I have pushed for a museum at this site, and many people have said there is no way a museum would be interested in locating on the Alexandria Waterfront. Here is a Major museum interested in the site. Or maybe they are interested in the Gen On site? Who knows. It would be nice to have more transparency on this news, but I think this proves that a museum on the Alexandria Waterfront is an idea we should consider. I would prefer one focused on Alesandria's History and the Ecology of the Potomac River, but I love the Corcoran and perhaps the Corcoran school of Art would come too. That could be a real boost.

Unfortunately the head of the Corcoran denied that they are interested in our waterfront. But, for once I agree with Boyd in part. The Old Town waterfront does not have a large enough space for the Corcoran and its school. But the Gen On site would be a very good fit, similar to the retrofit done to a power plant by the Tate Modern in London.

Dreaming of a Pompidou Center on the Potomac, or the Calatrava Museum in Milwaukee on Lake Michigan.

The Corcoran is going to look at multiple sites around the region. We have to assume they will do a thorough study and evaluation of their options. That is the reasonable thing to do. Our waterfront should be and can be one of those options. But it will be a hard competition. The Council specifically contemplated this kind of use when we included museums in the waterfront plan as a permitted use. Of course, we need the zoning change finalized to make that happen. This kind of opportunity is also why the Council reduced the number and size of allowed hotels so that we could work on other exciting opportunities like a museum. Contrary to the repeated comments from some, we made a lot of changes to the plan to reflect community comments. Adding in a museum use to the plan was a part of that. That said, the Corcoran needs a big space and will need the density called for in the Watefront plan. If Alexandria wants to compete for this kind of gem, we have to get the zoning done. The Corcoran isn't going to come to Alexandria hoping that the zoning they need gets done. They are going to want a reasonable certainty that they are welcome first. It is too big a risk to them to take the chance that the zoning will meet their needs.

If I remember correctly, the Waterfront plan only calls for Museum space of 5000 Sq. Ft. which would not be nearly enough for the Corcoran. The Torpedo Factory has about 70,000 Sq. ft. of space. Museums are not restricted under the current zoning, and since we have no idea what there actual needs are I think it is a little to soon to presume that they are interested in a particular site. If the zoning does pass, I doubt there would be any incentive for a major museum like the Corcoran to move to the Waterfront as it was not the preffered option in the plan. Also, the GenOn site is currently zoned industrial, and was not included the in the Waterfront plan, so we already know that will be a seperate process. This is exactly the kind of alternaitve we would of liked to see explored to begin with, and a zoning change is not necessary for a Museum. If the zoning challenge that the city is litigating now is dropped each site would have to come forward with a plan, which I believe would give us more flexibiity and more opportunity to explore different options. Sayhing that the zoning must be passed so we can have a museum does not add up.

The Corcoran would not consider storing artwork in the flood plain of the Potomac River. An ideal site for the museum would be near a metro, have a lot of parking space and be in a museum hub. However, it would be desirable to have the museum in Alexandria if a suitable site could be provided.

So this must be the "New York" museum Sean Holihan was talking about last night at the debate. He really is not a long time resident of Alexandria is he? And yet he is running for City Council?

Corcoran GROUP is in NYC. Corcoran MUSEUM is in DC. If we got both, we'd be golden.

Welcome to Old Town -- the opponents of the Waterfront Plan wanted a museum now at the mere speculation of one -- they are against it. Here we go again. Theses people are against anything and everything...this proves it.