A 14-story Arlandria apartment complex has been acquired by the Alexandria Housing Development Corporation, the latest move in an effort to preserve affordable housing in an area facing significant development pressure.
AHDC recently announced that it bought the Park Vue of Alexandria apartments from Florida-based ZRS Management with support of $51.4 million from the $2 billion Amazon Housing Equity Fund, and conditionally will reman affordable for at least 99 years.
A pair of buildings on King Street, in the heart of Old Town, could be demolished and transformed into a new mixed-use development.
Owner Silverman Group filed an application to the city to redevelop 615 and 621 King Street as a single mixed-use building, the Washington Business Journal first reported.
Alexandria, Fairfax County and Arlington now have low Covid transmission levels, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC’s last update on community levels was on Feb. 25. The Virginia Department of Health still lists the city’s transmission rate as high, although the categorization has not been updated since Feb. 19. Alexandria has experienced high transmission since December.
Bethesda-based Fresh Baguette is opening in Old Town on Tuesday (March 1). The first 20 customers in the door will also get free croissants for a year.
The bakery at 1101 King Street joins the companies locations in Maryland and Georgetown — all part of an expansion plan that will see a number of the bakeries popping up around the region.
Alexandria has lit City Hall and the George Washington Masonic Memorial in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. The effort of solidarity for the beleaguered country has been echoed by shining blue and yellow lights on bridges and buildings throughout the region.
Russia invaded Ukraine last week, and hundreds have been killed so far during the conflict. At time of writing, Ukraine and Russia are currently engaging in ceasefire talks after Ukrainian resistance stalled Russia’s approach into Kyiv and other major cities.
Man providing for family in Ethiopia killed in Duke Street crash — “A man killed in a violent car crash in Alexandria Tuesday night was working day and night to fulfill the American Dream for his wife and children in Ethiopia, family friends say.” [NBC]
Hangry Joe’s opening in Alexandria Commons — “Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken will be moving into the Alexandria Commons Shopping Center later this year.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
Alexandria had another heist involving eyeglass frames on Saturday. This time, it was at an optometrist on King Street at S. Saint Asaph Street.
Around 1:10 p.m., a group of three males arrived at the optometrist offices in Old Town Alexandria. At least one of them was armed with pepper spray when they entered the shop to steal the frames.
It was a relatively quiet week in Alexandria post-parade, with most eyes fixed on the unfolding situation in Ukraine.
Around town, there were a few notable businesses closing, like Kiskadee in Del Ray, and a couple openings, like Bob and Edith’s in Old Town early next week.
The Alexandria School Board has overturned ordinance requiring face masks for students in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS), yielding to newly passed state requirements.
The vote was, in some ways, an empty gesture. The bill signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin requires that public schools treat masks as optional for students, with no punishment for students who either choose to wear a mask or choose not to.
An Alexandria juvenile was apprehended and transported to the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center after allegedly robbing another juvenile of $8 with a fake handgun.
The incident, which occurred at around 7:15 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12., was reported to police by the victim’s parent. The parent reported that one juvenile held a gun on the victim while the other took $8 and “attempted to take the victim’s shoes and coat,” police said in a search warrant affidavit.
Noelie Rickey and Markos Panas have been busier than bees lately, and on Thursday (Feb. 24) their Beeliner Diner officially opened in the Bradlee Shopping Center.
The new family restaurant at 3648 King Street is the former longtime home to Atlantis Pizzeria & Restaurant, which closed early last year. Rickey, Panas and partner Dagmawi Abedje also own the Bread & Water Company bakery in the Belle View Shopping Center. They opened a Bun Papa pop-up at the King Street location in November, and the space has been expanded to include the BeeStreet Virtual Food Hall, which is a collection of pop-up concepts ALX Pizza, Boom Chicky (fried chicken) and Bun Papa.
