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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Asbestos found in parts of City Hall that crews had not expected to contain it has pushed the building's renovation back 10 weeks, the city said Tuesday. The project is now expected to finish in fall 2028.
The material turned up in the 1960s south façade and in the east and west interior courtyards during environmental abatement work, extending that phase and the overall schedule.
Older buildings, including the 1960s addition to City Hall, often contain asbestos and other materials that were standard at the time but require specialized handling now, the city said. It said the contractor followed containment and removal protocols throughout.
The city said all hazardous materials in the area to be demolished have been removed, and that the work starting this month involves ordinary construction debris.
What happens next
Deconstruction of the 1960s infill section begins in September. That is the addition built onto the historic 1871 City Hall, and taking it down clears the way for new construction while the 1871 building is preserved and restored.
Residents and visitors can expect a high-reach demolition excavator working on the plaza, taking the building down in sections; more truck traffic along the approved haul route; additional noise during permitted construction hours; and continued fencing and pedestrian detours around 301 King St.
What has happened so far
Grunley Construction Company mobilized in late February. Since then the work has been largely out of sight: environmental abatement, preparing non-structural parts of the 1960s section for removal, and installing a temporary pile system to stabilize the perimeter of the underground Market Square garage before it is taken apart. That pile work continues into early fall.
City Hall closed to the public in January, and departments moved to 421 King St., 100 N. Pitt St., 2331 Mill Road and 4850 Mark Center Drive. In-person finance services, including tax payments, are at the Mark Center location.
The project is budgeted at $123.6 million in the city's 2025-2034 Capital Improvement Program, with an $85 million construction contract awarded to Grunley. It is Alexandria's first project under a project labor agreement, signed in September 2025 with the Baltimore-DC Metro Building and Construction Trades Council. The city has not said whether the additional abatement work affects the budget.
The project covers the 118,000-square-foot City Hall building, including exterior work on the 1871 structure, interior renovation, demolition of the 1960s section and new infill construction. Market Square Plaza and the two-level underground garage, about 90,000 square feet, are being demolished and rebuilt. LEO A DALY leads the City Hall design, with Alexandria firms Rust Orling Architecture and LandDesign on Market Square. Grunley is construction manager.
The Farmers Market has continued during construction at Tavern Square and on Royal Street between King and Cameron streets. The Market Square garage is closed. Residents who voted at City Hall now vote at Lyles Crouch School.
A construction webcam that updates every 10 minutes, along with timelapse footage and project FAQs, is on the project page at alexandriava.gov/CityHall.
Ryan Belmore is an Alexandria resident and the founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief. Send tips, feedback, and story ideas to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
