development | ALXnow

Notes: Old Town North building sold for $15.4 million to be turned into mixed-use apartment building

Published April 17, 2024 at 8:55AM

The proposed apartment building at 901 N. Pitt Street in Old Town (via City of Alexandria)

Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!

🌧️ Today’s weather: Expect showers between 9am and 3pm, with increasing clouds and a high near 72°F. South wind will be 6-8 mph and a 40% chance of precipitation. On Wednesday night, showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11pm, with a low around 59°F. Southeast wind around 6mph will become northwest after midnight, with a 60% chance of precipitation. New rainfall of less than a tenth of an inch is expected, while higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.

News

Amazon Fresh in the Potomac Yard Shopping Center is still happening

By James Cullum

Published April 9, 2024 at 2:30PM

A peek through a window of the future Amazon Fresh at 3801 Richmond Highway (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s not as exciting as the Washington Wizards and Capitals, but Amazon Fresh in the Potomac Yard Shopping Center is still moving forward.

The Washington Business Journal first reported that Amazon is gearing up to open at 3801 Richmond Highway.

News

New seven-story residential development pitched for Landmark neighborhood

By Vernon Miles

Published April 9, 2024 at 10:30AM | Updated April 12, 2024 at 3:52PM

6101 Stevenson Avenue project (Rendering via SK+I Architecture)

A developer has filed for a permit to redevelop 6101 and 6125 Stevenson Avenue, currently an office building and parking lot in the Landmark neighborhood, into a seven-story residential building.

The proposal is to build 270 units in the new building with 340 parking spaces in a garage, a ground-floor lobby and amenity space.

News

POLL: Is Alexandria better off without the Potomac Yard arena?

By James Cullum

Published April 4, 2024 at 1:30PM | Updated April 5, 2024 at 2:32AM

Rendering of aerial view of Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)

The Potomac Yard arena’s demise has been met by mixed emotions from public officials, and even landowner JBG Smith.

Now that the Washington Wizards and Capitals are definitely not coming to Alexandria and will stay in D.C., a proverbial question mark looms over the 12-acre property.

News

Notes: JBG Smith says tech and ‘other’ opportunities abound for failed Potomac Yard arena space

By ALXnow.com

Published April 4, 2024 at 9:00AM | Updated April 4, 2024 at 9:45AM

Rendering of concert venue at Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)

Happy Thursday, Alexandria!

⛈️ Today’s weather: Expect isolated showers between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms that could produce small hail. The day should be partly sunny with a high temperature near 57. Tonight, there’s a 30% chance of isolated showers between 8 and 11 p.m., with a low temperature of 39.

News

In wake of Potomac Yard arena implosion, Alexandria mayor says area will stay the same for ‘quite some time’

By James Cullum

Published April 1, 2024 at 10:45AM

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson speaks at the announcement of a new arena for the Washington Wizards and Capitals in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Dec. 13, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

In the wake of Alexandria backing out of the $2 billion Potomac Yard arena deal, Mayor Justin Wilson says that “very little will likely change in North Potomac Yard for quite some time.”

In his April newsletter, Wilson said that last week’s announcement that the city was leaving the negotiating table signaled “perhaps the most negative financial event for our schools, public safety and human services in recent history.”

News

Alexandria City Council and candidates weigh in on failed Potomac Yard arena deal

By James Cullum

Published March 28, 2024 at 3:40PM | Updated March 29, 2024 at 11:13AM

AEDP CEO Stephanie Landrum (on left) with Alexandria City Council members at the announcement of a new arena for the Washington Wizards and Capitals in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Dec. 13, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Council members and candidates are opening up about their positions on the city backing out of the Potomac Yard arena deal.

Mayor Justin Wilson said that the city will be spending a lot of time unpacking what led to the announcement that it was backing out of a plan to move the Washington Wizards and Capitals from D.C. to a new arena with an entertainment district in the city’s Potomac Yard neighborhood.

News

JBG Smith blames Tysons casino conspiracy for derailing Potomac Yard deal

By Vernon Miles

Published March 28, 2024 at 10:10AM

Matt Kelly, CEO of JBG Smith, speaks at the announcement of a new arena for the Washington Wizards and Capitals in Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Dec. 13, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

While there’s no shortage of finger-pointing in the aftermath of the collapsed Potomac Yard arena deal, one that flew a little under the radar in the news yesterday was developer JBG Smith laying the blame squarely on a conspiracy involving the Fairfax casino project.

The statement from JBG Smith was noted by the Washington Business Journal as being unusually blunt.

News

PHOTOS: Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus nears ‘substantial completion’

By James Cullum

Published March 18, 2024 at 2:45PM

The swimming pool at Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus (via ACPS)

The final touches are being made to Alexandria City High School’s expansion of its Minnie Howard Campus.

The five-story, $174 million high school project is on-budget and on-track for “substantial completion this spring,” according to an Alexandria City Public School staff report that will be presented to the School Board on Thursday.

News

Milestone reached with 2.2-mile underground sewer tunnel completion in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published March 15, 2024 at 11:00AM

Hazel, the tunnel-boring machine, has completed the 2.2-mile RiverRenew tunnel through Old Town (via AlexRenew)

After 16 months of digging, Hazel the tunnel-boring machine can rest.

Alexandria’s massive RiverRenew Tunnel Program reached a critical milestone on Wednesday with the completion of a 2.2-mile underground tunnel that will divert millions of gallons of raw sewage from flowing into the Potomac River every year.

News

Alexandria City Council rejects controversial Del Ray house and ADU proposal

By Vernon Miles

Published March 14, 2024 at 3:55PM | Updated March 14, 2024 at 9:24PM

Proposed Del Ray accessory dwelling unit (image via Eustilus Architecture/City of Alexandria)

(Updated 9:20 p.m.) After a prolonged battle between a Del Ray homeowner and his neighbors over a proposed accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and a single-family home, Alexandria’s City Council struck the plans down in a meeting earlier this week.

The plan (docket item 11) was to create a two-story, single-unit ADU to 404 E. Alexandria Avenue along with a single-family home. The unit would be set off the main street on a vacant lot and accessible by a public alley.