Real Nova Network by Chris Colgan

Photo: Lucelle O’Flaherty

With over 151 years of service in the area, and as the oldest continuously running Alexandria hospital, NOVA’s presence is legendary in Northern Virginia. In late December of 2020, INOVA and partners, along with the City of Alexandria, announced plans for a new and improved hospital complex right where the now-demolished Landmark Mall stood. 

The development plans are designed by Ballinger and Ennead Architects, with Clark Construction leading the teams. The project is aiming for LEED Silver certification— a level of building certification for sustainability— and will reduce carbon emissions by 50%.

The project is a large undertaking, and the hospital won’t open until 2028. Here’s what’s been going on in the planning process:

In 2021, rezoning was approved, a huge step in the development process. In 2023, building permits were secured, and now hospital construction is the focus, which has been going on since 2024 and will continue for four years. In 2026, INOVA will be focusing on constructing a new Cancer Center and a Specialty Construction Center. This is the current plan, but it’s not 100% cemented and is subject to change. 

INOVA’s current emergency room at HealthPlex will not be shut down and instead will remain open until the company has enough space at the new location to transition the ER there. When the current emergency room opens up at the Landmark Mall location, the former space will be dedicated to other healthcare providers in the area to ensure that  the change doesn’t remove necessary accessibility to immediate hospital services. The current INOVA hospital, which has existed in that location since 1962, will be converted into residential zoning. 

This multi-million dollar health initiative is ground-breaking and will lead to a transformative healthcare system in Northern Virginia, with many new additions to the hospital and an innovative medical campus as well. Part of the reason construction is taking multiple years is the square footage of each addition. The main hospital is going to be 600,000 square feet. A 110,000-square-foot cancer center is in the works, along with a 95,000-square-foot specialty care center, and plenty of other building additions that are more than spacious. Best of all is the development of two large parking garages. One of these parking garages is at basement-level, with 300 spots, and connects to all of the specialty centers, while the other is above ground with a whopping 650+ parking spaces. Clearly, INOVA is taking extra measures to ensure that parking will not be an issue at this new location. 

But it’s not just about expansion in Alexandria. Over 2,000 healthcare jobs will open up, giving way to great and long-lasting economic development. Since the closure of the Landmark Mall, the lot has not been very economically prosperous for Northern Virginia. With the development project, the area will morph into a mixed-use urban village (named WestEnd) with new residential lots, emerging retailers, and novel entertainment options. Additional community parks will be placed, and a fire station is coming too. The point is, there’s going to be a whole lot of new additions outside of the hospital that will stimulate the economic landscape of NoVa. 

Photo: Lucelle O’Flaherty

The rendering designs for the facility are absolutely beautiful and blend seamlessly into the NoVa landscape. It’s not just another abysmal hospital; it’s a hospital that’s being built and designed with genuine care, and that will truly benefit those in the Alexandria area.  

Additional photo credits: 

"Inova Alexandria hospital" by Mdy66 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.