Face masks still required on DASH buses — “Riding public transportation in Alexandria anytime soon? Don’t forget your mask.” [Zebra]
Bike to Work Day is Friday — “The free Bike to Work Day event features over 100 pit stops around the DC region in DC, Maryland and Virginia. The first 15,000 people who register and show up to a pit stop will receive a T-shirt. Staggered hours and COVID-19 policies will be in place.” [Patch]
(Updated 5/20) A stretch of vacant land and parking lots in the Parker-Gray could soon become a five-story, multi-family residential development with a redesign meant to evoke the neighborhood’s unique heritage.
The development is headed to its second Board of Architectural Review (BAR) meeting tomorrow (Wednesday). The building underwent a slight redesign after a February meeting when the board scolded the architect for trying to make an industrial waterfront-style building in lieu of respecting the historically Black neighborhood’s own unique — and distinctly not Old Town — aesthetics and style.
Alexandria’s initial (first time) unemployment claims keep falling, and continued claims rose 16% for the week ending May 8.
There were just 277 initial claims for the week ending Mat 1, according to the Virginia Employment Commission. That’s a far cry from the 1,498 initial claims listed on April 24, and the 1,806 initial claims for the week ending April 3.
The CEO of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority says that significant changes in federal funding will lay the foundation to redevelop all of its public housing sites in the style of the recently unveiled Lineage development.
ARHA recently announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will convert the 213 units at three sites — Ladrey High-Rise, Park Place, and Saxony Square — from public housing funding to Housing Choice Voucher funding.
In a first for the city since at least the start of the year, there have been no new cases of coronavirus and no new hospitalizations reported in Alexandria.
The city’s count of total cases stands at 11,799, with total hospitalizations at 563, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
While much attention is being paid to Inova Health System’s plans for Landmark Mall, the hospital is also slowly moving forward with plans to convert the existing hospital space to houses.
At the June 1 Planning Commission meeting, Inova is seeking to have the land use designation for the hospital at 4320 Seminary Road changed from industrial to medium residential — in keeping with the housing type throughout much of the surrounding Seminary Hill neighborhood.
It’s been nearly 150 years since Alexandria elected its last Republican mayor.
The year 1872 was big for Republicans. President Ulysses S. Grant won his second term in office, and it’s also the last time that Alexandria elected a Republican as mayor.
Alexandria among areas with highest median income in Virginia — “According to a recent study by SmartAsset, residents in Alexandria are among the highest earners in Virginia. The analysis was completed as part of the company’s study on the places with the most purchasing power, and cost of living was factored into the calculations.” [Alexandria Living]
Target, Walmart, BJ’s, Costco: Virginia stores end masks for vaccinated — “BJ’s Wholesale Club, Starbucks, Costco, Sam’s Club, and Trader Joe’s will also no longer require masks inside stores. Initially, Target and Walmart had been among numerous establishments in a holding pattern after last week’s announcements.” [Patch]
Capital Bikeshare is expanding into Alexandria’s West End, with three new stations scheduled to be installed in June.
The expansion is part of a seven-station growth planned to expand the bike infrastructure network across the West End.
The final touches are being made on the King Street-Old Town Metro Access Improvement Project.
On-site bus route testing will begin later this month, and bus service to new shelters will start in early June, according to the city. Contractor Fort Myer Construction Corporation was supposed to have finished the project last spring.
The main signs at T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School will be removed in ceremonies with students during the last week of this school year, according to Alexandria City Public Schools.
After years of community work to change the names, they go into effect on July 1. The front signs will be replaced this summer by two new signs reading Alexandria City High School and Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School.
