West End Alexandria Update 12/23/20

Development Team Announces Plans for 4M SF Mixed-Use Project at Landmark

A joint venture that includes Foulger-Pratt, The Howard Hughes Corporation, and Seritage Growth Properties has announced an initial agreement with the City of Alexandria and Inova Health System to advance the development of the much-anticipated four million-square-foot community to include a new hospital campus at the site of the former Landmark Mall.

The proposed development would revitalize the West End of Alexandria by transforming the unoccupied, enclosed mall site into a mixed-use, walkable urban village. Inova, the leading nonprofit health care provider in Northern Virginia, would invest $1 billion to create a new medical campus, anchored by the relocation and expansion of its Alexandria Hospital and more than 2,000 health care workers. Development plans on the balance of the site include residential, retail, commercial, and entertainment offerings integrated into a cohesive neighborhood with a central plaza, a network of parks and public spaces, and a transit hub serving bus rapid transit (BRT), DASH, and Metrobus. Affordable and workforce housing would be enhanced through developer contributions and co-location with community facilities such as a new Alexandria Fire-EMS station. Construction at Landmark could begin as soon as 2023, with the first buildings delivered in 2025.

“This plan for the future of the Landmark site is exciting, long-awaited news for our community,” said Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson. “The project would be a catalyst for the West End, providing significant benefits for Alexandria and the region at a time when focus on our long-term future is critical. Inova Alexandria Hospital has been an anchor in our city for generations, and a new, modern hospital facility at Landmark would be the perfect site for the world-class care that is synonymous with Inova. This redevelopment would bolster our economy, providing mixed-income housing, new municipal facilities and services, and new open space in support of the health, wellness and quality of life of our entire community.”

The 52-acre Landmark site is one of the most desirable large-scale underdeveloped sites remaining within the Capital Beltway. The site is adjacent to I-395 in Alexandria’s West End, with close proximity and convenient access to Washington, National Landing, and Old Town Alexandria. The site was under consideration for development by its owners for years, and the City has maintained an unwavering, shared vision and commitment to its revitalization. This support from the City—along with Inova’s intent to relocate and expand the services of the existing Inova Alexandria Hospital and the formation of the Foulger-Pratt, Howard Hughes and Seritage partnership—provided the critical drive for the advancement of the project.

“Foulger-Pratt is thrilled to play a role in bringing this long-anticipated project to fruition,” said Cameron Pratt, CEO of Foulger-Pratt. “The trust and productive working relationship among our joint venture, the City of Alexandria, and Inova has allowed us to reach this critical milestone. We appreciate the confidence placed in Foulger-Pratt to execute this transformative project.”

“The City of Alexandria continues to be a great partner in our mission to provide world-class health care to the communities we have the privilege to serve,” said J. Stephen Jones, MD, FACS, President and CEO of Inova. “We are thrilled for the potential to build a new hospital and medical campus, one that would allow us to expand our seamless system of care, increase our services, and elevate the facilities in Alexandria and throughout the region for decades to come.”

For more than a year, Inova has been developing a plan to meet the health care needs of those who live in its Eastern Region (Alexandria, Mount Vernon, and Springfield), including options for the modernization of Inova Alexandria Hospital. As the new location for Inova Alexandria Hospital, the Landmark site would allow for comprehensive, patient-centered programs and services that include a larger emergency room; private patient rooms; and the Inova Schar Cancer Institute at Alexandria Hospital, which would offer full cancer services, including radiation and infusion. The hospital would be one of only three Level II trauma centers in Northern Virginia, seven statewide, and 270 nationwide, providing 24-hour specialty services for brain injuries, complex fractures, and other trauma care. The addition of a medical office building would allow an estimated 50 specialty physicians to see patients on the same campus as the new hospital.

As part of this collaboration, Inova intends to work with the community to request that the City rezone the current Inova Alexandria Hospital site on Seminary Road to permit a variety of residential uses, to facilitate the sale of the property in advance of the relocation to the Landmark site. The new facilities at Landmark join the broader plan for Inova’s Eastern Region, which includes the previously announced construction of an ambulatory facility that will become an integral part of Alexandria’s Oakville Triangle / Potomac Yard community.

“Building catalytic developments that redefine communities requires true partnerships that successfully harness the critical drivers and get the job done,” said David R. O’Reilly, CEO of The Howard Hughes Corporation. “The City of Alexandria, Inova, and our development partners are coming together to transform the former Landmark Mall and revitalize a significant site at a critical time, both for the project and the entire community.”

“Seritage is excited to advance this strategic joint venture and to build upon our collective momentum as we execute this transformational project. We look forward to our partnership with the City of Alexandria, Inova and the broader community as we bring this mixed-use environment to life.” said James Bry, Executive Vice President of Development & Construction of Seritage Growth Properties.

The proposal includes the use of $54 million in public bond financing to allow the City to acquire the land for the hospital and lease it to Inova, as well as $76 million in public bond financing for site preparation and infrastructure at the Landmark site and adjacent Duke Street and Van Dorn Street corridors. These investments are expected to generate $778 million in City tax revenue over the 30-year life of the bonds, which will cover the principal and interest on the bonds as well as contribute to public safety, schools, human services, transportation, environmental protection, and other expenditures in the City’s general fund.

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