A massive plan to demolish the Montgomery Center in Old Town North unanimously passed through the Alexandria Planning Commission on Thursday night.
The two-acre project would demolish the 1970s-era shopping center and replace it with an eight-story 350,000-square-foot apartment building with 327 residential units, more than 25,000 square feet of retail and a 13,300-square-foot performance venue for up to 600 patrons.
No one was injured after the Bank of America at 415 John Carlyle Street was robbed late Monday morning.
Alexandria Police were dispatched to the bank at around 11:15 after a man wearing a black puffy jacket and a blue surgical face mask reportedly handed the teller a note demanding cash. The suspect fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Before the pandemic, I ran a Reddit forum that brought people together for local happy hours. It became a great outlet for an in-person social life: you could get out, get to know people nearby, and have a familiar group to spend time with. I enjoyed being the person who helped make that happen.
Getting people together became harder after the pandemic. Friends moved away, had kids, or settled into different routines, and organizing a night out took more effort. I still wanted that camaraderie, but having people to invite didn’t necessarily mean we could get something on the calendar.
I’m in my late 30s and live in Old Town. About a year ago, I joined Choros, a local membership community that helps guys build friendships through small-group activities. Since then, I’ve been to close to 50 hangouts, and it’s given me a regular group of guys to do things with around Alexandria and beyond.
I host board game nights and help host a monthly happy hour at the Commodore in Old Town. I’ve done escape rooms on King Street, trivia, food festivals in Del Ray, movie discussions, and Dungeons & Dragons (which can be especially tricky to get going as an adult with a busy schedule). Having that variety means I can find something that fits my mood and schedule, and there are usually familiar faces when I get there.
One of my favorite things, though, is getting on my bike, picking a destination, and making a day of it. Through Choros, I’ve found a consistent crew to ride with almost every month. That’s the kind of thing I wanted more of: people who enjoy the same stuff and make time to get out and do it together.
I still like hosting and bringing people together. What makes Choros useful is having a community to draw from, so every plan doesn’t depend on the same few friends being available. Other guys suggest and host things too, which gives me plenty of opportunities to join something without organizing it myself.
Over time, seeing the same guys at different activities builds familiarity. You have conversations to pick back up and another reason to make plans together. That’s how it’s become a circle of friends for me.
If you’re in Alexandria, check out Choros and come to one of our monthly happy hours at the Commodore. I’d be happy to meet a few more neighbors, whether you’re into board games, bike rides, or just getting out for a drink. There’s plenty happening here, along with activities throughout the rest of the D.C. area.
A delivery driver was robbed at gunpoint in Alexandria’s West End on Friday night.
The incident occurred in a residential area at around 10:50 p.m., and the male driver was not injured, according to police.
It’s a beautiful spring morning in Alexandria!
Today’s weather: Mostly sunny with a high of 72 degrees during the day, and cloudy with a low of 56 degrees tonight.
Explore preschool & kindergarten options in Alexandria! Meet schools, ask questions & find the best match for your child’s early education.
Welcome to the Alexandria Preschool and Kindergarten Fair! Join us for a fun-filled event where parents can explore various preschool and kindergarten options for their little ones. Meet with representatives from different schools, ask questions, and gather information to make the best choice for your child's education. Don't miss this opportunity to discover the perfect match for your family! The fair is free to attend but advance registration is encouraged.
It was a big week for getting a glimpse at Alexandria’s future.
At a meeting this week, Deputy Director for Infrastructure and Environmental Quality Bill Skrabak offered an in-depth look at some of city and Hilco Redevelopment Partners’ plans to handle the demolition of the power plant in Old Town North. Skrabak said extensive soil testing beneath the factory will have to wait until after the building is torn down. Meanwhile, plans are being worked on to handle the transportation of the contaminated soil out of Old Town.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has unveiled the bluebell and cherry blossom-inspired art that will wrap around the exterior of the new Potomac Yard Metro station.
Artist Rob Ley spoke about the designs at a reception hosted by the City of Alexandria back in January.
Alexandria transportation officials say that a pilot program to ease evening congestion on and around Duke Street is working and they want to make the changes permanent.
City staff announced last night (Wednesday) that the first and second phases of the Duke Street Traffic Mitigation pilot have improved evening peak traffic and reduced cut-through traffic near the busy roadway. The project launched last summer with extended green traffic lights on Quaker Lane and Duke Street from 4 to 6 p.m., while green lights were shortened on West Taylor Run Parkway, Cambridge Road, Yale Drive and Fort Williams Parkway.
Good Friday morning, Alexandria!
Some of the algorithm stuff that helps to put these “Notes” posts is on the fritz, so it’s back to doing this with human hands for today until that gets sorted.
This past week saw 30 homes sold in Alexandria.
The least expensive condo, single-family home or townhouse sale over the past seven days was $190,000 while the most expensive was $1,500,000.
