The King Street Project, by Galena Capital Partners, is moving forward this summer.
The King Street Project includes plans for two developments in Old Town that would replace current parking lots.
The parking lots are at 912, 916 and 920 King St., and at 116 S. Henry St. The projects include residential and retail space, as well as additional parking. The 116 S. Henry St. project proposal includes a high-tech garage that automatically parks cars.
912 to 920 King St. is the parking lot just east of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams and Bloomers at the intersection of Route 1 North. A Capital Bikeshare docking station is in that parking lot. 116 S. Henry St. is a parking lot behind Killer ESP, Alexandria Cupcake and Hank’s Oyster Bar on King Street.
Groundbreaking may be a ways off, however, as the project still has to go through multiple permitting processes and approvals.
These properties were declared surplus by the City and were jointly subject to a competitive RFP process. Although the two parcels are being considered separately during the staff review process and public hearings, in reality the two lots are tied together since the Henry Street parking facility is needed to meet the parking needs of the building on the 900 block of King Street.
116 S. Henry St. Project
At 116 S. Henry St., plans are to "construct a 16-unit mixed-use retail/residential building with ground floor commercial uses facing South Henry Street, a three-unit multi-family residential building facing South Patrick Street and a 142-space automated parking garage, including special use permits for motor vehicle parking or storage for more than 20 vehicles for the six-story automated parking structure," according to city documents.
The garage would be built first to ensure adequate parking in the neighborhood.
Credit: City of Alexandria via Galena Capital Partners
The automated (or robotic) parking garage has drawn the most curiosity by residents. According to a City staff report, here's how it will work:
An automated garage works by having the driver enter one of the two ground-level entry/exit bays and exiting the vehicle. No users or operators enter the automated garage beyond the drop-off area and lobby. The pallet system then collects the car and moves it into a space, not unlike an elevator that moves both up and down and side to side. When the owner is ready to retrieve their car the pallet system (there are three in the facility) collects the car and returns the vehicle through one of the two entry/exit bays. Because the cars are not driven in the facility, they are able to be parked bumper-to-bumper allowing for greater efficiency and less square footage due to the lack of drive aisles like traditional parking garages."
The following is a rendering of the building proposed for 116 S. Henry St. from the City of Alexandria and Galena Capital Partners:
Credit: City of Alexandria via Galena Capital Partners
912 to 920 King St.
Simultaneously, Galena Capital Partners is seeking approval for plans to develop the parking lot at 912 through 920 King St. "to construct a 30-unit multifamily building with ground-floor commercial uses."
One of those commercial uses could be a restaurant, similar to the development at 116 S. Henry St.
Most of the units in the building will be studio or one-bedroom, according to the City's staff report.
A rendering of the King Street elevation of the building is below:
Credit: City of Alexandria via Galena Capital Partners
For more information, access the Planning Commission docket here for the Sept. 1 meeting.
