KGPdesign studio

The Potomac Yard Metrorail Station is a new WMATA infill station on Virginia's existing Yellow and Blue Lines that will catalyze new mixed-use TOD in northern Alexandria. WMATA studied three station location options, 2 with pedestrian bridges over the existing CSX and Amtrak tracks that separate Metro from the development site. Below-grade connections proved infeasible due to the floodplain and river's proximity. KGP's design reflects the need for continuous operations of the adjacent tracks and mitigates interference with rail operations carried out by CSX, Amtrak, Virginia Railway Express, and Metro.

The station design has undergone a rigorous public approval process with various stakeholders, including the City of Alexandria, NPS, CFA, NCPC, Amtrak, and CSX. There were weekly meetings for about 15 months with the City of Alexandria and bi-weekly meetings with the city, National Parks Service, Parks and Recreation, and other parties with direct or indirect projects in the area. During this process, the various stakeholders made decisions concerning the site and structure in approximately five public meetings with the Potomac Yard Metro Implementation Group (PYMIG) and about five with the Board of Architecture Review (BAR) for the City of Alexandria. These discussions necessitated the station blend naturally into the George Washington National Parkway controlled by the National Park Service while offering an urban face on the west side to accommodate the developers who will ultimately pay for most of the station's construction.