Proposed townhomes at 333 N. Fairfax Street in Old Town (courtesy of EYA, LLC and Simpson Development)
On Saturday (April 18), Alexandria City Council approved an office-to-residential conversion that will bring 32 four-story townhomes to Old Town.
Without discussion, City Council unanimously approved the Planning Commission’s recommendation to tear down the Essex Building — an office building at 333 N. Fairfax Street built in the 1970s — and replace it with townhomes. A parking garage and lot will also be demolished. Plans for the 1.4-acre site from EYA and Simpson Development reveal four-story homes with two-car garages and roof decks just a few blocks from King Street and the Potomac River waterfront.
Alexandria Police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)
A pedestrian was killed in a crash in Old Town North yesterday (Monday), according to Alexandria police and fire radio dispatches.
The Alexandria Police Department responded to the fatal crash involving a pedestrian at St. Asaph and Montgomery Streets around 5:26 p.m. According to radio dispatches, multiple callers reported that the pedestrian was down and not breathing.
This recurring Most and Least Expensive Home feature is sponsored by Adrianna Vallario of Compass. Based in the North Ridge area of Alexandria City, Adrianna is more than just a real estate agent – she is a trusted advisor, relocation expert, and community advocate.
In October 2026, 26 detached homes sold, 50 condos sold, and 41 townhomes sold. Detached home sales are down 40% when compared to the same time period last year, condos are down 52%, and townhomes are down 18%.
Signs in Old Town Alexandria for the April 21 City Council special election (staff photo by James Cullum)
On This Day in Alexandria History — “On April 21, 1893, Alexandrians were saddened to learn of the death the evening before of George Carroll, a well-known and affable African American who had served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Before the war, Carroll had served as a slave in the home of Josiah H. Davis and as a boy, had worked at the old plaster mill on the waterfront between Prince and Duke Streets … Carroll was a member of Alexandria’s Sumner Post, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a fraternal organization of nearly 400,000 Union Army veterans by 1890, which advocated for pensions for veterans, voting rights for black veterans and advancement of advocacy groups in American politics.” [Historic Alexandria]
It’s Election Day — Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the Alexandria City Council special election and statewide redistricting amendment. [Office of Voter Registration and Elections]
Reserve your spot for an after-hour event with multi-disciplinary artist Sky Hopinka, Thursday, Nov. 5, 6–9 PM. Experience monumental nature-inspired artworks in the Water’s Edgeexhibition, make your own artwork to take home at the National Museum of the American Indian.
Sky Hopinka’s photo and video art—including This is a mnemonic for Truman Lowe in the museum’s collection—shares Truman Lowe’s interest in Indigenous homelands, cultural knowledge, and traditional practices. Hopinka contributed to the exhibition catalog for Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, writing on Lowe’s lasting impact on his work. Hopinka joins the museum for this special after hours event featuring a screening of three of his short video works followed by a discussion with Rebecca Head Trautmann, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art and exhibition curator, along with art-making activities, and time to enjoy Lowe’s work currently on view. Sky Hopinka has been widely recognized for his experimental short films and photo-based works. A MacArthur Fellow, Guggenheim Fellow, and Forge Project Fellow, his work has been shown in major film festivals, museums, and international exhibitions and is in numerous prominent museum collections. Hopinka is currently an assistant professor in the department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies at Harvard University.
Here is what’s going on Tuesday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.
☀️ Tuesday’s forecast
Expect widespread frost before 10 am, followed by sunny weather with a high near 62°F. Winds will be calm, shifting to the south at about 6 mph in the afternoon. On Tuesday night, there is a 30% chance of showers after 2 am, with partly cloudy skies and a low around 50°F. South winds will increase to 7 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – J.K. Rowling
Northern Virginia Fairfax Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS) cordially invites you to attend and support our upcoming World Day of Remembrance (WDoR) for Road Traffic Victims.
World Day of Remembrance is an annual event where we honor those whose lives were prematurely ended after being struck by a person driving. This year is particularly painful and sad as we think about the recent death of a 13-year-old Frost middle school student who was struck and killed by a person driving a truck on Pickett Road. We will also honor the nearly 30 other people (as of today’s date) who have been killed on Northern Virginia streets while, walking, biking, or rolling since last year’s day of remembrance.
Sheriff Sean Casey at the unveiling of the Alexandria Police Department Suicide Memorial, Sept. 26, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)
Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey and members of his staff argued against a proposed budget reallocation before City Council on Saturday (April 18).
Casey said a proposal by Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley and City Councilman Abdel Elnoubi to transfer $200,000 out of the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office budget for a jail operational efficiency study is a waste of valuable resources and will hurt an already cash-strapped agency. While a number of speakers at Saturday’s public hearing called for Casey’s budget to be cut over what they see as voluntary collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Enforcement, several City Council members defended the proposed study, saying the measure is intended to improve ASO operations.
The owners of Dream Chasers Coffee launched a GoFundMe after their previous home at Valletta Port in Old Town North abruptly closed (via GoFundMe)
A family that opened a coffee shop inside a recently closed Italian restaurant in Old Town North has launched a GoFundMe.
In January, Dream Chasers Coffee owners Leo and Brittani Maggio opened Valletta Espresso Bar inside Italian restaurant Valletta Port at 682 N. St. Asaph Street. On Friday (April 17), the restaurant abruptly closed. Maggio told ALXnow that he arrived at work to find the doors locked and the business shut down.
A sweet new release is coming soon to Old Town Books — although it isn’t the latest summer romance or nonfiction read.
The independent bookstore is preparing to enter the confectionery world this summer with Fabled Ice Cream, a new ice cream brand by store founder Ally Kirkpatrick. The brand is planning weekly drops of literary-inspired flavors, available in small-batch pints at Old Town Books (130 S. Royal Street).
Alexandria School Board meeting in 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)
Alexandria City School Board members are asking the public to help push for reforms to the nine-member board, including staggered elections, higher salaries and more.
The clock is ticking, School Board Members Ashley Simpson Baird and Kelly Carmichael Booz wrote in a recent blog post. The pair wrote that City Council must act this year by beginning a process to amend the City Charter — a change that would need to go to the Virginia General Assembly’s 2027 session for approval.
This recurring Most and Least Expensive Home feature is sponsored by 
