The Big Lots discount store in Alexandria's West End is closing this month to make way for new stacked townhomes, apartments and retail.
The Alexandria Big Lots store, which opened in 2013 and replaced a Best Buy electronics store, sells home decor and furniture, plus a variety of discount home items.
The owner of the 8.2-acre plot of land at the corner of South Walker Street and Stevenson Avenue, overlooking Duke Street, is Hekemian (which is operating as West End Development Associates for this project).
In addition to Big Lots, the land is also home to Alley Cat restaurant, Dunya Banquet Hall and an office building. Hekemian's plans for the land require closing those businesses and demolishing those buildings, as well. For now, those business remain open.
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At a city council meeting in late 2021, West End Development Associates received initial approval for 88 "stacked" townhomes, 362 apartment units and ground-level retail and commercial use. One garage parking space per unit will be available, and new streets will provide additional parking in the new neighborhood.
"An existing office building, big-box retail store, and two restaurants would be demolished and new public and private streets would be constructed, creating five new development blocks," according to a city staff report.
Earlier plans for a hotel on the site were scrapped due to uncertainty surrounding the pandemic. Part of the land will remain undeveloped for now, pending future plans.
Courtesy City of Alexandria
Architectural renderings from Hekemian for the new Landmark Overlook.
Building layout proposed for the new Landmark Overlook neighborhood.
