Community Meeting on the Ladrey Building Redevelopment Draws over 60 Attendees
Ladrey high rise (1978)
Former ARHA Administration Building (1969)
Proposed Courtyard and possible interior ideas
The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) selected the team of Winn/IBF, experienced affordable housing developers with a strong presence in the Washington metropolitan area as its partner for the redevelopment of the Ladrey Building for the elderly and persons with disabilities. The building currently provides 170 units at deeply affordable rents. Built in 1978, the building has aged badly and is inadequate for residents' needs.
Expanding the portion of the block dedicated to affordable housing by incorporating the former ARHA headquarters building and demolishing the existing Ladrey building provides opportunities to add yet more affordable units to the units being replaced, put parking and utilities underground, manage stormwater better, and include amenity spaces and more modern units for residents. This project will also result in a building that blends in better with the surrounding neighborhood. It also helps the City of Alexandria meet its affordable housing and sustainability goals.
The June 21 Community Meeting was widely advertised to civic, homeowners', and condo associations in Old Town North. It was attended by over 30 people in person, and another 30 or so online. The project team led by outreach coordinator Agnes Artemel made a presentation about their vision for the new building, the approvals process to be followed, initial architectural concepts for the building and a courtyard for residents, and the overall timeline up to residents being able to move back in. Current residents will be relocated temporarily in other units and all will be offered the chance to move into the new building when it is ready in 2028.
Questions from the audience included parking, stormwater management, timelines for occupancy, architectural style, and utility undergrounding. Overall the audience was supportive of rebuilding the Ladrey units and adding more units affordable to a wide range of individuals and families at 80% or less of Area Median Income, the measure traditionally used to define affordable housing.
The next steps include two meetings with the Old Town North Urban Design Advisory Committee this summer, on July 12 and August 9. In the fall, refined designs reflecting comments received at UDAC and community meetings will be submitted to the City of Alexandria for review. The development team is hoping to reach Planning Commission and City Council public hearings in early 2024.
Anyone seeking further details is encouraged to visit www.TheLadrey.com and to subscribe to the email list.