Old Town North | ALXnow

Morning Notes

Published July 18, 2022 at 5:00AM

Around Jones Point Park (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

New Compost Station Opens — “On Sunday, July 17, the Old Town North Sunday Farmers Market officially opened its Compost Cab compost station. The new compost station will be a permanent fixture at this year-round market, every Sunday from 10am-2pm.” [Zebra]

City Ranks as One of the Top U.S. Cities — “Readers of Travel + Leisure appear to have a favorable opinion of Alexandria, because the city made the top 10 of the magazine’s 15 Best Cities in the United States list… Alexandria was ranked eighth among big cities like New York City, New Orleans and Chicago on the national list.” [Patch]

News

Wave of Del Ray protestors prompts Planning Commission to defer affordable housing height increase

By James Cullum

Published June 29, 2022 at 3:30PM | Updated June 29, 2022 at 3:52PM

What two additional stories looks like on a 45-foot-tall structure. (Via City of Alexandria)

After public outcry over a rushed plan, the Alexandria Planning Commission deferred a city staff proposal to allow developers to build affordable housing into new apartment buildings up to 70 feet in height in areas where height limits are 45 feet or more.

There were more than 30 speakers at the meeting on Thursday, June 23, mostly residents of Del Ray.

News

Made in ALX to open retail location in Old Town North

By Vernon Miles

Published May 31, 2022 at 3:45PM

Made in ALX pop-up display (photo via Made in ALX/Facebook)

Local handcrafted shop Made in ALX has been a staple of local pop-up markets but it will soon be getting a permanent home in Old Town North.

The local artist collective announced in a release that a retail store and workshop will open at 533 Montgomery Street next month. The grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, June 11, with preview shopping days on Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

News

New designs show sweeping overhaul of Old Town North block

By Vernon Miles

Published May 10, 2022 at 3:45PM

Montgomery Center site layout, image via Cooper Carry/City of Alexandria

New development plans submitted to the City of Alexandria show a mixed arts-retail district that could be an integral part of designs to reshape Old Town North.

The new 349,000 square-foot Montgomery Center development fills the block from N. Royal Street to N. Fairfax Street and Madison Street to Montgomery Street, sandwiched between the one-acre Alexandria House Park and 2.4-acre Montgomery Park.

News

DASH changes for Potomac Yard Metro create concerns for Old Town North residents

By Vernon Miles

Published April 21, 2022 at 2:30PM

DASH is making some changes to the bus network in Old Town, including one change that has residents concerned.

At a meeting of the Transportation Commission yesterday, DASH Director of Planning & Marketing Martin Barna outlined plans to adjust DASH service in coordination with the opening of the Potomac Yard Metro station. Among those changes is one Barna said has proven contentious to residents along the affected route.

News

The story of Old Town North’s mysterious and elusive ‘Goosepigs’

By Vernon Miles

Published April 11, 2022 at 9:45AM

With all the new residential development coming up in Old Town North, new local residents wandering around their home might be surprised to see a sign marking the neighborhood’s very own elusive cryptid: the bizarre goosepigs.

Goosepigs, as the name suggests, are a rumored fusion of pigs and goose, an impossible biological feat said to be accomplished when the pair of species were driven into the fringes of the city by local ordinance.

News

City grapples with potentially competing affordable housing and arts needs in Old Town North

By Vernon Miles

Published April 5, 2022 at 3:45PM | Updated April 5, 2022 at 7:19PM

(Updated 7:15 p.m.) For a while now, there’s been a fairly straightforward trade between the City of Alexandria and developers: if you want more density, you need to build affordable residential units.

New development in Old Town North, however, has thrown a wrinkle into that system by opening up a second option. Now, developers can also get bonus density by opening up sections of new development to arts use — part of the city’s efforts to establish Old Town North as an arts district.

News

New mixed-use development, and potential dance space, coming to Old Town North

By Vernon Miles

Published March 28, 2022 at 11:00AM

Rendering of 901 North Pitt Street development from N Montgomery Street, image via City of Alexandria

Just caddy corner to where an office building is getting a new restaurant space, another developer is coming forward with plans to redevelop 901 N Pitt Street into an eight-story mixed-use building.

At an April 7 meeting (Item 9), the Planning Commission is scheduled to review the development’s development special use permit. The 901 N Pitt Street development is proposed by the somewhat unimaginatively named 901 N. Pitt Street, LLC, which the application says is a mix of The Oliver Carr Company and Carr Holdings II LLC.

News

Larry and Christine Ponzi opening third St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub in May

By James Cullum

Published March 14, 2022 at 3:30PM | Updated March 14, 2022 at 9:07PM

St. Elmo's Coffee Pub. (Via Wayne Hulenhan)

Alexandria restaurant owners Larry and Kristine Ponzi plan on opening their newest St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub in Fairlington in mid-May. The couple, who own Cafe Pizzaiolo (1623 Fern Street) and two other St. Elmo’s shops, also just bought a family restaurant in Nags Head, North Carolina.

The Ponzis shuttered their Cafe Pizzaiolo location in Shirlington in May 2020, and then entered 2022 strong with the opening of a second St. Elmo’s in Old Town North in January. The newest St. Elmo’s will open at 1536 Kenwood Avenue in mid-May — across the street from Cafe Pizzaiono, Ponzi said.

News

Old Town North office building getting restaurant conversion

By Vernon Miles

Published March 10, 2022 at 3:45PM

Madison Place office building in Old Town North, image via Google Maps

An office building in Old Town North could be getting a refit to open up a restaurant and retail space on the ground floor.

A Special Use Permit application filed by Asana Partners for 500 Montgomery Street indicates that the owners of the Madison Place office building are looking to make changes to the ground floor to bring in restaurant and retail space.