Asana Partners, which has entered into the King Street real estate market in a major way over the past two years, has become a lead partner in the King Street Corridor Initiative. 

The partnership was created to address beautification, programming and marketing along King Street and managed by the city and Visit Alexandria. The city contributed $750,000 to the effort and Visit Alexandria announced the partnership’s founding partners earlier in the year.

Since that time, other sponsors, including the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, Asana, Augie’s Mussel House, Urbano 116 and Old Town Business and Professional Association have joined the effort. Asana is now a lead partner, while the Chamber is a community contributor, and Augie’s and Urbano 116, two restaurants from Common Plate Hospitality, are neighborhood partners. Additional lead partners were announced earlier in the year.

Old Town Business and Professional Association pledged a financial contribution, but the amount wasn’t disclosed. 

The total amount of private fundraising is now $175,000, according to a news release. 

The partnership has, since its founding early in the year, installed flower baskets, hired additional maintenance staff and launched the branded event Portside in Old Town, a free waterfront festival that attracted 9,000 attendees in October, according to Visit Alexandria. More Portside events are planned throughout the fall and winter. 

The initiative also supported the Uptown Block Party that took place on Nov. 3 along upper King Street and is participating in the Lighted Retail Window Display Grant Program, a partnership with the Alexandria Small Business Development Center that assists businesses in creating lighted holiday window displays. 

The initiative was created, in part, to make Old Town more competitive with destinations across the river, including The Wharf and National Harbor. It also sprouted in the aftermath of the campaign for an Old Town business improvement district, the most recent effort which ultimately died in September of 2017. 

“We are thrilled at the momentum the King Street Corridor Initiative has gained over the past five months,” Visit Alexandria CEO Patricia Washington said in a statement. “Through our partnership with the city as well as our community, we are moving toward our goal of maintaining a thriving downtown and are eagerly awaiting the opening of the new park area at the foot of King Street, which will further enhance the Old Town experience.”