5 Alexandria Business Proposals To Watch In March

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The Alexandria Planning Commission will consider key business proposals on Tuesday, March 5. The commission will meet at 7 p.m. at City Council chambers.

From a proposed butchery and restaurants at the Robinson Landing mixed-use development to new rooftop dining, there are a lot of exciting business changes that could come out of March. If approved by the Planning Commission, the proposals go to City Council on March 16.

1. DC Poultry Market

DC Poultry Market is proposing a butchery with live poultry at 3225 Colvin Street. Originally founded as Saba Live Poultry in 1998, the family-run business uses the halal method of meat preparation and operates at 14 locations nationwide. The butchery would have a retail space and area to hold the live poultry. The building is surrounded by buildings with commercial and industrial uses.

2. Robinson Landing dining

The future mixed-use development has two proposals related to dining. One of the proposals calls for a cafe with a light menu of sushi, sake and a selection of Japanese beers, as well as a casual pier dining area serving traditional American and seafood. The cafe would have 32 indoor and 32 outdoor seats, while the pier would seat 232 people at the bar, lounge or tables.

3. Yates Pizza

Yates Pizza is proposed at 3000, 3006, 3012 and 3012A Duke Street. The site is the former location of Generous George’s Positive Pizza & Pasta, which closed in 2009. The late Jeffrey L. Yates opened a automobile sales operation near the site and secured city approval for a pizza restaurant. The pizza restaurant never came to fruition, and the Jeffrey Lee Yates Trust submitted a new application for Yates Pizza in 2019. The restaurant would serve pizza, pasta, salads and sandwiches and have 448 seats, including an outdoor rooftop terrace.

The second proposal would alter another previously-approved restaurant. This restaurant would be less casual than the pier and cafe, serving "sophisticated fare" with 184 indoor seats and 83 patio seats.

The restaurant concepts will be led by Alexandria Restaurant Partners. The Robinson Landing development will have 26 townhomes, 70 multi-family condominiums, and three dining concepts on the waterfront.

4. Hank's Pasta Bar

Hank's Pasta Bar has proposed extended hours and increasing seating, including a rooftop dining area. The restaurant plans to expand the street-level dining area along North Saint Asaph Street and requested an expanded encroachment of the public right-of-way. The restaurant currently has 89 indoor and 10 outdoor seats. It is proposing a total of 194 indoor seats, 32 outdoor street-level seats and 86 rooftop seats, as well as outdoor speakers.

5. Executive Diner

Executive Diner seeks to increase indoor seating by 27 seats, to add eight outdoor seats and open one half hour earlier at 5:30 a.m. daily. The Duke Street restaurant opened in spring 2018.

See the full Planning Commission docket here.