Alexandria (Map, News) - The developers of Potomac Yard, the planned mixed-use development along Jefferson Davis Highway in Alexandria, have offered to build a new facility for the Alexandria fire department.

Developers Centex and Pulte Homes made the offer as part of an incentives package offered to the city. These packages are typically offered so that the developers can go forward with development while providing some benefit to the community. The developers have also offered to build four stories of affordable housing above the station.

Potomac Yards takes up 167 acres in northern Alexandria. Planned for the site is 1.8 million square feet of office space, 135,000 square feet of retail, 1,973 residential units and a hotel.

Alexandria Fire Department Chief Gary Mesaris told The Examiner the new station is not expected to open before 2008. He said the fire crew from the station on Windsor Avenue is expected to move in to the highly anticipated Potomac Yard facility.

Mesaris added that no city funds are going to be used to build the station. “This is a concept pretty unique to the area,” he said. “This idea of mixing is kind of exciting.”

In addition to the new station at Potomac Yard, the city is exploring improvements to other stations in Alexandria. He said he expects a final report on stations that need upgrades to keep pace with development in the area, including the possibility of a new station on western Eisenhower Avenue.

“One of the strategic things were looking at is the conditions of the stations,” he said. “They’re all quite aged facilities. They don’t really accommodate our needs.”

City council member Paul Smedberg said that the city has not worked with a developer before to build public safety infrastructure.

dfrancis@dcexaminer.com