Background:

The area between the Capital Beltway and the Norfolk Southern/CSX railroad tracks, west of Cameron Run Regional Park, is known as Eisenhower West, named for the Avenue that forms its centerpoint. Land uses in Eisenhower West are primarily industrial, including heavy industrial, light industrial, and flex/warehouse space. The area also includes three residential projects and a potential one million square feet of office space leased to Federal tenants. It has easy access to the Capital Beltway at the Eisenhower Connector Interchange and at Van Dorn Street. The Van Dorn Metro Station is also part of the area.

The Eisenhower Partnership, created in 1994, has long sought a master planning effort to determine the highest and best future use of the properties in Eisenhower West. Several property owners have sought master plan amendments and rezonings for new uses, but have been largely unsuccessful in recent years. The eastern part of the same corridor was the subject of an Eisenhower East Master Plan that resulted in the construction of the Patent and Trademark Office headquarters and several new office buildings, residential rental and condominium towers, restaurants, and retail shops.

In 2008, the Eisenhower Partnership retained the Urban Land Institute to conduct a Technical Assistance Panel on Eisenhower West. The Panel concluded that:

- Challenges include conflicting uses along the corridor, the disconnect between Eisenhower West and the Eisenhower East/Eisenhower Metro, low utilization of the Van Dorn Metro station, lack of amenities for office users, and down cycle in the residential market.
- Eisenhower West has long term potential to attract a mix of commercial and residential uses due to several location and site advantages.
- Patience would be necessary, and urged holding out for the highest and best use for the corridor rather than accepting less desirable projects that meet current demand.
- The greatest opportunities are to be found along the Clermont Avenue area.
- The area around the Van Dorn Metro would be slowest to redevelop due to the industrial uses located nearby - industrial uses that are necessary in every city; however, a mixed-use project could be developed at the Metro station itself, and new projects are likely on the Fairfax County side of the station.
- High quality development could be attracted beginning in 10 to 20 years.

ADAM Position:

ADAM endorses the findings of the Urban Land Institute Panel. We encourage development of a higher-density mixed-use project on the Van Dorn Metro Station site. We further encourage the City to work with its counterparts in Fairfax County to facilitate redevelopment projects around the Van Dorn Metro station, particularly projects that are in keeping with smart growth principles. We recommend that road linkages from the Van Dorn Metro station to Landmark Mall be improved, including better signalization along Van Dorn Street, widening of Van Dorn Street and the Beltway overpass at Van Dorn, landscaping, and reduction of visual blight. The new parallel roads suggested in the Landmark Van Dorn neighborhood plan are appropriate and to be encouraged. Additional mass transit should be available along Van Dorn Street to provide a variety of options.

In the Clermont Avenue area, connections to Duke Street are needed in order to encourage better development along Eisenhower Avenue - currently, the parcels are landlocked, and the residential and office tenants can only relate to Fairfax County, not to Alexandria. Assembly and redevelopment of warehouse parcels is to be encouraged. ADAM recommends rezoning the four corners of the Clermont/Eisenhower intersection to high-density (FAR 2.5 or above) mixed use, to encourage office, hotel, and apartment residential uses. Further, ADAM recommends linking the Victory Center site to the Clermont Interchange and the Van Dorn Metro Station through shuttle buses, pedestrian and bicycle pathways, improved landscaping, and consistent appearance of signage and materials.