Construction of this pavilion has been approved at St. Stephens and St. Agnes School (via City of Alexandria)
The Alexandria City Council unanimously and without discussion approved a sweeping plan to expand athletic facilities and field lighting to St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in the city’s West End.
Council approved the plan on Saturday (Oct. 17) to add a new 1,500-square-foot concessions building with bathrooms, bleachers, a 715-square-foot, open-air covered pavilion, a new 770-square-foot storage shed and press box as well as eight, 85-foot-tall field lights at the school’s Kelleher and Moss fields.
Among the movers serving Alexandria, VA, 495 Movers stands out for a simple reason: its local hourly rate includes packing materials, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and protection for floors, walls, and elevators. The company has been in business since 2009 and has completed more than 20,000 moves, a number that keeps climbing.
Anyone who has hired movers in the DC area knows the familiar pattern. A low hourly rate wins the call. Then the invoice arrives with a charge for boxes, a charge for taking the bed apart, a fee for the stairs, and another for the elevator. By the end, the number on the bill has little to do with the number in the ad. 495 Movers was built to avoid that.
495 Movers at a glance
In business since: 2009 (17 years)
Moves completed: more than 20,000, local and long-distance
Licensed in: Virginia
Serves: Alexandria and the rest of the DMV
Local hourly rate includes: packing materials, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and home protection on every move
No separate fees for: stairs or elevators
Also offers: junk removal, custom crating, and self-storage
Reputation: 4.7 stars across nearly 1,000 Google reviews
Who is 495 Movers?
495 Movers is a full-service moving company serving Alexandria and the rest of the DMV, founded in 2009 by people who had worked as movers for several other companies first. They wanted to do it differently.
“We wanted to take a different approach, offering a simple, honest, and transparent approach for the customer,” said Moti Kachlon, co-owner at 495 Movers. For local moves, that meant building the most common extras into the hourly rate. Seventeen years and more than 20,000 moves later, the company is still growing.
What makes moving in Alexandria different?
Alexandria is a hard place to move. A truck on an Old Town block gets watched by neighbors, property managers, and a family wondering whether the sofa will make the turn on a staircase built long before sofas got this big.
Old Town’s rowhouses have narrow staircases and tight turns, which is why large furniture often has to come apart to get out. Del Ray’s bungalows and rowhouses have basements that hold more than anyone remembers. And condo and apartment buildings in Carlyle, Potomac Yard, and the West End often require movers to carry a certificate of insurance and book the elevator, with building managers who care a great deal about scuffed hallways. The street adds its own complications, from cobblestones to limited curb space.
That’s the context for how 495 Movers prices its work.
What does 495 Movers include in its hourly rate?
For local moves, the rate covers four things that many movers bill separately:
Packing materials. Boxes, tape, paper, and wrap are provided at no additional cost, whether a move needs a few or a few hundred.
Furniture disassembly and reassembly. Beds, tables, desks, sectionals, and wardrobes are taken apart, moved, and put back together at the new home. In an Old Town rowhouse, that’s often the only way a dresser gets down the stairs.
Freedom House Museum (staff photo by Vernon Miles)
A traveling exhibit opening today (Oct. 22) at Alexandria’s Freedom House Museum (1315 Duke Street) examines American slavery through the complex life and legacy of one man who experienced both sides of that system.
On view until Dec. 31, “Monday Robinson: A Life of Thorns and Roses” was created by the Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown, where it made its debut in September. The exhibit is visiting museums and libraries in communities where its subject or his family lived, including Alexandria.
Fresh Healthy Cafe is open in the Carlyle neighborhood (photo by Beth Lawton)
Alexandria residents looking for a healthier meal on the go can find a new health food cafe and juice bar opening this week in the Carlyle neighborhood.
Currently in soft opening, Fresh Healthy Cafe will be hosting a ribbon cutting at 9:55 a.m. on Friday (Oct. 23). Customers can buy one 12-ounce smoothie and get another for free, and get 25% off paninis or protein snack bowls.
A Del Ray home pays tribute to the late Dolly Parton through its Halloween decor (staff photo by James Cullum)
School Board Election Changes Advance — “The Alexandria City School Board-City Council ad hoc committee on election reform met for the third and final time on Tuesday evening and voted 3-1 to recommend a reformed election schedule that would give Board members four-year terms but would not stagger the terms nor shrink the Board’s size.” [Alexandria Times]
Abuse Alleged at Senior Living Facility — “According to records with the Virginia Department of Social Services, family members of a resident at the Benchmark at Alexandria senior living facility alleged to the state licensing department in early August that an in-room camera at the location showed a member of staff striking the resident.” [Patch]
GW Parkway Bridge Hit by Truck — The southbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway at Alexandria Avenue have reopened after a truck hit a bridge yesterday morning (Wednesday), the U.S. Park Police said. “A Federal Highway Administration inspection team found that there was no structural damage to the bridge.” [WJLA]
License Plate Reader Audit Plans Unclear — “Three weeks after telling City Council that the city’s Independent Policing Auditor “could potentially” review its license plate reader audits, the Alexandria Police Department said Wednesday it has not decided whether that office, vacant since Oct. 3, or the city’s Office of Internal Audit will have a role.” [Alexandria Brief]
Hot Chicken Chain Coming — “Crimson Coward, a California-born restaurant chain specializing in Nashville hot chicken, is preparing to open at 5557 Cardinal Place in Cameron Square. The company’s Alexandria webpage lists the restaurant as ‘Coming Soon,’ and Cameron Square also identifies it as an upcoming tenant.” [The Zebra]
Alexandria Native Scouts for Dodgers — “On Oct. 15, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ hopes of returning to the World Series were squashed by a pesky but talented Milwaukee team, which swept the Angelenos four games to zero … For one group of Dodger employees, including Alexandria native Lee Tackett, the season is finished for a few months.” [Alexandria Times]
It’s Thursday — Sunny with a high near 66 and a north wind around 8 to 10 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 47 and a north wind around 6 to 8 mph. [NWS]
Want more local news? Check out our newest sister site, WSHnow, with the latest from across the region.
Alexandria Fitness Studio for People Over 50 Closes Fall Into Fitness Program in 11 Days Revolutionary Fitness, the semi-private strength and longevity studio at 215 N. Payne St. in… [Announcement]
Army Navy Game Day 5k and 10k Run, sponsored by the Washington, D.C. Foreign Area Officers Association Attention all runners, joggers, and Army Navy fans! Come join us on Saturday, 12 December 2026… [Announcement]
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
Murder Mystery Night at Cherry on Top Oct 22: Murder Mystery Night at Cherry on Top [Event]
🎭 Halloween Improv Comedy Show with the Auxiliary Oct 24: Join the Auxiliary Improv for a night of Halloween-themed comedy in Old Town, Alexandria VA! [Event]
CatRad Halloween Eve! Oct 30: Join us for our second annual CatRad Halloween Eve! A night of ghoulish fun, spooky treats… [Event]
Imperium Open House: Discover a Smarter Way to Get Stronger Nov 1: Explore a different approach to strength training at Imperium’s free open house in Old Town Alexandria. [Event]
Dialogue for Democracy Nov 3: Dialogue for Democracy invites high school students from across the DMV to George Mason University. [Event]
How Retirement Communities Work – A Free Workshop Nov 4: Interested in learning about how Continuing Care Retirement Communities work, but don’t know where to start? Join us on 11/4 to learn more! [Event]
Stracci Pizza in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)
Four restaurants in the Alexandria area have been named among the region’s best for 2026 by Northern Virginia Magazine, though only two are located in the city proper.
While the city’s dining scene was completely left out of the magazine’s ranked top 10, which were unveiled last Friday (Oct. 16), it received a bit more love in the full list of Northern Virginia’s 50 Best Restaurants released at noon today (Wednesday).
The Senator John Warner Maritime Heritage Center at Waterfront Park is home to the Tall Ship Providence (staff photo by James Cullum)
The United States Maritime Foundation is poised to take over operation of the Tall Ship Providence and its floating pier at Waterfront Park in Old Town Alexandria next month, allowing waterfront tours and educational programming to resume.
Marion Smith, president of the foundation, told ALXnow that his organization will officially sign paperwork taking over responsibility for the pier and ship in early November.
Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)
A 24-year-old D.C. man faces felony theft and attempted malicious wounding charges after allegedly breaking into and stealing multiple vehicles in residential parking lots in Alexandria’s West End.
In one case, he allegedly unleashed pepper spray at a vehicle owner.
