The City of Alexandria is considering buying 4850 Mark Center Drive — the building behind what's known as "the Mark Center building" that towers over the intersection of I-395 and Seminary Road in the West End.
Buying the building would allow the City to move the large Department of Community and Health Services — which is right now in multiple locations — to one place with plenty of parking and public transit accessibility.
"DCHS, together with the City's Health Department, occupy 210,000 square feet of space in 8 different facilities around the City. Most of the space is inadequate, aged, and not proximate to the residents it serves. Over half of DCHS clients are on the West End, yet two of our largest offices are in the East End of the City," according to Mayor Justin Wilson.
Moving DHCS and the Alexandria Health Dept. to the Mark Center could happen as early as 2022. Right now, the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) is in the building, but IDA will be moving to a new facility in Potomac Yard.
Buying the building would cost the City of Alexandria $58.7 million, but the City reports it would save taxpayers money in the long term.
The City Council will decide whether to move forward with buying the building later this month at a City Council meeting.
