The KR zone governs King Street's historic retail corridor in Old Town Alexandria. It prioritises active ground-floor retail and limits conversions to office at street level. Buildings are subject to the Old and Historic Alexandria District overlay, meaning the Board of Architectural Review must approve exterior changes. Height is governed differently east and west of South Peyton and Harvard Streets -- see the development standards below. Build-to-line requirements maintain the continuous historic streetwall.
Development standards in KR
Maximum FAR
1.25
Maximum height
50 ft
Front setback
0 ft
Side setback
0 ft
Sec. 6-705(C)(1), for properties east of South Peyton Street (south side) and Harvard Street (north side) of King Street: nonresidential 1.5 (up to 2.5 by SUP), residential 1.25 (up to 2.5 by SUP). Different limits apply west of those streets.
Sec. 6-705(D)(1): 50 feet for properties east of South Peyton Street on the south side and east of Harvard Street on the north side of King Street; 75 feet for a public building constructed before January 24, 1998. West of those streets height is set by the King Street Metro Station Height district under Sec. 6-405.
Read from City of Alexandria Zoning Ordinance, effective through 2025-06-14. Amendments adopted after that date (most recent 2026-03-14) are not yet reflected.
Permitted uses in KR
AllowedRetail Sec. 6-702(A)(1)(e): retail shopping establishment of 10,000 sf or less is a permitted ground floor use. Sec. 6-702(A)(2)(l) makes a retail shopping establishment over 10,000 sf a special use. Office is not a permitted ground floor use -- it is permitted on upper floors only, per Sec. 6-702(B)(1)(c)
ConditionalRestaurant / Food Service Sec. 6-702(C)(3): restaurant is an ADMINISTRATIVE special use in the KR zone, allowed by the director by administrative review and approval under Sec. 11-513 -- no public hearing. Outdoor dining on private property is likewise administrative under Sec. 6-702(C)(2.1)
AllowedOffice (Upper Floors) Sec. 6-702(B)(1)(c): business and professional office is a permitted UPPER FLOOR use. Sec. 6-702(B)(1)(d) adds health profession office. Office is not permitted as a ground floor use (Sec. 6-702(A)(1))
AllowedResidential (Upper Floor) Sec. 6-702(B)(1)(b): multi-unit dwelling units, or up to eight auxiliary dwelling units, are a permitted UPPER FLOOR use. Co-living beyond two dwellings is a special use under Sec. 6-702(B)(2)(a) via Sec. 6-702(A)(2)(c)
ConditionalSTR - Short-Term Rentals STR permit required for >10 days/year; owner-occupied or unhosted permitted; Sec. 7-1403/7-1404
"Conditional" means the use generally requires a public hearing or special-exception approval — a very different timeline and risk profile from a by-right permit.
This is the zone. What about the parcel?
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