Meeting Details New Landmark Mall Redevelopment Plan

ALEXANDRIA, VA — After officials announced plans to advance a revised redevelopment proposal for Alexandria's Landmark Mall, a virtual meeting on Monday provided more insight into the plans.

The proposed development would turn the vacant West End mall into a mixed-use walkable area anchored by a relocated and expanded Inova Alexandria Hospital. As Inova plans to relocate the hospital from Seminary Road, it will also request rezoning of that location allow a variety of residential uses in order to facilitate the sale of the property before relocation to the Landmark site.

Monday's virtual meeting was held as Inova and developers plan to submit applications for city review, public hearings and approvals in the months to come for both the Landmark Mall and current hospital site at Seminary Road. Representatives from Foulger-Pratt, Inova and City of Alexandria were on hand Monday to discuss the development plans and answer questions from the public.

"I know there might be some skepticism out there as to yet another announcement that Landmark is moving forward, but I think this time is different," said Cameron Pratt, CEO of Foulger-Pratt, a real estate developer joining Howard Hughes Corporation and Seritage Growth in the joint venture.

This time around, Pratt believes Inova's decision to relocate Inova Alexandria Hospital and anchor the development makes this time different, as well as Foulger-Pratt providing a fresh look at the project design and city government providing continued support.

Centering the development around the hospital is a reality of the current real estate landscape. Pratt noted that the retail landscape has been changing and was further accelerated by the pandemic. He said the possibility of retailers coming in and signing new leases is an "uphill battle right now."

"Inova coming to the project provided an incredibly important anchor to the project that filled the void that retail left behind through this changing retail environment," said Pratt. "So what Inova brings to the project in terms of jobs and economic vitality and commitment and demand can't be understated."

Brigg Bunker, managing partner and chief operating officer of Foulger-Pratt outlined the plans for the 4 million-square-foot development on the 52-acre parcel of land. About 1 million square feet will be dedicated to Inova's hospital, while the remainder will be a mix of housing, retail, commercial, community, and entertainment offerings. There could be up to 2,500 housing units with affordable housing, senior housing, for-sale townhouses and market-rate rentals.

The development would have an interconnected walkable framework with a central plaza and pocket parks. There would also be space for a relocated Alexandria fire-EMS station.
Under the plan, the entire mall will be demolished and removed but the large parking facility bordering Interstate 395 would remain in place. There would be five intersections for access to the development, bike lanes on portions of streets in the development area, and a transit hub serving Bus Rapid Transit, DASH Bus and Metrobus.

Bunker acknowledged that traffic was a concern for many people, and that it was working with consultants, Inova and others to minimize traffic impacts.

The team has submitted coordinated development district plans and anticipate getting through that process in June, according to Bunker. Development special use permits would then be processed for infrastructure and individual blocks, followed by final site plans and construction permits.

As for a relocated Inova Alexandria Hospital, the site would host an integrated hospital campus with three buildings. Dr. Rina Bansal, president of Inova Alexandria Hospital, said the 230-bed hospital will have all private rooms, a larger emergency room and level-two trauma center, as well as advanced services in OB, heart and vascular, and neurosciences. The trauma center will allow Inova to care for patients with complex brain injuries without transferring them outside the area, Bansal said.

The other two buildings are a Schar Cancer Institute with radiation and infusion facilities and a medical office building for 50 specialist physicians with inpatient and outpatient care.

"By having all three facilities: an acute tertiary care hospital a comprehensive cancer center and a medical office building all in one location we will truly be able to meet the needs of the residents of Alexandria from an outpatient perspective as well as an inpatient perspective," said Bansal.

Dr. J. Stephen Jones, president and CEO of Inova Health System, explained that the goal of replacing Inova Alexandria Hospital was a greater opportunity to address the needs of communities in Inova's eastern region. A new non-hospital outpatient facility as an anchor for the Oakville Triangle redevelopment is going through public approval processes. Inova is also exploring how Inova Mount Vernon Hospital can thrive in the long term and announced intent to create a Franconia-Springfield hospital.

Jones said no one knows exactly what the health care needs will be decades from now, but the new hospital provides some flexibility.

"These new facilities including the one we're proposing here will be built in with flexibility so that regardless of whether there's more or less surgical care or more or less intensive care that we'll be able to meet the needs well into the decades into the future," said Jones.

On the city government side, City Manager Mark Jinks will make proposals to City Council for investments in the redevelopment project. That will include $76 million in site preparations and infrastructure investments for roads, sewers, park and more, as well as $54 million for purchasing 10 acres and parking and leasing it to Inova. This would be bond financed and repaid over 20 to 30 years.

This approach of Tax Increment Financing means the city would repay over the 30-year period using new tax revenues generated by the project. Jinks estimated the development will generate $778 million in new tax revenues over a 30-year term, funding around $156 million for the Tax Increment Financing bond repayment. The project is not proposed to take from the general fund or take away from other projects in the Capital Improvement Program. The Potomac Yard Metro project is also largely funded with Tax Increment Financing.

A similar virtual meeting focused on the Seminary Road rezoning meeting will happen on Jan. 6 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. See the full Jan. 4 meeting recap on the City of Alexandria's Facebook page.