Former power plant in Alexandria to become walkable waterfront neighborhood with 800 homes

A 19-acre site on the Alexandria, Virginia waterfront will be transformed from a former power plant to a new neighborhood complete with parks, housing and recreation amenities, reports Mimi Montgomery in Axios.

The city council signed off on the first phase of a plan to redevelop the site, where the Potomac River Generating Station stopped operating in 2012. 

"This comes as other projects along the DMV's waterfront — like Poplar Point and the reimagined RFK Campus — similarly look to transform underutilized riverfront property," Montgomery adds. The new development will include 800 units of housing in addition to parks and retail. The necessary public infrastructure for the project will be funded by a $135 million tax increment financing package. 

Montgomery notes that "The site was once the biggest source of Northern Virginia air pollution, and making it safe for development will require steps like removing asbestos and contaminated soil."