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From Del Ray to the Fitzgerald Warehouse, what’s new in Alexandria’s project pipeline

By WTOP Staff

From Old Town to Landmark to Del Ray, Alexandria’s development pipeline is surging. The projects range from large, mixed-use initiatives to residential and retail only, from the demolition of bowling alleys to the redevelopment of 230-year-old warehouses.

Some we’ve covered before, others are new to us. Now is as good a time as any to catch up on these proposals, most of which are in concept form only. I have not included Beauregard Town Center, the Old Dominion Boat Club, and Robinson Terminal South, only because we’ve covered them so recently.

6 King St., the Fitzgerald Warehouse

Home to Mai Thai restaurant, this property steps from the Potomac riverfront is owned by Alexandria-based Monarch Row LLC. While the principals declined to comment on their plans, largely because those plans hinge on the city’s treatment of its waterfront, it has submitted a concept plan “to construct a new mixed-use building in the same building footprint with the same square footage as the current structure.” The new building will house retail, office and restaurant space.

The 21,812-square-foot warehouse itself, which dates back to the 1780s or earlier, is the largest structure the city retains “from its heady days as an international port,” according to a 2008 report from the Office of Historic Alexandria. It will be preserved.

1800 Mount Vernon Ave.

Located in the heart of Del Ray, the owner of this property has submitted a concept plan for a four-story, mixed-use retail-residential building (ground-floor retail and three floors of residential above) with one level of underground parking (46 spaces). The existing building, acquired by Brevic Development LLC in late 2013 for $3 million, is home to Arlandria Floors.

515 N. Washington St.

CAS Riegler acquired this 167-year-old building, most recently owned and occupied by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, late last year for $5.2 million. It plans to convert the historic property from office to residential condominiums (34 units) while incorporating an expansion on the north and south side. The Board of Architectural Review-Old and Historic approved the plans on Sept. 3.

The 4.5-story structure was originally used as a cotton factory, and later as a beer brewing house, a spark-plug factory and an apartment building.

1604-1614 King St.

We last wrote about this proposal in May, and it remains in the concept review stage. Dechantal Associates LLC has applied to build up to 53 condominiums, 48 in a new eight-story building to be constructed behind five of the six existing King Street townhomes. While 1604-1612 King would be renovated and preserved, 1614 would be redeveloped as an entryway to the condominium building behind.

3006 Jefferson Davis Highway

Amerinvest LLC, the listed owner of this 4,320-square-foot retail/warehouse across the street from Potomac Yard, has submitted plans to expand the building to 11,500 square feet for retail use by three to nine tenants, including restaurants with outdoor dining on a widened sidewalk.

The existing building is the subject of an upcoming Planning Commission meeting on a proposal to operate a 24-hour convenience store in its vacant retail storefront.

100 S. Pickett St.

Capital Investment Advisors LLC is in the preliminary review stage for its plan to demolish the U.S. Bowling Alley building near the intersection of South Pickett and Van Dorn streets with 48 townhome-style condominium buildings. “Pickett Place,” as it is now called, will total roughly 133,000 square feet.

610 S. Patrick St.

The Hess station on Route 1, at the gateway to Old Town, is the subject of a concept plan to add a 1,926-square-foot convenience store. The project will roughly double the station’s existing square footage.

601 N. Henry St.

The Springfield-based Edsyl Co. has submitted a concept plan to construct a 53-unit multifamily building on this Old Town property.

4075 Eisenhower Ave.

Cameron Run Regional Park has submitted plans for one additional water slide and its required pump building. It will also expand the number of parking spaces available.

505 S. Van Dorn St.

The existing McDonald’s will be demolished and rebuilt with a double drive-thru.

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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