AEDP | ALXnow - Part 2

Alexandria renews push to kickstart beleaguered Old Town North arts district

Published February 18, 2025 at 2:00PM | Updated February 18, 2025 at 2:33PM

Sculpting at The Art League (image via The Art League/Facebook)

Alexandria’s efforts to turn Old Town North into an arts hub has hit some hurdles in recent years, but the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) is making a renewed effort to entice arts and cultural organizations to move into the neighborhood.

The district was created in 2017 but so far, the ambitious plan to fill mixed-use development spaces with arts uses has only had one notable success: The Art League’s relocation to a new 800 Slaters Lane location (technically outside of the bounds of the district) along with a home in the new Muse development.

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Alexandria small businesses receive $440,000 from new grant program

By Vernon Miles

Published October 23, 2024 at 3:50PM | Updated October 24, 2024 at 3:16PM

Alexandria has distributed over $440,000 to businesses around the city as part of a new grant program this year.

In a report to the City Council, city staff said the 2024 Small Business Resiliency (SBR) grant program is set to distribute $440,000 to local small businesses in the city in grants of up to $7,000.

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How can Landmark-Van Dorn businesses survive upcoming redevelopment?

By Vernon Miles

Published September 3, 2024 at 3:05PM

Construction at Landmark Mall site (staff photo by James Cullum)

On the eve of an annual report on the city’s economy from the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, ALXnow sat down with AEDP CEO Stephanie Landrum to discuss the future of development in three areas of the city: Carlyle, Potomac Yard and Old Town North, and the Landmark-Van Dorn corridor. These will be broken up into a multi-part series covering each location.

As the City of Alexandria gears up for the Landmark redevelopment, the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) is working to try and ensure nearby local restaurants and small businesses aren’t pushed out.

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What’s next for Potomac Yard and Old Town North?

By Vernon Miles

Published August 28, 2024 at 4:15PM | Updated August 29, 2024 at 9:47AM

Alexandria Economic Development Partnership CEO Stephanie Landrum speaks at the announcement of a new arena for the Washington Wizards and Capitals in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Dec. 13, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

On the eve of an annual report on the city’s economy from the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, ALXnow sat down with AEDP CEO Stephanie Landrum to discuss the future of development in three areas of the city: Carlyle, Potomac Yard and Old Town North, and the Landmark-Van Dorn corridor. These will be broken up into a multi-part series covering each location.

Potomac Yard and Old Town North are two of the major hubs of upcoming development in Alexandria, but some of the city’s ambitious plans for the neighborhoods have both hit stumbling blocks in recent years.

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What’s next for the Carlyle neighborhood after the Patent and Trademark Office downsizing?

By Vernon Miles

Published August 27, 2024 at 3:55PM | Updated August 27, 2024 at 4:51PM

The US Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

On the eve of an annual report on the city’s economy from the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, ALXnow sat down with AEDP CEO Stephanie Landrum to discuss the future of development in three areas of the city: Carlyle, the Landmark-Van Dorn Corridor, and Potomac Yard. These will be broken up into a multi-part series covering each location.

The Carlyle neighborhood is in a tough spot.

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New rewards program for shopping and dining local goes live in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published June 25, 2024 at 9:45AM

The Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) just debuted a new rewards program that encourages shoppers to buy at Alexandria brick-and-mortar restaurants and shops.

The new program, called ALX Open Rewards, is a downloadable app that lets customers get $5 rewards for every $100 they spend at local restaurants and businesses. The app is sponsored by AEDP and hosted on the Bludot Open Rewards app, downloadable on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.

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New report says Potomac Yard arena would jump start economic development in the neighborhood

By Vernon Miles

Published December 26, 2023 at 2:45PM | Updated December 27, 2023 at 1:23PM

Rendering of aerial view of Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)

(Updated 12/27) An economic impact report released last Friday said the new Potomac Yard arena would create 30,000 jobs and more than double the economic output of previous development plans.

The report came from HR&A Advisors, a consultant hired by the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership AEDP in June as a technical advisor.

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AEDP president says future of Potomac Yard Target is a top question for many locals

By Vernon Miles

Published December 18, 2023 at 3:55PM | Updated December 18, 2023 at 4:18PM

Target in Potomac Yards (image via Google Maps)

While people around the region have been discussing the proposal to move the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards to a new Potomac Yard arena, Alexandria Economic Development Partnership President and CEO Stephanie Landrum said one of the most popular questions she’s been getting from Alexandrians is “What will happen to the Target?”

The Target (3101 Richmond Highway) at Potomac Yard was controversial back when it opened, according to a Washington Post article from 1997.

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This obscure New Deal-era program could keep a major arts nonprofit in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published September 26, 2023 at 4:15PM

Sculpting at The Art League (image via The Art League/Facebook)

The redevelopment of the Montgomery Center has pushed some businesses out of Alexandria or out of business, but a clever re-use of an old funding authority may help The Art League survive.

The Art League is scheduled to get City Council authorization tonight (Tuesday) for a funding mechanism that should help the nonprofit set up a new headquarters at 800 Slaters Lane. The Slaters Lane location will be one of three Art League facilities, with another coming into the Muse development and the other being the Torpedo Factory.

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Alexandria City Council wants to incentivize locals and businesses to get private security cameras

By James Cullum

Published April 27, 2023 at 3:45PM | Updated April 27, 2023 at 4:11PM

Alexandria City Hall sign (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Personal security cameras, speed cameras in school zones, summer youth employment programs and eviction prevention funding are just a few of the final additions included in the fiscal year 2024 budget by the Alexandria City Council on Tuesday.

Council approved funding a $20,000 program to encourage businesses and homeowners with a “small incentive” to set up security cameras to deter crime, as well as increase their coordination with the Alexandria Police Department.

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Alexandria leaders push more equity for minority-owned businesses and stronger business associations

By Vernon Miles

Published November 1, 2022 at 1:55PM

As the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership works through programs aimed at helping to strengthen the city’s business communities post-Covid, some in the organization and partnering groups are working to ensure there’s a greater diversity of voices in the new order.

A new grant program, the ALX B2B Business Association Grant Program, aims to help prop up business associations across the city to make them more active and helpful for their communities. The city-funded grant program is in the process of distributing $535,000 in grant funding across eight associations.