Real Nova Network by Chris Colgan - mixed-use development

Alexandria’s Old Power Plant Is Finally Becoming Something Bigger Than a Power Plant

Posted by Chris Colgan on June 19th, 2026

By Chris Colgan
Real Nova Network

For more than a decade, one of the most valuable pieces of waterfront land in Northern Virginia has been sitting behind fences.

Not abandoned in the middle of nowhere.

Not tucked away where nobody sees it.

Right there in Alexandria.

The old Potomac River Generating Station in Old Town North has been one of those sites almost everyone around Alexandria knows, even if they do not know the official name. A massive former coal-fired power plant. Industrial. Closed off. Sitting on the Potomac River, just north of Old Town, in a city where waterfront land is some of the most important land there is.

And now, after years of planning, debate, city review, and public meetings, Alexandria…

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Manassas Is Getting Ready to Reinvent the Mathis Shopping Center — Here's What We Know

Posted by Chris Colgan on April 24th, 2026

If you grew up in Manassas or have spent any time near the Sudley Road corridor, you know the Mathis Shopping Center. It's been a fixture in that part of the city for decades. But according to Inside NoVA, that's all about to change — and in a big way.

On Monday, April 21st, Manassas city officials presented a final master plan to the City Council for the redevelopment of the Mathis Shopping Center property. What's being proposed isn't just a facelift. It's a ground-up reimagining of 14.9 acres sitting between Mathis Avenue, Sudley Road, and Portner Avenue — right on the edge of downtown Manassas.

The City Already Owns It

This one is worth understanding from the jump: Manassas purchased this property in 2024 for $16 million. That means the city…

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