Officials kicked off the residential conversion of the long-vacant Victory Center yesterday (Wednesday) with a symbolic wall demolition, as the site is expected to welcome hundreds of housing units along Eisenhower Avenue.
The project at 5001 Eisenhower Avenue by property owner Stonebridge, the City of Alexandria and Amazon’s Housing Fund promises to bring 377 housing units to the 9.73-acre Victory Center property, including committed affordable and workforce units.
Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon unveiled his proposed $977.3 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget last night (Tuesday).
While the budget is a 2.2% increase from the current FY 2026 budget, Parajon’s proposal keeps the real estate tax rate of $1.135 per $100 of assessed value, and does not change the city’s refuse rate. He was able to achieve the feat through $9 million “in efficiency reductions, cost cutting savings, and vacant position reductions to balance the budget.”
Republican Gerry Chandler intends to enter the April 21 race for City Council, the Alexandria Republican City Committee has announced.
Chandler is slated to run against Democrat Sandy Marks and independent candidate Frank Fannon in the upcoming special election to replace former Councilman-turned-Delegate R. Kirk McPike. Candidates have until 5 p.m. Friday to submit paperwork to the General Registrar to appear on the ballot.
The City of Alexandria has confirmed the April 21 special election date for an open seat on City Council, and candidates are required to file by the end of this week.
Candidates are required to have all paperwork submitted to the General Registrar by 5 p.m. this Friday, Feb. 27 in order to appear on the ballot, according to a city announcement this afternoon (Monday).
Former Alexandria Democratic Committee Chair Sandy Marks has won the Democratic firehouse primary for an open seat on City Council tonight (Saturday), beating four opponents to face independent candidate and former Republican councilman Frank Fannon in the special election.
Marks won with 1,573 votes (39.6%), against 947 votes for Tim Laderach (23.8%), 876 votes for Roberto Gomez (22%), 467 votes for Charles Sumpter (11.7%) and 112 votes for Cesar Madison Tapia (2.8%) out of the 3,975 ballots cast. From the time polls opened at 8:30 a.m. to closing at 7 p.m., the five candidates spent time at both polling locations: Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library (5005 Duke Street) and the Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center (25 W. Reed Avenue).
Democratic candidates for Alexandria City Council shared their views on economic development, traffic and parking, housing growth and more during a forum last night (Wednesday).
The event was hosted by Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations at Immanuel Church on the Hill ahead of Saturday’s Democratic firehouse primary. About two dozen people turned out and several more attended via Zoom to the event, which was moderated by Bill Rossello, president of the Seminary Hill Association.
Five Democratic candidates for an open seat on the Alexandria City Council participated in their first forum together on Monday night in Del Ray.
The Del Ray Business Association’s forum was held in a packed house at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub (2300 Mount Vernon Avenue). All five candidates running in the firehouse primary on Feb. 21 participated in the event and discussed a wide array of issues affecting Del Ray in particular and the city in general.
Frank Fannon, the last Republican to be elected to Alexandria City Council, will run for the office again in the April 21 special election.
Fannon announced his City Council campaign at the annual Friendship Firehouse Breakfast yesterday (Monday). The former councilmember told ALXnow he is running as an independent for the seat formerly held by Kirk McPike (D), who won the special election for Virginia’s 5th House District seat.
As cleanup of “snowcrete” continues from the Jan. 25 winter storm, Alexandria officials discussed progress of snow and ice removal and ways to improve the response during future winter weather events.
On Tuesday, City Manager Jim Parajon briefed City Council about the unprecedented conditions that led to a longer cleanup effort than a typical snowstorm.
The Alexandria City Council last night (Tuesday) unanimously approved a resolution asking the Alexandria Circuit Court to set an April 21 special election date to fill the council seat vacated by Del.-elect R. Kirk McPike.
April 21 is the same date as a statewide referendum, and city staff and the city’s registrar of voters recommended holding the special election on that date to “reduce election costs and avoid voter confusion associated with multiple elections held in close succession,” according to the resolution.
As the General Assembly reaches mid-session, the City of Alexandria is supporting nearly 400 proposed bills, including restrictions on immigration enforcement.
Wendy Ginsberg, the city’s legislative director, provided a mid-session General Assembly update to City Council yesterday (Tuesday). According to Ginsberg, city staff have reviewed 584 bills for potential impacts to the city. During the presentation, Councilman Abdel Elnoubi requested an update on the immigration enforcement-related bills, which Ginsberg said are continuing to make progress.
