Click to enlarge Old Town North Art Corridor Design by Greg Gersch

City Council Adopts Old Town North Small Area Plan

On June 24, 2017 City Council approved the Planning Commission’s recommendation to adopt the Old Town North Small Area Plan and the associated Old Town North Urban Design Standards and Guidelines, which will amend the current 1992 Old Town North Small Area Plan Chapter of the Alexandria Master Plan. The adoption comes after a nearly two-year planning and community engagement process which included public meetings, open houses and design charrettes facilitated by the 21-member Old Town North SAP Advisory Group.

The Plan provides recommendations to achieve placemaking and economic development by promoting a balanced mix of uses with office retention, attraction of retail, arts and cultural uses, and creation of affordable housing options across all income levels. In addition, the Plan envisions the redevelopment of the former power plant site as a mixed-use/innovation district with pedestrian scale blocks and public open space to enhance access and views to the Potomac River. The Plan builds on the City’s commitment to create sustainable and livable communities by establishing strategies to address the combined sewer system, prioritizing green building, enhancing public open spaces, increasing the tree canopy coverage and creating a built environment that promotes safety and walkability.

• Old Town North Small Area Plan (2017)
• Old Town North Urban Design Standards and Guidelines (2017)

Related Studies

•  Old Town North Transportation Study (June 2017)
  • Old Town North Transportation Study Appendix (June 2017)
• Old Town North Toolbox for Blank Walls, Podium Buildings and Surface Parking Lots (April 28, 2017)
• Old Town North Historic Interpretation Guide (Revised March 22, 2017)
  
• Old Town North Eco-District Study (January 2017)
• Old Town North Parking Study (October 2016)
• Old Town North Small Area Plan Update Project Brief, Final (December 22, 2015)
  

Old Town North SAP Advisory Group and Meeting Materials 

On September 21, 2015, the City Manager appointed the Chair and members of the Old Town North Small Area Plan Advisory Group. The composition of the Advisory Group was previously established on June 23, 2015 under  City Council Resolution 2682.  The Advisory Group is working with a City Project Team, led by the Planning and Zoning Department and community to develop an Old Town North Small Area Plan Update. All meetings and events associated with this planning process are open to the public and agendas include a public comment period.

• Old Town North SAP Advisory Group Information & Meeting Materials

Reference Documents and Information

• Second Street Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project
  
• Old Town North Definition of Terms (May 24, 2017)
• Old Town North Self-Guided Tours   
  • Old Town North Self-Guided Neighborhood Tour and Map - General points of interest within the neighborhood
  • Old Town North Self-Guided Historical Tour and Map - Historical sites of interest within the neighborhood
• Old Town North Small Area Plan Boundary Map
  
• Old Town North Small Area Plan Update - Work Program Schedule  (Feb 2017)
• Old Town North Small Area Plan Update - Framework for Civic Engagement
  
• 1992 Old Town North Small Area Plan
• Articles relevant to Old Town North: 
  • October 11, 2017, Northern Virginia Magazine, New Directions for Alexandria's Old Town North
  • August 5, 2016, The Washington Post -  Old Town North is featured in the Where We Live section
  • July 29, 2016, Business Journal –  Robinson Terminal North Project on Hold

Old Town North Small Area Plan Community Charrettes 

• November 2015 and June 2016 Old Town North Charrette Report
• November 2015
  The Old Town North Small Area Plan Update Charrette (November 16-20, 2015) was an intense week-long visioning process to kick-off the Old Town North Small Area Plan Update. The Charrette was held at Canal Center in space donated by the American Real Estate Partners.  To view materials and comments from the Charrette, as well as the Charrette schedule, please use the links below. Also, for more information about how to continue to participate in the Old Town North Small Area Plan Update planning process please see the section below entitled Opportunities to Comment on the Old Town North Update. 
  • Photos documenting the Charrette process
  • Materials produced during Charrette Public Meetings
  • Comments received during Charrette week
  • Written Community Comments (images)
• June 2016
  The City of Alexandria and the Old Town North Small Area Plan Advisory Group held a 2.5 day Mini-Charrette on June 23-25 to develop a preliminary draft illustrative design and related draft policy narratives for the Old Town North Small Area Plan Update. This effort follows: (1) the November 2015  five-day OTN Charrette that produced a draft Plan Framework with a vision, goals, ideas and concepts for the OTN SAP Update, and (2) five months of Advisory Group and subcommittee work studying and testing the ideas and concepts which were part of the Plan Framework. 
  • Meeting videos, presentations and background information for the mini-charrette can be found on this page.
    
  • Images documenting the mini-charrette process:
    • June 23rd
    • June 24th
    • June 25th

Questions? 

Contact Heba ElGawish, Urban Planner, 703.746.3851.