Vernon Miles | ALXnow

Local design students want your thoughts on the George Washington Masonic Memorial

Published April 20, 2021 at 10:45AM

The George Washington Masonic National Memorial, as viewed from the King Street metro station (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

An urban design student at Alexandria’s Virginia Tech campus is gathering some local feedback on the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.

The memorial — as longtime readers may remember from our short-lived local trivia series — was constructed in 1932 and was inspired by the Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt.

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City Council expands the scope of stormwater fee uses

By Vernon Miles

Published April 19, 2021 at 4:30PM

A trail over Holmes Run closed in 2020 after flooding damaged the trail system (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

To go along with a recent increase in the stormwater utility fee, Alexandria’s City Council is broadening the scope of what that can be covered by that fee.

At a City Council meeting on Saturday, the Council voted unanimously in favor of expanding the uses of the fee to help combat some of the rampant flooding that’s plagued the city over the last few years.

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West End bus lines locked in battle with regional projects for funding

By Vernon Miles

Published April 19, 2021 at 2:30PM

Alexandria is seeking state funding for a couple of transportation projects, but competition is fierce in a region full of localities hoping to overhaul their transit systems despite the pandemic’s dire financial ramifications.

The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) recently announced the shortlist of proposed transportation projects that could receive funding through the Commuter Choice program. Each project is scored based primarily on technical merit — like how many people benefit and how much travel time is saved — but also on criteria like cost effectiveness and interagency collaboration.

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Alexandria historians aim to move preservation beyond local historical celebrities

By Vernon Miles

Published April 15, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated April 16, 2021 at 10:24AM

(Updated on 4/16/21) As the city works towards a more inclusive portrayal of its history, part of that also involves an effort to move away from the “George Washington slept here” approach to history.

In a meeting of the Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission meeting yesterday, the commission met with preservation architect Purvi Gandhi Irwin to discuss diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in historic preservation. A focus of the discussion was reshaping views of historic preservation front the ground-up that accounts for viewpoints often neglected in preservation.

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Silberberg addresses old defeats and new challenges in campaign to reclaim mayorship

By Vernon Miles

Published April 14, 2021 at 4:45PM

Former Mayor Allison Silberberg very publicly didn’t plan on running against Mayor Justin Wilson in the Democratic primary, but as weeks slipped by and no other challenger came forward — and Council Member Mo Seifeldein dropped out — Silberberg said she felt she needed to step up.

Three years after Silberberg lost her reelection bid to Wilson, she’s back to reclaim the position.

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Southern Towers residents nervous as landlord steps up eviction proceedings

By Vernon Miles

Published April 14, 2021 at 2:30PM | Updated April 14, 2021 at 3:31PM

Low-income residents at Southern Towers (4901 Seminary Road) in the West End have been among those most affected by historic highs in unemployment and a sluggish economic recovery — but on-top of this, many of the residents face a new problem: a landlord pursuing hundreds of evictions.

At a meeting today between residents and elected officials, several immigrants living one of the city’s few remaining bastions of market rate affordable housing shared a sense of uncertainty and fear as new landlord CIM Group begins taking legal actions against residents.

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City looking for feedback on future of transit, traffic and overall transportation planning

By Vernon Miles

Published April 13, 2021 at 2:15PM

Traffic moves along Duke Street near N. Jordan St. (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

An update to the Alexandria Mobility Plan could reshape some of the ways the city approaches transit, streets and more.

The city is soliciting public feedback on the new update to the Alexandria Mobility Plan (AMP).

News

Alexandria Health Department pauses Johnson & Johnson vaccinations

By Vernon Miles

Published April 13, 2021 at 10:15AM

Following new concerns about potential side effects, Alexandria and statewide health administrations are pausing all planned Johnson & Johnson vaccinations.

The news comes after the CDC and the FDA released a recommendation to stop using the vaccine after six patients reportedly developed a rare and severe type of blood clot.

News

Alexandria moves into Phase 2 of vaccination

By Vernon Miles

Published April 12, 2021 at 12:45PM

All residents over 16 are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Alexandria.

The Alexandria Health Department announced today (Monday) that while eligibility has been greatly expanded, availability is still depending on vaccine supply and could take several months.

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Planning Commission approves controversial subdivision, plants potential loophole for future denial

By Vernon Miles

Published April 9, 2021 at 2:30PM

506 N. Overlook Drive (image via North Ridge Citizens' Association)

A subdivision that could lead to the demolition of a 19th century Alexandria home got its recommendation of approval from the Planning Commission Thursday night, but included a Death Star exhaust port-type hole that could blow up the process down the road.

The owner of the house at 506 N. Overlook Drive is seeking a permit to adjust the property lines for two parcels on the site, the first steps toward what will eventually involve tearing down the house on the property.

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City says Taylor Run alternatives could cost far more than current estimates

By Vernon Miles

Published April 9, 2021 at 11:00AM

Taylor Run (photo via City of Alexandria)

City staff have launched a defense of the embattled Taylor Run Stream Restoration Project — criticized by some environmental activists and the city’s Natural Resources Manager Rod Simmons

As part of the budget query process, Vice-Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker asked staff to look into other options as alternatives to the project. Despite reluctance towards the Taylor Run restoration project starting to take hold in the City Council, staff said in a response to Bennett-Parker they believe the current course to be the most effective one.