If you’re hoping to get into an Alexandria pool, grab the tickets while you can.
Every Thursday, the City of Alexandria will release tickets for family outdoor pool swimming or indoor lap swimming. Alexnadria’s outdoor pools are scheduled to be open until Labor Day (Sept. 7). Each ticket is valid for a 45-minute window.
Alexandria Man Has Washington Football Team Name Trademarks — “Phillip Martin McCaulay, 61, has made dozens of submissions to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for almost a dozen potential names and other iterations of them.” [WTOP]
Police Department Celebrates 150th Birthday — “150 years of exemplary service to the citizens of Alexandria! Happy anniversary to the Alexandria Police Department founded on this day, July 15, 1870.” [Facebook]
Taking advantage of Phase 3 of reopening’s opening of entertainment locations, Arlandria music venue The Birchmere (3701 Mt Vernon Avenue) is back with new shows planned every Friday and Saturday.
The Birchmere website notes that some changes are in effect for the location. Masks are required when visitors are not seated — such as in the bathroom or when entering or exiting the building. Tickets now also have an additional $5 fee. Tickets for all shows are $15 and available online or at the box office on the day of the show.
Sami Bourma doesn’t know what he’s going to do. At 2 p.m. today, the unemployed father of two children and resident at Southern Towers had an eviction hearing at the Alexandria Courthouse.
Two hours prior to that, Bourma and a number of his friends and neighbors stood outside the courthouse in Old Town and, for the second time this month, protested in asking Governor Ralph Northam to cancel evictions.
Cristian Velasco says he might be crazy, but even as other local businesses are closing, he’s still hoping to open a new gelato spot in Del Ray (2400 Mt. Vernon Avenue) by August.
“I got the permits going through last week,” Velasco said. “Some revisions are pending, I don’t know how long that will be, but I’m thinking maybe [we’ll open] by the end of August.”
Alexandria is providing the community with more funds to apply for emergency rent assistance.
On July 10, the city announced that it is prioritizing $450,000 from the Virginia Rent and Mortgage Relief Program for residents primarily living at or below 50% of the area median income up until July 20. After that time, households making 80% of AMI will be included.
After some back and forth about the “Old Town” letters, plans to revive the marquee above the former Old Town Theater are headed to the Alexandria Board of Architectural Review tonight (Wednesday).
The site at 815 1/2 King Street is undergoing renovation to turn into a Patagonia — an outdoors clothing and equipment store. The location was build as the Richmond Theater in 1914, according to a staff report, with a permit for “moving pictures, bowling alleys and billiards.” In 1929, a metal marquee was added, which may have been replaced or updated in the 1950s.
Beyer Blasts McConnell for Holding Up Unemployment Extension — “The House passed a bill to extend unemployment benefits months ago, but Mitch McConnell blocked it. He just said the Senate will do nothing until next week — which would cause a lapse. Millions of American families are set to begin August with a huge loss of income as a result.” [Twitter]
Alexandria Firefighter on ‘Tough As Nails’ TV Show — “The whole experience was awesome. Easily one of the craziest things I’ve ever done. In a good way!” [Zebra]
It’s not unusual for the Little Theatre of Alexandria to be bursting at the seams with a sold-out audience, as ushers, actors, assistant directors and set designers rush around to present their latest offering. Not this year.
For the first time since World War II, LTA was forced to shut down until calmer days prevail and cancelled its formal 2020-2021 season, which was supposed to open with “Sister Act” and continue through Christmas with its annual sold-out rendition of “A Christmas Carol” and into next summer.
Development started early this year at the Muse luxury condo complex at the former home of MetroStage in Old Town North. While the 210,000 square foot property won’t open until the fourth quarter of 2021, units will be available for sale this fall, according to property owner The Carr Companies.
The site, which was designed by architect SK+I, is the former home to the MetroStage theater, which is moving to another Carr property in development, Venue, at 901 N. Fairfax Street. The Old Town North property is bordered by Third Street, North Royal Street and part of the Mount Vernon Trail along the Potomac River. The Washington Business Journal recently reported that the units will start at $800,000.
If the vision presented to the Parks and Recreation Commission last Thursday remains through the development, Potomac Yard could be rife with flexible open space.
At the commission meeting, representatives of developer JBG SMITH and Virginia Tech outlined plans for flexibles spaces that could be used equally for casual strolls or busy markets.
