Business & Tech

Bowling Alley to be Replaced with Mixed-Use Development

U.S. Bowling is located at 100 S. Pickett St.

Plans are under way to transform an aging bowling alley on South Pickett Street into a mixed-use development with construction slated to begin in the coming year.

U.S. Bowling is currently located at 100 S. Pickett St. The bowling alley will be demolished to make way for a development, called the Delaney, that includes approximately 9,000 square feet of ground-level retail space and 189 rental units. The units will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom units and studios, said Pat Escher, an Alexandria Department of Planning and Zoning principal planner overseeing the project.

The project will include 23 affordable housing units, Escher said. The new development will be six stories tall at its highest point and taper down as it approaches Cameron Station.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Alexandria attorney Duncan Blair, who represents the developer, CIA-Pickett Street LLC, could not provide an estimated project cost. Amenities will include a fitness center, internal courtyard and possible outdoor dining.

“It’s a very attractive, quality project that will create new housing opportunities in the West End,” Blair said.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

According to city documents, the development will enhance the streetscape and pedestrian environment along South Pickett Street by providing a 12-foot wide sidewalk, on-street parking, trees and landscaping. It also provides more than 44,000 square feet of open space with significantly more pervious surface than currently exists.

The 2.4-acre lot is currently occupied by the bowling alley, which is surrounded by a large, impervious surface parking lot.

The developer is preparing to submit a final site plan in the next few weeks, launching a four-to six-month review, after which it can apply for a building permit, Escher said. She did not know an exact start date for the demolition and construction.

“It depends on how quickly everything goes,” Escher said. “Between probably about eight, nine months they may start construction.”

The developer has also proposed constructing a footpath from the new development to Cameron Station, which has caused disagreement in the community. Escher said in any case, the footpath will be constructed on the end of the new development.

Blair said it’s up to property owners at Cameron Station on whether the footpath will connect. “Under our zoning approvals, we will build our path, and it will connect to Cameron Station if they choose to do so,” he said.

The majority of the residential parking will be underground.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from West End Alexandria