Hotel – 114 S. Washington Street and 699 Prince Street

On Tuesday, October 2, 2018, the Alexandria Planning Commission recommended approval of a development special use permit (and related approvals) to construct a new hotel at 114 South Washington Street and renovate the existing building at 699 Prince Street to serve once again as a hotel. If approved by City Council, the two buildings, when complete, will operate as a single hotel.

Hotel project at Prince and South Washington Streets (courtesy City of Alexandria staff report)

Detail of new building proposed at 114 South Washington Street (courtesy City of Alexandria staff report)

Alley dining between the two hotel buildings (courtesy City of Alexandria staff report)

The project site plan, including Phase I renovations to the existing 699 Prince Street and Phase II construction of a new hotel buildng at 114 South Washington Street (courtesy City of Alexandria staff report)

The proposal represents the return of 699 Prince Street to its original use. The building was constructed in 1926 to house the George Mason Hotel, one of the city’s largest. Over the past few decades it has served as the home of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which is moving to office space in the Carlyle section of Alexandria.

The 114 South Washington Street structure, which will be developed as a second phase of the project, will replace an existing parking garage that will be demolished. Hotel parking will be offered via a valet service that will lease space in a nearby parking garage. This innovative arrangement reduces the cost of development, making this creative project financially feasible.

Features of note include two ground floor restaurants, one on Washington Street and another along Prince, outdoor dining along an alleyway between the two buildings, and the city’s first rooftop restaurant and bar. Given the building’s height and location near a busy intersection away from residential zones, staff (and the Planning Commission) were comfortable recommending an active rooftop use. Staff also proposed more permissive conditions for hours of operation, outdoor amplified sound, and outdoor games. The conditions were similar to the final conditions approved by City Council in September for Augie’s Mussel House and Charlie’s on the Avenue.

City Council will consider the proposal at its October 13, 2018 public hearing.

Postscript

Council approved the Planning Commission recommendation on October 13.