City seeks approval to demolish Old Town Pool, build new brick bathhouse
Alexandria files for permit to raze 50-year-old facility in Parker-Gray Historic District; new design features solar panels, modern materials
The city is seeking approval to demolish the existing Old Town Pool bathhouse and equipment building and construct a new brick facility in its place, according to application materials filed with the Board of Architectural Review.
The BAR will hear the case at 7 p.m. Jan. 7 at 4850 Mark Center Drive, Room 1305, according to the preliminary docket. Architect Sophie Topping Zimmerman is representing the city, with the City Attorney’s office listed as the applicant contact.
The application, signed Dec. 5, seeks both a Certificate of Appropriateness and a Permit to Demolish — required when more than 25 square feet of a structure is to be removed.
“This project includes the demolition of the existing Old Town pool, bath house, and equipment building and the construction of a new pool and bath house on the existing site,” the application states. “The existing Old Town Pool site was built in 1975 and is nearing the end of its usability. An addition or renovation is not feasible as the existing building and pool are no longer able to function in a way that meets the needs of the Alexandria community.”
Architectural drawings submitted by RRMM Architects of Arlington show the existing white stucco bathhouse — measuring roughly 107 feet along its north face and 115 feet along the south — would be completely razed. In its place, RRMM’s design calls for a new single-story bathhouse clad in modular brick with accent headers, hardwood slats, and ground-face concrete masonry units.
The proposed structure would feature rooftop photovoltaic solar panels, TPO roofing, and aluminum-framed screens, according to the elevation drawings dated Dec. 5. A painted steel canopy with aluminum lettering reading “Old Town Pool” would mark the main entrance on the south elevation.
The project sits on a roughly 10.3-acre lot at 1609 Cameron St., zoned RB. According to floor area calculations submitted with the application, the proposed new bathhouse would total 3,888 square feet.
The pool closed for emergency repairs last summer due to what the city called “critical filtration system issues,” according to a September announcement from the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities.
“We appreciate the community’s flexibility and patience throughout this summer as we managed and communicated the closures and maintenance repairs,” RPCA Director Hashim Taylor said in a city statement in September. “As the pool turned 50 this year, we are looking forward to a better future by initiating and completing major repairs and improvements, ensuring consistent service and operations for the community in the near future.”
Planning for a replacement began in 2012 with the city’s Aquatic Facilities Study, which recommended replacing the aging pool, according to the city’s project website. The city hired RRMM as the architectural and engineering consultant and Michael Baker International as the owner's advisor.
The city anticipates construction beginning in winter or spring 2027, with substantial completion targeted for summer 2028, according to the project timeline posted on the city website.
Because the pool is located within the Parker-Gray Historic District, the project requires review by the Board of Architectural Review. The Parker-Gray district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.
The project is funded through Alexandria’s Capital Improvement Program, according to city documents.
What to know
What: Board of Architectural Review Public Hearing — Old Town Pool Certificate of Appropriateness and Permit to Demolish (BAR #2025-00542)
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026
Where: 4850 Mark Center Drive, Room 1305, Alexandria
Public comment: Comments may be submitted in advance to Ted Alberon at ted.alberon@alexandriava.gov or made in person at the hearing.
Accessibility: For reasonable disability accommodation, contact Alicia Chase at Alicia.Chase@alexandriava.gov or 703-746-3831 (Virginia Relay 711). Free interpretation and translation services are available by emailing LanguageAccess@alexandriava.gov or calling 703-746-3960.
More information: Call the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-746-4666 or visit alexandriava.gov/dockets.
This is a preliminary docket and is subject to change.