Alexandria City Council approves redevelopment plan for Beauregard area

The Alexandria City Council in northern Virginia has approved a far-reaching redevelopment plan for the Beauregard neighborhood. According to The Washington Post, the council voted on Saturday to allow five developers who own 5,000 apartments in the area to demolish half of them and rebuild more expensive rentals. The vote was followed by an all-day public hearing.

Alexandria negotiated a deal that will supply 800 units of guaranteed affordable housing for the next 40 years in exchange for an additional 2.4 million square feet of new development. The developers will pay $66 million for traffic improvements, $11 million to build a city fire station, and more than $12 million for recreation and other public amenities. Opposition ignited in residents, who said they would be forced out of their homes.