City Council | ALXnow

Developer wants extension to build seven-story apartment building across from the Braddock Road Metro station

Published May 21, 2025 at 2:30PM

The developer behind a seven-story apartment building in the Braddock area is asking the city for an extension of its developmental special use permit (via City of Alexandria)

The developer of a seven-story, 180-unit apartment building across the street from the Braddock Road Metro station is asking the city for an extension of its development special use permit.

West Street Acquisitions says a number of important steps have been made on the one-acre project at 727 N. West Street, which was denied by the City Council in March 2021 and then approved two months later. After some delays, including a legal battle with a neighbor citing city regulations prohibiting the Council from reviewing a denied application for a year, work on the four-year-old project has been slow, and the development special use permit is about to expire.

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Episcopal High School gets green light to build dozens of 40-to-100-foot-tall athletic field lights

By James Cullum

Published May 19, 2025 at 3:30PM | Updated May 20, 2025 at 6:32AM

The athletic fields at Episcopal High School (via City of Alexandria)

Episcopal High School’s plan to install 47 light poles between 40 and 100 feet in height got unanimous backing by the City Council on Saturday (May 17).

The private high school at 1200 N. Quaker Lane will serve as a training site for a team participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the school is planning on adding 10 lights to three northern fields for that purpose on the property — the track field, the practice field, and the Hummel Bowl. Neighbors with the Seminary Hill Association, however, told City Council they were under the misapprehension that the scope of the project was limited to just those 10 lights, instead of what was presented to Council — a largely undefined plan allowing the school to erect dozens of light poles of varying heights on its other outdoor athletic fields and courts over the next decade.

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ACPS staff won’t get 1% market rate adjustment due to budget shortfall

By James Cullum

Published May 15, 2025 at 4:06PM

George Mason Elementary School Principal Christopher Finan with students on the first day of school, August 21, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Facing a $3.25 million budget shortfall, Alexandria City Public Schools is planning on saving a good chunk of it by not giving staff a 1% market rate adjustment.

According to a budget memo, the school board will review the following at a work session tonight (May 15). In the memo, ACPS staff laid out the following budget adjustments before the Board approves the final FY 2026 Combined Funds (Operating, Grants & Special Projects, and School Nutrition Services) Budget:

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George Mason Elementary School modernization plans heading to City Council

By James Cullum

Published May 14, 2025 at 2:30PM

George Mason Elementary School modernization rendering (via City of Alexandria)

After coasting through the Planning Commission, plans to modernize George Mason Elementary School are heading to City Council for this Saturday (May 17).

Alexandria City Public Schools is hoping to cut the ribbon on the new two-story building in the summer of 2027. The project will keep the original 1939 building, although ACPS plans to demolish a majority of the existing school and replace it with a two-story structure for a capacity of 670 students and 80 teachers and staff.

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Plans to build mixed-use apartment building in Old Town North heading to City Council

By James Cullum

Published May 12, 2025 at 2:00PM | Updated May 12, 2025 at 5:19PM

The proposed conceptual design of The Whitley Phase 2, 802-808 N. Washington Street in Old Town North (via City of Alexandria)

The Alexandria City Council is set to make final approvals this week on a plan to transform a former motel property on N. Washington Street into a mixed-use multifamily apartment building and townhouse.

Maryland-based PT Blooms is asking the city to approve plans to redevelop the property at 802 and 808 N. Washington Street into The Whitley—Phase 2, a 48-unit building with one- to three-bedroom condos. That’s the former Old Towne Motel property, which has been closed for years.

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Episcopal High School named FIFA World Cup training site and wants 40-to-100-foot-tall lights at its athletic fields

By James Cullum

Published May 5, 2025 at 3:30PM

The athletic fields at Episcopal High School (via City of Alexandria)

Episcopal High School is about to get a lot brighter.

The private high school at 1200 N. Quaker Lane has been approved to serve as a training site for a team participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and now the school wants to install field lighting with 47 light poles between 40-to-100-feet-tall.

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Developer adding more apartments to narrow West End property

By James Cullum

Published May 5, 2025 at 2:45PM

More apartments are proposed for 2240 N. Beauregard Street in Alexandria's West End (via City of Alexandria)

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PLANS: West End complex to convert old laundry rooms into 19 new apartments

By James Cullum

Published May 5, 2025 at 1:00PM

The Alante Apartments at 4800 Kenmore Avenue (via City of Alexandria)

A 60-year-old apartment complex in the West End is about to get a little bigger.

On Tuesday, the Planning Commission will review a special use permit to add 19 apartments to The Alante Apartments, a 296-unit complex next door to the Seminary Towers Apartments and Francis C. Hammond Middle School, and is bounded by N. Van Dorn Street and Seminary Road.

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ACPS ‘censorship’ of Alexandria City High School’s student newspaper Theogony ignites firestorm of criticism

By James Cullum

Published May 2, 2025 at 3:55PM | Updated May 5, 2025 at 2:13AM

Alexandria City High School (staff photo by James Jarvis)

After a firestorm of criticism from city leaders and student journalists over proposed oversight changes to Alexandria City High School’s student newspaper, Theogony, this morning (May 2), the Alexandria School Board’s Governance Committee returned to the drawing board.

From reporting on a transportation controversy to investigations into the School Board, transgender policies, or even lampooning metal detectors in cartoons, Theogony student journalists take their roles seriously. Now, with City Council members warning of potential “censorship” and “authoritarian” behavior from the school system, student journalists are alleging a concerted effort from the administration of Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt to suppress touchy or controversial stories from appearing in the monthly publication.

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Alexandria City Council passes $956.5 million FY 2026 Budget amid ‘time of great uncertainty’

By James Cullum

Published April 30, 2025 at 9:05PM

Alexandria City Council approves the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, April 30, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Against a backdrop of political and economic uncertainty, Alexandria’s City Council unanimously adopted its $956.5 million operating budget.

City Manager Jim Parajon said it was challenging crafting a budget that keeps city services without increasing real estate or property taxes. The city’s budget grew 3.2% over the current fiscal year, with its largest line item being a fully-funded Alexandria City Public Schools, as well as significant stormwater management funding for the city’s $2.1 billion FY 2026 – 2035 Capital Improvement Program.

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Alexandria wants to increase rental fees at these city-owned facilities

By James Cullum

Published April 28, 2025 at 2:00PM

The swimming pool at Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus, May 29, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s about to get more expensive to have fun at city-owned properties in Alexandria.

On Wednesday, April 30, the City Council will consider approving rental fee increases for several of the city’s Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities programs.