To the Editor:
The George Washington Memorial Parkway is one of finest federal parks in the Unites States that uniquely incorporates the beauty of D.C. with the marvels of nature. It is also the reason we have the historic district, which was created in 1946 to protect the integrity and purpose of the parkway. Furthermore, the designers wanted to create a magnificent entranceway into the city and put in easements to achieve it. Every guest who has visited us has remarked on the beauty of this entranceway into Alexandria.
Option B is clearly visible from the parkway and will largely extinguish the special entrance, especially with the 500-ft. very high bridge that runs practically parallel to the parkway. The Park Service entered into an agreement under significant political pressure and while fixing up Daingerfield Island is laudable, it is not part of the purpose of the George Washington Memorial Highway and in no way compensates for the degradation of the parkway that will transpire. Furthermore, the notion that option A is as visible and obtrusive to the parkway is absurd.
The argument for Option B that because of its enhanced proximity it will create density is tautological since the density is allowed only if they get Option B. From the Target store the difference between stations A and B is only 500 feet.
If we measure to the middle of the station, Option B is actually more than a half-mile from the center of the area of the additional density provided. In fact, over two-thirds of the area claimed to be with the quarter-mile is no longer there. Then suddenly the quarter-mile rule is no longer as weighty.
Option B is currently expected to cost the city $13.9 million a year, or $5.1 million more than option A.
On a more general note, the studies did not incorporate any value for the loss of scenic vistas. Also, and more acutely, the EIS should have specified the cost that the city will incur by losing the Potomac Yard Shopping Center, which is approximately $14 million in sales revenue every year. Adding this cost raises the annual costs (not including the operational costs) of Option B to over $28 million per year.
Finally, the developer has expressed not only the desire to redo the whole plan, but also to pay a lot less than expected if he does get Option B.
The George Washington Memorial Parkway, is not a neglected stepchild, but rather the impetus for the entire Historic District, and by inference, it is responsible for Alexandria's place on the tourist maps. It inculcates a heritage that warrants sharing with the world, as people from all over the globe make a pilgrimage from Washington D.C. to Mount Vernon to pay their respects to the Father of this Country. The parkway also represents a trust placed on the city by the Federal government that it would maintain the highway for the purpose and dignity it was envisioned to convey.
So, does it make sense for Alexandria to incur greater risk, pay higher debt servicing costs, and destroy its cultural and scenic heritage for less than the distance to the Alexandria Courthouse from City Hall? No.
Poul Hertel
Alexandria