City details traffic, parking impacts ahead of Jan. 20 City Hall renovation start
$123.6 million project will close Market Square garage, relocate farmers market and more than 400 employees for two and a half years
The City of Alexandria’s long-awaited City Hall renovation project will begin construction mobilization on Tuesday, Jan. 20, marking the start of a two-and-a-half-year effort to restore the historic building and completely rebuild the Market Square garage.
Jeremy McPike, director of general services for the city, announced the timeline during a virtual community meeting Thursday night, explaining that all city services will be fully relocated by the mobilization date when Grunley Construction takes over the vacant building.
“This is an exciting first step in a long-awaited process,” City Manager James Parajon said when the design team was selected. “City Hall and Market Square should reflect this great city, our history, and the commitment to equitable services that our community expects.”
The project is budgeted at $123.6 million, according to the city’s 2025-2034 Capital Improvement Program. The renovation has been deferred five times since 2015 and has grown from an original $50 million estimate. The city first engaged consultants to conduct a feasibility study in spring 2014, and earlier estimates last year had placed the cost at over $110 million before the scope was finalized. City Hall received an F rating in a 2022 internal facilities report, which found the building was “functionally obsolete.”
The Planning Commission approved the development site plan 7-0 in June 2025. The project’s design faced a contentious approval process. The Board of Architectural Review unanimously approved the renovation in November with extensive conditions the city had explicitly opposed, including mandatory chimneys, arched entrances and specific stone materials for the south facade. McPike objected on the record that the conditions represented “a complete revision to the entire design” that was “not in the materials, not in the memo” the city submitted. City Manager James Parajon has appealed the board’s decision to City Council.
The city awarded Grunley Construction an $85 million contract in January 2025 for the construction work, according to the company. International firm LEO A DALY is handling engineering and design of City Hall, while local firms Rust Orling Architecture and LandDesign are leading the design of Market Square.
Market Square has been the center of civic activity for Alexandrians since the city’s founding in 1749, according to the city. The current City Hall, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was reconstructed by architect Adolph Cluss after a fire destroyed the building in 1871. The bell tower, designed by Benjamin Latrobe, was added in 1817 and has been undergoing structural monitoring as part of urgent repairs that began in 2014.
“We’re right on that same cadence, amazingly, across this entire building’s history,” McPike said Thursday, noting the city has renovated and repurposed the structure approximately every 60 years.
The project addresses critical infrastructure needs, including antiquated boiler systems, bursting pipes throughout the building, and significant cracks in the 60-year-old garage structure.
“We have antiquated boiler systems, pipes that are bursting all over the building,” McPike said. “The garage itself has significant cracks. It’s time for that needed, much needed renovation.”
The comprehensive renovation consists of three key components: City Hall, Market Square Garage, and Market Square Plaza. Renovations to City Hall include the modernization of 100,000 square feet of office and meeting space, the addition of natural lighting, and the modernization of structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, according to Grunley. The scope also includes creating a more prominent ceremonial space to enhance the first-floor experience for visitors.
The Market Square Garage will undergo structural repairs and potential enhancements for electric vehicle charging, while Market Square Plaza will be reimagined to enhance its role as a central hub for the community.
Mark Laudo, vice president of preconstruction for Grunley Construction, said the scope includes restoring the 1871 historic building while completely demolishing and replacing the 1960s addition with updated systems and a similar facade.
“The real treat is the reposition, the reconfiguration, reimagining of the Market Square Plaza,” Laudo said. “The landscape architects and the architects have come up with a really fantastic plan for that plaza area that will really be much more area available for the farmers market as well as for public functions.”
Construction will follow a phased approach, with barriers and fencing going up around the plaza and City Hall by late January or early February. The first major visible change will occur in early second quarter when drill rigs arrive to install steel piles for shoring operations needed to demolish the existing underground garage.
A tower crane will be installed in the first quarter of 2027 in the middle of the current garage location to support concrete construction of the new garage and the steel frame of the replacement City Hall infill structure. The crane will remain in place for approximately one year.
Jonathon Tackett, project executive with Grunley Construction, said the project targets completion in the third quarter of 2028, though the team has built in time for unexpected challenges common with historic preservation projects.
“With any historic preservation project, there’s a lot. This is a really old, fantastic building, a lot of different things,” McPike said. “And so it’s going to take a little time. If we can accelerate that, I know all the team is ready to do that.”
The construction will significantly impact traffic and parking around the historic downtown area. The project will eliminate parking along approximately 75% of the site’s perimeter, including North Royal Street, Cameron Street, and portions of Fairfax Street.
Fairfax Street will serve as the primary access point for construction materials and debris removal, creating the busiest area for vehicle traffic. Construction trucks will follow a designated haul route from Interstate 495 via Route 1 to King Street, entering the site on Fairfax and exiting via Cameron Street to Washington Street.
King Street sidewalk access will be maintained for most of the project, though short-term closures of a few weeks will be necessary during shoring operations and final plaza reconstruction.
“We know how important that side of the sidewalk is, which is why we’ve coordinated to the nth detail to try to minimize closures, McPike said.
The Old Town Farmers Market, considered the nation’s oldest continuously operating farmers market, will hold its first market at a temporary location on Saturday. The market, where George Washington once sent produce from Mount Vernon to be sold, has operated at Market Square since 1753.
More than 70 vendors will continue operating every Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon in the 100 block of North Royal Street and the courtyard at Tavern Square, according to market organizers. The relocation marks the first time in nearly 60 years that the market will leave Market Square during construction. During the 1960s urban renewal, the market moved multiple times — including to an empty grocery store, inside City Hall, and onto Cameron Street — before returning to Market Square in 1967.
“Please, if you’re joining, all the vendors need your support. They’re concerned and worried as they transition from sites that business is going to drop off,” McPike urged residents.
The Market Square garage closes Jan. 17, with alternative parking available at the Tavern Square garage on Cameron Street, which will offer free parking during farmers market hours. The courthouse garage and other city parking assets will also provide alternatives.
More than 400 city employees have relocated to temporary locations throughout Alexandria. The City Manager’s Office, Mayor and City Council offices, City Clerk and Department of Planning & Zoning moved to 421 King St. The City Attorney’s Office relocated to 123 N. Pitt St., with additional staff moving to 100 N. Pitt St. and 2331 Mill Rd.
City Council chambers moved to the Del Pepper Community Resource Center at 4850 Mark Center Drive, with the first council meeting at the new location scheduled for Tuesday.
Bus transportation will be affected, with DASH bus routes 30, 31, and 34, along with the King Street trolley, combining their current two stops into a single location on King Street for most of the construction period. Motor coach parking and unloading will move from King Street to the 400 block of King Street in front of Tavern Square.
Dylan Chandler, project executive with Grunley Construction, will serve as the community liaison throughout the project. Residents can contact him at 240-319-0288 or dylanchandler@grunley.com with questions or concerns.
The construction team will work standard hours Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with weekend work as necessary. Grunley Construction has arranged parking for construction workers at the Torpedo Factory garage to minimize impact on street parking.
The project will include hazardous material removal during pre-demolition, following all regulatory requirements for proper containment and disposal. Dust and debris mitigation measures include covered dumpsters and a wash station for all vehicles leaving the construction site.
Residents can find updated information about the project, including department relocations and construction progress, at alexandriava.gov/CityHall.