As plans to redevelop the Oakville Triangle move forward, part of that revitalization could involve the resurrection of an older neighborhood name: St. Elmo.
There are remnants of the St. Elmo name, like the coffee shops in Del Ray and North Old Town, but by and large, it’s one that’s fallen by the wayside. According to an application, developer Stonebridge Associates is hoping to turn a road through the Oakville Triangle into St. Elmo Way as a tie to the old neighborhood.
Wegmans hiring event Tuesday for new Alexandria store — “Wegmans Food Markets is hosting a virtual hiring event Tuesday, Oct. 12, seeking to fill more than 350 part- and full-time positions across 14 stores throughout the Virginia area, including the Wegmans opening in spring 2022 at 150 Stovall St., in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood, the company announced.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
Vehicle overturned in Lincolnia, found empty — “4900 Bl. of Manitoba Dr. Alexandria, V.A. Fairfax Cty Fire on scene of a single vehicle overturned collision with no occupants found inside the vehicle. Occupants are believed to have fled the scene.” [DC Realtime News]
A power outage on Saturday set off a week of concerns about city infrastructure, even as the city was ranked one of the best small cities in the country.
The power outage that derailed the Art on the Avenue celebration is just the latest in a long chain of outages that have hit Alexandria over the last year, giving the lie to Dominion Energy’s claim that a large outage almost exactly a year ago was a fluke. Mayor Justin Wilson has previously called the state of frequent outages unacceptable and urged Dominion to do more to upgrade its infrastructure.
(Updated 10/27) Did you know that a little over 90 years before the King Street trolley started ferrying visitors through Old Town, another streetcar ran from Del Ray up into D.C.?
A new Christmas ornament for sale for $25 through the Office of Historic Alexandria celebrates the city’s first streetcar — which ran for 14 years before the popularity of the car helped drive it out of businesses.
How do you know you’re in Del Ray? Visitors can wonder no longer, as a new 15-foot-tall marker will be unveiled later this month at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square.
The marker was designed by Maryland artist Kirk Seese, has been in the works since 2018. It was open to the public for last Saturday’s Art On The Avenue festival, and the tentative date for its official unveiling is October 15, according to Visit Del Ray.
A power outage in Del Ray has shut down a number of businesses, although the annual Art on the Avenue festival today (October 2) is still happening. The event is one of the biggest events in the city and draws tens of thousands of people.
“We have a right to expect more from @DominionEnergy,” tweeted Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson. “Plunging a central business district into darkness for the better part of their biggest day of the year, with no inclement weather, is UNACCEPTABLE.”
The wellness-related businesses in Del Ray are bottling their creative energies into a new blog.
Every Wednesday morning, the Wellness District Blog will publish two new posts to help folks navigate through the fog of stressful times. It officially launched at a glitzy outdoor party on Wednesday night in Del Ray.
New coffee shop opening in West End — “A new coffee shop will be opening in the Shoppes of Foxchase shopping center in Alexandria’s West End. Cortado Cafe is under construction now in the shopping center on Duke Street. It is taking the place of a now-closed Hair Cuttery between Massage Envy and La Casa restaurant.” [Alexandria Living]
Nonprofit teaches computer coding for free — “For over 20 years, the Alexandria nonprofit Computer CORE has helped adults learn computer technology and programming, thereby advancing their careers. The newest educational opportunity begins Tuesday, Sept. 14 with the virtual class Code Beats Computer Coding Camp. The free course will use hip hop and other music beats to teach computer coding.” [Zebra]
What a busy week in Alexandria. Here’s the rundown.
Alexandria City Public Schools reopened their doors to full-time in-person instruction on Tuesday, and there have been a few hiccups. On Friday, we published a video taken of a brawl inside Alexandria City High School, and a teenager was hit by a car while walking home from school in Del Ray on Thursday.
Plans for a new fountain and “splash park” at the north end of Del Ray are moving forward as the city aims to have design finished by the end of the year.
The Del Ray Gateway project is a plan to redevelop a triangular park where Mount Vernon and Commonwealth Avenues meet into a water-based community play area.
First ALX Fit Fair set for this Saturday — “ALX Fit Fair, a day of wellness and fitness in the Carlyle neighborhood, is set for this Saturday, Aug. 28, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. There will be opportunities from more than a dozen local gyms and fitness studios to participate in 30-minute workouts every hour during the event, with workouts ranging from yoga, pilates, dance, and gymnastics to more intense workouts like boxing and CrossFit.” [Alexandria Living]
Old Town Cocktail Week serves up creative libations next month — “A week-long celebration of all things involving cocktails will return for a second year to Old Town Alexandria. The Old Town Cocktail Week will be held Sept. 10 to 19…” [Patch]
