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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Joseph Hensley Park is open again.
The West End park at 4200 Eisenhower Ave. has completed a major renovation, the city announced this week, with all features now available to the public following a construction process that began in fall 2023 and stretched into April 2026.
The overhaul delivers the first phase of improvements residents identified more than a decade ago through the city's 2014 Citywide Parks Improvement Plan — a process that drew extensive community input on drainage, fields, parking, accessibility and green space.
"Joseph Hensley Park represents our commitment to creating welcoming, inclusive spaces that bring people together," said Hashim Taylor, director of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities.
What's new
The renovation transformed nearly every aspect of the park. The upper diamond field has been converted to synthetic turf, while the lower level now has a full-size natural turf softball field. Both fields received LED lighting, new scoreboards, safety netting, dugouts, spectator seating and batting cages.
A new playground, replacement picnic pavilion and bathhouse, and a flexible multi-use court and event space round out the recreational amenities. A new maintenance building and enclosed maintenance yard were also constructed.
Infrastructure improvements include expanded parking, upgraded stormwater management, bioretention basins, ADA-accessible pathways, improved wayfinding and new signage. The project also added trees and diverse plantings to strengthen Alexandria's urban forest.
Construction was handled by Avon Corporation of Springfield, Virginia.
A decade in the making
The project traces its roots to 2012, when the city began a multi-year public planning process to assess the future of its largest parks. The Park and Recreation Commission formally endorsed the Citywide Parks Improvement Plan in April 2014, and a separate Hensley Park improvement plan followed.
Design work began in 2018, with community amendments added in 2020 and 2021 — including a decision to convert the upper diamond field to synthetic turf, recommended by the Youth Sports Advisory Board. City Council approved a special use permit in 2022 to raise protective netting from 20 to 30 feet.
Construction mobilized in November 2023. Supply chain challenges tied to the COVID-19 pandemic had previously pushed the timeline, leading the city to split the project into two phases. Phase 1 is now complete; Phase 2 details have not yet been announced.
Reservations open Aug. 1
Picnic areas at Joseph Hensley Park will be available for online reservations beginning Aug. 1. In-person reservations open Aug. 3 at the Reservation and Registration Office in the Lee Center.
For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/rpca/project/joseph-hensley-park-renovation.
