Residents of the Braddock Road Metro area of Alexandria were briefed last Thursday night on future planning and development concepts for their area of the City during an information session at Jefferson Houston School. This was the third public meeting on the subject.
"We are at an interesting stage of the planning process. It is an opportunity to explore concepts and hear from you as to what you want in this area of the city. We are trying to get an idea about a direction," Steve Schukraft, HOK Planning Group, consultant to Alexandria's Planning and Zoning Department, told the more than 70 residents and citizens assembled in the school's multipurpose room.
"We don't have details for you to see tonight. Those plans should start to take shape by early winter. But, as we have traveled around the country we find that many people cite Alexandria as a model," he said.
"We are not going to recreate King Street, Schukraft assured the audience. “But, there is an opportunity for more retail in this area."
That was buttressed by Heather Arnold, an economic consultant to the Planning and Zoning Department, who is performing the retail market analysis for the Plan Area.
"The retail potential for this neighborhood ranges from 40,000 to 50,000 square feet. That is what this neighborhood can support," she said. Within that total, Arnold estimated food and beverage establishments will consume between 5,000 and 14,000 square feet of space with another 2,000 to 9,000 square feet to be utilized by retail businesses.
Referring to the projects already underway outside the overall plan, known as the Monroe and Madison mixed-use developments, Eileen Fogarty, director, Planning and Zoning Department, said, "These will provide the anchors for this area. There is so much development ready to come through today, we don't need more density as we originally thought" when the plan was developed in 1992 as part of the City Master Plan.
In an effort to assure residents that the coming changes will not negatively impact the historic elements of the Parker-Gray District, Schukraft said, "Any changes will fit in well with the historic character of this area."
"This area has a history of its own. The idea is to create a neighborhood in three pieces," Schukraft said.
Braddock Road Metro Area is bounded by the railroad to the west, Route 1 and Montgomery Street to the north, Washington Street to the east and King Street to the south. Parcels facing King and Washington streets are not included.
"The Braddock Road Metro area is now zoned for a lot of density,” said Poul Hertel, a civic activist, after the meeting. “We need to figure out how to accomplish this redevelopment in such a way as to create the quality of life people expect. What I heard did not seem to emphasize any place-making aspect."
Rosemont area resident Katy Cannady also had some concerns. "The consultants raised the bad idea of building in the Metro parking lot. Putting another building jammed up against the Metro station is just not acceptable,” Cannady said.
“There was also very little about open space in the presentation, which I found somewhat disappointing," she added.
"There is an awful lot of work that's already been done on this plan but there still needs to be more done. This is a pressure point neighborhood, ripe for change," said Alexandria Mayor William D. Euille.
"This is an open process and there are a lot of changes possible in the concepts,” Euille said. “You [residents and citizens] need to be part of this process."
Last Thursday's meeting concentrated primarily on options for retail, open and public space, and the various forms new construction might take depending on how the plan develops. There was also discussion about the future of the Braddock Road Metro Station.
Three additional elements of discussion centered on parking, housing for all area residents, including Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority's public housing project within the plan area, and creating a "Braddock Gateway Neighborhood." The third item concentrated on the height of new construction along the corridor and the placement and orientation of retail and residential development.
The next public session is scheduled for Dec. 1 in the multipurpose room of Jefferson Houston School, 1501 Cameron St. Its focus will be on transportation considerations in the plan area.
"We will have a community-wide public meeting to explain the plan once it is developed. These sessions are to get feedback and present the direction of the process," said Kimberly Fogle, division chief, Neighborhood Planning and Community Development, Planning and Zoning Department.