City of Alexandria, Virginia

LPDA, Land Planning and Design AssociatesPotomac Yard Park

Zac Lette, RLA, ASLAColleen Willger, AICP, LEED AP BD+C

Bethany Znidersic, RLA, ASLA

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Project Context - Regional

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Project Context - City

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Potomac Yard Master Plan

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Potomac Yard

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Potomac Yard

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Regulatory FrameworkDillon Rule in Virginia and Alexandria as an Independent CityCity Council – City Manager government structurePlanning and Implementation Tools• City Charter• Strategic Plan• Master Plan – Small Area Plans• Zoning Ordinance• Policies• Design Guidelines• Development Conditions of Approval (not proffers)• Project close-out - Certificates of Occupancy, Bond Release

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Small Area Plan

CDD

DSUP

Framework StreetsHeightsUsable Open Space

Regulatory Framework

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Public Participation – “Grass Roots”

Political Structure

Community Expectation

Staff Accountability Leverage Developer

Buy-in PYDAC

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Public Participation

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Development Models for Open SpaceWhat drives the developer to design and build amenities?

• Location, location, location• Projected unit sales price• % of total unit sales price in lot costs

• ‘Raw’ land costs – soft costs• Development costs – hard costs

• Site considerations• Location considerations

• The better the location the more potential amenity budget the developer has to spend

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Development Models for Open SpaceWhat drives the developer to design and build amenities?

• Marketing• Buyer profiles

• Suburban buyer is different than an urban buyer?• Age• Demographics

• The ‘model’ for amenities• Pool• Clubhouse• Pocket parks

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Development Models for Open SpaceWhat drives the developer to design and build amenities?

• The ‘model’ for typical development• 400 units minimum • $1500 – 2500 per unit

• 600k to 1M• Recreation league swimming pool• 5-20s.f. of clubhouse space per unit• HOA maintained and funded

• Critical mass to making these amenities economically feasible in the immediate and long term

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Development Models for Open Space

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Development Models for Open Space

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Development Models for Open SpaceBreaking the mold

• Potomac Yard 1,700 for sale townhouses and 2.1 million square feet of mixed use development

• Potomac Yard Park including Soccer Fields• $14,000,000

• Potomac Yard Dog Park• $400,000

• Internal Pocket Parks ‘Finger Parks’• $1,000,000

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Case Study – Ben Brenman Park

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Case Study – Ben Brenman Park Team Structure

Funding

Park Design

Construction

Documentation

Park Lifespan

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Team Members

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Team StructureCity of Alexandria• Staff• Potomac Yard Design

Advisory Committee (PYDAC)

• Planning Commission• City Council

Public• Land Use Committees• Civic Associations• Homeowners

Associations• Business Associations• Media

Development Community• Potomac Yard

Development (Pulte Homes and Centex Homes)

• Elm Street (EYA and Craftmark)

• CAP – CPYR - McCaffrey Interests - Lionstone

Design Consultants• EDAW• LPDA• J2 Engineering• Christopher

Consultants

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Fiscal StructureDeveloper•Consultants•Contractors

City Ownership Body

City Operational Body

Green Infrastructu

re

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PY - Project Timeline1974 Master Plan

1987 Railroad Decommissioned

Alexandria 2020

1990s EPA declares site as brownfield

1992 Small Area Plan Adopted

Post 1992 Redskins Stadium Proposal

1999 Initial CDD Adopted

2000-present Infrastructure Plans

2000 – present Development Phasing Plan

2003 – Potomac Greens and Potomac Plaza

2006 – Landbay H

2007 – Fire Station

2008 – Landbay K

2008 – Landbays I and J East

2009 – Landbay G

2010 – Landbay F

2011 – Landbays I and J West and Landbay L2012 – Multifamily buildings in Landbays H/I,

J, and L2013 – Landbay G Blocks C, F, and IDA

1974

2013

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Small Area Plan

1/3 of land area shall be open space

No preclusion of Metro Station

Connectivity

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Coordinated Development DistrictWhat is a Coordinated Development District (CDD)?• Outlines dedication of open spaces• Requires design, construction, conformance with design

guidelines, and completion dates• Designates applicant as responsible party for design,

construction, and conveyance• Outlines accessibility allowances and maintenance

responsibilities for each open space• Delineates scope of studies to be submitted for

environmental remediation• Provides deadline for completion of all work

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Development Special Use Permit (DSUP) – with Site Plan• General Procedure• Final Landscape Plan, Site Plan, and Open Space• Site Features• Active Recreation• Subdivision, Easements, Procedures• Stormwater Management• Infrastructure• Site Characteristics• Archaeology

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PY - Project Timeline

1992 1999 2005 2006 2008 2013

Small Area Plan Adopted

Initial CDD Adopted

Concept Plan Submitted &

Public Outreach Commencement

Formal DSUP Application

City Council Approval

First Park Phase Opens

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Alexandria’s Open Space

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Alexandria’s Open Space

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Alexandria’s Open Space

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Alexandria’s Open Space

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Regional Trails Plan

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Coordinated Development District Master Plan

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Preliminary Plan

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Programming Use Zones – Passive, Active

Features – Two Fields and Maintenance Building, Playground, Sport Courts, Fitness Stations, Multi-Use Trail, Performance Stage, Passive Recreation

Interpretive Elements– Historic References

Environmental Elements – Planting, Habitat and Education, Lifecycle and Maintenance

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Active and Passive Use Zones

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Design Framework

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Design Cues

Community Input Site History Native Ecology

Alexandria Recreation

Needs Assessment

Site Constraints

Development Infrastructure

Maintenance Practices Longevity

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Design Team Structure

Land Planning

and Design

Associates – Prime

J2 Engineers – Civil

Target – Survey

Hughes Group

Architects

Summit Engineers – MEP

Elhert / Bryan –

Structural ECS –

Geotech

Delta Fountain

s

KT Enterprises – VE/

CE

Helpcomm -

Utilities

EDAW – Preliminary Design

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Design Challenges• Preliminary Plan approval conditions

• Quality product• Commitments• Several of the commitments had challenges

• Outdated or better/newer technologies• Elements didn’t work well together• Constructability issues• ‘Looked cool’ didn’t necessarily work

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Design Challenges• Infrastructure cake

• 72” super system storm pipes• Local storm water pipes from Potomac Ave• Our infrastructure

• Storm / sanitary / water• Dry utilities• Irrigation

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Design and Construction Design and construction

documentation Storm Water Infrastructure Emergency support Access Coordination with Open

Space Network and other uses in Potomac Yard Development

Park Systems – Data Lines, Radio and Satellite systems, Fountains and Irrigation, Electrical Network

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Constructability• Adjacent Road• Grading• Existing and planned stormwater ponds• Access• Geoweb walls and structural trellis supports• PIP retaining walls, forming and access• Staging materials• Timing of material installations• Drainage• Moving target of adjacent development• Irrigation systems

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Final Design Solution• 204 pages of drawings

• Amended 8 times• 900 pages of AIA specifications

• Followed by contractor• Lots of oh-really moments?

• Transparency – Checks and Balances• Public outreach

• Social media• What to expect• Fun facts

• Local media• Meetings

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Bidding and Procurement• Privately bid to 6 regional / national GC’s• 2 Shortlisted

• McDonnell Landscape• KT Enterprises

• Awarded to KT• Understanding of project• Earthwork• Subcontractors were primarily in-house companies

• Vested interest• Very important to LPDA and Client

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Organization of Construction Team

LPDA

KT• In house subs• Outside subs

City of Alexandria

PYD

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Construction

Phased Construction to Match Development

Partnership with PYD for Construction Review Tree Tagging Component Submittals Fabrication Mock-Up Materials Site Review Delivery

 P3

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Construction

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Construction

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Construction

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Construction

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Construction

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2008

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2009

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2010

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2011

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Conveyance

Deed Transfer As-built surveys Project Records

Submittals RFI’s Shop Drawings / Mock Ups

Meeting minutes Record Photography O/M Manuals & Training Keys!!

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Park Opening

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Why was this approach successful?

What could be improved?

Why and when is this project approach applicable?

Who needs to be involved: Programming Design Construction Acceptance 

Lessons Learned

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Questions and Discussion

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