Courtesy of Visit Alexandria
An initiative to beautify, promote and host events along Alexandria’s King Street corridor is launching.
Visit Alexandria announced the new initiative at its summer networking event for members Thursday night at ALX Community at Founders Hall in Old Town.
“King Street will be marketed as the spine of our community,” said Alexandria City Manager Mark Jinks.
The new hanging planters that are being installed this week along King Street are part of the initiative. The project will also heavily leverage the opening of a new waterfront park. Plans also call for more live programming and events, including music performances.
The initiative grew out of discussions about an Old Town Alexandria Business Improvement District. When it became clear that BID would not move forward, leaders from the City and Visit Alexandria put their heads together.
For the marketing and programming portions of the initiative’s budget, Jinks issued a challenge grant to Visit Alexandria to raise $175,000 in private sector funds. Those funds would be matched 1:1 by City funds. Visit Alexandria is 80 percent of the way to its goal. Private partners include Alexandria Restaurant Partners, Carr Hospitality, the Alexandria Hotel Association, Tall Ship Providence Foundation, EYA, Chadwicks Restaurant, Pizzeria Paradiso, Port City Brewing Company, Asana, and the Potomac Riverboat Company.
“This fall, Alexandria will realize the dramatic integration of its two biggest public assets—the waterfront and its historic retail corridor, King Street,” said Visit Alexandria President and CEO Patricia Washington in a press release distributed during the event. “The goal of the King Street Corridor Initiative is to maintain a thriving downtown and celebrate the opening of our new waterfront park in a way that is cost-effective, leveraging existing resources and expertise wherever possible.”
