Post Content

Crowded West End Retail Spot Opens New Parking Options

Modera Tempo, an apartment and retail building at 5760 Dow Avenue, has had a notorious parking shortage for years. But a change approved at a Planning Commission meeting last week has opened up unused residential parking to customers.

Modera Tempo is a popular hangout on the Landmark/Van Dorn Corridor, but it is common to see cars circling like vultures in front of the Starbucks trying to snag one of the handful of parking spots outside/

In a report on the request to change the parking, staff noted that a lack of accessible parking was cited as a factor in the closure of several businesses, namely Portner Brewhouse which closed in 2018.

“This parking dilemma has had a true impact on small businesses located in this development,” said Commissioner Mindy Lyle. “To think it’s been open three or four years to get to this point: we’ve seen three businesses go out of business, and a lot of that is due to parking.”

According to the report:

Following this departure, [Modera Tempo’s owners] hired Walker Consultants to conduct a parking study and it was determined that the building was over-parked for residential use. The study found approximately 100 unused parking spaces at any given time within garage, even during maximum leasing capacity. In contrast, the Study found that the commercial parking did not meet current market demands. As a remedy, it was recommended that a portion of the residential spaces within the garage be reallocated for commercial retail use.

The change will add 44 commercial parking spots to the shopping center.

The Planning Commission unanimously approved the change in a 7-0 vote. The item spurred discussion of trying to make these sorts of administrative changes easier for businesses to obtain.

“I hope we can get to a point where this type of change in parking is not only administrative but fast,” said Lyle. “If we’re going to say we’re a business-friendly environment, we need to become business-friendly.”

Photo via Google Maps

Recent Stories

Good Monday morning, Alexandria! ☔ Today’s weather: Possible light rain in the afternoon and evening. High of 56 and low of 44. ⛅ Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High…

It was a big week for questions about the future of development, density and affordable housing. In neighboring Arlington, the County Board voted to approve ‘Missing Middle’ zoning changes that…

A GoFundMe campaign for James Lee, a bartender at Mason Social, has raised $58,653 to help him recover from being shot multiple times in an attempted carjacking. Zebra reported last…

The Potomac Crescent Waldorf School (PCWS) opened its new campus in Old Town, Alexandria at 424 N. Washington Street on March 14. The school, which started in 1997 — serving…

Monarch Montessori School located in the heart of Del Ray is enrolling children 6 weeks to 6 years of age for our half day and full day program.

Our hours of operation are 8:00 AM  to 5:30 PM, Monday-Friday. Monarch Montessori School is open year round, with intermittent breaks.  

Children engage in self-directed, self-initiated activities under the guidance of a trained Montessori teacher. Classroom sizes range from 8-12 students. Our robust curriculum includes botany, sensorial activities, the social graces, culture, math, science, practical life, geography, music appreciation and language arts. 

You’ll get half off of the registration fee when you register and begin care with us before April 30, 2023.

Read More

Submit your own Community Post here.

Press Release:

EDBS Dental Billing Solutions is pleased to announce that it has achieved compliance with the federally mandated standards of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) through the use of Compliancy Group’s proprietary HIPAA methodology, The Guard® compliance tracking software, and HIPAA Seal of Compliance®.

The HIPAA Seal of Compliance is issued to organizations that have implemented an effective HIPAA compliance program through the use of The Guard, Compliancy Group’s proprietary compliance tracking solution.

Clients and patients are becoming more aware of the requirements of HIPAA compliance and how the regulation protects their personal information. Forward-thinking providers like EDBS Dental Billing Solutions choose the HIPAA Seal of Compliance to differentiate their services.

Read More

Submit your own Community Post here.

Del Ray Dog Fest & Yappy Hour

The 1st Annual Del Ray Dog Fest is a fun outdoor event that will include dog-centered activities, dog menu items, live music, vendors and food on Sunday, April 2 from 11am- 3pm at the George Washington Middle School parking lot.

×

Subscribe to our mailing list