The Alexandria Fire Department rescued three people and a dog this morning (Friday) from a stalled elevator in a high-rise condominium building in the West End.
AFD was called just after 4:30 a.m. to a report of three people and a dog stuck in a blind shaft elevator near the fourth floor of a 16-story building in the 4600 block of Duke Street.
Alexandria is holding a public hearing tonight (Tuesday) on its plan to improve safety at a high-crash location on Duke Street while reducing neighborhood cut-through traffic.
The Duke Street and West Taylor Run Intersection Project has been in the design stage since 2024, with construction estimated to occur in 2027 and 2028. The final design of the project will wrap up this year, according to the city.
Alexandria is seeking more than $36 million to fund two transportation projects as part of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority‘s six-year program.
The total funding amount in NVTA’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026-2031 Six Year Program is $1.265 billion. Alexandria’s share includes $15 million for bus rapid transit improvements in the second phase of the Duke Street Transitway, and $21.86 million for pedestrian and bicycle improvements at Eisenhower Avenue and S. Van Dorn Street. NVTA adopts its six-year program every two years, allocating regional tax revenues to multimodal transportation projects.
The Twig organization has committed to giving $2 million toward the new medical campus at Inova Alexandria Hospital at Landmark.
Inova representatives say the hospital is on track to open by the end of 2028 and will name its conference center in honor of The Twig for the contribution. Since 1933, the nonprofit has served as the Junior Auxiliary of Alexandria Hospital and has provided more than $7 million to the hospital through its thrift shop at 106 N. Columbus Street and other fundraising efforts.
Alexandrians can now get falafel with their cheesesteak, as a Falafel Inc. franchise soft-opened this week in the longtime home of the Philadelphia Cheesesteak Factory at 3060 Duke Street. Its new owner plans on running with both concepts, according to staff at the new restaurant.
The restaurant officially opened on Sunday, March 9. A grand opening event is currently in the works, but a date has not been set, staff told ALXnow.
A new golf club fitting studio is coming soon to Alexandria.
Club Champion is aiming to open its newest store in early March at 3209 Duke Street in the Alexandria Commons shopping center, the company confirmed to ALXnow. The 3,400-square-foot space was formerly a Rockbox Fitness Center.
Barnes & Noble is planning a new bookstore in the Shoppes at Foxchase.
The national book retailer hopes to open in Walgreens’ former space at 4515 Duke Street toward “the end of this year,” a spokesperson told ALXnow. The plans come as the company seeks to open at least 60 stores across the country in 2026, including a new multilevel bookstore that opened last month in D.C.
At least one person was transported to a local trauma center last night (Tuesday) following a crash on Duke Street.
Alexandria firefighters extricated one passenger from a vehicle and transported one person to a trauma center following the crash, according to firefighters’ union IAFF Local 2141. The crash occurred at the intersection of Duke and N. Ripley streets shortly after 6 p.m., according to scanner traffic.
Alexandria Democrats will conduct a firehouse primary for an open seat on City Council on Saturday, Feb. 21.
The Alexandria Democratic Committee announced the primary date today (Saturday) on its website. Polls will be open from 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. at Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library (5005 Duke Street) and the Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center (25 W. Reed Avenue).
One westbound lane has reopened near 5005 Duke Street after Alexandria staff and police responded overnight to a water main break in the area.
Virginia American Water is currently responding to the main break, which the Alexandria Police Department reported on Facebook shortly after 11 p.m. yesterday (Monday). The break prompted APD to close westbound lanes at the scene, and as of 12:45 a.m. today (Tuesday), one lane had been reopened.
A developer is proposing to construct 11 three-to-four-story townhomes on a vacant lot that is shared with a church in Seminary Hill.
Development company 614 Westbrad, LLC, wants to build 45-foot-tall three-story townhomes with roof-level lofts, terraces, and parking garages at 11 N. Quaker Lane, 21 N. Quaker Lane and 3369 Duke Street.
