News | ALXnow - Part 948

City Council Authorizes Purchase of ‘West End City Hall’

Published July 9, 2020 at 11:45AM | Updated July 9, 2020 at 12:08PM

4850 Mark Center Drive. (Courtesy photo)

The office building at 4850 Mark Center Drive may not be known to many Alexandrians, but on Tuesday it was approved as the eventual headquarters of the city’s Health Department and Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) — and potentially a temporary hub of city administration once repairs to City Hall move forward.

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the council approved purchasing the building for $58.7 million and to relocate the Health Department andn DCHS into the 10-story building.

Torpedo Factory Soon Opening Jury Process for New Artists

By James Cullum

Published July 9, 2020 at 10:30AM | Updated July 9, 2020 at 2:28PM

The Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

In years past, the Torpedo Factory Art Center teemed with upward of a half-million visitors every year, but all that changed with the coronavirus. It’s one of Alexandria’s top tourist destinations, and despite the cancellation of all in-person scheduled programs and private facility rentals, the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association will soon be looking for new artists to participate in its jury process.

The Torpedo Factory, which is owned by the city, is currently open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday and closed Monday and Tuesday. Visitors are required to wear face masks and observe social distancing. The Target Gallery, for instance, now only allows 10 people at a time.

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published July 9, 2020 at 9:00AM

Beyer Doubles Down on Trump Stance on School Reopenings — “Trump has again overruled the nation’s leading public health officials for political reasons, this time on guidance for reopening schools. He is intentionally endangering American children because he believes it will help him get reelected.” [Twitter]

Planning Commission to Evaluate Increasing School Density — The Planning Commission’s September 2 docket has been posted to the city’s website, and it includes a discussion to allow for an increase in density for public school sites. Since last fall, the city and administrators have been coordinating on a plan to co-locate affordable housing on school grounds. [City of Alexandria]

School Board to Vote on T.C. Williams High School Renaming Process Friday

By James Cullum

Published July 8, 2020 at 5:30PM

Alexandria City Public Schools have acknowledged that Thomas Chambliss Williams was a racist and segregationist, and on Friday the School Board will decide on moving forward with the renaming process for T.C. Williams High School.

On the table is a proposal to begin the renaming process by directing Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. to initiate a public engagement process this fall, followed by a report with recommendations next spring.

New Mixed-Use Development Sparks Frustration With Density in Parker-Gray Neighborhood

By Vernon Miles

Published July 8, 2020 at 5:00PM

Concept rendering of 701 N. Henry Street project (photo via City of Alexandria)

There were public concerns about the massing, height, and construction hours for the newly approved development at 701 N. Henry Street. Behind those criticisms though was a recurring theme: many residents of the city’s historic Parker-Gray neighborhood are unhappy with the new density coming to their neighborhood.

Before it was part of the trendy Braddock neighborhood, with Metro adjacent coffee shops and bars, the Parker-Gray neighborhood was a historic black community formed as a haven for former slaves after the Civil War and solidified into a distinct center of Black life in Alexandria during segregation, according to the Washington Post.

Del Ray Media Company Adapts to Socially Distanced Projects

By James Cullum

Published July 8, 2020 at 3:35PM | Updated July 8, 2020 at 4:33PM

The pandemic forced Anthony Istrico to think fast. Almost at the onset of the virus, his media production company, Istrico Productions, lost more than $200,000 in work, and Istrico had to act quickly or the business he’d grown from the ground up would be in serious trouble.

“We had almost $200,000 in signed contracts back out,” Istrico told ALXnow. “It was a significant drop in our income for the first two quarters.”

Director of Finance: Full Economic Recovery From COVID-19 Shutdown Likely Two Years Away

By Vernon Miles

Published July 8, 2020 at 2:15PM

Alright, which of you went to a movie in April?

At the height of the pandemic, when nearly everything in the city was shut down, the city’s latest revenue report shows that the city still collected $2 in admissions tax. The city’s finance officials ran the numbers and said that meant that four people bought tickets at movie theaters in Alexandria while nearly everything in the city was shut down.

Statue of Earl Lloyd to be Erected in Alexandria’s African American Hall of Fame

By James Cullum

Published July 8, 2020 at 11:55AM | Updated July 9, 2020 at 2:00PM

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

This fall, a statue of Alexandria’s Earl Lloyd, the first Black man to play basketball in the National Basketball Association, will be unveiled in the African American Hall of Fame inside Charles Houston Recreation Center.

The City Council approved the gift from Lloyd’s wife, Charlita Lloyd, at its meeting on Tuesday night. The statue, which is three feet wide, nine feet long and six feet tall, is exactly like the statue of Lloyd dedicated at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.

ACPS Has No Comment on Chief Operating Officer’s Vocal Departure

By James Cullum

Published July 8, 2020 at 10:30AM

Alexandria City Public Schools will not comment on assertions made by the former ACPS Chief Operating Officer Mignon Anthony, who lambasted the school system and the leadership of Superintendent Gregory Huthings, Jr. in a scathing opinion letter published by the Alexandria Times.

Anthony apologized for not fulfilling promises made when she started her job in January 2018, and said that the tide turned against her after raising concerns over de-escalating transportation employee complaints. She also that ACPS leadership is unstable and that it “does not serve our students or educators well.”

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published July 8, 2020 at 9:00AM | Updated July 8, 2020 at 9:51AM

Walking along the Potomac River at Founders Park in Old Town. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Mayor Decries Hate Incidents in Alexandria — “‪Two sad examples of hate in our community this week. ‬This is not who we are as a City. We reject those that would spew hate and target members of our community.‬ ‪I hope that any violation of the law will be addressed aggressively by City, State and Federal officials, as applicable.‬” [Facebook]

Beyer Says Trump Doesn’t Care About Children — “Trump’s approach all along has been to pretend a miraculous end to the pandemic is just around the corner. He doesn’t have a plan. He isn’t going to lead. He doesn’t care about making schools safe for children and educators. It’s so important to get this right.” [Twitter]

Alexandria Launches New Program to Help Unemployed Locals Find Jobs

By Vernon Miles

Published July 7, 2020 at 4:30PM

Alexandria’s Workforce Development Center has launched a new program aimed at offering training and services for the thousands of Alexandrians currently unemployed after the COVID-19 shutdown.

Strive & Thrive: Helping Alexandria Stay Resilient & Get Back to Work offers free online programs on topics like resume building and mastering job interviews.