To the Editor:
On Wednesday, March 9, a neighborhood association meeting was held at the Durant Center for the purpose of listening to representatives from MHF Properties V LLC an affiliate of Magna Hospitality. A representative from planning and zoning also attended. There were approximately 22 members of our neighborhood also in attendance.
What MHF Properties told the audience was their future proposal to the City of Alexandria to build a seven-story hotel with 118 rooms as well as demolishing the Naval Reserve Association building at 1617 King St. including the parking lot at the corner of Harvard and King streets for two-level underground parking.
After listening to this information, I spoke out as a resident of Harvard Street against this proposal to build a seven-story hotel. My concerns were the proposed hotel is too tall; it will overshadow all the residential homes along Harvard Street. It destroys the building of the Naval Research Association, and takes away the complete parking lot now available. Harvard is historical on one side, but both sides are dated with structures which are unique with front yards and porches. This building will butt right up to them. The beautiful street also contains very mature trees and landscaping with patriotic flags displayed on the porches. Traffic will multiply and overwhelm the existing parking that is already a major problem because of vehicles that already park throughout the whole day along Harvard Street. Only two spaces will be designated as street parking for the hotel of which they have not accommodated their respective employees. The hotel will also include retail space that will include a restaurant.
The upper King Street area already has six hotels within a two-block area from this location. Of the 22 people in attendance at the Wednesday meeting no one specifically spoke out against this proposed seven-story hotel but they were in agreement this size of a structure will not fit at this location. The SUP has not yet been submitted but will be by the fall. We must oppose this seven-story hotel because of the before mentioned reasons, and others that were not mentioned here in this letter.
Jim Melton
Alexandria