Take a Walking Tour of Old Town North
SITE DESCRIPTIONS
1. Robinson Terminal North
City Interests has proposed a mixed-use development for Robinson Terminal North to include a hotel, retail, residential uses, new open space linking Founders Park to Oronoco Bay Park and the restoration of the pier for public use. In the short term, being used as site for construction of remediation to Outfall 1.
2. Oronoco Bay Park
Oronoco Bay Park is a 5.08-acre public park and is a popular location for picnicking, walking, biking, jogging, festivals and special events such as the USA - Alexandria Birthday Celebration.
3. Oronoco Condominiums
EYA converted this site from office to 60 condominium units in the spring of 2014. The building was previously owned by the Sheet Metal Workers' National Pension Fund. These new residential units with large terraces and patios established a new price per square foot record for Old Town North.
4. Hopkins-Tancil Courts
Hopkins-Tancil Courts is one of Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority's (ARHA) five sites planned for redevelopment along with ARHA's former headquarter building at 600 N. Fairfax Street. Replacement of the existing residences will be executed at a one-for-one ratio as stated in City Council Resolution 830.
5. Royal Street Bus Barn Site
The Royal Street Bus Garage was vacated in August 2014, was the location of a bus maintenance and storage facility for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board (WMATA) . In early 2014, the City established an Ad Hoc Advisory Committee which developed design principles to guide future redevelopment of the site. The site is currently under construction by TCR for multi-family apartments.
6. Brightleaf and Cooper Townhomes (former Health Department
In 2014, the City approved Y-12 Investments, LLC' s proposal to convert the former City of Alexandria's Health Department building into nine townhouse dwellings, and construct seven new townhouse dwellings at 511 Oronoco Street parking lot.
7. Cotton Mill Factory "The Mill"
In 2015, the City approved CAS Riegler's proposal to convert the former Cotton Factory Building from its current commercial/ office use into multifamily residential and construct a new adjacent building at the intersection of N. Washington and Pendleton Streets.
8. Former Travelodge
In 2013, the City approved Mahmood Investment Corp's proposal of a new mixed -use building to replace the current Travelodge motel at 700 N. Washington Street and incorporate the adjacent townhouse . The building includes space for ground floor retail, with apartments above.
9. Towne Motel T
The owner of this 2-story motel is currently exploring concepts for its redevelopment as a new hotel.
10. Kingsley/ Harris Teeter
In 2010, thCity approved the construction of this mixed-use building developed by Buchanan Partners. The building includes 175 residential units and a 51,500 sf. Harris Teeter grocery store on the first floor. The building construction was completed in 2014.
11. Alexandria House Park
The Alexandria House Park is a one acre privately owned and maintained park that is publicly accessible.
12. United Way Worldwide
In 2010, United Way Worldwide opened the Mary M. Gates Learning Center which replaced their former recording facility in the south wing of the building. The Center received LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors certification using sustainable strategies. The northern wing is currently near completion of interior renovations.
13. Montgomery Center
The Montgomery Center building, constructed in several phases beginning in the early 1950's, was originally built as warehouses. The Montgomery Center is a mixed-use complex with a range of uses including office, local retail and restaurants.
14. Montgomery Park
The 2-acre public park has a fenced dog run, four lighted tennis courts, parking, picnic tables, playground, shelter, and water fountain. Montgomery Park has been adopted by the Old Town North Community Association and is the site of a regular Thursday evening Farmers Market and occasional concerts.
15. Former Crowne Plaza Hotel
Opened in 1972, the Crowne Plaza Hotel provided approximately 254 hotel rooms, and approximately 10,500 sf. of meeting and event space. The 12-story building had surface and garage parking. Carr Companies is redeveloping the site as a condominium tower in the existing structure, with townhouses ringing the site where the surface parking was located.
16. Rivergate City Park
The 2.84-acre park features riverfront sitting, picnic areas, and a volleyball court. The majority of Rivergate Park is owned by the Rivergate Owners Association with permanent public access to the Waterfront park area. This park is part of a system of linear parks along Alexandria's Waterfront.
17. Canal Center Plaza
Built in1987, Canal Center consists of four office buildings totaling 539,000 sf. The Waterfront complex includes Tide Lock Park, which features a restoration of Lift Lock No. 1 and an adjacent pool of the canal.
18. Tide Lock Park
Tide Lock Park is named for an old canal controlled by wooden locks that once existed on the Alexandria Waterfront. The canal was used to move goods and materials to and from sea going ships. Today, there is a replica of the lock and canal in the Park, which includes many of the original canal wall stones. This park is privately owned but is part of the publicly accessible linear park system along Alexandria's Waterfront.
19. Mt Vernon Trail
The 18-mile Mount Vernon Trail starts in Washington DC and ends at George Washington ' s Estate in Mount Vemon. At the midpoint, the Mount Vernon Trail extends through Alexandria primarily along the Potomac River.
20. Former MetroStage Site
MetroStage is a professional non-profit theater company. The theater operated on this since 2001. The 130-seat theater found a home in a converted lumber warehouse, the former home of Alexandria 's Smoot Lumber Company. The entire block will be redeveloped as multi-family building with a 5,000 square foot “arts” space.
21. Printers Row
Printers Row was approved as a 21-unit townhouse style condominium complex with approximately 2,000 sf. of ' ground floor retail. Snaidero Kitchens+Design currently occupies the ground floor retail at 1130 N. Fairfax. Street.
22. Norfolk Southern Rail Tracks
These tracks extend through part of Old Town North and are currently not operational. The rail tracks previously served the Potomac River Generating Station when it was operational and Robinson Terminal North when it operated as a warehouse for the Washington Post.
23. Potomac River Generating Station
The site is approximately 25 acres and houses a power plant which closed in December 2012. In 2014 The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality granted approval of the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for remediation of two underground petroleum tanks. PEPCO owns the underlying land, but the GenOn Corporation has several decades remaining on a lease for the power plant portion of the site.
24. Salvation Army Headquarters
Built in 1986, this 5-story building is the national headquarters for the Salvation Anny and is part of a four building office complex located at the northern end of Old Town North and adjacent to the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
25. Marina Towers
Built in 1970, Marina Towers is a 13-story Y-shaped building with 283 condominium units. The property is located along the Potomac River at the base of Dangerfield Island.
26. George Washington Memorial Parkway
The George Washington Memorial Parkway was constructed by the federal government as a memorial to Washington on the bicentennial of his birth in 1932. The parkway's original name was the Mount Vernon Memorial Parkway, but Congress renamed it the George Washington Memorial Parkway in 1929, and authorized its extension to McLean for a total of 25 miles starting at George Washington's Estate in Mount Vernon
27. Former Best Western Old Colony Inn
Built in 1967, the 2-story hotel had 49 rooms; the owner had proposing to double the number of floors and rooms and add a restaurant, but this proved to be not possible, and the site is now under construction as 19 townhouses..
28. Former ABC/Giant Site
EDENS proposed a mixed-use building with ground floor retail and residential floors above. It partnered with Gables for the construction. Gables apartments offer many amenities and leased rapidly. Several shops and restaurants have opened on the ground floor.
To download map and descriptions, please click here.