The Station at Potomac Yard

What's New

Grand Opening for The Station at Potomac Yard
Join the City of Alexandria for the grand opening of The Station at Potomac Yard, 2801 Jefferson Davis Highway, on Saturday, October 17, at 8:30 a.m. Following the grand opening ceremony, tours of the fire station and housing will be available from 9:30 a.m. until noon. Information, including directions and parking, are available at www.housingalexandria.org. For more information, contact Christina Moore at 703.578.1835.

Learn more about the Alexandria Fire Department, and Fire Station 209!

Background

When national home builders Pulte and Centex joined forces in late 2004 as Potomac Yard Development, LLC (PYD) to acquire and redevelop a 167-acre tract along Route 1 in Alexandria, they hoped to design dense residential neighborhoods that would revitalize and transform the former regional rail center into a walkable urban village, and complement the future mixed-use development planned for other parts of the site (including office, retail, commercial and hotel space, and a town center). The City of Alexandria, with a great deal of community input, had spent nearly a decade articulating its vision for Potomac Yard, so developing plans that conformed to the City’s detailed preliminary concept seemed relatively straightforward. In fact, PYD hoped to create a residential design template that could be replicated, with minor revisions, throughout the Yard.

However, by the spring of 2006, when City staff was reviewing PYD’s initial submission (which included three- and four-story townhomes and urban loft structures), it became apparent that the desired layout and size of the proposed development, with its minimal building set-backs and narrow streets and alleys, would present challenges to the City’s emergency services delivery system. To preserve the City’s planned urban design concept, and to maintain its own phased development schedule, PYD offered a creative solution to improve response time for the large emergency vehicles that might need to navigate the Yard: PYD would provide a parcel of land adjacent to the first neighborhood, as well as $6.6 million, to construct Alexandria’s first new fire station facility in more than 30 years. City staff and PYD’s project team collaborated together to design an innovative mixed-use structure that would combine first floor municipal use, a small retail element, and a four-story residential component above the first floor that contained 44 long-term affordable rental units and 20 apartments with rents affordable to City workers, including first responders and teachers. The City designated Alexandria Housing Development Corporation (AHDC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit housing development entity, to develop, finance, own and operate the residential and retail components of the project.

Throughout the summer and early fall of 2006, the “Potomac Yard Fire Station-Affordable Housing” project concept was extensively vetted with the public at community meetings and after more than a dozen outreach and information sessions, the project was unanimously endorsed by a mayor-appointed citizen task force. At the City’s option, a fourth bay was added to the fire station to accommodate an expanded stock of emergency and HAZMAT equipment gained by the City after 9/11 and in anticipation of future Fire and EMS departmental needs. The City agreed to supplement funding for the fourth bay and for added costs associated with the fire facility achieving LEED certification. (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design/LEED Green Building Rating system is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings). The project was approved by both Alexandria’s Planning Commission and City Council in February, 2007. View a complete history of the planning process to learn all the details about how this unique project was developed and approved.

The productive public-private-nonprofit collaboration among the City of Alexandria, PYD, and AHDC, forged through creation of The Station at Potomac Yard project, has achieved extraordinary results that benefit the whole community by enhancing public safety, meeting critical needs for new infrastructure and affordable housing, and by providing an excellent example of Smart Growth. In maximizing the use of donated land, incorporating green building design and principles in all components of the building, and in combining uses, including affordable housing close to shopping, amenities, and public transportation, The Station is an outstanding model of sustainable design, construction and livability that the City hopes to replicate again, possibly through other public-private collaborations.

Awards

Fire Chief magazine Selects the City of Alexandria's Fire Station #209 for Bronze Award Recognizing Achievement in Fire Station Design in October 2009
The U. S. Conference of Mayors Recognizes “The Station at Potomac Yard” with an Award of Excellence for Public/Private Partnerships in January 2008
The National Capital Area Chapter of the American Planning Association Awards The Station at Potomac Yard as Outstanding Project in 2007

Project Partners

Development

Potomac Yard Development, LLC (PYD): PYD represents national home builders Pulte and Centex, who joined forces in 2004 to acquire and redevelop a 167-acre tract along Route 1 in Alexandria, which includes The Station at Potomac Yard. PYD provided $6.6 million to help finance the fire station portion of the project and an additional $7.5 million for the residential component.
Alexandria Housing Development Corporation (AHDC): AHDC is a nonprofit housing entity designated by the City to develop, finance, own, operate and manage the residential portion of The Station at Potomac Yard and to maintain it as long term affordable rental housing.
Housing Opportunities & Concepts: Housing Opportunities & Concepts served as a development consultant to AHDC.

Financing

Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA): VHDA awarded a reservation of low income housing tax creits of nearly $10 million, and below-market mixed-use, mixed-income loans of $8.35 million to finance the development and construction of The Station at Potomac Yard.
RBC Capital Markets: RBC Capital Markets is the low income housing tax credit investor for the project.
Virginia Commerce Bank (VCB): VCB provided a letter of credit to facilitate financing of The Station at Potomac Yard.

Design & Construction

LeMay Erickson Willcox Architects: LeMay Erickson Willcox Architects designed the interior spaces of The Station at Potomac Yard in collaboration with Rust Orling Architects. They incorporated sustainable design features in the LEED certified fire station facility and in the residential facility, which was built to EarthCraft House standards.
Rust Orling Architecture: Rust Orling designed the exterior of The Station at Potomac Yard. They incorporated design elements that link the iconic building's design to the area’s historic past.
Whiting Turner Contracting Company: Whiting Turner Contracting Company provide construction and project management of The Station at Potomac Yard.

Professional Services

BocarslyEmden: Bocarsly Emden provided tax credit and transactional counsel for the project.
Christopher Consultants: Christopher Consultants provided civil engineering services for the Station at Potomac Yard.
Equity Management: Equity Management provides professional property management services for AHDC at The Station at Potomac Yard and will manage the newly formed condominimum owners' association.
JNVP Small Business Solutions, Inc.: JNVP Small Business Solutions, Inc. provided professional accounting and payroll services for the project.
MercerTrigiani: MercerTrigiani provided condominium and transactional counsel for the project.
Reznick Group: Reznick Group provided professional accounting services for the project.