Overview:
The Potomac Yard landblock holds the greatest potential for smart growth in the City of Alexandria. Recent city efforts resulted in plans for a town center-type development in Potomac Yard just south of the shopping center. Spurred on largely with the support of ADAM, the City is also analyzing the costs and benefits of an infill Metro station for Potomac Yard, connected to future development by pedestrian bridges. ADAM fully supports the progress being made with regard to these issues.
Connectivity:
The transition from Arlington to Alexandria on Route 1 is always marked by a significant increase in congestion on the Alexandria side. Future plans for the site should be designed to facilitate ease of access by vehicle, pedestrian, and various modes of transit. Density should be directly proportionate to site accessibility (i.e. higher density development should have access to more modes of transportation).
ADAM encourages the City to integrate adequate parking into any future development planned for the Potomac Yard site, ensuring that the land use is apportioned as productively as possible, and eschewing large open parking areas wherever possible. The City's economic and environmental interests are best served by integrating parking into new construction where it is feasible.
A dedicated Potomac Yard Metro Station would significantly increase site accessibility, reduce vehicle traffic, enable the site to support vastly increased residential and commercial density, and reduce the need for parking. ADAM encourages the City to invest in a Metro station as early in the Potomac Yard planning process as possible, ensuring that it is located to maximize the area in the .25 and .5 mile radius around the station. Current analysis indicates a northern location would be preferable, ideally situated such that it can be built offline to minimize construction time and disruption to residents and merchants.
Mixed Use Development/Urban Form:
While the City's responsibilities to the citizens in the surrounding communities cannot be compromised, the City's economic interests are best served by incentivizing hotel and commercial development wherever possible. Density should be planned to the maximum capacity of the various modes of site accessibility to maximize City revenue while minimizing associated costs.
The City has a great opportunity to create a large urban walkable space which can serve as a hub for various modes of transportation: Metro, streetcar, bicycle, pedestrian, bus and automobile. However, the designers of Potomac Yard have an obligation to make it unique. We cannot copy the buildings in Clarendon, Reston, or Carlyle. We must concentrate on place-making.
Conclusions:
The greatest factor in determining whether Potomac Yard will be a success is the new Metro system. Alexandria has an opportunity to make a new urban center without adding traffic to Route 1. In fact, a new Metro station can take cars off the road and decrease congestion on Alexandria's streets.
ADAM supports a new aerial Metro station at Potomac Yard in the middle of Landbay F. This alternative, D2, would maximize the developable area within the quarter-mile radius of the station. It is only 40% more expensive than building a station at the site currently reserved and provides a particular advantage: no disruption to regular Metro service as it will be built offline.