Vernon Miles | ALXnow

West End apartment complex looks to replace parking with barking

Published September 14, 2021 at 1:15PM

Park + Ford layout, via City of Alexandria

A former office building turned residential complex in the West End is headed back to the City Council on Saturday, Sept. 18, for some new amenities — like replacing a surface parking lot with a dog park.

The Park + Ford apartment buildings at 4401 Ford Avenue opened earlier this year but developer Lowe Enterprises Real Estate Group is already back to the city looking to add to the project. The developer is proposing to replace a pair of parking spaces across the street from the building with a new amenity space and a dog park — both private, unfortunately for West End locals looking for an alternative to the Shirlington Dog Park.

News

Landmark redevelopment’s community management up for review at City Council tonight

By Vernon Miles

Published September 14, 2021 at 9:50AM

Landmark Mall rendering (image via City of Alexandria)

The Landmark area is getting one step closer to the city’s goal of being a mixed-use community at tonight’s (Tuesday) City Council meeting.

At the meeting tonight, the Council is scheduled to review several amendments to the city’s Landmark-area ordinances ahead of the area’s planned mixed-use redevelopment. Among these is the creation of a new Community Development Authority (Item 36), a new five-member board that will be in charge of overseeing several aspects of shaping Landmark Mall. In particular, the CDA will manage the financing, designing, and construction of the area’s public infrastructure and services, financed through a combination of bonds, private contributions, and other sources.

News

School Board says vaccination will be required for staff

By Vernon Miles

Published September 13, 2021 at 11:00AM

News of over a dozen school deaths from COVID in Miami has led ACPS to reconsider it’s earlier position of allowing staff to decide whether to be vaccinated or not.

At a School Board meeting last week, the board voted to make it clear that in the coming weeks a plan will be put together on requiring all staff to be vaccinated — unless that falls into the broad category of claiming a medical or religious exemption.

News

Alexandria seeking state-funding to make fare-free buses long-term

By Vernon Miles

Published September 10, 2021 at 2:45PM

Electric DASH bus, photo via DASH/Facebook

The city’s DASH bus network recently went fare-free, and the city is looking for more funding from the state to help it stay that way.

An item at the upcoming Tuesday, Sept. 14, City Council meeting includes an application to the Transit Ridership Incentive Program (TRIP) to help finance the city’s free bus ridership program.

News

Old Town apothecary museum looking for volunteers to lead tours

By Vernon Miles

Published September 10, 2021 at 10:45AM

A few products on display at the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

As Alexandria’s museums and historical localities start to reopen, some are looking for public help to handle new visitors.

The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum (105 S Fairfax Street), part of the Office of Historic Alexandria, is looking for volunteers to help lead guided tours of the historic site, an 19th century pharmacy turned museum of medicinal herbs and apothecary accoutrements.

Opinion

Poll: Have you seen a show or concert in Alexandria since the pandemic?

By Vernon Miles

Published September 9, 2021 at 3:30PM

Shows are back across Alexandria, with venues like The Birchmere and Little Theater of Alexandria opening their doors again.

This weekend, Little Theater is showing August Wilson’s “Fences” and last month, The Birchmere featured Three Dog Night.

News

West End trail project derailed by stalled development

By Vernon Miles

Published September 9, 2021 at 1:00PM | Updated September 9, 2021 at 2:59PM

Backlick Trail, photo via City of Alexandria

(Updated at 3 p.m.) The city had plans — to the tune of a $5 million grant — to extend the Backlick Run Trail and connect Armistead Boothe Park to the Van Dorn Street bridge. But a redevelopment the plan hinged on his been stalled, and with it city staff said they’re shifting some of the funding to another project.

The trail runs behind the Cameron Station neighborhood and connects to the Holmes Run trail in the east, but ends abruptly at Armistead Boothe Park in the west. Cyclists or pedestrians continuing from there have to move up to the shared S. Pickett Street to get to the Van Dorn Bridge.

News

Mayor outlines upcoming plastic bag tax plans

By Vernon Miles

Published September 8, 2021 at 3:40PM

Ahead of a public meeting tonight (Wednesday), Mayor Justin Wilson outlined what’s being proposed and next steps.

“The plastic bag tax has long been floated,” Wilson said in a town hall last week, noting that a similar tax is already in place in D.C. “Senator [Adam] Ebbin, who represents the east end of Alexandria, proposed legislation that allows local governments to opt in for the plastic bag tax.”

News

BREAKING: Pedestrian critically injured in Old Town car crash

By Vernon Miles

Published September 7, 2021 at 7:35PM

Cameron and Buchanan Street, photo via Google Maps

(Updated 7:40 p.m.) A pedestrian has been transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a car crash around 7 p.m. on Cameron Street in Old Town, according to Alexandria police.

The street is shut down at the intersection with Buchanan Street, near the popular Metro Linear Park that runs parallel to the Metro.

News

Mark Center development plans head to Planning Commission this week

By Vernon Miles

Published September 7, 2021 at 2:15PM | Updated September 8, 2021 at 11:37AM

(Updated 9/8) Alexandria has many charming, attractive neighborhoods — the Mark Center isn’t one of them. But while it’s unlikely the highway-adjacent office park will be competing with Del Ray or Old Town anytime soon, a new pair of land-use changes could open the door down the road to the start of something of a transformation for the area.

Two parcels in the Mark Center Coordinated Development District (CDD) are headed to the Planning Commission on Thursday, Sept. 9 — the Hilton Hotel site at 5000 Seminary Road and the IDA site at 4880 Mark Center Drive. The applicants are asking for changes to open up some of the allowable uses on the site for future commercial and residential development.

News

Village Brauhaus aims for rooftop expansion

By Vernon Miles

Published September 7, 2021 at 9:55AM

Village Brauhaus at 710 King Street (staff photo by James Cullum)

While outdoor dining along King Street has been a blessing for many local restaurants, Village Brauhaus (710 King Street) wasn’t so lucky. But now the restaurant — and former castle — is hoping to take that same principle to the roof.

In an application to the Planning Commission, Village Brauhaus owners Chelsea and William Gross are asking for permission to expand the restaurant dining to the roof.