Politics & Government

Board to Review Waterfront Hotel Plans Again This Week

Alexandria's Board of Architectural Review (BAR)- Old and Historic District will review demolition and new construction plans Wednesday night for Carr Hospitality's new waterfront hotel at 220 S. Union Street.

Alexandria City Council approved plans in January for the five-story, 120-room hotel from Carr City Centers at 220 S. Union Street, a tone-setting development as the city moves forward with its waterfront overhaul.

Carr describes the project on its Web site: "As part of the City’s Master Waterfront Plan, Carr City Centers is developing a boutique hotel consisting of 120 hotel rooms, a meeting room, fine dining restaurant and lounge, fitness center, below grade parking, and LEED Silver certification.  Located across from the future Alexandria Waterfront Park, the project is one block south of the numerous restaurants, spas, Torpedo Factory art community and retail stores found on and around historic King Street."

Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Nearby residents have expressed concerns about parking and congestion issues, the size and scale of the project as well as its architectural design.

The proposal, three years in the making, has been subject of three concept assessments from the city’s Old and Historic District Board of Architectural review. A final architectural review is set for Wednesday night before the project is finalized.

Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille said many of the architectural issues have been addressed—including some concerns on roof and window design—and will still be tweaked some more at the final review.  

Councilmembers gave specific directions on building materials for the brick, steel and stone building that McGuireWoods attorney Ken Wire, representing Carr, said “will be a high-quality building that will be around for 100 years to come.”

Carr will make a $675,000 contribution to waterfront amenities. Council deleted a $20,000 bikeshare contribution, cut back deliveries to the earlier hour of 8 p.m. and added a condition to require conformity in the building’s lighting plan.   

Critics of the project said the hotel was setting some poor precedents on the waterfront.

“This does not set the tone, in fact, it doesn’t even come close,” said Old Town resident Bert Ely.

Old Town resident Bob Wood was critical of how the city’s planning commission recommended approval on the project in early January without tackling issues of appropriate use and neighborhood impacts.

“They could only achieve good, not great as an outcome for this project,” Wood said. “How many ways can a project scream wrong answer to our city and city leaders? What a depressing early end to our aspirations for a world-class waterfront in this very first instance of development.”

He encouraged council to send the project back to the planning commission to come up with a plan that “someone other than city staff” would recommend.

Euille said many of the issues opponents brought up were not specific to the project but of the city’s waterfront zoning as a whole.

“It’s the master plan [people are taking issue with],” Euille said. “That’s already been determined and decided.”

Officials from the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, Alexandria Economic Development Partnership and Waterfront Commission spoke in favor of the project.

“You can’t keep a vibrant city unless you keep moving forward,” said Lisa Schumaier, an artist at the Torpedo Factory Art Center.

The hotel plan includes a 5,000-square-foot courtyard accessible to the public, an underground, valet-controlled parking garage and a restaurant.

The plan was approved by council on a 6-0 vote. Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg did not attend January's hearing to attend to a family medical issue. 


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