion and Votes

• The board discussed the roof deck chapter at length. Staff proposed aligning Parker Gray's deck review with the Old and Historic District, so visible decks and balconies require board review. Board members discussed preserving historic materials, visibility of railings and decks, and reversibility versus least-intrusive construction.
• The board reached consensus on five roof-deck changes: early-building roof decks should be approved only when the applicant demonstrates preservation of historic roof form, significant features, and materials; strike historic roof framing from the protected list and add language about minimal disruption of original materials; add a guideline that railings and decks are minimally visible to the greatest extent practical; remove administrative review for special railing types and require board review for all rooftop railings; and state that cable, glass, and simple picket railings are preferred.
• Because of the number of changes, the board did not vote on the roof deck chapter and asked staff to bring back an updated draft.
• The board then approved six remaining chapters with modifications: exterior lighting, porches and porticos, security features, planters, structures in the public right-of-way, and small cells. The motion was approved by voice vote with no audible opposition.
• Staff was also directed to add a definition of street-facing versus side, use usable code references, and replace or improve photographs throughout the chapters.

Key Outcomes

• Sign application approved with conditions on letter style and lighting.
• Demolition/encapsulation and five-townhome project approved, with the final cornice material to be resolved with staff.
• Six design guideline chapters approved; the roof deck chapter was deferred to a future meeting for an updated draft.
• Staff directed to make glossary, photo, and reference improvements and to address public comments in the next draft.