Draft Duke Street Plan Contains Housing Units, Acres Of Parks, Miles Of Trails, Streets

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria residents have until Nov. 13 to weigh in on a sweeping draft plan that could guide future development, housing, parks and transportation along the Duke Street corridor for decades.

The city released the full Draft Duke Street Land Use Plan Tuesday, and city planning officials said they hope to bring a revised plan before the Planning Commission and City Council in December, the Alexandria Brief reports.

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The plan is the first comprehensive update of land-use guidance for the corridor since 1992.

The draft generally limits redevelopment along Duke Street to 85 feet in height, while allowing taller buildings in certain locations. At the Foxchase and Mason at Van Dorn properties, additional height would be tied to affordable housing. The plan anticipates relatively gradual redevelopment, with roughly one or two new buildings expected annually.

The planning area stretches generally from Alexandria Union Station west to Van Dorn Street and the redevelopment of the former Landmark Mall. City officials say the plan is intended to address development pressure while considering housing affordability, pedestrian safety, parks and open space, environmental issues and the approximately 600 small businesses along the corridor, all of which were consistent themes of public feedback.

Specifically, the current draft of the plan envisions nine acres of new parks and open space, four new miles of bicycle facilities, 1.25 new miles of trails, 1.8 new miles of streets and new affordable housing units. Implementation is expected to span 20 years.

See the city's presentation on the plan here.

According to the Alexandria Brief, the plan functions as an overlay and will take precedence over existing smaller, area-specific plans in any areas where it calls for specific action.

The land-use effort is separate from the Duke Street In Motion transitway project, which is already in the design phase. The draft land-use plan will account for the approved transitway but will not reconsider its previously approved concept plans.

City officials stressed that the document remains a working draft and could change based on public feedback.

Residents can review the full draft and submit comments through the city's online Duke Street Land Use Plan Engagement Hub.

There are also six Zoom office hours scheduled for plan updates and discussion. Residents can register here.

Comments submitted by Nov. 13 can be considered for incorporation into the version scheduled to go before the Planning Commission and City Council; the city says comments received later will still be provided to those bodies.