A proposal to add solar and photovoltaic panels to the Oswald Durant Center in Old Town is heading to the Board of Architectural Review next month.
The city’s proposal would replace the roof and add the panels to both the sloped and flat roof portions of the building at 1605 Cameron Street. The Durant Center is used as a recreation and private event facility for the city.
A new spa just had a ribbon-cutting at the Archer Hotel (1600 King Street) in Old Town.
JoyLife Spa held its grand opening and ribbon cutting today (Oct. 16), offering customized facials, therapeutic massages, and nail care. The business was founded by massage therapist and esthetician Roshelle Veney, and its opening marks the only hotel in Alexandria with a full spa, according to the Chamber ALX.
An annual Alexandria City High School alumni fundraiser at Chadwicks (203 Strand Street) on Oct. 22 (Wednesday) will benefit the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, and will feature some special guests.
Starting at 6 p.m., former ACHS Executive Principal Pete Balas will act as bartender, along with current teachers Andrew Orzel and Matt Zahn. The event, which includes raffles, is a great way to reconnect with former classmates, according to the online event announcement.
Georgetown Olive Oil Co. is opening at the end of this month at 1314 King Street in Old Town, its owner tells ALXnow.
Emil Merdzhanov and his team have been working on the interior of the space since July, and said he’s excited to reopen a brick and mortar location since his Georgetown location closed on M. Street four years ago. The company was founded in 2016, and bottles and sells dozens of olive oil and balsamic vinegar flavors, among other items, in their warehouse, distribution center and showroom at 4719 Eisenhower Avenue.
The Study at Morrison House (116 S. Alfred Street) is bringing back a banned book speakeasy next month.
The speakeasy will run from 5 to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4, to Saturday, Nov. 8, with $1 from every drink sold benefiting the Virginia Library Association. The event, last held in April, will spotlight several books on PEN America’s 2025 List.
The Alexandria Police Department is investigating the theft of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from the Lululemon store (700 King Street) in Old Town.
On Sept. 23 (Tuesday), the store manager reported that two women stole $5,536 in merchandise from the store at around 8:30 p.m. The manager told APD that the suspects “began selecting clothing while appearing to check the sizes of the merchandise,” and then left the store with the clothing, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.
Welcome to Friday, Alexandria! Here’s a look at ALXnow’s top stories of the week.
With less than a month until the Nov. 4 general election, this week’s most-read story is on the controversy surrounding Virginia’s Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones. The National Review broke the news last Friday (Oct. 3) that in August 2022, Jones sent text messages to Del. Carrie Coyner (R-75), “fantasizing about shooting then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert and his children,” according to the Virginia Mercury story posted on ALXnow.
Twenty Old Town boutiques are falling into fashion with deals, giveaways, and more on Saturday (Oct. 11).
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the boutiques are featuring exclusive fall collections, interactive in-store activations, and seasonal bites and sips. Customers can also buy a seasonal tote from participating businesses, and enter to win a $1,000 gift card and Aiyana Atelier products, and a second prize of a $500 gift card at any participating boutique.
It costs between $6,000 and $9,000 to get a pair of bespoke shoes made at Old House Provisions in Old Town, and there’s a waitlist.
Shoemaker Drew Altizer opened his shop at 315 Cameron Street last December, selling custom-made men’s suits and high-end footwear from Alden, Edward Green & Co. and Viberg. If you want a pair of bespoke shoes, it might take some time, like eight-to-10 months, he says.
More than a dozen Alexandria and area restaurants are participating in the 18th annual Taste For Giving in Old Town next month.
Tickets for the Nov. 7 event cost $75, and proceeds benefit several Alexandria nonprofits and charities. The Alexandria Rotary Foundation is hosting the event at the Atrium Building (277 S. Washington Street) in Old Town. Over the past 17 years, the Rotary Foundation has raised more than $1.7 million for organizations throughout the city.
A proposal to build 32 four-story townhouses in Old Town will head back to the Board of Architectural Review next month.
Alexandria land-use attorney Ken Wire is asking the city for approval to demolish the Essex Building, an office building at 333 N. Fairfax Street built in the 1970s, and replace it with townhomes. Renderings show rows of four-story townhouses with garages and second-floor balconies encompassing an entire square block, bordered by N. Lee Street, Queen Street, and Princess Street. The BAR will review the proposal on Wednesday, Nov. 5. It will be the second concept review for the project, and city staff are advising some minor modifications.
