The first phase of the development of Upland Park on Seminary Road received the green light from the city council on Saturday.
Alexandria Development Associates will construct 92 townhouses and a 0.5 acre park at 5165 Seminary Road west of North Beauregard Street. Future phases of development could include an apartment building, retail, hotel, and more open space, including an additional 0.35 acre park.
After a series of meetings with the Beauregard Design Advisory Committee and city officials, the final design of the townhouses was refined to better complement the surrounding neighborhood.
According to a report by the city’s staff: “The facades of the townhouse have a simple architectural expression that is contemporary while still using traditional living materials and patterns. The roofline has a tiered fourth floor that offers forward facing roof terraces. Window arrangements are stacked vertically for a traditional look. “The townhouses will have a two-car garage and 67 parking spaces will be created on the street around the townhouses.
The report discusses the school impact of the new townhouses and estimates that 19 additional students will be added to the area designated for John Adams Elementary and Francis C. Hammond Middle School.
The development is expected to bring the following benefits to the city:
- Contribution to the Beauregard Implementation Fund ($ 3.2 million)
- Construction of a new city park according to the Beauregard Small Area Plan;
- Transportation improvements, including a signposted intersection on Seminary Road and Fairbanks Avenue;
- Pedestrian and street image improvements as per the Beauregard Small Area Plan, including a shared cycle / pedestrian path along Seminary Road; and,
- Compliant with the city’s 2019 Green Building Policy and Public Art Policy (approximately $ 57,281 USD).
The townhouses are estimated to sell for $ 600,000 to $ 800,000 based on comparable property values in the area. The lack of affordable home ownership opportunities in development and in the greater West End was a concern of Councilors Canek Aguirre and John Chapman.
“My frustration was that we couldn’t get affordable home ownership in the West End. It was all rent, rent, rent, rent,” complained Aguirre. “The affordability of home ownership in the city is very, very difficult. There are many people in the West End in rental units who would love the opportunity to purchase, but there is simply nothing within their reach. I know that 600,000 and more are completely excluded for me. There is no way I can afford that, ”he continued.
However, the city is working with Alexandria Housing Development Corporation to build a community of affordable housing on Seminary Road that residents who earn 80 percent of the median income in the area can purchase.
A portion of the developer’s contribution to the Beauregard Implementation Fund could be used to create cheaper rental units in Phase 2 of the project. The money cannot be used to create affordable home ownership units as the Beauregard Small Area Plan is currently focused on maintaining and developing affordable rental units.
Chapman suggested looking at federal and state funds that might be available to help solve the problem.
In response to concerns, Housing Director Helen McIlvaine reiterated her department’s commitment to addressing the affordable housing shortage. “There is no project that emerges unless we try to figure out that there is no way to achieve affordable housing, whether it is rent or ownership, within the resources we deem appropriate and keep efficient, and we are looking very closely at the options for home ownership, obviously on Seminarstrasse and in a few other places. “