Alexandria Restaurant Hopes to Add Rooftop Dining

PHOTO from ribbon-cutting at Alexandria’s Mason Social earlier this year shows owners, friends and family, Mayor Euille and staff, Bryan Porter, Commonwealth’s attorney for Alexandria, representatives from the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and Visit Alexandria representatives.

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A restaurant that opened earlier this year in the Parker-Gray neighborhood is hoping to add rooftop dining to its establishment.

Mason Social, located at 728 N. Henry St. (see map below), says in documents filed with the City that it proposes to add seating for 36 at tables and 13 bar seats to the roof.

The proposal is for the rooftop dining to be open the same hours as the restaurant is currently open, from 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays.

Access to the roof would be by two stairwells that would attach to the north face of the building, according to the application. The applicant is also filing for an encroachment for the stairs that will reach beyond four feet, into the right of way on Madison Street. The applicant points out that the sidewalk will remain unimpeded since there is a grass strip that is 4’8” from the building to the sidewalk.

With the additional seating being proposed, the restaurant is also asking for a parking reduction but notes that many of its patrons walk to the restaurant, that there is ample street parking and that they have an agreement for parking at an area lot.

The restaurant in its application proposes to add “low volume speakers for ambient music.”

The restaurant says it would also add restrooms to the rooftop dining area.

Drawings attached to the proposal are by Kulinski Group Architects of Alexandria.

The proposal goes before the City Planning Commission on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. Anyone wishing to can attend or register to speak at the hearing.