Construction will be starting by the end of August on a large affordable housing project in the Arlandria neighborhood.
Sansé and Naja, two buildings that will rise at the intersection of Mount Vernon Avenue and West Glebe Road, will be completed in 2026.
Housing Alexandria will develop 474 units of affordable housing above 36,000 sq. ft. of commercial space and an underground parking garage for 379 cars.
The following images show the massing of the building from West Glebe Road and from Mount Vernon Avenue, presented during an online information session Monday evening. The site will include publicly accessible parks and green spaces.
Construction will start with demolishing the buildings that are on the site now, including a former grocery store. Several utilities will need to be installed, including new, larger storm sewers. “The flooding that occurs in this area should be much improved,” said Stephen Karcha of Advanced Project Management, a Housing Alexandria partner, during the Monday night online presentation.
By the end of 2024, above-ground construction will start. Construction on the entire project should be completed by the end of 2026.
Housing Alexandria and its partners are making efforts to be considerate of the residences, businesses and schools in the area. Instead of pile driving, much quieter auger drilling will be used for foundation work. One sidewalk in the area will always be open and bus stops will not close. There will be no work on Sundays or during overnight hours.
Construction worker parking is a frequent concern with large projects such as this, and the companies involved are seeking off-site parking to rent for workers.
The projects are designed to be affordable for households making up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), which is currently just over $90,000 for a family of four people. Housing Alexandria says 105 units will be deeply affordable at 40% of AMI.
