Alexandria planners to host fifth Duke Street land use meeting Wednesday
City planners to unveil draft corridor themes, gather public input on future of 3-mile stretch
City officials will hold the fifth community meeting in an ongoing series focused on the Duke Street Land Use Plan on Wednesday, Feb. 25, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, 101 Callahan Dr.
The session will include a presentation on community feedback gathered to date, proposed draft Plan Districts, and a discussion of upcoming draft plan elements. An open house will precede and follow the presentation, giving residents an informal opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with city staff.
Wednesday’s meeting is part of an 18-month planning process the city launched June 9, 2025, to update the comprehensive land use plan for the Duke Street corridor from Alexandria Union Station to Van Dorn Street at the future Landmark/West End development. The process is expected to address land use, housing affordability, mobility, pedestrian safety, parks and open space, and climate and environmental concerns.
At a December open house, city planners previewed four proposed corridor themes that are expected to shape the draft plan. The Small Business theme identifies areas with existing commercial concentrations where the city hopes to support entrepreneurial activity and a diversity of small businesses. The Affordability and Growth theme covers rental residential areas that planners say should be preserved for their existing affordability, with redevelopment and regulatory tools used to protect long-term affordability and retain existing units.
The Opportunity theme designates areas with potential for reinvestment and redevelopment that could yield new housing, commercial and retail uses. The Civic and City Campus theme applies to city-owned land that could accommodate municipal uses alongside other development in both existing buildings and new construction. Landmarks along the corridor subject to those designations include Alexandria Commons, The Shoppes at Foxchase, Beatley Library, Witter Field and Patrick Henry Recreation Center.
The evening’s schedule calls for the open house to begin at 7 p.m., with the formal presentation starting at 7:30 p.m. The open house will resume at 8 p.m. and run until 8:30 p.m.
Residents unable to attend in person may participate virtually via Zoom, and an online version of the open house will be available through the project’s Engagement Hub. The city has emphasized that the planning process is intended to be equitable and inclusive, welcoming input from residents, business owners, students, seniors, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and property owners throughout the corridor.
The venue is accessible via free DASH Bus Routes 30, 31, and 102 and the King Street Metrorail Station. Light refreshments will be provided. Language interpretation in Spanish and Amharic will be available via Zoom; in-person attendees seeking interpretation services are encouraged to join the Zoom meeting on a mobile device with headphones.
Residents may also contact project planner Christian Brandt at christian.brandt@alexandriava.gov or 703-746-3859. More information is available at alexandriava.gov/DukeStreetPlan.