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Editor's note: This story was originally published at 10:10 a.m. on Monday, June 8. It was updated on Tuesday, June 9, with photos and details from the groundbreaking ceremony, including remarks from Mayor Alyia Gaskins and city officials who attended.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Mayor Alyia Gaskins and city officials broke ground Monday on Aspect, the first residential community to anchor the long-planned redevelopment of the former Landmark Mall, marking a milestone in one of the largest projects in the city's history.
"Today, we celebrated the groundbreaking of the Aspect, which is the first residential community on site," Gaskins wrote on social media. In a separate video posted June 8, she said the moment comes nearly four years after demolition began at the site.
The project, officially named WestEnd Alexandria, will transform the 52-acre property into a walkable town center for the city's West End. Developers expect Aspect to deliver in late 2027 or early 2028.
Aspect will bring 390 apartments across two blocks — 146 units in Block E.1 and 244 in Block G — totaling about 400,000 square feet of residential space and 60,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. The seven-story development consists of two buildings linked by a sky bridge that houses the fitness center and shared amenities. Its retail anchor is Tierra Encantada, a Spanish-immersion early education provider leasing 16,000 square feet on the ground floor — the child care program Gaskins referenced in her announcement.
The plans extend well beyond housing. A central plaza will shift between seasons, with lawn games, café seating and pop-up activities in summer and an ice rink in winter. A separate Terrace Park will add a multiuse lawn, a dog exercise area and courts for basketball, tennis and pickleball, connected by an elevated boardwalk and paseo. A playground, still in conceptual design, rounds out the public space.
The mayor said the broader plan also calls for a new hospital, open space, retail, restaurants, a fire station and roughly 2,000 homes. "When the full goal of our community is realized, there will be new jobs, economic development, as well as a mixed-income and mixed-use community," she said. The developer's plans now put full build-out at more than 2,500 residential units.
The district is anchored by Inova's new hospital campus, a roughly $2 billion investment spanning more than 1.1 million square feet. At full build-out, WestEnd Alexandria is also planned to include about 300,000 square feet of retail, 100,000 square feet of medical office space, parks and open space, and a regional transit hub.
Aspect is being developed by Foulger Pratt in partnership with Silverstein Properties and Howard Hughes Communities. Gaskins was joined at the groundbreaking by members of the City Council, City Manager James Parajon and representatives from the project team. "Today we're gathering with members of the City Council as well as Folger Pratt, Silverstein Properties and Howard Hughes in order to celebrate this important milestone," she said.
"This milestone represents the culmination of years of planning and collaboration with the City of Alexandria and our partners to bring a transformative vision to life," said Jay Kelly, senior vice president of Foulger Pratt.
The project is expected to generate hundreds of construction jobs. Residents seeking more information can visit the city's website at alexandriava.gov and search "Landmark Mall."
The WestEnd is one of the most significant redevelopments in our city’s history. When finished, it will include a hospital, housing, parks, retail, a fire station & more. Today, we celebrated the groundbreaking of the Aspect, which is the first residential community on site. pic.twitter.com/eiYjkFdLvM
— Alyia Gaskins (@Alyia4ALX) June 8, 2026
Today, Monday June 8, we are breaking ground on the Aspect. This is the first residential community that will anchor the Landmark Mall Redevelopment!#alexandriava #mayorofalx #alyiaforalx pic.twitter.com/qJcA6gSvph
— Alyia Gaskins (@Alyia4ALX) June 8, 2026
