This photo was taken a couple of years ago, of city hall in Alexandria. Market Square, home to my local Saturday Morning Farmers Market surrounds the fountain. There has been a market on that space for over 250 years, it claims to the be oldest continuously operated farmers market in the country. Parts of city hall, predate the Civil War, the state government was temporarily housed in it, when Virginia rejoined the Union after the Civil War (Richmond had burned in the war.)
Built during a remodel about 50 years ago, there is a two story underground parking garage under market square. One of the best garages in the area and it owned by the city so it has some of the best prices.
City Hall, Market Square and the garage, are closing in January for a major remodel. The building is in need of major utility and structural updates, the cast concrete beams in the garage are cracking, and replacing those beams is essential to holding up the plaza on the square. Estimates are two to three years for the work.
The Market will be moving across the street to the west, into a courtyard square. City offices will be moving into temporary spaces around the city. The city owns another garage, under the Court House a block away.
There is quite some history to the building and it is wonderfully symmetric. I'm pleased it is being maintained, at some cost no doubt.
ReplyDeleteThat will be quite the construction site. A stately building, bu ¡t I love that fountain.
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