Details Emerge for Potential Braddock Road Development
Plan will be presented to Planning Commission
A proposed development for the 400 block of E. Braddock Road appears to be on the fast track. Two weeks after the City of Alexandria opened a parcel of its land for potential sale to a developer, the concept will be presented Tuesday at a Planning Commission meeting.
The plan includes a two-story, mixed-use structure, a new 7-Eleven and a circular plaza.
The City Council declared a small parcel of municipal land on the block a surplus last week, opening the way to potentially sell the parcel to developer Yates Holding LLC.
Yates Holding, which is affiliated with Yates Automotive Service, owns one portion of the 400 block of E. Braddock Road. The Southland Corporation, owners of 7-Eleven, has another part. The two groups have reached an agreement to combine the properties for the development.
The concept plan describes a mixed-use development for commercial use “consisting of a free-standing 3,000 square-foot 7-Eleven building on the east end of the site; an 18,000 square-foot two-story retail/office/auto service building on the west part of the site; and a two-level parking structure (one level below grade) behind the buildings with a small surface parking lot between the two buildings.”
Yates Automotive currently uses part of the block for vehicle storage. Under the proposal, Yates will still store vehicles in the rear of the new two-story building.
Along with the two new structures, a “circular-shaped pedestrian plaza” with landscaping is proposed for the corner of Braddock Road and Mt. Vernon Avenue.
According to the city memo, the concept was presented to the Rosemont Citizens Association and received a positive response. The developers have reached out to the Del Ray Citizens Association and will be giving a presentation in April.
“We feel it is a very legitimate project that has many positive attributes,” said Gwen Wright of the city’s Planning Department at the March 22 City Council meeting.
Tuesday's presentation will not include a public hearing before the Planning Commision
Bea Porter
1:01 pm on Monday, April 4, 2011
The plan sounds nice, but how long will it actually take to tear down and rebuild?
Drew Hansen
1:06 pm on Monday, April 4, 2011
Thanks for the comment, Bea. Hopefully the answer to that question will come forward soon. Yates still must purchase the property at 401 E. Braddock. Then the project will probably have to go through the special use permit process with the city. It does seem as though the city wants to move swiftly on this. Construction, however, takes time.