Del Ray

News

Burglary and robbery at two Alexandria 7-Elevens Thursday morning

By James Cullum
There was a burghlary at the 7-ELeven at 2108 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray on Thursday morning, June 22, 2023 (via Google Maps)

Updated at 3 p.m. Three men broke into the 7-Eleven in Del Ray this morning, minutes after another 7-Eleven was robbed at gunpoint in the West End.

The suspects broke into the store at 2018 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray at around 2:15 a.m., according to the Alexandria Police Department. Two men wearing all black broke into the closed business while a third suspect remained in the driver’s seat of a silver Mercedes with D.C. tags. The ATM machine in the store was broken into and an undisclosed amount of cash was taken, according to store staff.

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News

Truck repeatedly crashed into Del Ray CVS and thieves tried to steal ATM

By James Cullum
A truck smashed into the CVS at 415 E. Monroe Avenue on Saturday, May 27, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A large black truck repeatedly smashed into the front entrance of the CVS at 415 E. Monroe Avenue early Saturday morning but the would-be thieves failed to get away with their likely target — the store ATM.

The truck drove into the business front-first two times at around 3:40 a.m., the store manager told ALXnow. The manager also said that the ATM was probably the intended target, but it is bolted to the ground and wasn’t taken.

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News

Thursday’s Old Town vs. Del Ray softball battle is heating up

By James Cullum
The 7th Annual Del Ray vs. Old Town Softball Battle is on Monday, June 2, at Simpson Field (Via Visit Del Ray/Facebook)

Sharp words are being batted around Alexandria, as the fifth annual Del Ray vs. Old Town Softball Battle is intended to settle a few scores.

Thursday’s contest pits a number of Old Town businesses against neighborhood rival Del Ray, and the series is tied at two apiece. Del Ray won the first year, followed by two consecutive Old Town wins, and then Del Ray took back the John Porter cup in a win last year. The cup, which was created by Old Town metal artist Chris Earny, now sits behind the bar of Pork Barrel BBQ, which is owned by Del Ray’s coach Bill Blackburn.

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News

Del Ray residents converge over Preservation Virginia’s ‘endangered’ designation

By James Cullum
Residents hear about Preservation Virginia's declaration of Del Ray in its annual list of endangered communities, May 18, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

About 50 people gathered in Del Ray early Thursday evening to decry increased development and to hear about a recent “endangered” designation within the neighborhood.

Preservation Virginia recently designated The Town of Potomac — once an independent and racist town and now a sub-neighborhood within Del Ray — in its annual list of endangered historic sites. The Town of Potomac was created in 1908 as a white-only community in Arlington County. It was annexed into the Alexandria in 1930, after which it “ceased to exist,” according to the city.

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News

Crooked Beat Records to reopen in new Del Ray location in June

By James Cullum
Crooked Beat Records is now closed at 802 N. Fairfax Street in Old Town. (Photo via Crooked Beat Records/Facebook)

Crooked Beat Records will reopen in Del Ray in the first week in June, owner Bill Daly tells ALXnow.

The record shop closed at 802 N. Fairfax Street in Old Town on April 29, a week after Record Store Day. Daly signed a five-year lease for the 1,200-square-foot basement in 2417 Mount Vernon Avenue — in the same building that houses Cheesetique, the Del Ray School Of Music and Piece Out Del Ray.

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Opinion

Poll: Should Alexandria do more to preserve historic buildings?

By Vernon Miles
As seen in Del Ray (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Last week, Richmond-based historic preservation non-profit Preservation Virginia called for the Town of Potomac — today part of the Del Ray neighborhood — to receive greater protection from demolition and redevelopment.

According to the group, redevelopment is bringing larger residential developments to the neighborhood and demolishing older homes:

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News

Alexandria considers extension of public comment period for controversial zoning for housing plan

By James Cullum
What two additional stories looks like on a 45-foot-tall structure. (Via City of Alexandria)

After a request from the Del Ray Citizens Association, Alexandria is leaning toward extending a public comment period by two months after it releases its controversial zoning for housing plan later this year.

The massive plan would upend a number of zoning ordinances. One of them is a bonus height amendment that would incentivize developers to add affordable housing to projects in exchange for two additional stories of construction in areas where height limits are 45 feet or more.

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News

Mount Vernon Avenue closed near George Washington Middle School due to gas leak

By Vernon Miles
Police blocking off traffic at E. Braddock Road and Mount Vernon Avenue for a gas leak (staff photo by James Cullum)

A gas leak across from George Washington Middle School has shut down traffic along Mount Vernon Avenue.

Alexandria Fire Department spokesperson Raytevia Evans said there was a report of a gas leak on the 700 block of Mount Vernon Avenue. Scanner traffic indicated that the incident started around 1:30 p.m.

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