construction | ALXnow

Alexandria Planning Commission to review 3-year extension for contested apartment project

Published September 17, 2025 at 10:13AM

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 Alexandria Planning Commission will review a three-year extension in October for a controversial 180-unit apartment building near the Braddock Road Metro station that has faced years of delays and community opposition.

In June, the city council deferred a decision to extend the DSUP for the one-acre project at 727 N. West St. until its city council public hearing on October 18. The deferral gave developer West Street Acquisitions several months to discuss stormwater issues with the city and conduct more community conversations with neighbors. The plan will first go to the Planning Commission for review on Oct. 9.

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Alo Yoga starts construction on new store on King Street in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published September 16, 2025 at 9:25AM

Alo Yoga at 814 King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alo Yoga started construction at 814 King Street in Old Town.

The California-based yoga chain has gutted the interior of the space that was previously home to the Random Harvest furniture store. According to contractors working on site, the renovation should be completed within a month.

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Northern Virginia juvenile jail to demolish concrete beds in cells

By James Cullum

Published September 10, 2025 at 2:45PM

A standard cell at the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center at 200 S. Whiting Street in Alexandria's West End (staff photo by James Cullum)

Leaders running the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center (200 S. Whiting Street) are poised to release an Invitation For Bids (IFB) to renovate the cells housing dozens of children.

NVJDC Commission Chair John Lawrence tells ALXnow that the body will vote Sept. 15 to allow the jail’s executive director, Johnitha McNair, to put out the IFB to demolish 60 concrete slabs inside the cells that are used for bedding and tables, as well as repainting walls and replacing flooring with a budget not to exceed $250,000.

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French cafe chain Maman begins construction in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published September 9, 2025 at 8:30AM

Construction has begun at Maman Coffee Baking Kitchen at 701 King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Interior demolition work started last week at a new French cafe in Old Town.

Aug. 28 was the last day for public comments on Maman Coffee Baking Kitchen’s special use permit application (SUP) to operate a cafe, bakery, restaurant, and accessory event space at 701 King Street. The building is located at the corner of King and N. Washington Streets, and is the former home to Foxtrot, which closed in 2024.

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275-unit workforce housing project at former Landmark Mall site goes to Planning Commission

By James Cullum

Published September 2, 2025 at 11:45AM

A rendering of the 275-unit, seven-story work force housing multifamily building on Block D of the former Landmark Mall property, as seen from the northeast (via City of Alexandria)

A proposal to build a 275-unit workforce housing multifamily apartment building on the southwest portion of the sprawling WestEnd development is heading to the Alexandria Planning Commission.

Plans for the seven-story development from landowner Foulger Pratt and its partner Landmark Holdings LLC call for a seven-story structure with 210 parking spaces (a reduction from the 327 required spaces), with 80% of the units available for between 80% and 120% area median income. The proposal heads to the Planning Commission on Thursday, Oct. 9.

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Expansion of mixed-use historic home in Old Town heading to Planning Commission

By James Cullum

Published August 29, 2025 at 10:00AM

A conceptual drawing of the proposed expansion of 107 N. Fairfax Street in Old Town (via City of Alexandria)

The owners of a historic townhouse in Old Town with ground floor retail want to expand the property with a 700-square-foot addition and use it as their primary residence.

Plans to redevelop 107 N. Fairfax Street will head to the Planning Commission on Thursday, Oct. 9. The four-story townhouse was built in 1800, and is located in the city’s Old and Historic District. It’s located directly across from City Hall (301 King Street), and the first floor is home to dessert and coffee shop Dolci Gelati.

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Old Town Sandwich Shop to reopen Sept. 2 after renovation

By James Cullum

Published August 27, 2025 at 12:00PM

Old Town Sandwich Shop at 127 S. Peyton Street is reopening after a renovation on Sept. 4, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Old Town Sandwich shop will reopen soon after undergoing a two-week interior renovation.

The longstanding business at 127 S. Peyton Street closed for interior work on Friday, Aug. 22, and will reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 2, according to a note left on the front door.

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Virginia Theological Seminary to break ground on memorial honoring enslaved laborers

By James Cullum

Published August 26, 2025 at 3:15PM

Virginia Theological Seminary (staff photo by James Cullum)

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held next month for the construction of a memorial recognizing slave laborers who built Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS).

Black slave laborers built the seminary in the early 19th century, and for the last five years, the VTS Reparations Program has awarded millions to direct descendants of those workers. At 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, VTS will host a free gala at Coffield Refectory (3720 Bishop Walker Circle) celebrating the descendants with dinner, dancing, and a display of genealogical research compiled to date. The memorial groundbreaking ceremony will be held the following day, Sept. 6, at 12:30 p.m.

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Mixed-use development near Van Dorn Metro for sale

By James Cullum

Published August 22, 2025 at 12:15PM

An 11-story hotel, retail, townhomes and condos is being built at the former Vulcan Materials site at 701 S. Van Dorn Street (via Cohn Property Group)

The owner of the former Vulcan Materials property near the Van Dorn Metro station is looking to sell, as a new hotel, retail, hundreds of new homes, and a park are being built on the site.

Last year, the city approved a plan to redevelop the site into an 11-story, 256-room hotel with 4,500 square feet of retail space, 323 new townhomes and condos, and a 4.4-acre park. The development promised to be “the most vibrant, new residential development that this area has seen in several years,” according to marketing materials released by Maryland-based Cohn Property Group (CPG) and first reported by the Washington Business Journal.

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JBG Smith giving update on mixed-use project that adds 600+ new homes to Potomac Yard

By James Cullum

Published August 21, 2025 at 5:47PM | Updated August 22, 2025 at 6:08AM

Potomac Yard parcels under development by JBG Smith (via City of Alexandria)

Developer JBG Smith will soon discuss an updated proposal to build a mix of multifamily, townhome and committed affordable housing across from the Potomac Yard Metro station.

Next Wednesday (Aug. 27), the Potomac Yard Design Advisory Committee (PYDAC) will review updated plans for Landbays G and H (see rendering above),

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Alexandria seeks public input on school crosswalk upgrades by Aug. 29

By James Cullum

Published August 18, 2025 at 6:30PM

Proposed pedestrian improvements outside Charles Barrett Elementary School and George Washington Middle School (via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria is asking for public feedback on plans to upgrade crosswalks near schools in Arlandria and Del Ray.

The city’s Crossing Improvements Phase II would transform the sidewalks around Charles Barrett Elementary School (1115 Martha Custis Drive) and George Washington Middle School (1005 Mount Vernon Avenue). The deadline to submit feedback on the plans is Friday, Aug. 29.