News | ALXnow - Part 628

Lecture this week to examine impacts of Virginia Theological Seminary’s reparations program

Published March 28, 2022 at 2:50PM

Virginia Theological Seminary (staff photo by James Cullum)

Nearly three years after Alexandria’s Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) launched a program to create reparations and research related to Black Americans enslaved or compelled to work at the school, a new lecture program this week is scheduled to look at what kind of progress has been made on that front.

On Wednesday, March 30, the Alexandria Historical Society, the Alexandria Black History Museum and the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project are hosting a virtual lecture to examine what that program has accomplished since it launched in September 2019.

Alexandria surpasses 30,000 cases of COVID-19

By James Cullum

Published March 28, 2022 at 1:00PM

With just 80 reported cases of COVID-19 over the last week, Alexandria has surpassed 30,000 total cases since the onset of the pandemic.

As of Friday (March 25), there have been 30,026 reported cases of Covid in the city, according to the Alexandria Health Department. The number of deaths remains at 185, and the seven-day average of cases is now 17.

New mixed-use development, and potential dance space, coming to Old Town North

By Vernon Miles

Published March 28, 2022 at 11:00AM

Rendering of 901 North Pitt Street development from N Montgomery Street, image via City of Alexandria

Just caddy corner to where an office building is getting a new restaurant space, another developer is coming forward with plans to redevelop 901 N Pitt Street into an eight-story mixed-use building.

At an April 7 meeting (Item 9), the Planning Commission is scheduled to review the development’s development special use permit. The 901 N Pitt Street development is proposed by the somewhat unimaginatively named 901 N. Pitt Street, LLC, which the application says is a mix of The Oliver Carr Company and Carr Holdings II LLC.

Landmark Mall Transit Center closed for construction ahead of mall demolition

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 28, 2022 at 9:30AM

A DASH bus pulls into Landmark Mall (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Landmark Mall Transit Center will be closed for about a week starting tomorrow (Tuesday) for construction as the facility serving DASH and Metrobus is relocated ahead of the mall’s demolition this spring.

DASH sent out a notice that the transit center would close Tuesday, March 29, for about one week, meaning DASH Line 30, 32 and 35 buses will not stop at Landmark Mall. It wasn’t yet known whether the transit center will reopen at the relocated spot in front of the former Macy’s, or if that relocation would happen at a later date.

Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published March 28, 2022 at 5:00AM

A view from Shipyard Park along South Union Street (staff photo by Brandi Bottalico)

Mayor Asks Metro for Support During Closure — “Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson urged Metro in a Thursday letter to commit to city rail and bus service amid an announcement of extended closures, particularly on the transit agency’s Yellow Line.” [WTOP]

West Glebe Road Bridge Lane Closed — “Engineers have identified a structural issue with a bridge connecting Arlington County and Alexandria, prompting a lane closure.” [Patch]

Alexandria police investigate city’s first homicide of the year in West End

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 25, 2022 at 4:10PM

Alexandria Police at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus. (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Police Department is investigating the city’s first homicide of 2022 in West End.

Officers responded around 6:50 a.m. Wednesday to the 4500 block of Raleigh Avenue for an unresponsive person lying in the bushes, police said. When they arrived, they discovered Alexandria resident Elijah Williams, 25, dead on the sidewalk near one of the residences.

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 25, 2022 at 3:45PM

Along the waterfront near Jones Point (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The week was filled with trees blooming across the city during the peak for cherry blossoms.

Aside from picturesque scenes throughout Alexandria, there were some local stories that interested you all — from new pizza places to court updates in crime cases. And at the City Council’s meeting, Dominion Energy said it will invest millions of dollars in Alexandria to prevent future outages like the one at Art on the Avenue last year.

Extension of school resource officers program will give ACPS time to map out future, says superintendent

By James Cullum

Published March 25, 2022 at 3:00PM

Alexandria Police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)

Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. wants another year of funding for the school resource officer program — time he says that will allow Alexandria City Public Schools to map out its future without a rush.

Hutchings says the extension will allow for the formation of a School Law Enforcement Advisory Group next month, which will closely study the SRO program and hammer out a proposal for a new bi-annual memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Alexandria Police Department in December.

‘Save Del Ray’ website launches in opposition to Bonaventure’s mixed-use shopping development on Mount Vernon Avenue

By James Cullum

Published March 25, 2022 at 1:00PM | Updated March 25, 2022 at 1:31PM

A conceptual design for Bonaventure's property at 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. (Via Bonaventure)

A movement decrying Bonaventure’s proposed mixed-use development in the heart of Del Ray launched online this month, and its organizer says the plan will ruin the neighborhood’s peaceful vibe.

Nate Hurto and a few dozen of his neighbors aren’t happy about the proposal to convert the old 88,500-square-foot former home of the Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services building at 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue into a four-story, 43-foot-tall building with 12,530 square feet of retail and 79 rental units.

Historic marker to be placed in front of NBA trailblazer’s childhood home

By Brandi Bottalico

Published March 25, 2022 at 10:55AM

The original sculpture of Earl Lloyd at Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (Photo via City of Alexandria)

A marker will be unveiled in front of NBA trailblazer Earl Francis Lloyd’s childhood home in Alexandria.

The city announced today (Friday) that the historical state marker will be at 1020 Montgomery Street and an event will be held for its unveiling, featuring remarks from Mayor Justin Wilson, Kevin Lloyd, son of Earl Loyd, and others.

Del Ray bartender Adrian Nicotra launches pickling business

By James Cullum

Published March 25, 2022 at 9:55AM

Fermented cucumbers with pickles, garlic and coriander from Pickles and Cures in Del Ray. (Via Instagram)

Adrian Nicotra says you can pickle anything, but the problem is it’s harder to find new clientele since repeat customers buy out his pickled products because they have long shelf lives.

Last October, the 32-year-old bartender at Tiki Bar Del Ray launched his business Pickles And Cures, and is now working to get his products in area restaurants and farmers markets.