A prominent development company in the Eisenhower Valley, the Hoffman Company, would like to change the name of Swamp Fox Road to Hoffman Street. The road connects Eisenhower Metro station with Mandeville Lane. It runs directly in front of the AMC Hoffman Center 22 movie theater.
In an application submitted to the City, Hoffman Company presented a case for renaming the street after Mr. Hubert N. Hoffman Jr., the founder of Hoffman Company. He was a life-long advocate of transforming the Eisenhower area of Alexandria after purchasing 80 acres of land there in 1958. Hoffman and his company were instrumental in drawing important tenants to Eisenhower East, including the Metro station and the National Science Foundation.
Photo courtesy of Hoffman Company
Mr. Hubert N. Hoffman Jr.
“Given that the development of the original Hoffman properties is now expanding beyond the Hoffman Company to a new generation of owners and developers, it is appropriate and necessary to rename Swamp Fox Road to Hoffman Street to memorialize the Hoffman Family’s contribution to the development of the Eisenhower Valley into the vibrant community it is today,” wrote the applicant in justification of the name change.
While the application says the street was named for the swampy nature of the land in the Eisenhower area prior to development, the City report states that the name could also refer to Francis Marion, a Revolutionary War officer from South Carolina who was nicknamed the “Swamp Fox.”
Marion is often credited as the father of modern guerrilla warfare for the irregular tactics he used fighting the British during the war. He is known for his brutality against Native Americans during the French and Indian War prior to the American Revolution. Marion was also a slave owner.
The name change meets all City requirements and received unanimous approval from the City’s Naming Commission. According to the report, at least 75 percent of affected property owners are in support of the name change. The cost of the name change to the City would be $700 for materials and labor.
The Planning Commission will review the street name change at their Jan. 5 public meeting which begins at 7 p.m. Information to access the meeting via Zoom and the latest docket can be found here. The issue will then go before the City Council on Jan. 23.
