Waterfront hotel faces opposition in Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A 120-room hotel on the Alexandria waterfront faces another challenge from opponents of the city’s plan for waterfront redevelopment.

The organization Friends of the Alexandria Waterfront appealed an architectural review board’s approval of Carr Hospitality’s final plans for the hotel at 220 S. Union Street, two blocks from King Street.

The group says it gathered nearly 200 signatures from Old Town property owners on the petition to appeal the Board of Architectural Review’s 3-2 decision that was made on March 19.

The appeal brings the case back to the Alexandria City Council on May 17.

Public hearing on planned hotel and other waterfront changes have drawn lots of opponents and supporters.

Supporters, including the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association, say the hotel will add to Alexandria’s tourism revenue and tax base and draw more people to Old Town shops.

Among opponents’ concerns about the project are the number of rooms, and the physical look and size of the hotel as it relates to other buildings in the area.

A separate part of the waterfront debate was resolved only a few weeks ago when the Old Dominion Boat Club agreed to move from the foot of King Street to the old Beachcombers location on Prince Street.

The city had threatened to use eminent domain to take the property if the boat club did not agree to one of the negotiated offers.

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