Developer Seeks to Convert Carlyle Office to Housing
18th Street Development LLC asks Alexandria to shift about 61,000 square feet of planned office space to residential use in Carlyle.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Commercial
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Should Alexandria convert vacant office space in Carlyle into senior housing?
18th Street Development LLC has requested city approval to shift approximately 61,000 square feet of office space to residential use in the Carlyle neighborhood. The request concerns the last undeveloped part of Carlyle, where the approved office property has remained vacant for over 19 years.
Why it matters
The proposal reflects the persistent challenges of the regional office market and long-term vacancy, prompting a repositioning of the site toward housing in Alexandria. If approved, it would add 214 residential units to a neighborhood that has seen its planned office component stall.
The proposal would add 214 residential units and increase residential floor area by 60,099 gross square feet, while the office building at 765 John Carlyle Street would shrink from 12 stories to eight. The approved 12,000 square feet of ground-floor retail is unchanged, and the Planning Commission and City Council have yet to act.
The players
18th Street Development LLC
The applicant seeking to convert the planned office space to residential use, an affiliate of Denver-based healthcare realtor NexCore Group.
NexCore Group
A Denver, Colorado-based healthcare realtor whose affiliate is behind the requested change in Alexandria's Carlyle neighborhood.
Alexandria Planning Commission
The city body that will consider the proposed changes at its November 5, 2026 meeting before the matter goes to Council.
Alexandria City Council
The city's legislative body that will hold a public hearing on the proposal on November 14, 2026.
The details
The applicant proposes removing two levels of an interior parking garage at 1900 Eisenhower Avenue to add residential units and reducing the commercial office building at 765 John Carlyle Street by three stories. The proposed residential building would reach 220 feet, and the reduced office building would stand 101 feet tall.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: Planning Commission considers the proposed changes.
November 14, 2026: City Council hearing on the proposed changes.
Market Landscape
The Block P site was approved for development nearly two decades ago but has remained vacant, reflecting the broader slowdown in the regional office market. The conversion request follows that pattern by shifting a stalled commercial plan toward housing.
If approved, the change would bring 214 new residential units to Carlyle, adding housing to a site that has sat undeveloped for years. Neighbors and residents would see construction and a different mix of buildings in the coming years.
The takeaway
Long-approved sites that stall can be repositioned, and residents interested in Carlyle's future can follow the November Planning Commission and Council meetings to weigh in.
What happens next
The Planning Commission will consider the proposal on November 5, 2026, followed by a City Council hearing on November 14, 2026.
Further reading
For more on commercial property trends, explore Commercial real estate coverage in Alexandria.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ALXnow | Alexandria, Va. breaking news, local events and community happenings.
Live Poll
Should Alexandria convert vacant office space in Carlyle into senior housing?
