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Makeover for Potomac Yard’s ugly stepsister

By WTOP Staff

More on Tuesday’s 7 p.m. meeting.

Potomac Yard’s less appealing neighbor is on the verge of a major makeover.

The Oakville Triangle, owned by The Blackstone Group, fronts Jefferson Davis Highway between Potomac Yard and Del Ray, on the west side of Route 1. It is heavily industrial, and built as such, with roughly 446,000 square feet of development across its 560,000 square feet of land area.

Blackstone has retained Bethesda-based StonebridgeCarras to redevelop its 13 acres of the 20-acre industrial park. But before it gets started, Alexandria has decided to replan the area over the next year. The first meeting of the nine-member community advisory group is scheduled for Tuesday.

According to the Del Ray Citizens Association, Blackstone is proposing as much as 1.5 million square feet of retail and residential development on the site, and perhaps a hotel. 

“StonebridgeCarras has been discussing with city staff and the community, including the DRCA, a project that would have a retail focus, with shops and restaurants along Route 1 as well as the central east-west street through the project, Swann Avenue,” Bill Hendrickson, president of the citizens association, wrote on the organization’s website. “The conceptual design shows a finger park on Swann that would continue the design of the finger park on the east side on Route 1 in the Potomac Yard development.”

Douglas Firstenberg, Stonebridge founding principal, said the project will look very familiar to those familiar with Stonebridge’s work — ground floor retail topped by residential and a hotel component. Retail, he said, could account for as much as 125,000 square feet to “really create a sense of place.”

The advisory group work plan includes land use, open space, connectivity, transportation and community amenities, illustrative principles and building design and massing. StonebridgeCarras representatives were not immediately available for comment.

“It’s finally getting some attention,” Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille said last month. “Property owners/developers are eager to redevelop this Oakville Triangle portion, but rather than coming in and saying ‘Here’s what we want to do,’ staff is suggesting that we put together a comprehensive civic advisory group.”

Similar groups were established to replan the Eisenhower West area and the Royal Street Bus Barn property.

The Blackstone property sits on the Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway, a 4.5-mile bus rapid transit system linking the Braddock Road Metro Station in Alexandria with, eventually, the Crystal City Metro Station. The total project is expected to cost upward of $35 million, split between the two jurisdictions.

The Oakville Triangle redevelopment, per Alexandria planners, is less dependent on the ultimate location of the North Potomac Yard Metro station and more on bus rapid transit. The developer has offered to contribute financially to technical studies and staff resources to support what is essentially a “small, small area plan.”

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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