To the Editor:
The Board of Architectural Review (BAR) of the Old and Historic District conducted its third concept review work session of the North Robinson Terminal development this past week. From this session, it is evident that comments from earlier BAR work sessions made little impact upon the developer, since the discussion has changed to items of little importance.
Since the terminal on Oronoco Street is adjacent to the Old and Historic District, the Planning Commission and the Council have asked the BAR to advise them on how this development compares and connects in scale and compatibility with developments south and west in the Old and Historic District. The development in question involves three buildings, one on the west side, and two others on the east side of Union Street.
First, according to the zoning guidelines the Westside building may be built to 66 feet, but with a penthouse the overall height results in an 80-foot structure looming over the community. This building will house not only a hotel, but it will also have 17 condos on both ends of the building. From this depiction, it is evident that the mass and scale of this building is not appropriate for the waterfront. Additionally, the irregular street grid of this building is not in accordance with Alexandria’s historic street grids, and stands apart from the overall waterfront plan as developed by the city. Next, on the east side of Union Street, a 300-foot "wall of glass" building defies the imagination, since it does not connote any connection to the Old and Historic District. It rather resembles the massive condo buildings proposed by EYA at the South Robinson Terminal location. If the BAR goes along with the developer on its proposed use of glass, it will be not in accordance with its "buildings of architectural merit" criteria.
Lastly, an 8,000-square foot-community building/pavilion is contiguous to the 300-foot- glass building, but it appears to be a building without a purpose. On the first floor, this building was initially to be a museum, art center, history repository or community center. However, no one has made a decision on its purpose. In addition, the development plan calls for a second floor that will house three condos. This is an unlikely proposition, since the noise from the first floor will make living in a condo above any of these purposes to be very uncomfortable.
The net effect of these three buildings is glass, and more glass, which is fine for Miami Beach, or National Harbor, which are unique venues in their own right.
However, if one looks at the city’s waterfront model or at the picture of this development accompanying the Waterfront Plan's goals and guidelines, there is no resemblance whatsoever.
From the very first day that the city embarked upon its Waterfront Plan, it was stated that all the waterfront developments should reflect the best of the Old and Historic District. This proposed development will reflect a riverscape that is neither unique in appearance nor historic in character.
Townsend A. “Van” Van Fleet
Alexandria