Officially its called "Washington Street Public Space Design Guidelines." However, to some of those attending last week's public meeting at Lyles Crouch Elementary School it could be more appropriately be dubbed "The Homogenization of Washington Street."
The purpose of the meeting, which drew approximately 40 Alexandria residents, was to explain the ongoing study to improve the visual and functional elements of Washington Street and receive their input as to three concepts under consideration.
According to Elliot Rhodeside of Rhodeside & Harwell, consultants to the City's Department of Planning & Zoning for this study, "There are a number of roles played by Washington Street — urban arterial roadway, part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, historic connection, and gateway to the City."
But some felt each of the concepts would make Washington Street beautiful but without personality. "Washington Street has character. Don't sterilize it," was the reaction they got from Ellen Pickering during the comment period.
The consultants also received complaints on how they had defined the length of Washington Street and how they defined the boundaries of the three section into which they had divided it — Old Town Core, North Study Area, and South Study Area. The southern terminus of the latter came under particular criticism from a Porto Vecchio resident who found the southern cut off for the study at Green Street offensive.
"You stop or start your analysis at Green Street which takes us out of the picture. We are a part of Alexandria. We pay taxes," she said. Rhodeside explained that was not intended and promised to take her comment into consideration.
The southern gateway to the City has been defined for years as the bridge over Little Hunting Creek. In fact, that location has been the topic of discussion at practically every meeting of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project Neighborhood Task Force as the City's southern "Gateway," with particular emphasis placed on landscaping and signage.
In addition to the consultant's powerpoint presentation, those attending this initial public unveiling of the study had an opportunity to view graphics of the three concepts and register their individual comments on a survey form. A second public session is anticipated in several months, according to Valerie Peterson, urban planner, Planning & Zoning Department.
STEMMING FROM the Washington Street Design Task Force, the public space design guidelines are to concentrate on the streetscape
element of what is often called "Alexandria's Main Street." The
primary mission of the Task Force focuses on building design.
"Presently Washington Street does not maximize its potential," Rhodeside said. He outlined three prime roles of Washington Street: Preserve the historic character; enrich the pedestrian scale; and define the role of the public realm.
"Washington Street is an intriguing place because it is constantly changing and yet it doesn't change," he said. For their study they divided Washington Street into three segments from Green Street in the south to Madison Street in the north.
Those three segments were designated: Old Town Core — King to Cameron streets; North Study Area — Wythe to Madison streets; and South Study Area-Jefferson to Green streets. In each area the study analyzed such elements as sidewalks, curbs, seating, vegetation and plantings, lighting, and signs.
Prior to Tuesday night's public meeting the consultants and City Planning & Zoning staff had taken the study before a series of focus groups to get reactions, according to Deana Rhodeside. They included civic associations, economic development groups, business owners, and historic preservationists.
Some criticisms of the present streetscape expressed by those groups included: Lack of a sense of continuity; not representative of the City; pedestrian amenities lacking; visual clutter; and better overall streetscape needed. Eventually the plan will be submitted to the City Planning Commission and City Council, according to Peterson.