Vernon Miles | ALXnow

ARHA lays out plans for new North Old Town affordable housing development

Published November 9, 2021 at 1:15PM | Updated November 10, 2021 at 1:50AM

Rendering of new proposed Samuel Madden development (image courtesy ARHA)

(Updated 1:50 a.m.) The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority announced some next steps as it works to transform the Samuel Madden Homes (921 N. Henry Street) in the Braddock neighborhood into a mixed-income, mixed-use rental community.

There are currently 66 public housing units in a neighborhood at the northern point of where Route 1 splits into N. Patrick and N. Henry streets. It’s an area overshadowed by the larger, higher-density developments to the east and west. A press release said the development would double the number of affordable units.

News

Alexandria lays out state legislative priorities as ‘house money’ days come to a close

By Vernon Miles

Published November 9, 2021 at 11:00AM

After a few years of somewhat jubilant legislative sessions, the City Council is moving into preparation for a legislative package with a more grim outlook.

The legislative package is an annual list of asks and recommendations from the city to the state government. These sorts of legislative packages are particularly important in Virginia where, as a Dillon Rule state, the authority of the city is limited to only those areas explicitly granted by the state. With Republicans winning control of much of the state government in last week’s election, the all-Democrat City Council’s days of “playing with house money” could be coming to an end.

News

Morning Notes

By Vernon Miles

Published November 9, 2021 at 5:00AM

Deep orange fall colors in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Hank’s Oyster Bar moving to Old Town North — “Award-winning Chef Jamie Leeds spoke up on a social media post this morning to confirm that yes, Hank’s Oyster Bar is moving to the Old Town North neighborhood, into the space formerly occupied by Hank & Mitzi’s, an Italian restaurant named after her parents, that she closed in June 2020.” [Zebra]

Safeway donates to ALIVE! — “This morning, [the] Safeway Foundation presented ALIVE! with a $9,159.38 grant to ensure children in the City of Alexandria, VA have access to a healthy breakfast this fall 2021. [ALIVE!/Twitter]

News

DASH electric buses face challenges from hills and cold weather

By Vernon Miles

Published November 8, 2021 at 3:45PM

Electric DASH bus, photo via DASH/Facebook

Alexandria bus network DASH has been charging ahead on its electric bus program, but DASH leadership said the initiative has also faced a few bumps in the road.

At a meeting of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission last week, DASH General Manager Josh Baker shared some of the city bus service’s experience with implementing electrical buses.

News

Electric scooter program rolls into final review in Alexandria this week

By Vernon Miles

Published November 8, 2021 at 9:50AM

Electronic scooters could become a permanent part of the city ordinance this Saturday (Nov. 13) even as they head into their seasonal decline.

The approval comes after nearly two years of the program being in a pilot phase — even as scooter usage in Alexandria heads into its seasonal decline. Ridership typically falling to less than 10,000 trips city-wide between December and March. The chart also shows that scooter usage hasn’t come close to reaching its pre-pandemic highs in April and May 2019, though 2021 was still a stronger year for scooter usage than 2020 was. In spring 2020, scooter usage fell abysmally low, despite scooters being encouraged as a healthier alternative to riding the bus or carpooling.

News

Morning Notes

By Vernon Miles

Published November 8, 2021 at 5:00AM

The George Washington National masonic Memorial in Old Town, Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

Chewish Deli expanding to King Street — “In paperwork filed with the City, Chewish Deli owner Gregg Linzey is requesting a permit to open up a store at 1640 King Street, which was most recently the site of a Dunkin Donuts.” [Zebra]

Profile of home with some famous former residents — “The Nordquists, who have both held prominent jobs in the federal government, purchased the home in 2004, but they aren’t the first dignitaries to reside there.” [Alexandria Times]

News

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published November 5, 2021 at 3:30PM

Voting at Alexandria City Hall (staff photo by James Cullum)

It was election week in Alexandria, so congratulations and/or condolences.

Alexandria Democrats managed to hold onto all of the City Council seats. Mayor Justin Wilson won reelection and Elizabeth Bennett-Parker was elected to the 45th District House of Delegates seat. But any local Democrat euphoria was dampened by statewide losses that Wilson warned could reverse recent local wins on some issues.

Opinion

Poll: What do you think of the proposed Duke Street traffic change?

By Vernon Miles

Published November 5, 2021 at 2:40PM

Traffic backed up off Duke Street, courtesy Jill Hoffman

The city is moving forward with a pilot program that could — deliberately — make traffic slower on residential streets near Duke Street to push more drivers onto the main arterial roads.

Phase 1 of the new program, scheduled to start in January and run through March, would change signal timing along Duke Street and nearby roads, punishing drivers using residential streets to get to Telegraph Road and I-395 beyond that with longer wait times. Phase 2, which would start next fall, would prohibit access to Telegraph Road from West Taylor Run Parkway.

News

New overhaul could turn Simpson Park synthetic, along with other upgrades

By Vernon Miles

Published November 5, 2021 at 10:50AM

Safe! An Old Town run. Old Town businesses beat Del Ray businesses in the third-ever Del Ray vs. Old Town Softball Battle at Simpson Field on June 30, 2021. (Courtesy Elijah Walter Griffin Sr/Griffin Vision Photography)

Among the changes being considered for Eugene Simpson Stadium Park is a refit of the field itself to take it from natural grass and dirt to astroturf.

Park enthusiasts typically have mixed feelings on astroturfing, but the change would make the park more usable in various weather conditions and comes as the city is facing a dire shortage of park space for various sports.

News

Alexandria non-profit ALIVE! needs help filling Thanksgiving baskets for locals in need

By Vernon Miles

Published November 5, 2021 at 9:45AM

ALIVE! handed out four bags of food apiece at its drive-thru food distribution at Cora Kelly School and John Adams Elementary last Saturday morning. (Photo via ALIVE!/Facebook)

Alexandria non-profit ALIVE! is looking for help to put together Thanksgiving baskets for locals in need.

The non-profit is looking to fill 150 baskets by Sunday, Nov. 7.

News

Morning Notes

By Vernon Miles

Published November 5, 2021 at 5:00AM | Updated November 5, 2021 at 8:20AM

A rather large cobweb at a base for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, seen from Jones Point Park (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

City’s Torpedo Factory plans concern artists — “A recent presentation from the Office of the Arts outlining several proposed options for how to renovate the Torpedo Factory has led to pushback from artists, who claim the city’s plans would radically and irrevocably change the historic art center.” [Alexandria Times]

Alexandria man convicted of armed fentanyl trafficking — “A federal jury convicted an Alexandria man yesterday on charges of conspiracy, possession, and distribution of fentanyl and Eutylone, and being a felon in possession of a firearm during drug trafficking.” [Department of Justice]