Virginia Tech plans to renovate its Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center in Old Town to improve accessibility with a new elevator, sprinkler system, and handicapped-accessible ramp, according to a request going before the Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
The building at 1001 Prince Street was loaned to Virginia Tech by Alexandria in 1980, and the school bought it in 1989, according to city records.
A quiet off-the-beaten-path area just off King Street in Old Town is getting an upgrade.
Simpson Development Company recently filed plans from Louis Barbieri, Cole & Denny Architects to renovate the entry vestibule at 100 N. Pitt Street and the small, rear plaza adjacent to 115. N. St. Asaph Street in Old Town. The request for alterations and signage will be presented to the city’s Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday, September 3.
Game, set, Gala! On Saturday, Nov. 14, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation’s annual Tennis Creates Gala, presented by QTS, comes to The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, celebrating the transformative power of tennis.
The evening raises critical funds to make the sport accessible to all across Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and eastern/southern West Virginia.
Every dollar goes back into local communities through programs like Girls Rule the Court™, which has served more than 2,000 girls, along with Junior Player Scholarships and Tennis in Schools. Gala funds also help restore public courts. Over the last three years, the Foundation has invested $505,000 across 17 public facilities.
Emceeing the evening is Emmy Award-winning ESPN journalist Malika Andrews, host of NBA Today and NBA Countdown, who joined ESPN’s tennis coverage this year for the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Andrews has pointed to the electric moment American tennis is having, with stars like the DMV’s own Frances Tiafoe reaching the 2026 US Open men’s semifinals, and says she’s grateful for the chance to support the sport at the local level.
Joining the celebration is new USTA CEO Craig Tiley, who took the helm of the national governing body in July after over 20 years at Tennis Australia. As he leads the USTA toward its goal of 35 million players by 2035, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation drives the grassroots work to grow the sport right here in the region.
The Foundation will present its Tennis Creates Impact Award to Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck, U.S. Navy (ret.), 63rd Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, recognizing his leadership in fostering character, community, and well-being through tennis.
The heart of the night is the 2026 Tennis Creates Awards, honoring local changemakers. Alexandria’s Leigh Ann Jackson receives the Adult Leader Award for coaching Girls Rule the Court at Groveton Elementary, where she has served 130 students over five seasons and championed the program’s expansion to Hybla Valley.
Arlington’s Gabrielle Berg earns the Youth Leader Award for founding a Northern Virginia chapter of Tennis For Fun, which runs free year-round clinics for people with special needs in partnership with the Arlington YMCA. Burke’s Khoi Truong, head coach at Lake Braddock Secondary School, is the 2026 Coach of the Year.
They’ll be joined by fellow honorees Dr. Ellen Markowitz (Community Champion), James Skinner (Provider Champion), and Janelle Nichols (Tennis in the Classroom Awardee).
Tickets and tables are now available. Can’t make it? Make a gift to USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation or bid in the silent auction to help put a racquet in the hands of the next generation of players.
The Tennis Creates Gala takes place Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean, VA 22102.
For more information, visit TennisCreatesGala.com.
An Alexandria man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for a “high-level drugs conspiracy that shipped significant amounts of narcotics” into Virginia, according to Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter.
Adrian Bryce Roberts, 41, was sentenced to 12 years of active incarceration on July 28 after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, and transporting more than an ounce of narcotics into the state, according to Porter’s office.
Two people have been charged with possession of an illegal gambling device for operating skill games, marking the first indictments against Alexandria business owners.
The Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office just announced that a grand jury returned indictments against Alexandria business owners Oscar Salinas, 57, and Michelle Kim, 53, both charged with one count of possessing an illegal gambling device. Salinas is an Arlington resident, and his restaurant is located in the 3800 block of Mount Vernon Avenue in the Del Ray North Shopping Center. Kim is from Montgomery County, Maryland, and her business is located in the 200 block of S. Van Dorn Street.
High school students from across the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region are invited to participate in Dialogue for Democracy at George Mason University!
Hosted by the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, this event offers high school students an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about democracy, civic engagement, and the importance of understanding different perspectives.
Alexandria residents have dozens of entertainment and community options this week, with programming ranging from library activities and farmers markets to two major beer-focused events anchoring Saturday’s lineup.
The week begins Monday with senior bingo and blood drives at local libraries, while evening venues like Port City Brewing Company and Daniel O’Connell’s host live music. Tuesday brings BeerYoga and improv comedy at Aslin ALX, continuing diverse programming across the city.
More than 30 four-story townhouses have been proposed to replace a 46-year-old office building in Old Town.
Alexandria land-use attorney Ken Wire is listed as the applicant for the project at 333 N. Fairfax St. The property is home to the Essex Building, an office building constructed in 1979.
Alexandria developer Windmill Hill is seeking the city’s approval for a three-story apartment building with ground-level retail in a parking lot in Old Town.
The developer has submitted a concept review for a new building at 220-224 S. Peyton St. for evaluation by the Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday.
The Del Ray Business Association will host its fifth annual Bands & Brews summer bar crawl on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 12:30 to 6 p.m., featuring live music at more than 20 restaurants along Mount Vernon Avenue.
The event, sponsored by the Jen Walker Team, will benefit InspireLit, a local nonprofit that works to inspire a love of reading and promote literacy by increasing access to engaging books.
The ninth annual Around the World Cultural Food Festival will return to Oronoco Bay Park in Old Town on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., offering free admission to what organizers call the largest outdoor cultural food festival in the Washington metro area.
This year’s event will feature authentic cuisine from 24 countries, with one food vendor per country providing what organizers describe as a curated tasting experience. More than 150 traditional dishes will be available from countries including Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Ghana, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, among others.
