Real Estate & Property Law

Alexandria Waterfront Plans

By Alan Ackerman

The City of Alexandria has considered numerous incarnations for its new Potomac shoreline. The waterfront is the entryway for the City and could be a great draw for visitors. The City needs to move forward and treat property owners fairly if they must resort to eminent domain to complete this vision of a new waterfront.

Alexandria Times
 

'The waterfront is special and not only is it our hometown and of national significance, it is also our front door,' said Karl Moritz, deputy director of the city's planning and zoning department. 'It's where we take our out-of-town friends when they visit, but it's also where we walk.'

City officials estimate the improvements, which include building public piers, flood mitigation and chess and game tables for Waterfront Park among others, will cost between $32 million and $42 million. A hotel is also on the city's wish list. Tax revenue generated from redevelopment — an estimation they have not released — is not the primary focus, officials said. The claim drew chuckles from an audience of several hundred residents gathered at the United Way of America building in Old Town.

Among the issues residents expressed skepticism about during the meeting's break-out sessions were costs, quality of life, overdevelopment, traffic and the much-needed agreement with the Old Dominion Boat Club. Under the current plan, the city would trade land with the waterfront club to move their current parking lot and replace it with a public plaza slightly smaller than Market Square.

As of yet, the club hasn't agreed to the trade, according to Assistant City Manager Mark Jinks. He wouldn't rule out using eminent domain to settle the issue, but indicated it was a last-resort option.

 

Full post as published by National Eminent Domain Blog on January 15, 2011 (boomark / email).