Alexandria Market Square Design Phase's Next Community Engagement Phase Begins

ALEXANDRIA, VA — As the design phase continues for Alexandria's City Hall and Market Square, the city government will present updated Market Square design concepts.

This is the third round of community engagement for the City Hall and Market Square project, which kicked off the design process in September. This round will feature design concepts for Market Square informed by community feedback.

Meetings will be held Monday, Dec. 9 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in person at City Hall and Thursday, Dec. 12 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. virtually. Registration is requested to attend.

Alexandria's current City Hall dates back to 1871 and is in need of major updates, according to city government. The renovation project will repair aging building components, improve operating systems, optimize space utilization, improve building circulation and wayfinding, boost security, and provide space for community engagement.

Market Square, which dates back to the city's founding in 1749, needs significant structural repairs along with the parking garage beneath, according to the city. The design and function of the plaza and garage will be evaluated during the design process.

Four early design concepts for Market Square outside City Hall were presented in late October. The first concept envisions a central covered stage in Market Square, with two adjacent shade structures and two water features.

The second concept has a more circular design centered around a water feature and comes with four shade structures on the outskirts of Market Square. However, it does not provide a stage.

The third concept has a centralized stage and adjacent water feature. Two large shade structures and a smaller third one for casual dining are included with this concept.

The fourth concept is a more linear design and two stages: one for music events and one for seasonal events. Six shade structures are envisioned on the outskirts of Market Square.

All concepts seek to provide space for a market, pop-up events, civic activities, seasonal events, music events, trees and gardens, casual dining and gathering spaces, and an elevator from the Market Square parking garage.

In a poll of residents and city employees, the most respondents said a market is the top priority for Market Square. The next top choices were seasonal events, music events, water feature, gathering space and local pop-ups. The poll found a strong preference for keeping the farmers market feature the same, while a majority want to change the water fountain feature. Improved accessibility was another change sought by respondents.

Mayor Justin Wilson noted in his December newsletter that City Hall's renovation was delayed several times due to other major capital projects. The project timeline calls for a Planning Commission public hearing in June 2025, followed by City Council in July 2025 and Board of Architectural Review on a date to be determined. Construction is aimed to happen between 2026 and 2028.