On Tuesday, December 16th, the Old Town North Alliance (“OTNA”) held our Annual Meeting at Hotel AKA Alexandria. It was a wonderful turn-out of Members, City staff, and many individuals and businesses interested in learning more about the Alliance’s ongoing efforts in the Old Town North community.

*Attendees at the OTNA Annual Meeting (image courtesy of Hotel AKA)*

City Manager Jim Parajon launched the meeting by sharing some encouraging updates for Old Town North, which aligned nicely with OTNA President Ryan Whitaker’s presentation. In 2025, OTNA engaged in wide-ranging advocacy with City officials including the Mayor, City Council Members, the City Manager, Planning & Zoning, Office of the Arts, AEDP, and others. The City Manager’s remarks focused on some of the results of that advocacy.

City Manager Jim Parajon addresses OTNA Members and guests
(image courtesy of Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail)

Implementation of the Arts & Cultural District

Implementation of the Arts & Cultural District is an ongoing priority for OTNA. OTNA has been discussing with the Mayor, the City Manager, and various City Council Members for over a year our request to appoint a special project manager for Old Town North. This fall, the City Manager assigned Principal Planner Katherine Carraway to this role. OTNA President Ryan Whitaker and Executive Director Sarah Almy meet regularly with Carraway to identify tasks from the Old Town North Small Area Plan (“OTNSAP”) that could be accomplished in the near term. Among other items, OTNA is exploring the possibility of installing blade signage demarcating the Arts & Cultural District and the City Manager and Mayor Gaskins have committed to working with OTNA to approach private property owners to advocate for installations of public art on private property. In addition, following a meeting with representatives of OTNA, NOTICe, and OTNCP earlier this year, Mayor Gaskins added the Arts & Cultural District to the City’s long-term workplan. The past few years have demonstrated that delivering unfinished spaces poses a funding challenge for arts users and the City will be exploring how to make this provision more effective. Finally, Executive Director Sarah Almy served on the Public Arts Task Force this fall to help draft an Annual Workplan for 2026-2028. As a result of those discussions, Old Town North now has two “priority 1” items in the new Annual Workplan: a temporary art installation (possibly in Montgomery Park) and decorative finials on the street signs. In addition, the City is considering relocating the Brio sculpture currently in Market Square to Wythe Street Plaza. OTNA is committed to a sustained effort to implement the Arts & Cultural District and grow its depth and breadth over time.

Linear Park

Another important initiative in the OTNSAP, and one that OTNA identified in 2024 as a priority for advocacy, is the conversion of the unused Norfolk Southern rail line into a Linear Park. In 2025, OTNA and OTNA Member, Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail, with the support of the Rails to Trails Conservancy, engaged with Planning and Zoning and the City Manager as well as with Council Members, to advocate for action on the Linear Park project. The City Manager shared that this summer the City engaged the Open Space Institute to help them (at no cost to the City) obtain an appraisal of the Norfolk Southern rail line. The City has selected RMI Valuation as the appraiser and the appraisal is expected to be completed in January 2026. The Open Space Institute will then help the City prepare an offer for Norfolk Southern (either to purchase the land outright or to set up a railbanking arrangement), and will help coordinate an environmental review of the land. By the end of January, the City should have a good sense for what the cost of this project will be.

Community Engagement

In addition to OTNA’s efforts with regard to advocacy for the Linear Park and the Arts & Cultural District, OTNA also increased its community engagement in 2025. From a Spring Member Happy Hour at Jula’s on the Potomac to OTNA Night at Royal Restaurant to a Waterfront Commission Tour of Old Town North to an online forum on the Arts & Cultural District to a volunteer event with Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail and more, there were many ways to engage with OTNA throughout the year on top of our longstanding involvement with beloved neighborhood events like Chalk-A-Block and the Taste of Old Town North.

*OTNA President Ryan Whitaker speaks at the Spring Member Happy Hour at Jula’s on the Potomac (image courtesy of OTNA)*

Development Updates

Whitaker offered a brief status update on the various development projects underway in, or planned for, Old Town North including an up-to-date timeline on MetroStage. MetroStage expects to submit drawings for permittings within 60 days and hopes to open by the end of 2026. Other development projects include: TideLock (expected completion April 2026); 425 Montgomery St. (expected completion December 2026); 601 Wythe St. (start construction summer 2026); Whitley Phase II (start construction summer 2026); Montgomery Center (start construction Q2 2026); Ladrey Apartments (start construction January 2027); Robinson Terminal North (in entitlement); and HRP ALX (in entitlement)

*Exterior rendering of MetroStage (courtesy of Winstanley Architects)*

Revised Boundary Map for OTNA

Whitaker also shared that the OTNA Board recently voted to expand the boundaries of Old Town North for the purposes of OTNA beyond the boundaries in the Small Area Plan. OTNA is a membership organization and relies on dues to fund its efforts. This expansion will allow OTNA to grow its membership to capture areas that stand to benefit from and/or contribute to the Old Town North Arts & Cultural District including the area south along the waterfront that is part of the route of the Old Town North Art & Culture Walk which runs from the Torpedo Factory north to the power plant redevelopment project.

Strategic Priorities for 2026

Finally Whitaker outlined OTNA’s strategic priorities for 2026: 1) implement the Arts & Cultural District, 2) engage in the Linear Park conversion process, and 3) continue community engagement. If you are interested in joining OTNA and supporting our ongoing work on these strategic priorities, please email director@otnalliance.org

A huge thank you to Hotel AKA Alexandria for hosting us in their lovely space that is beautifully decorated for the holidays. Don’t miss the chance to stop by and check it out for yourself!

*Holiday decorations at Hotel AKA Alexandria (image courtesy of OTNA)*

REMINDER: The Old Town North Holiday Market is this Sunday, December 21st from 9am - 2pm in Montgomery Park!

The cold, snowy weather last Sunday postponed the Holiday Market to this Sunday, December 21st. The perfect opportunity to finish up your holiday shopping and enjoy some live music! Hosted by the Old Town North Community Partnership with support from HRP Group, Burke & Herbert Bank, and the City of Alexandria.

Old Town North Alliance Annual Meeting

REMINDER: The Old Town North Holiday Market is this Sunday, December 21st from 9am - 2pm in Montgomery Park!