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.
A proposal to create a new City Council/School Board subcommittee focused on Alexandria City Public Schools’ capacity challenges has won the support of a local advocacy group.
Save Jefferson-Houston (Save JH), which opposes the Alexandria City School Board’s plans to convert two K-8 schools into a middle school and elementary school, has voiced support for the proposal, which was offered by ACSB members Ryan Reyna and Kelly Carmichael Booz during a Capital Improvement Program work session last week.
Alex311, the city of Alexandria’s customer service program, has a new look.
The program announced the launch of its new portal today (Monday), with the latest version of its mobile app debuting next Monday, Dec. 22. The updates promise easy access and quicker navigation.
The Alexandria City Council ended the collective bargaining impasse regarding three outstanding issues between the Alexandria Police Department’s union and the city late last night (Tuesday).
In a meeting at City Hall that lasted until 11:30 p.m., Council decided in favor of the Alexandria chapter of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association’s request for $10.2 million in increased salaries for APD officers, sergeants and lieutenants over the next three years, while backing the city’s positions on pay parity and an annual $1,200 longevity bonus for those sworn staffers.
It’s been a long first year for Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire.
While the city has seen a double-digit reduction in reported crime to-date this year, the Alexandria Police Department is struggling with staffing and compensation. Ongoing staffing issues have prompted McGuire to transfer some officers from specialized units to staff patrol operations on the street.
Updated at 1 p.m., Dec. 9: An earlier version of this story included a previous offer from the city on pay compensation in its collective bargaining negotiations with the Alexandria Police Department. The city’s most recent offer increases starting pay for police officers 17.21% from $63,988 a year to an annual salary of $75,000; a 21% increase for sergeants from $72,300 to $87,500 and police lieutenants 15% from $89,800 to $106,900.
With collective bargaining at a standstill, the Alexandria Police Department’s union is calling for increased salaries as the department’s pay has fallen behind other Northern Virginia localities.
The Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities has released its Winter 2026 Program Guide, detailing new seasonal classes, activities and more.
Starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17, Alexandria residents can sign up for RPCA’s winter programs, which start next month and run through April 2026. Registration for nonresidents opens two days later, on Dec. 19.
What a day for a parade it was in Old Town on Saturday, Dec. 6.
The wailing of bagpipes sailed through Alexandria’s historic streets as thousands of community members gathered to watch the 54th annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade.
Alexandria will conduct a sewer pipe repair project next week, temporarily shutting down an Old Town North roadway from Monday, Dec. 8 to Thursday, Dec. 11.
One northbound road lane will be shut down near 1201 E. Abingdon Drive to repair an 18-inch combined sewer pipe, according to the city.
With less than a month until its adoption, city officials are pushing Alexandria City Public Schools leaders to make further cuts to the district’s 10-year Capital Improvements Program, stressing budget constraints.
The $340 million CIP proposal exceeds the city’s recommendation by $54.5 million and arrives during a period of expected citywide budget cuts. Officials underscored the need to limit budgets across the board during a City Council/School Board Subcommittee meeting on Monday night, which followed two ACPS work sessions to fine-tune the proposal.
