Alexandria held a groundbreaking for its new city campus, which will house its new police department and community center.
The groundbreaking was held on Tuesday, and folks from the city, the county, and even the previous landowners—the Schneider family- were hosted. The complex will be located on Constable Drive and U.S. 27 in Alexandria, on property purchased in 2020. The front of the building will face Constable Drive, and the back will face U.S. 27.
Theresa Schneider spoke at the groundbreaking on behalf of her family about the site’s history, which is soon to begin construction. She said that in 1908, Frank and Rose Schneider, her great-grandparents, purchased 75.74 acres. They then purchased 22 additional acres in 1915, for a total of 97.74 acres. The land was then deeded to her grandfather, Frank and Rose Schneider’s only child.
“My grandpa and my grandpa Frank loved the land and had a vision for a fruit and vegetable produce farm,” Schneider said. “Through hard work and perseverance, they built Schneider’s orchard.”
Schneider said she is one of 30 grandkids who love to hear stories of people who picked strawberries for her grandpa. She said her dad and his siblings were very involved in the farm’s day-to-day operations. It was a way of life for them, even after they all married, started their own families, and had jobs outside the farm.
Schneider said she even met her husband working on the farm.
“I cannot even begin to put into words what this groundbreaking for the new Alexandria city building would mean to my grandparents, my dad, my uncle Albert, my aunt Eileen, who are no longer with us,” Schneider said. “They loved our community of Alexandria and being connected to the people who lived here.
I think that my family here today, along with those who cannot be here, would agree with me that it is a great honor, and with much heartfelt gratitude, that Schneider’s Orchard was the site chosen for the site of the new Alexandria city building and community center.”
The new site’s first floor or basement level will house the community center and police department, which includes a garage. There is a two-story gym with a running track around the top and a fitness/gym area.
The second floor of the building will have a common area, planning and zoning, meeting rooms, offices, and the new council chambers.
“When I first started my tenure here at the city of Alexandria on Nov. 14, 2022, the council made it very clear that they wanted to start this process, and the mayor tasked me to do so in one year,” Alexandria City Administrator David Plummer said. “I’m happy to report that I met that deadline on November 13, 2023, one day shy, but now, with today’s ceremony, instead of deadlines, we’re turning it into milestones and milestones now that get to set an exciting new pace for the city of Alexandria.”
Alexandria Mayor Andy Schabell said the current city building has been outgrown. When the city hired Plummer, Schabell said he gave him his office and took up residence in a supply closet.
“The new city building and community center will be state of the art and feature meeting rooms for local organizations, a basketball court, a fitness track, and ample office space to accommodate our growing needs, both now and in the future,” Schabell said. “The new police department will be the envy of other departments around the tri-state, featuring a workout facility, large and small meeting rooms, an evidence room, and many other features that will not only support our current officers but also help us recruit the next generation of law enforcement professionals.”
Construction is projected to start in December of this year and go through May 2026.
