North Old Town | ALXnow

Published October 26, 2020 at 8:20AM | Updated October 26, 2020 at 11:13PM

The Holiday Inn & Suites at 625 First Street in Old Town. (Photo via Taylor Brown)

(Updated at 11:10 p.m.) At least three Alexandria Police officers are on routine administrative leave after a shootout that left one suspect dead near the intersection of N. Fairfax and Montgomery Streets.

At 5 a.m., police responded to a call for shots fired inside the Holiday Inn & Suites (625 First Street) in north Old Town, according to police spokesman Lt. Courtney Ballantine. Once at the scene, police were told by witnesses that a robbery occurred in the lobby of the hotel and that multiple shots were fired.

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Hank & Mitzi’s Executive Chef Wins on ‘Chopped’ Reality Show

By James Cullum

Published September 30, 2020 at 10:30AM

Chris Edwards, executive chef at Old Town Italian restaurant Hank & Mitzi’s, won on the Food Network’s reality show Chopped on Tuesday night (Sept. 29).

Edwards beat three other chefs for $10,000 and bragging rights, although the episode was taped in June 2019 and he had to keep his mouth shut about what happened for more than a year.

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Police: Three Alexandria ABC Stores Broken Into, High-End Liquor Stolen

By James Cullum

Published September 2, 2020 at 10:30AM

An Alexandria police cruiser (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Police are investigating smash-and-grab incidents at three ABC stores that occurred at night on August 25 and 26.

“We have had three instances of ABC stores burglarized,” APD spokesman Lt Courtney Ballantine told ALXnow. “All high end liquor. Fairfax (County) has had similar incidents.”

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Police Investigate Sunday Afternoon Gunfire in Parker Gray/Braddock

By James Cullum

Published August 24, 2020 at 10:15AM | Updated August 24, 2020 at 10:43AM

Alexandria Police lights (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Police are investigating a single gunshot that was heard in the area of Wythe and Fayette Streets in the Parker Gray/Braddock neighborhood on Sunday afternoon.

There were no reported injuries. Police found no suspects and nothing was reportedly hit. The incident was reported on Twitter just before 3 p.m. on Sunday. It occurred just blocks from the Braddock Road Metro station and a number of local businesses, town homes and apartments.

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Alexandria Police Increase Presence to Stem Uptick of Violent Crime in Parker Gray/Old Town

By James Cullum

Published August 21, 2020 at 2:15PM | Updated August 21, 2020 at 3:48PM

Police car lights (file photo)

Even though it’s just three blocks away, Heather Lesley doesn’t let her teenage daughter walk to the Braddock Road Metro station to meet her when she gets back from work.

“I don’t feel comfortable letting her do that anymore,” Lesley told ALXnow. “My neighbor has bullet holes in the brick wall of their home.”

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published August 12, 2020 at 9:00AM

Beyer Introduces Pandemic Response Accountability Legislation — “Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today introduced the Supply Chain Accountability Act, legislation that would require the Administration to explain its strategy for fixing key breakdowns in the pandemic response. Beyer serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has partial jurisdiction over healthcare matters.” [Beyer.house.gov]

Coronavirus Cases at 2,995 in Alexandria — “Positive tests up 19 to 2,995 in the City 7-day Positivity Rate up to 5.7% 3 new hospitalizations Still safer at home, wash hands, wear masks and support our essential workers.” [Twitter]

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published July 29, 2020 at 9:00AM | Updated July 29, 2020 at 10:37AM

Mayor Reports COVID-19 Cases Increase by 14 — “Positive tests up 14 to 2,749 in the City 7-day Positivity Rate up to 5.9% 0 new hospitalizations Still safer at home, wash hands, wear masks and support our essential workers.” [Twitter]

Beyer Asks U.S. Park Police Chief to Implement Body Cameras After Lafayette Square Incident — “Beyer seeks commitment to body cam program funded/authorized by Congress from acting Chief Monahan given USPP’s transparency failures in the killing of Bijan Ghaisar. Monahan: USPP not ‘in a position to successfully implement, manage, and sustain a body-worn camera program.'” [Twitter]

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Developers Take Another Crack at Converting North Old Town Office to Housing

By Vernon Miles

Published June 23, 2020 at 11:30AM

After years of inaction, a new applicant is hoping to take a crack at converting the vacant Waterfront Center office building in Old Town at 801 N. Fairfax Street into a residential development.

“Interest in converting the nearly 50-year-old office building dates back to at least 2015, when the property owner for both office buildings approached the City about converting the 801 N. Fairfax Street building to residential,” said the applicant, A & A Limited Partnership. “The property owner demonstrated that floor area ratio (FAR), setbacks, parking and open space requirements could be satisfied in a ‘by-right’ conversion from office to multifamily residential.”

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Residential Conversion Planned for North Old Town Office Park

By Vernon Miles

Published May 28, 2020 at 4:30PM

Towngate, an office development becoming residential (image via Heffner Architects, PC)

The Towngate office complex in North Old Town (625 and 635 Slaters Lane) are requesting permits from the City of Alexandria to facilitate changing the office buildings into a residential building.

Most of the changes will take place inside the building, but the property is scheduled to go to the Board of Architectural Review on June 17 over a handful of exterior changes, like new doors, windows and siding.

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Yoga Studio Franchise Plans to Open North Old Town Location

By Vernon Miles

Published April 9, 2020 at 5:30PM

Exterior of storefront (photo via CorePower Yoga LLC)

It looks like CorePower Yoga could be joining a handful of new developments coming to Gables Old Town North (525 Montgomery Street).

A Special Use Permit filed with the city yesterday (April 8) indicates the studio is planned for 921 N. St Asaph Street at the northwest corner of the site.

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What’s Coming Next to Gables Old Town North Development

By Vernon Miles

Published March 10, 2020 at 11:30AM

Hinata Sushi Bar and Grill at Gables Old Town North (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

The Gables Old Town North/EDEN project (525 Montgomery Street) is bringing a new suite of retail, restaurants and services to North Old Town.

The new openings at the development are planned to be staggered across the next few months, however, so nearby residents will have to wait a little longer for some of the new spots listed as “coming soon.”