Demolition of Penn Daw Plaza to begin in mid-April

Penn Daw Plaza is seen during January’s blizzard.

Penn Daw Plaza will finally meet the wrecking ball in mid-April, a representative from the company that owns the property said Friday.

Demolition is tentatively expected to begin either on the 15th or 18th, according to Aisha Hill of Combined Properties, who will be constructing a new mixed-use development called South Alex at the site.

South Alex will consist of 400 apartments, 44,000 square feet of retail space and 41 townhomes. The redevelopment earned final approval from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 2014.

There is no update about which grocery chain will anchor South Alex’s retail space, said Hill, who confirmed that Combined has been negotiating with a potential tenant. The Washington Business Journal had previously reported that The Fresh Market had shown interest in opening a location there.

Penn Daw Plaza was built in 1960. For many years it was anchored by a Shoppers Food Warehouse, which closed in 2010. The entire plaza has been vacant since late November, when the final two tenants — CVS and Advanced Auto Parts — moved out.

An artist’s rendition of South Alex. (Combined Properties)