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City of Alexandria neighborhood

Living in Alexandria's West End

The West End is the part of Alexandria roughly west of Quaker Lane and around I-395, where wooded single-family streets, 1940s garden condos, 1990s townhomes and high-rises all sit within a few miles.

The short answer

What is it like to live in Alexandria's West End?

Alexandria's West End is the western half of the City of Alexandria, roughly from Quaker Lane out to the Fairfax County line along I-395 and Duke Street. It includes Seminary Hill's single-family streets, the Parkfairfax garden condos, the Cameron Station planned community and many high-rise condos. Van Dorn Street Metro (Blue Line) and I-395 handle commuting, and the former Landmark Mall site is being rebuilt with a new Inova hospital campus expected in 2028.

Jurisdiction: City of Alexandria, VA (check: some Alexandria addresses are Fairfax)
Metro: Van Dorn Street (Blue Line)
Major roads: I-395, Duke Street, Seminary Road, Eisenhower Avenue
Typical homes: High-rise condos, garden condos, townhomes, single-family
Big project: Landmark site: Inova hospital campus, expected 2028
Public schools: Alexandria City Public Schools (verify boundaries)

Alexandria's West End

What it's like to live in Alexandria's West End

The West End is less one neighborhood than a cluster of them. Seminary Hill has winding streets and mature trees. Parkfairfax hides 132 acres of brick garden buildings on rolling green space. Cameron Station is a tidy grid of 1990s and 2000s townhomes and houses on a former Army depot. Along Seminary Road and Beauregard Street, high-rise condos look out toward the DC skyline.

What ties it together is the road network. I-395 cuts through the middle, and Duke Street, Seminary Road and Eisenhower Avenue carry most local trips. The area is more car-oriented than Old Town or Del Ray, with stream valley parks threaded between the subdivisions.

The biggest change is at the old Landmark Mall. Inova broke ground in September 2024 on a new hospital campus there, with completion expected in 2028, and the other half of the 52-acre site is being developed as WestEnd Alexandria with homes and retail, according to Virginia Business.

Alexandria's West End

Homes and housing types in Alexandria's West End

Few parts of Northern Virginia offer this range in one ZIP code area. When buyers tell me they want Alexandria at a range of price points, I usually start here.

Housing type	What you’ll find	Things to check
High-rise condos	1960s to 1980s towers along Seminary Road, Beauregard Street and near I-395	Reserve study, upcoming special assessments, FHA or VA approval, fees that include utilities
Garden condos	Parkfairfax (built 1941 to 1943) and similar low-rise communities	Association rules on exterior changes, window and HVAC policies, parking
Townhomes and newer houses	Cameron Station and other 1990s and 2000s communities	HOA fees and amenities, architectural rules, garage and guest parking
Single-family homes	Mid-century ramblers, colonials and split-levels in Seminary Hill and nearby	Age of roof and systems, drainage on sloped lots, sewer line

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources lists Parkfairfax as 285 garden apartment buildings designed for Metropolitan Life, placed on the National Register in 1999 (DHR). Cameron Station was a 163-acre Army installation closed in the 1988 base closure round (Army BRAC). For pricing, see my Alexandria market report.

Alexandria's West End

Getting around Alexandria's West End

Metro: Van Dorn Street station on the Blue Line sits off Eisenhower Avenue, one stop from King Street-Old Town and one stop from Franconia-Springfield. Many West End homes connect to Metro by bus rather than on foot.
Bus: DASH and Metrobus routes link the West End with King Street, Pentagon and Mark Center. The city’s Duke Street in Motion project plans dedicated transit lanes from the West End to King Street Metro; final design is expected in spring 2027 per the city project page.
Roads: I-395 interchanges at Seminary Road, Duke Street and King Street, and the Capital Beltway is reached via Van Dorn Street or Eisenhower Avenue.
Trails: the Holmes Run trail follows the stream through several parks.

More on driving and transit trade-offs in my commute guide.

Alexandria's West End

Parks, shopping and things to do in Alexandria's West End

Dora Kelley Nature Park: a wooded stream valley park connected by Holmes Run Parkway to Brookvalley Park.
Cameron Run Regional Park: NOVA Parks runs Great Waves Waterpark, mini golf, batting cages and fishing at Lake Cook at 4001 Eisenhower Avenue (NOVA Parks), plus the Bright Nights winter event.
Ben Brenman Park: fields and ponds next to Cameron Station, and home to the West End Farmers’ Market on Sundays year-round.
The Market at Southern Towers: a weekend market on Seminary Road with food and crafts.
Shopping: Bradlee Shopping Center on King Street and centers along Duke Street, with Shirlington’s restaurants just over the Arlington line.

Alexandria's West End

Owning a home in Alexandria's West End

Check the jurisdiction first. Many homes west of the city line carry an Alexandria mailing address but are in Fairfax County, with different taxes, services and schools. I confirm the parcel’s jurisdiction before anything else.

City tax only. Inside the city, you pay City of Alexandria real estate tax with no county layer, plus refuse and stormwater fees.

Associations. Condos and planned communities such as Cameron Station have associations with fees, architectural rules and resale packets. Older high-rises deserve a close look at reserves and any planned capital projects; my HOA and condo fee red flags post covers what to ask.

Historic listing. Parkfairfax is on the National Register, which is recognition rather than city design review; the condo association’s own rules govern exterior changes.

Flood. Homes near Holmes Run, Backlick Run and Cameron Run should get a FEMA flood map check.

For tax or contract questions, I recommend a Virginia CPA or real estate attorney.

Alexandria's West End

Keep exploring Alexandria's West End

Read more about Alexandria's West End and the area

Run the numbers

Sources: Virginia Business: Inova breaks ground at Landmark; Virginia DHR: Parkfairfax Historic District; U.S. Army BRAC: Cameron Station; City of Alexandria: Duke Street in Motion; NOVA Parks: Cameron Run Regional Park; City of Alexandria: Farmers markets. Details checked October 2026; confirm anything time-sensitive with the source.

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Living in Alexandria's West End

What is it like to live in Alexandria's West End?

What it's like to live in Alexandria's West End

Homes and housing types in Alexandria's West End

Getting around Alexandria's West End

Parks, shopping and things to do in Alexandria's West End

Owning a home in Alexandria's West End

Keep exploring Alexandria's West End

Not sure which neighborhood fits?

Questions about living in Alexandria's West End

Is the West End of Alexandria part of the city or Fairfax County?

What schools serve Alexandria's West End?

What is being built at the old Landmark Mall?

What Metro station serves the West End?

Let’s find your place in Alexandria's West End.