News

Virginia Tech plans to renovate its Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center in Old Town to improve accessibility with a new elevator, sprinkler system, and handicapped-accessible ramp, according to a request going before the Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

The building at 1001 Prince Street was loaned to Virginia Tech by Alexandria in 1980, and the school bought it in 1989, according to city records.


News

A quiet off-the-beaten-path area just off King Street in Old Town is getting an upgrade.

Simpson Development Company recently filed plans from Louis Barbieri, Cole & Denny Architects to renovate the entry vestibule at 100 N. Pitt Street and the small, rear plaza adjacent to 115. N. St. Asaph Street in Old Town. The request for alterations and signage will be presented to the city’s Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday, September 3.


News

An Alexandria man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for a “high-level drugs conspiracy that shipped significant amounts of narcotics” into Virginia, according to Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter.

Adrian Bryce Roberts, 41, was sentenced to 12 years of active incarceration on July 28 after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, and transporting more than an ounce of narcotics into the state, according to Porter’s office.


News

Two people have been charged with possession of an illegal gambling device for operating skill games, marking the first indictments against Alexandria business owners.

The Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office just announced that a grand jury returned indictments against Alexandria business owners Oscar Salinas, 57, and Michelle Kim, 53, both charged with one count of possessing an illegal gambling device. Salinas is an Arlington resident, and his restaurant is located in the 3800 block of Mount Vernon Avenue in the Del Ray North Shopping Center. Kim is from Montgomery County, Maryland, and her business is located in the 200 block of S. Van Dorn Street.


News

More than 30 four-story townhouses have been proposed to replace a 46-year-old office building in Old Town.

Alexandria land-use attorney Ken Wire is listed as the applicant for the project at 333 N. Fairfax St. The property is home to the Essex Building, an office building constructed in 1979.


News

Alexandria developer Windmill Hill is seeking the city’s approval for a three-story apartment building with ground-level retail in a parking lot in Old Town.

The developer has submitted a concept review for a new building at 220-224 S. Peyton St. for evaluation by the Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday.


News

We made it to Friday, Alexandria! Here’s a look at this week’s top stories.

Our most-read post is on a proposal to open a 24-hour Mexican restaurant in the city’s Del Ray neighborhood. The effort is facing some pushback from neighbors wary of potential crime and safety issues. In July, Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita officially announced in a special use permit application that it wants to open at 529 E. Howell Avenue, the former home to Bark Social. It would be the fourth restaurant for the local chain, and while the restaurant won’t serve alcohol, outside patio hours would be 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, according to the application. The inside area is proposed to be open 24 hours a day.


News

A Maryland man who says an Alexandria K-9 officer injured him during his 2023 arrest has filed a civil lawsuit in federal court against that officer’s handler and former Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes.

William Kyle III claims to be the victim of excessive force by police after he was pulled over on July 15, 2023, near a northbound entrance to Interstate 495. Kyle alleges the actions of Alexandria Police Department officer Matthew Wilson and K-9 officer Ares resulted in what he describes as a “severe and permanent” injury to his right shoulder. It was inflicted after Kyle was handcuffed and in police custody, according to the civil complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.


News

Room service, playtime, and Dog TV are just a few of the amenities that a luxury pet hotel franchise wants to bring to 2836 Duke Street.

The owners of a K9 Resorts franchise recently filed a special use permit request to open their doggie daycare and hotel at 2836 Duke Street. The 8,800-square-foot space is the former longtime home of Burke & Herbert Bank, which closed in 2023.


News

Participants in Alexandria’s Summer Youth Employment Program got a pleasant surprise at their closing ceremony on Thursday — free Dell laptops from Comcast.

The program, which started on June 30 and pays $12.41 per hour, recognized nearly 100 students Thursday night (Aug. 7) at the Virginia Tech Innovation campus. Katrina Ashmore, chief of the city’s Workforce Development Center, said that the program is more than just a summer job.


News

The group Alexandria for Palestinian Human Rights isn’t going to stop disrupting political events any time soon.

You might’ve noticed members of the growing group disrupting all manner of political events in the city since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted in October 2023. In addition to asking Alexandria to approve a ceasefire resolution, the group wants the city to divest itself from Israel and boycott companies it says are profiting from the conflict.


View More Stories