Business Improvement District

City Council members revive Old Town Business Improvement District discussion after previous failed attempts

Published May 14, 2026 at 1:45PM | Updated May 14, 2026 at 2:26PM

Members of the Alexandria City Council at the Chamber ALX's annual City Council Breakfast at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town on May 14, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Despite multiple failed attempts over the past decade, two Alexandria City Council members advocated Thursday (May 14) for bringing a Business Improvement District to Old Town.

Under a challenging economic outlook, City Council Members Sandy Marks and John Taylor Chapman said that Old Town’s business community needs an organized push to attract visitors. The council members made the remarks during the Chamber ALX’s annual City Council Breakfast, which was held at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town (1767 King Street).

News

Commercial advocacy group Old Town Business shuts down after failed BID effort

By Vernon Miles

Published December 4, 2024 at 11:50AM

Closed sign in Old Town. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

After yet another push to get an Old Town Business Improvement District (BID) off the ground in Old Town failed, business advocacy group Old Town Business is shutting down.

Old Town Business was launched 40 years ago and helps to oversee advocacy, events and marketing for shops around Old Town. The group was one of the driving forces behind the latest in a series of efforts to launch a more formal, taxpayer-funded effort to take over for marketing and representing Old Town Businesses.

News

Old Town Business Improvement District vote fails yet again

By Vernon Miles

Published October 15, 2024 at 5:45PM | Updated October 16, 2024 at 3:13PM

Diners at Vola's Dockside Grill at the Alexandria waterfront. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Sisyphus’ boulder is back at the bottom of the hill: the Old Town BID proposal has been killed yet again.

Boyd Walker from the Anti-BID Coalition said in an email that City of Alexandria officials confirmed the vote and that the BID will not be moving forward:

News

City Council amends outreach policy for creating Business Improvement District in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published May 30, 2024 at 3:30PM

Enjoying the weather and outside seating on lower King Street in Old Town. (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City Council unanimously approved new outreach guidelines for the potential creation of a Business Improvement District (BIDs) in Old Town on Tuesday night.

Without buy-in from 60% of impacted property owners, previous efforts to get BIDs started in Old Town failed. Consequently, City Council on Tuesday night approved the amended rules stipulating that property owners will now be sent petitions via certified mail, and that their non-response within 30 days will be counted just as if they vote in opposition.

News

Amended guidelines that make BID creation easier headed to City Council next week

By Vernon Miles

Published May 23, 2024 at 2:55PM

Pedestrians cross Washington Street along King Street in Old Town on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019 in Alexandria. (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

An amendment to the Business Improvement District (BID) guidelines that could make it easier to pass is headed to City Council for review next week.

The idea behind a BID is that it would be an organization that could advocate and host programs and events that would draw people to the relevant area as well as providing other services.

News

Alexandria City Council considers reframing Business Improvement District vote to excise absentee property owners

By Vernon Miles

Published April 3, 2024 at 3:00PM | Updated April 3, 2024 at 3:42PM

The 200 block of King Street in Old Town, Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated 3:40 p.m.) To get a business improvement district (BID) approved for Old Town, proponents will need the support of 60% of properties in the proposed zone. But a new change could cut property owners who don’t engage at all out of that 60% requirement.

City Council member John Chapman said after outreach was done for the Old Town BID there were over 200 property owners that never responded either in favor or against the proposal.

News

Old Town Business Improvement District finishing March with 2/3 of the support it needs

By Vernon Miles

Published March 29, 2023 at 1:45PM

Lower King Street, closed to traffic (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The team behind the proposed Old Town Business Improvement District (BID) is giving itself a few more months to get the project the support it needs.

Per new guidelines approved by the City Council last year, the BID proposal will need support from 60% of the properties within the district’s boundaries, which mostly runs along King Street.

News

Old Town Business holding additional forums for its proposed Business Improvement Service District

By James Cullum

Published March 3, 2023 at 10:55AM

Map of the proposed Old Town Business Improvement Service District (via Old Town Business)

With the clock running down on a rushed timeline, Old Town Business (OTB) is conducting more outreach sessions today, Friday, on its proposed business improvement district.

The group conducted information sessions yesterday (Thursday) and scheduled one for this morning and another for 1 p.m. along the ALX Community Waterfront at 201 N. Union Street.

Opinion

Poll: What do you think of proposed Old Town Business Improvement District?

By Vernon Miles

Published February 17, 2023 at 1:45PM | Updated February 17, 2023 at 3:22PM

A cloudy day in Old Town (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Earlier this week, Old Town Business debuted new plans for a Business Improvement District along King Street.

The new effort comes after multiple earlier efforts to get a BID launched for Old Town, but BID proponents highlighted at a meeting earlier this week that this effort will be different.

News

BID backers race against the clock to get Old Town property owners on board

By Vernon Miles

Published February 15, 2023 at 3:55PM

Shopping in Old Town (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

After years of doing marketing and advocating for local businesses, members of the volunteer-run group Old Town Business say they’re tired — and ready for a Business Improvement District (BID) to take over.

In the first public meeting about a possible BID, leaders of Old Town Business made a case for the district as the only sustainable path forward for businesses running along King Street “from the rails to the water.”

News

Six years after its last defeat, the BID proposal rears its head in Old Town once more

By Vernon Miles

Published February 13, 2023 at 3:30PM

Lower King Street, closed to traffic (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Time and time again, a group of business owners has pushed the Old Town Business Improvement District (BID) boulder up the hill, only to have it roll back down again.

Now, a group called Old Town Business is trying — again — to get the boulder to the top.