The city of Alexandria will showcase progress and accept feedback for the ongoing Duke Street Land Use Plan during an open house next week.
The open house will feature informational “interactive stations,” and attendees can “engage with staff about specific opportunities they see on the corridor” from Alexandria Union Station to Van Dorn Street.
The Freedom House Museum reopened last Thursday following over a year of exterior renovations to restore the building’s pre-Civil War facade.
Alexandria leaders cut the ribbon on the renovations during a ceremony Saturday afternoon, where Mayor Alyia Gaskins said the museum — formerly a site where slave traders trafficked tens of thousands of enslaved peoples — serves as a declaration that the city will not forget its history.
Alexandria has set a deadline of Oct. 23 (Thursday) to give feedback on the Duke Street Land Use Plan.
When finished, the document will guide city officials in the development of the Duke Street Corridor from the former Landmark Mall to Alexandria Union Station. Last month, residents weighed in on draft principles for the document.
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Thursday, Sept. 25, the 268th day of 2025. There are 97 days left in the year.
⛈️ Today’s weather: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 11 a.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11 a.m. and noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82°F. South wind 6 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Waldorf-based Kody Imports recently filed paperwork with the city to officially change ownership of Rosenthal Landmark Honda (5125 Duke Street), a longtime car dealership in Alexandria’s West End.
Waldorf-based Kody Holdings, which owns a dozen auto dealerships in Maryland, bought the dealership near Cameron Station for an undisclosed sum, according to the change of ownership filing. City property records haven’t yet listed the sale, but the property was last assessed at $7.3 million in value by the city in January. Rosenthal Landmark Honda bought the 120,000-square-foot property for $3.85 million in 2005.
The City of Alexandria will host the second Duke Street Land Use Plan Community Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 25, at Bishop Ireton High School cafeteria to discuss draft guiding principles based on community feedback.
The meeting will take place at 201 Cambridge Road beginning at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation and question-and-answer session, followed by facilitated discussion on draft principles from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. The presentation portion will also be available online via Zoom.
A social media influencer and food enthusiast recently visited a West End eatery, and the video has garnered over 16,000 views.
In July, Clive Ibuzugbe (known as Big Groove) visited Zaytoun Halal Grill at 5418 Duke Street in Alexandria’s West End and posted a video of himself receiving a large order of fried chicken, dancing, and then combining the chicken breast with a double-decker cheeseburger. Ibuzugbe then leans back and shouts, “Shark bite!” and takes a large bite. See the video below.
Alexandria’s Department of Planning and Zoning has a full docket at its upcoming bi-monthly virtual community meeting.
On Sept. 2 (Tuesday), planning and zoning staff will conduct a meeting via Zoom to discuss updates to these issues:
Alexandria’s extended public poll on the Duke Street Land Use Plan wraps today.
Hundreds of people have participated in the poll, according to the city. Once completed, the plan will guide city officials in the development of the Duke Street Corridor from the former Landmark Mall to Alexandria Union Station. The plan is expected to be ready for City Council consideration and adoption in late 2026/early 2027, according to the city.
A man being held without bond in the Alexandria jail faces robbery charges for allegedly walking into convenience stores in Alexandria and Fairfax County with a hammer or tire iron and stealing cigarettes from behind the counters.
Anthony Nyreki Edwards, of no fixed address, goes to court Friday, Aug. 15 on two counts of felony robbery with a weapon. He was arrested on April 30 and has been linked to numerous incidents, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit:
We made it to Friday, Alexandria! Here’s a look at this week’s top stories.
Our most-read post is on a proposal to open a 24-hour Mexican restaurant in the city’s Del Ray neighborhood. The effort is facing some pushback from neighbors wary of potential crime and safety issues. In July, Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita officially announced in a special use permit application that it wants to open at 529 E. Howell Avenue, the former home to Bark Social. It would be the fourth restaurant for the local chain, and while the restaurant won’t serve alcohol, outside patio hours would be 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, according to the application. The inside area is proposed to be open 24 hours a day.
