Friday, November 16, 2012
Session dealt with discussion of the acquisition of open space, though few details are known.
Alexandria City Councilwoman Alicia Hughes refused to take part in a closed meeting with Mayor Bill Euille and other members of council Tuesday night to discuss pending or possible city litigation and potential acquisition of real estate. What exactly was discussed in the session is unclear. Councilman Paul Smedberg announced that the closed session was called under reasons stipulated in the Code of Virginia, adding that it was called specifically to discuss “the acquisition of real property for public open space and likely litigation that may result from the acquisition of real property to support infrastructure, safety and other public purposes.” Just before councilmembers exited the City Hall chamber for the closed session, Hughes, who …
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan released a critique of the city's plan and offered its own approach.
The City of Alexandria’s plan to redevelop the waterfront will worsen traffic, exacerbate parking and environmental problems and relies too much on the construction of new buildings, according to a new report by a group advocating development alternatives. The city’s Waterfront Draft Small Area Plan “fails to create a compelling vision for the redevelopment of the Alexandria waterfront,” say Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan in its report, “Parks, the Arts, and Museums: the Keys to Rediscovering, Revitalizing and Protecting the Alexandria Waterfront.” It criticizes the city’s plan for seeking revenue from up to three 150-room hotels to be built at three sites, which, the group says, “amounts to a density increase of …
38.80326
-77.04186
The Athenaeum
201 Prince St, Alexandria, VA
/articles/alexandrians-seeking-a-new-approach-to-a-new-waterfront-critique-city-plan
418462
/locations/5701019
Friday, October 28, 2011
Hotel advisory firm tells work group it is "well-capitalized" and eager to put a Hotel Indigo on Alexandria's waterfront.
Carr Hospitality this week assured members of the Waterfront Plan Work Group that it is a “well-capitalized” company after allegations were made that the firm was linked to bankrupt properties. The Washington, D.C.-based hotel advisory and investment firm told work group members at an Oct. 19 meeting that it was interested in putting a Hotel Indigo, a brand owned by InterContinental Hotels Group, into the Cummings warehouse on S. Union St. Concerns at the Oct. 19 meeting were raised over the financial situation of a proposed Hotel Indigo in Baltimore. The owner of the building slated to house that Hotel Indigo filed for bankruptcy to avoid foreclosure last summer. In an Oct. 27 letter to work group chair and City Council member Paul …
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Members say unresolved matters create a problem.
While reviewing the public domain aspects of Alexandria’s $50 million waterfront makeover on Wednesday, members of the mayor-appointed Waterfront Work Group were posed with a question of how the park and public art aspects of the plan will be completed in a way that is uniquely Alexandrian. “I think a lot of people’s problems with the plan was the thought we’d lose what is uniquely Alexandrian [about the waterfront],” work group member Bert Ely said, adding that defining the city’s distinctive character would be an important part in moving forward. While answering such an abstract question poses its own difficulties, more problematic questions were raised when members of the group brought up the Old Dominion Boat Club and future of the …
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
CAAWP delivers 1,000 signatures in opposition to city plan; Del Ray Business Association announces support for Waterfront4All.
A week after listening to the opinions of a multitude of groups and individual citizens, the Waterfront Work Group will reconvene Wednesday and resume discussion of parking and traffic matters and examine park and public space features of Alexandria’s $50 million waterfront plan. On Sept. 14, the eight-member work group absorbed the testimony of 10 commissions and stakeholder groups as well as dozens of other citizens and associations expressing a variety of opinions on the issue. Stewart Dunn, vice chairman of Alexandria’s Planning Commission, said he believed the city had emerged “with a good plan” after two years of drafting and altering the plan. Others expressed a desire for the city spend more time to fine tune the plan, with several…
Monday, September 12, 2011
How will the recent announcement that GenOn will shutter its Alexandria plant affect the city's waterfront development?
The City of Alexandria and GenOn recently announced that GenOn plans to shutter its Old Town Alexandria-based power plant by next fall or soon after. The announcement comes at a time when the city is also making significant progress on crafting and refining its plan to redevelop Alexandria's waterfront. The closure of the GenOn plant will free up 25 acres of waterfront property, although it's unclear how long it could take to ensure that area is safe for development - whether that development is parks, hotels, museums or something else.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Waterfront4All members say they formed a group to dispel misinformation about the city's waterfront plan and clarify issues for residents and others.
As the City of Alexandria labors over how to best redevelop its waterfront and listens to many, often-conflicting voices in the debate, a new group has formed that stalwartly supports the city’s proposal. “The Waterfront Plan elegantly balances the need for additional open space with carefully considered economic re-development,” reads the homepage of the Waterfront4All website. Gina Baum, a realtor who lives two blocks from the waterfront in Old Town, is a founding member of the group. “There are always people in Old Town especially who oppose things for whatever reason,” she said. “I think Waterfront4All did grow out of people being concerned that the city’s plan isn’t going to move forward.” The mission of the group, she says, “is that …
38.80427
-77.05942
Table Talk Restaurant
1623 Duke St, Alexandria, VA
/articles/group-emerges-as-staunch-city-ally-in-waterfront-debate
416015
/locations/5280002
Monday, July 11, 2011
Group charged with finding consensus and areas of disagreement in plans to redevelop city's waterfront
Alexandria’s mayor has appointed seven members to a new Waterfront Plan Work Group who will be charged with identifying plan consensus areas and disagreements as the city strives to redevelop that area. Meetings are expected to begin this month and are open to the public. “The appointed Waterfront Plan Work Group is an exceptional group of community leaders, uniquely qualified to provide guidance on the most challenging areas of the Waterfront Plan,” said Mayor Bill Euille. “I received a strong list of candidates from throughout the city, and I am confident that the appointees that were chosen are dedicated to narrowing our differences, building towards a consensus, and offering solutions." The group is expected to make some sort of …
Friday, July 8, 2011
Old Town Civic Association, Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan still don't see eye-to-eye
The mayor hopes to announce early next week as to who he has appointed to sit on the new waterfront work group, which is charged with helping City Council on redevelopment plans. A schedule for the meetings will be released shortly after the group is announced, according to city spokesman Tony Castrilli. The group was scheduled to start meeting in July. The Old Town Civic Association has been invited to sit on the group and its president, John Gosling, said he is eager to know who are the group’s other members. “It’s difficult to plan because I don’t know the dynamics of the group – will it be stacked with commercial operating interests?,” he asked. Old Town Civic hopes that the work group will put together a policy statement to “take back…
Alexandria firefighters union offers support for Rob Krupicka; Former Vice Mayor Andrew Macdonald praises Libby Garvey's opposition to the waterfront plan
On Thursday, 30th district state senate candidate Rob Krupicka received the endorsement of Alexandria firefighters union Local 2141, which represents more than 190 fire and EMS workers across Alexandria. “Rob has been a steadfast supporter of the brothers and sisters of Local 2141. He has stood by us throughout his time on the City Council, and I know that he will continue to fight for us in Richmond,” Local 2141 President David Denardo said in a statement. “Rob understands the needs of working families, and we’re proud to support his candidacy for senate.” The Democratic primary is scheduled for Aug. 23. Krupicka is running against Del. Adam Ebbin (D-49th) and Arlington County School Board Chair Libby Garvey. Tim McGhee is the lone …
OT insider
10:01 pm on Monday, November 19, 2012
We all want what's best for the city and I think it's important to keep that in mind. We just have different visions on what we need to do to get there. A respectful discourse is healthy and like much in American politics there is no doubt that some degree of compromise will ultimately be needed on many of these issues. I just want to start moving forward. more ›