apartment building | ALXnow

Morning Notes

Published March 24, 2022 at 5:00AM | Updated March 24, 2022 at 10:49AM

The 'I Love You' art installation with all bulbs lit at Waterfront Park in Old Town. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Leasing Starts for Apartments Over Wegmans — “Developer Stonebridge and its leasing partner Bozzuto, announced Wednesday the start of leasing for Easton, a boutique-style apartment building offering sophisticated design and amenities located in the Carlyle Crossing neighborhood. The 11-story building is slated to begin move-ins in mid-April just ahead of the anticipated May 11 opening of Wegmans Carlyle Crossing.” [Alexandria Living]

Ukraine Donation Drive Launched — Leaders launched an effort Wednesday to provide donations, such as gently used coats, new blankets, new pairs of sweat socks or heavy socks, and new pairs of gloves at locations around Northern Virginia. “No matter the scale – global to local – humanity is a community unto itself and we must always come to the assist of those in need,” Alexandria Vice Mayor Amy Jackson said at the event. [Facebook, Patch]

News

Nonprofit looks to triple affordable housing units at Arlandria apartment complex

By Vernon Miles

Published March 10, 2022 at 10:45AM

Elbert Avenue Apartments (via Google Maps)

Alexandria non-profit Community Lodging has announced plans to significantly expand affordable housing in Arlandria-Chirilagua with the redevelopment of a 1940s apartment complex.

Elbert Avenue Apartments, a set of three three-story buildings constructed in the 1940s, currently has 28 units affordable for renters making 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) — the standard applied for evaluating affordable housing. But these buildings are in rough shape after what Community Lodging called years of “Band-Aid fixes”.

News

AHDC gets help from Amazon to secure Arlandria apartment building for affordable housing

By James Cullum

Published February 28, 2022 at 3:30PM

Park Vue of Alexandria at 511 Four Mile Road in Arlandria has been renamed as The Square at 511. (staff photo by James Cullum)

A 14-story Arlandria apartment complex has been acquired by the Alexandria Housing Development Corporation, the latest move in an effort to preserve affordable housing in an area facing significant development pressure.

AHDC recently announced that it bought the Park Vue of Alexandria apartments from Florida-based ZRS Management with support of $51.4 million from the $2 billion Amazon Housing Equity Fund, and conditionally will reman affordable for at least 99 years.

News

Bonaventure unveils new shopping center plans on Mount Vernon Avenue

By James Cullum

Published February 9, 2022 at 1:00PM

A conceptual design for Bonaventure's property at 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. (Via Bonaventure)

Local developer Bonaventure hopes their new shopping center in the middle of Del Ray could be constructed as early as summer 2025. That’s if all goes according to their plan.

Right now the plan for 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue is still in its conceptual phase, but includes a four-story, 43-foot-tall building with 12,530 square feet of retail and 79 rental units on the one acre lot. Bonaventure is not planning on including any affordable housing units in the project, and will instead contribute to the city’s Housing Trust Fund.

News

Bethesda-based real estate company buys apartment complex near Landmark redevelopment

By Vernon Miles

Published December 21, 2021 at 9:45AM

The Mark Apartments (courtesy of Washington Property Company)

The Mark Apartments at 100 S. Reynolds Street near the Landmark area is under new ownership.

Washington Property Company (WPC) announced its acquisition of The Mark, a 227-unit apartment tower in the West End, last Friday. The company bought the tower for $52.7 million.

News

Old Town art gallery and apartments to convert into small hotel

By Vernon Miles

Published October 25, 2021 at 10:00AM

105 N. Alfred Street (photo via Google Maps)

A historic Old Town home that had most recently been an art gallery could undergo a conversion into a small hotel.

Bruce and Thelma MacGregor, owners of 105 North Alfred, are requesting a special use permit to turn a current commercial and apartment building into a hotel. The home was originally built in 1790, and the permit notes that the property was recently used as an art gallery with eight apartment units on the floors above.

News

New policy could open up more ‘co-living’ options in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published September 2, 2021 at 10:45AM

Apartment kitchen, via Naomi Hébert/Unsplash

At an upcoming meeting on Thursday, Sept. 9, the Planning Commission is docketed to look at over a new policy that would open up more “co-living” across the city.

Co-living, as defined by the city, is a residential use which allows housing where private bedrooms can be connected to shared spaces, like kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms. Suites can have private bathrooms, but no private cooking facilities are allowed in individual suites or bedrooms under this use.

News

Mayor pushes for state-level building safety reform after Florida disaster

By Vernon Miles

Published July 12, 2021 at 9:45AM

Southern Towers (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Last week Mayor Justin Wilson shared information on building inspection requirements following the disaster in Florida, but now the city is also pushing for state-level reform on building inspections.

The city’s scope of implementing building code inspection requirements is bound by the Dillon Rule, which states that localities can only exercise powers expressly granted by the state. On July 8, Wilson sent a letter to Governor Ralph Northam urging him to start the legislative process toward overhauling the state’s barebones inspection requirements.

News

Alexandria looks closer at Virginia building safety regulations after Florida condo collapse

By James Cullum

Published July 6, 2021 at 3:30PM

The Sherwood apartment building at Southern Towers in Alexandria's West End. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

In the wake of the condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida, Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson says that Virginia needs to update its building safety regulations.

While calling the June 24 collapse of the 40-year-old building a rarity, Wilson tweeted that it has raised safety concerns since Alexandria has “most of the older high-rise residential buildings in Virginia.”

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published October 1, 2020 at 9:00AM | Updated October 1, 2020 at 3:50PM

Leaves in Old Town, Alexandria (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Beyer Accuses Trump of Racism — “Just more straight-up racism here from the man who couldn’t disown white supremacy on a national stage 24 hours ago.” [Twitter]

Alexandria GOP Chair Says Residents Fear Being Republican — “He said that the local Republican chapter is in full support of Donald Trump. He believes that Republicans in Alexandria may be silent but significant… He shared that many local Republican supporters fear repercussions if they make their opinions public.” [Alexandria Living]

News

Fire Department Quickly Extinguishes Fire at West End High Rise

By James Cullum

Published September 4, 2020 at 1:30PM

The Alexandria Fire Department is investigating a fire that affected the electrical systems in a high rise apartment building in the 200 block of South Whiting Street in the West End.

Fire officials responded to reports of smoke coming from the basement of the 10-story building, and the fire was extinguished within minutes. No one was injured, according to Alexandria Fire Department spokeswoman Raytevia Evans.