hotel | ALXnow

City Council expresses cautious optimism about proposed hotel development

Published January 13, 2022 at 1:40PM | Updated January 21, 2022 at 10:49AM

Heron, a proposed hotel development at 699 Prince Street, image via Monarch Urban

Alexandria’s City Council was overall supportive of an arrangement presented earlier this week to invest — sort of — in a new Old Town hotel.

A proposal backed by the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership would have the city help fill gap-funding for a hotel project at 699 Prince Street that fell through when the pandemic hit. Interior demolition was already underway when the pandemic made it impossible to secure financing on a new hospitality project, said AEDP President and CEO Stephanie Landrum in a presentation to the City Council on Tuesday.

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With hotel market in freefall, Alexandria considers financing luxury hotel in Old Town

By Vernon Miles

Published January 10, 2022 at 10:55AM

Heron, a proposed hotel development at 699 Prince Street, image via Monarch Urban

This week, the City Council is docketed (items 27 and 28) to review a proposal for the city to, in a round-about way, be involved in the financing of a new luxury hotel in Old Town.

With hotel revenue going into freefall during the pandemic, the prospect of building or renovating hotels in Alexandria hasn’t been a particularly financially appealing option, but a report prepared by Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) and city staff said that’s going to be a hit to tourism in the city as people travel again.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published September 14, 2021 at 5:00AM

Alexandria chooses historic trolley as 2021 holiday ornament — “The City of Alexandria is now taking orders for its 2021 Trolley ornament, depicting Car 303 of the Mount Vernon Alexandria & Washington Electric Railway. The fleet of art deco cars were purchased in 1918 for the essential trolley line that connected Del Ray commuters to DC and tourists to Mount Vernon. Car 303 ran until the railway’s closure in 1932. It became a diner in 1936.” [Zebra]

Missing 83-year-old West Ender found safe — “Mr. Navia has been located.” [Twitter]

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published July 30, 2021 at 5:00AM

Hotel expansions to increase meeting planning options in Alexandria — “Alexandria is continuing to expand its hotel offerings with an extensive multi-million dollar renovation of the Sheraton Suites Old Town Alexandria…The historic George Mason Hotel is set to undergo restoration in 2021 (and) will have two buildings located in Old Town, and will feature 141 hotel rooms, two restaurants, rooftop dining and outdoor dining. The Hilton Alexandria Mark Center will also begin a $10 million renovation starting in late November, with a target opening of the first week in January 2022.” [Previewmeetings.com]

ALIVE! resumes collecting food — “Community members are welcome to drop off purchased or collected food items at 801 S. Payne St. ALIVE! accepts donations on Thursdays from 3 to 7 p.m and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.” [Zebra]

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published July 16, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated July 19, 2021 at 10:11AM

The grand finale of Alexandria's birthday celebration over the Potomac River, July 7, 2018 (staff photo by James Cullum)

What a hot week in Alexandria.

With temperatures hovering in the mid-90s, the week started with a power outage at a 17-story apartment building in Landmark area. The outage lasted five days and residents had to find accommodations until the building reopened Friday afternoon.

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Hotel Indigo in Old Town seeks to open private garage to waterfront visitors

By Vernon Miles

Published July 14, 2021 at 3:40PM

Hotel Indigo garage, via Google Maps

Hotel Indigo (220 S Union Street) is hoping to turn its 69 parking spaces into a mutually beneficial arrangement for Old Town visitors.

Developer Carr Properties said it gave the required total of 69 parking spaces, but hasn’t gotten the expected usage since the hotel opened. The developer said it’s hoping to change its permit to allow some of those spaces currently usable only by hotel visitors to be used by tourists and other Old Town visitors.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published May 25, 2021 at 5:00AM | Updated May 25, 2021 at 9:18AM

Onyx, an eight-week-old American bull dog mix, getting water in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)

Washington Post brings in reporter to cover Arlington and Alexandria — “We are thrilled to announce that Teo Armus is joining the local government and politics team to cover Arlington and Alexandria. Teo has been a reporter on the Morning Mix team for nearly two years, during which time he has shown incredible range, delivering compelling reads about murder hornets in Washington state and a ‘Stop the Steal’ organizer’s claims that three Republican lawmakers helped him with plans for the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.” [Washington Post]

Alexandria Symphony playing at City’s birthday celebration on July 10 — “The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO) announced recently that it will perform at the annual Alexandria Birthday Celebration on July 10. Two companies owned by residents are making the performance possible through their support: Networking and Engineering Technologies, and KSA Integration.” [Zebra]

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Alexandria Police investigating knife fight, prostitution and drugs at West End hotel

By James Cullum

Published May 20, 2021 at 2:00PM | Updated May 20, 2021 at 2:57PM

Alexandria police cruiser (File photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria Police are actively investigating a harrowing incident that occurred earlier this month in a room at the Days Inn/Super 8 hotel at 110 S. Bragg Street in the West End.

On May 8, police responded to a report of a sexual offense against a woman in room 381. Once at the scene, police found a large blood trail outside the hotel room that continued along the third floor.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published April 23, 2021 at 4:15PM

It was another week full of news in Alexandria. Here are the top headlines of the week.

Our top story was on the 34-year-old Arlington man charged with distributing methamphetamine after reporting to police that he was the victim of an armed robbery in his fifth floor room at the Embassy Suites in Old Town. The investigating officer asked if there was anything illegal in the man’s room, and he reportedly said, “There is some meth in the room, but it’s for personal use.”

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Alexandria Police find meth, thousands in cash in hotel robbery investigation

By James Cullum

Published April 16, 2021 at 12:45PM

A 34-year-old Arlington man was charged with distributing methamphetamine after reporting to police that he was the victim of an armed robbery in his fifth floor room at the Embassy Suites in Old Town.

On March 24, at around 7:15 a.m., Alexandria Police responded to a 911 call and met the suspect in the lobby. He told police that he’d just been robbed of money by a man with a knife in his room. He also said that a backpack belonging to a friend of his was stolen.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published March 12, 2021 at 3:30PM

What an eventful week in Alexandria.

Thursday, March 11, marked the one-year anniversary of the coronavirus pandemic in Alexandria. As the vaccine rollout slowly improves, the most recent news is the allowance of restaurant workers to get the vaccine. Just over 38,000 doses have been administered in the city, and of that 14,661 residents have been fully vaccinated. The city also wants 80% of residents vaccinated by July 31.