Photo courtesy of AHRA
Winn Companies and IBF Development will be working with the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) on a redevelopment of the Ladrey High Rise public housing building.
The proposed development plan will replace all the current Ladrey units and increase the number of homes available to working households.
The Ladrey, which sits on an approximately 2-acre site in Old Town North, is an 11-story, 170-unit high rise building that houses primarily seniors and residents with disabilities. An adjoining property, also owned by ARHA, was combined with Ladrey to create a larger plot to rebuild the new housing.
The redevelopment plan calls for demolishing the buildings and constructing a new mid-rise building that will replace all existing units and add a significant number of units that are affordable for families who live and work in Alexandria.
“This is the next big step in our plan for improving housing and the quality of life for all residents in our city,” said ARHA CEO Keith Pettigrew. “When completed, the units in the Ladrey High Rise will rival other modern housing developments in Alexandria. We look forward to hitting the ground running so that we can get these longtime residents into their brand-new homes as soon as possible.”
The site plan, which was developed with extensive participation and input from residents, will include underground parking, meeting, exercise and services rooms and a community plaza. The plan also calls for rooftop amenity spaces for residents and improved accessibility.
Kenneth Burton, a 20-year resident of Ladrey who uses a power wheelchair, said the current building is not designed for him to easily get around. He welcomed the news that he and his neighbors would be getting apartments with more accessibility features, and said he appreciated that residents were involved with developing this redevelopment plan.
“We are the ones who are going to live here, who will utilize the building day in day out, so it’s good to have a voice in the process,” Burton said. “We have been told Ladrey would be renovated and upgraded many times before, but it hasn’t happened yet. But now this time, I believe it will.”
The Ladrey building is fully occupied, and a relocation plan will be designed for temporarily moving all current residents during the construction phase. “ARHA and our development partner, Winn/IBF, look forward to working with our neighbors, the city and other partners on submitting concept and preliminary design plans for review and eventually obtaining the required approvals,” concluded Mr. Pettigrew. The anticipated project will take several years to obtain approval and commence the leasing on these new apartment homes.
