Array
at West Alex

Alexandria, Virginia

The Array is a key component of the West Alex mixed use community which is located at the intersection of two major streets, King and Beauregard.  One of the principal goals of West Alex was to create an architectural statement that reinforces the positive changes already occurring in this portion of Alexandria and with a quality of design that establishes a readily identifiable gateway to the City of Alexandria.  The Array; 278 market rate housing units above a 75,000 square foot Harris Teeter grocery store along with additional street retail anchors the West Alex development. The building forms the western side of the internal pedestrian street.   The building on the west side of the street has 74 affordable dwellings, ground floor retail and 60,000 square feet of office space.  Another 85,000 square feet of senior living development is in process.  The architecture of all 3 buildings, while each has its own identity, incorporates shared architectural vocabulary, materials and colors, results in a cohesive and iconic development. The scale and massing of the buildings creates a very dynamic composition by pushing and pulling the geometry in both the horizontal and vertical axis. The success of the project can be seen in the high velocity of lease up of the apartments and the pedestrian and customer activity in and around the site which can only be expected to increase with the opening of Harris Teeter.

One of the principal challenges of the site was that all vehicular circulation including loading had to take place on the property.  This proved to be an advantage because it led to the creation of the internal pedestrian and vehicular street. The Array occupies the northern side of the street and provides a continuous street wall.