construction | ALXnow

City to honor $2.5 million bequest to build botanical garden at Point Lumley Park

Published April 25, 2025 at 1:00PM

Sign indicating the future site of the Point Lumley Garden on the waterfront in Old Town (via City of Alexandria)

The City of Alexandria wants Betsey and H.J. Rosenbaum to know that there will still be a botanical garden built in their honor at Point Lumley Park, despite not being included in site concept plans.

The Rosenbaum family has lived near the waterfront for decades, and several years ago, the couple bequeathed $2.5 million to the city to build the garden at the park. They were surprised, however, when they saw new concept designs published by ALXnow that didn’t include a botanical garden. The plans are headed to the city’s Board of Architectural Review on May 7.

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‘2D Noodles’ Vietnamese restaurant is coming to the Del Ray North shopping center

By James Cullum

Published April 14, 2025 at 5:20PM

2D Noodles is opening at 3823 Mount Vernon Avenue (staff photo by James Cullum)

A new Vietnamese-themed restaurant is under development in Arlandria.

2D Noodles (3823 Mount Vernon Avenue) ‘s interior renovation is nearly complete. The restaurant’s location in the Del Ray North shopping center is two stores down from Sake Express Japanese Hibachi, which is owned by the same local restaurant chain that owns Sake Japanese Steakhouse & Bar at 2016 Eisenhower Avenue.

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PLANS: Akeno Sushi wants to open by the end of the year in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published April 14, 2025 at 1:15PM

Sushi at Akeno Sushi Bar (photo via Akeno Sushi Bar)

Akeno Sushi Bar wants to open before the end of the year at 611 King Street in Old Town, but it has to get a few paperwork issues squared away with the City of Alexandria to make that possible.

The interior renovation of the former home to Java Grill hasn’t started, as the local business is asking the city for an allowance to install a new HVAC system on the roof without a mechanical screen. The proposal going to the Planning Commission on Wednesday (April 16) would replace two HVAC units, add a third unit, and install an exhaust fan.

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PLANS: Council Chambers gets moved to the ground floor in proposed Alexandria City Hall renovation

By James Cullum

Published March 31, 2025 at 2:00PM | Updated April 7, 2025 at 1:45PM

Concept of the Alexandria City Hall modernization, March 2025 (via City of Alexandria)

When all is said and done, Alexandria’s City Council may conduct city business on the ground floor of the renovated City Hall.

That’s just one of the many proposed changes to the 150-year-old building and Market Square at 301 King Street heading to the city’s Board of Architectural Review on April 16 (Wednesday).

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Short-term residential rental building with daycare and retail proposed for former DCHS building in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published March 26, 2025 at 3:30PM | Updated March 26, 2025 at 3:52PM

2525 Mount Vernon Avenue (via Google Maps)

After years of false starts, a new project to replace the former Department of Community and Human Services building in Del Ray with a short-term rental building with a daycare and retail is heading to the Alexandria Planning Commission.

The two-story, 30,000 square-foot DCHS building property at 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue was constructed in 1985 and has been vacant for years. In 2022, the site’s previous owner, Bonaventure, cited economic viability issues and backed out of plans to redevelop the property into a four-story mixed-use apartment complex. Bonaventure bought the property in 2019, but the proposal was met by pushback from neighbors who complained that it added to parking congestion and took away from the character of Del Ray.

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Check out the sweeping George Mason Elementary School modernization plans heading to the Planning Commission

By James Cullum

Published March 26, 2025 at 12:30PM

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

Sweeping plans to modernize George Mason Elementary School (2601 Cameron Mills Road) will soon head to the Alexandria Planning Commission.

Alexandria City Public Schools anticipates relocating staff and students three-and-a-half miles away at the end of this school year to swing space 1703 N. Beauregard Street. If the project timeline stays on track, ACPS will cut the ribbon on the new two-story building in the summer of 2027.

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PHOTOS: Check out the interior renovations at La Madeleine in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published March 17, 2025 at 2:00PM | Updated March 24, 2025 at 9:18PM

La Madeleine e is back and brighter than ever in Old Town.

After briefly shutting down for a recent interior renovation, the French restaurant at 500 King Street reopened on Friday, March 14.

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PLANS: Apartments could replace office building in Alexandria’s West End

By James Cullum

Published March 17, 2025 at 10:15AM | Updated March 17, 2025 at 5:55PM

Site plan for 1900 N. Beauregard Street in Alexandria's West End (via City of Alexandria)

Plans to replace an office building in the West End with a 345-unit apartment building are heading to city review.

According to city records, the applicant, 1900 Beauregard Property Owner LLC, a New York-based company, bought the four-building, 300,000-square-foot Beauregard Professional Center for $12.6 million in 2021.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published March 14, 2025 at 3:00PM | Updated April 19, 2025 at 3:13AM

Proposed renovations show a Van Leeuwen ice cream shop at 400 King Street (via City of Alexandria)

What a busy week it’s been in Alexandria.

Our top story was on big changes planned for 400 King Street in Old Town. The building takes over an entire city block and is currently home to The Alexandrian Old Town Hotel at 480 King Street and Southern restaurant King & Rye.

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Massive Robinson Terminal North project heading to Alexandria Planning Commission

By James Cullum

Published March 13, 2025 at 12:30PM

Plans for Robinson Terminal North (via City of Alexandria)

The latest site plan for one of the last undeveloped areas of the Alexandria waterfront—Robinson Terminal North—envisions restaurants, retail, apartments, expanded open space, and even a hotel.

The Planning Commission will review a development special use permit (DSUP) proposal and site plan for the former industrial site in Old Town North on May 6 (Tuesday).

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Developer needs extension to build apartments for the elderly and an office tower in Carlyle

By James Cullum

Published March 13, 2025 at 9:00AM

The John Carlyle Center Health and Wellness, two-tower multi-unit residential buildings for the elderly and office building at 1900 Eisenhower Avenue and 765-789 John Carlyle Street (via 765johncarlyle.com)

Amidst a number of recent proposals for new apartment buildings in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood, the developer of a previously approved large senior living project on Eisenhower Avenue is asking the city for a three-year extension for its construction.

On May 6, Carlyle Plaza LLC is asking the Planning Commission for a three year extension of its previously approved special use permit (SUP) for construction of The John Carlyle Center Health and Wellness, a 225-unit residential building for the elderly and office building at 1900 Eisenhower Avenue and 765-789 John Carlyle Street.