Arlington, Alexandria Support Principles for Inclusive Growth
October 28, 2019 | By Cara O'Donnell
Nearly a year after the joint effort from Arlington and Alexandria that led to the winning Amazon bid for HQ2, the neighboring communities are showing no signs of slowing their collaborative efforts. Earlier this month, Arlington and Alexandria laid the groundwork at a joint work session for cooperating to support inclusive growth and address the impact that Amazon’s HQ2 and the planned Virginia Tech Innovation Campus is already having on the two communities.
In a joint meeting of the Arlington County Board and Alexandria City Council on October 1, the two legislative bodies voiced support for a Statement of Principles to guide their partnership on key policy issues, including developing and protecting affordable housing; assisting small, woman- and minority-owned businesses; and expanding workforce development. The discussion also centered around ensuring new facilities will serve everyone in the communities.
“Arlington and Alexandria are doubling down on a long history of collaboration,” Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey said. “Our next step will be to develop joint work structures to ensure the growth we both have planned for will be inclusive, equitable and fair.”
“It’s clear from our conversation last night that Alexandria and Arlington are committed to working together to benefit all our residents and businesses,” Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson said. “Now it’s time to put together a formal framework to address the many opportunities and challenges we face.”
Amazon’s HQ2 campus is expected to add 25,000 jobs and millions of square feet of office space in Pentagon City and Crystal City over the next decade. The headquarters will rise just across the border from Alexandria, where the Virginia Tech Innovation campus will be built in Potomac Yards.
Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz and Alexandria City Manager Mark Jinks pledged to develop proposals for joint work structures, based on the agreed principles and policy issues. The effort follows last month’s announcement of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance, which helps a total of 10 local jurisdictions work collaboratively to further economic development in the region.