ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A proposed new Metro station at Potomac Yard would be an economic win for Alexandria, Mayor Bill Euille said during State of the City address Tuesday night.
“The station is expected to generate billions of dollars in new private sector investment. The resulting development around the station will support up to 26,000 new jobs within one quarter mile, and 13,000 new residents within a half mile,” Euille said.
He also tried to ease concerns about how it will be funded.
“The station will be completely funded without using any current general fund dollars, which means that the average resident or business in Alexandria will not have to make any direct tax contributions to the station. That’s good news.”
Before the Alexandria City Council votes on whether to move the project forward, a public hearing is planned April 30 on the draft environmental impact statement.
The mayor also is happy that the city’s Waterfront Plan is moving ahead after years of legal challenges.
“Just weeks ago, the Virginia Supreme Court upheld the Alexandria Circuit Court’s dismissal of the last remaining lawsuit challenging the zoning underlying the Waterfront Plan. Last year, the city ended a decades-long dispute with the Old Dominion Boat Club regarding property at the foot of King Street. Last month, City Council unanimously approved construction of a new boat club building at the old Beachcomber restaurant site.
“Now our waterfront will have its centerpiece — a public park at the foot of King Street — and boat club members will have a beautiful new facility in a prime location.”
Euille says the city continues to enjoy historically low levels of crime, and praised police for connecting the dots and charging Charles Severance with three unsolved murders in Alexandria. Severance’s trial is scheduled for October.
In the video below, Euille talks about both the waterfront project and the Potomac Yard Metro on the Mayor Euille Show:
