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Drive through Old Town North and there seems to be a construction site or future construction site on every corner.
One of those sites is the former GenOn Power Plant at the end of North Royal Street along the Potomac River.
This weekend, Hilco is leading sold-out community tours of the power plant to almost 500 interested members of the public. They had to double the number of tours in response to public interest and plan to provide additional tours in September. Sign up for project updates on the project webpage here.
The power plant, which shut down in 2012 after over 60 years in operation, was purchased by Hilco at the end of 2020. Local environmental activists were instrumental in getting the power plant closed. Hilco is a redevelopment company that specializes in transforming old industrial sites for modern uses.
The power plant site, known as the Potomac River Generating Station, is 18.8 acres but only 11.8 of them are buildable due to a variety of setbacks and easements on the property. The utility company Pepco will also retain ownership and use of a substation located on the property.
Hilco proposes building a mixed-use development on the site to include residential, commercial, retail, life science and open space and an arts component, in keeping with the Old Town North Small Area Plan which city council approved in 2017.
Many commercial sites, like the GenOn plant, pose significant environmental challenges before they can be redeveloped safely. The plant will be the fifth coal-fired power plant that Hilco has acquired for redevelopment. Others are located in New Jersey, Boston and Chicago and can be viewed on the Hilco projects webpage.
Hilco submitted the site to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) in the beginning of 2021. After obtaining samples, Hilco anticipates presenting the environmental findings in a public meeting this fall.
A master plan for the site is expected to go before city council in late 2022 but specific building design will come in later phases. Hilco does not expect to break ground on the first building until mid-2023 at the earliest. Full development of the site could take 7-10 years depending on the market.
Public perks of the redevelopment include increased pedestrian, cyclist and vehicular access to the site by the extension of N. Fairfax, N. Royal and N. Pitt Streets onto the site. Improvements to the adjacent Mount Vernon Trail in coordination with the National Park Service and other abutting property owners are planned. Members of the public will also gain access to the waterfront for recreational use and to take in stunning views of DC from the property.
As a nod to the site’s former use, Hilco expects that certain industrial elements will be incorporated into the new design such as an abandoned coal car which still sits at the end of the railroad tracks that traverse the site.
Sounds from the nearby DCA airport are frequent and loud as airplanes cross overhead. Melissa Schrock, Senior Vice President of mixed-use development for Hilco is leading the redevelopment of the site. She confirmed that sound studies will be conducted as part of the redevelopment process, in particular for the residential buildings. She hopes that viewing the airplanes from such a close perspective will be seen as a benefit and adds to the charm of the site.
Schrock is excited for what the project will do for Alexandria. “We think it’s a really great opportunity to reintegrate this piece of land that’s been completely shut off from Old Town for decades and open it up to the public,” Schrock explained.
More information on plans for the former power plant as well as copies of past community meetings can be found on the project webpage here. View photos of the power plant below.
