ALEXANDRIA, VA. — A public-private partnership between Fairstead, Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) and The Communities Group has received $120 million in financing for the ground-up redevelopment of Old Town Alexandria’s historic Samuel Madden public housing complex. The Samuel Madden site will be redeveloped into a six-story, 295,000-square-foot mixed-income community. The property’s affordable component will apply to all households earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income (AMI).
Originally constructed in 1945, the Samuel Madden community will be redeveloped to feature 207 units, ranging from one- to four-bedroom floorplans. Community amenities will include a studio for podcast recording, game room with free internet access, 7,500 square feet of open space, interior courtyard and an underground parking garage.
Local nonprofit organization ALIVE! will also operate a 500-square-foot food hub on the ground-floor to provide residents access to fresh food and various resources. Additionally, through a partnership with Virginia Center for Housing Research at Virginia Tech, green design elements will be incorporated throughout the development to reduce energy and water consumption.
Financing sources for the development include Boston Financial, Freddie Mac, Virginia Housing, Sterling Bank, the City of Alexandria, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and civic funding.
Demolition at the Samuel Madden Homes public housing site will begin this month, with construction scheduled to start in June. The project is estimated to be completed by the fall of 2027.