Alexandria’s Natural Resources Division is introducing new leadership and a slate of upcoming community engagements in 2026.
The city has hired Raychel Frye and Katrina Napora as new natural resource managers, it announced yesterday (Wednesday), with Oscar Mendoza continuing to oversee the division as chief. Under the new leadership, Natural Resources will have a “renewed focus on education, stewardship, and community engagement.”
Alexandria will host a design update meeting for a storm sewer improvement project in Potomac West on Wednesday night.
The Clifford, Fulton and Manning Storm Sewer Project has been in the planning and design stages for nearly three years, with construction anticipated to start this May. The city will present final proposed drainage improvements and potential construction impacts at the meeting, which will be held from 7-8 p.m. at Mount Vernon Recreation Center (2701 Commonwealth Avenue). Attendees can also watch it on Zoom.
The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission plans to elect Alexandria Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley as its new chair this week.
Bagley currently serves as the commission’s vice-chair and is a member of its Program Advisory Committee, following her initial appointment in 2022. This is in addition to her role as chair of the Virginia Railway Express’ Operations Board.
After more than 20 years in Old Town’s Parker-Gray Historic District, a nonprofit wants to demolish its headquarters and replace it with five three-story townhomes.
The Society of Defense Financial Management — formerly the American Society of Military Comptrollers — has owned and used the office building at 415 N. Alfred Street since 2004. Now real estate developer PT Blooms is asking the city for permission to tear down the entire structure and build five new townhomes with roof decks and rear-loaded two-vehicle garages.
The city of Alexandria will host a virtual meeting this Thursday covering the pre-construction phase of renovations at City Hall and Market Square.
Currently in its architectural and engineering design phase, the multimillion-dollar project includes renovations at City Hall, a redesign of Market Square and an underground parking garage. More than 300 city employees have already relocated to temporary swing spaces, and the rest are expected to do so by the end of the month, according to a city announcement.
The Planning Commission will host a work session tomorrow (Tuesday) on a draft plan for the future of Duke Street.
Still in its infancy, the Duke Street Land Use Plan is intended to guide city officials in the development of the Duke Street corridor from the former Landmark Mall to Alexandria Union Station. The document is expected to be ready for City Council consideration and adoption from late 2026 to early 2027, according to the city.
Alexandria city staff want to establish a standard permitting process for commercial-to-residential conversions.
Amid a struggling office real estate market, the city has seen a number of old office properties convert to residential use over the last several years. The proposal to create a special use permit (SUP) process for the conversions will head to the Planning Commission on Tuesday, Jan. 6.
A $20 million bond financing agreement by the Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority (ARHA) for the second phase of an Old Town affordable housing project is set to move forward.
City Council unanimously approved the bond agreement on Dec. 13, which will support the conversion of the 4.76-acre, 244-unit mixed-income “Heritage at Old Town” complex into three buildings with approximately 750 apartments across three blocks, according to a Nov. 24 board report from ARHA.
Government offices in Alexandria will close on Wednesday and Thursday to observe Christmas.
Closures this week will affect Alexandria courts, the Alexandria Library, the Department of Motor Vehicles, health facilities, the city’s impound lot and more. Metered parking restrictions and residential permit parking will not be enforced during this period.
The last moves of Alexandria’s City Council and staff have been announced, as the years-long renovation project at City Hall and Market Square is just around the corner.
The various arms of the city government will be operating from swing spaces until 2028, when the project is expected to be completed. With more than 300 city staffers already moved to temporary offices, the project will start construction this spring, according to the city.
Residents have until Sunday, Jan. 4 to submit comments on two of Alexandria’s draft recommendations aimed at updating the city’s Housing Master Plan.
Specifically, Alexandria is seeking feedback on drafts of the Affordable Housing Preservation and Common Interest Communities projects as part of Housing 2040. Community feedback will help shape the second drafts of each recommendation, expected to be released in mid-to-late February, according to the city.
