Council explains Landmark Mall plans and school‑site tradeoffs as Inova hospital moves forward

Residents at the town hall asked why a small movie theater originally mentioned in conversations about Landmark Mall was not included and whether the old hospital site could accommodate a school.

Council members said the inclusion of a movie theater was not a required element of the redevelopment plan and that final commercial uses are a developer decision. The council noted that one parcel of the Landmark Mall site is already committed to a new Inova hospital (construction underway; opening scheduled in 2028) with ancillary uses on remaining parcels slated for mixed residential and commercial redevelopment.

On school capacity, council members said many parcels set aside for schools are too small to meet district education specifications, and that the council prioritized revenue generation on some redevelopment sites to support overall school‑system finances. Options discussed included trading or packaging smaller parcels to create a larger school site and creative reuse of properties such as the previously purchased 1703 Burghardt, currently used as elementary 'swing space.' Council encouraged continued discussions between city staff, the council and the Alexandria City Public Schools board to identify feasible solutions.

Council urged residents to continue pressing the school board directly about potential sites and noted the city has limited land and must weigh revenue needs against capital investments.