development | ALXnow

32-townhome project in Old Town returns to BAR in November

Published October 9, 2025 at 11:00AM

A proposal to build 32 four-story townhouses in Old Town will head back to the Board of Architectural Review next month.

Alexandria land-use attorney Ken Wire is asking the city for approval to demolish the Essex Building, an office building at 333 N. Fairfax Street built in the 1970s, and replace it with townhomes. Renderings show rows of four-story townhouses with garages and second-floor balconies encompassing an entire square block, bordered by N. Lee Street, Queen Street, and Princess Street. The BAR will review the proposal on Wednesday, Nov. 5. It will be the second concept review for the project, and city staff are advising some minor modifications.

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DASH to break ground for electric bus charging station in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published October 7, 2025 at 12:30PM

Rendering of DASH electric bus charging station at 3000 Business Center Drive (via DASH)

Alexandria’s DASH bus system will break ground later this month on its expansion project to build a new electric bus charging station at a city impound lot next to the transit company’s headquarters at 3000 Business Center Drive. The groundbreaking will be held on Thursday, October 30, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. With a completion goal of early 2027, the project will “support our growing fleet and the City of Alexandria’s transition to 100% zero-emission buses,” DASH said in an email.

“This expansion project is about looking ahead, and as we see more people choose transit, this will help ensure DASH is ready to support cleaner, more efficient service,” said DASH General Manager & CEO Josh Baker. “The new facility will give us the space to grow, the infrastructure to charge electric buses, and the flexibility to improve how we operate.”

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Proposal to build 3 townhomes on vacant lot in Old Town heading to BAR

By James Cullum

Published October 1, 2025 at 4:30PM

A proposal to build townhomes at 806 N. Columbus Street in Old Town is heading to Alexandria's Board of Architectural Review, Oct. 16, 2025 (via City of Alexandria)

A proposal to build three four-story townhouses on a vacant lot in Old Town is scheduled to be reviewed by the city’s Board of Architectural Review later this month.

Land use attorney Ken Wire is requesting a concept review from the BAR to develop the townhomes at 806 N. Columbus Street, located near the intersection with Madison Street and two blocks east of N. Patrick Street (Route 1). The proposal is scheduled to head to the BAR on Thursday, October 16.

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Carlyle office building conversion to 187 apartments heads to Planning Commission

By James Cullum

Published September 29, 2025 at 2:45PM

The proposed conversion from office to residential at 2051 Jamieson Avenue would also add four stories and a mechanical penthouse (via City of Alexandria)

A proposal to convert an office building in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood into a 187-unit apartment building with four new stories and a mechanical penthouse is heading to the Planning Commission.

Red Fox Development LLC is requesting that the city approve the conversion of the office building located at 2051 Jamieson Avenue. The proposal is scheduled to be presented to the Planning Commission on Thursday, November 6.

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7-story, 402-unit apartment building on Mark Center Drive heads to Planning Commission

By James Cullum

Published September 29, 2025 at 12:00PM

A proposal to redevelop a vacant lot at 4880 Mark Center Drive into a multi-unit apartment building heads to the Alexandria Planning Commission on Nov. 6, 2025 (via City of Alexandria)

A proposal to build a seven-story residential multi-unit building with 402 units in Alexandria’s West End is scheduled to be heard by the Planning Commission on Thursday, Nov. 6.

Maryland-based Bozzuto Development Company is presenting the plan to redevelop the vacant four-acre lot at 4880 Mark Center Drive, which is bounded by the Winkler Botanical Preserve and near the Seminary Road exit to Interstate 395.

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Chinquapin Park Recreation Center reopens Monday after $1.2M renovation

By James Cullum

Published September 19, 2025 at 10:12AM

Chinquapin Park and Recreation Center and Aquatics Facility

The Chinquapin Park Recreation Center and Aquatics Facility will reopen Monday, Sept. 22, after being closed for renovation for more than a month.

The recreation center closed for the $1.2 million project on Aug. 9. The city estimates the project to wrap up Jan. 31, 2026, and said that visitors may “notice some construction activity, including occasional noise and dust.”

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Alexandria to hold pre-construction meeting for Fort Ward Park playground

By James Cullum

Published September 18, 2025 at 3:15PM

Rendering of planned Fort Ward Park playground (photo via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria will conduct a pre-construction meeting for the Fort Ward Park playground later this month.

The city will conduct the virtual meeting on Monday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. and provide information on the project construction and archaeological monitoring. Construction is expected to start this fall and be finished next summer, according to the city.

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

By James Cullum

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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Systems Planning and Analysis expansion into Alexandria leads this week’s top stories

By James Cullum

Published September 12, 2025 at 3:47PM

Officials cut a ribbon at Systems Planning & Analysis announcement on Sept. 11, 2025 (staff photo by Ryan Belmore)

Here’s a rundown of our top stories.

Our top story this week is on the Thursday, Sept. 11, announcement that Systems Planning and Analysis (SPA) will expand its Alexandria headquarters and create 1,200 new jobs over the next five years as part of a $46.9 million investment across Northern Virginia. The defense contractor bought, and will renovate, a 239,000-square-foot office building at 2001 N. Beauregard Street. Attendees at the announcement included Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay.

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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.