Old Town | ALXnow

City to discuss proposed improvements to Powhatan Park in Old Town

Published October 22, 2025 at 4:30PM

Powhatan Park at 1010 Douglas Street in Old Town (via Google Maps)

Alexandria is hosting an open house next month to discuss proposed improvements to a park in the northeast area of Old Town.

Plans to redevelop the 1.5-acre Powhatan Park (1010 Douglas Street) have been in the works for more than a decade. At 11 a.m. on Nov. 1 (Saturday), the city will host the event at the park to discuss three redevelopment options of “medium” importance — creating an ADA-compliant plaza with an entrance at the end of Douglas Street, repaving pathways ,and installing a shade structure and game tables.

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BAR holding work session tonight on City Hall and Market Square renovation

By James Cullum

Published October 22, 2025 at 1:45PM

Proposed aerial view of the City Hall and Market Square renovation (via City of Alexandria)

The Alexandria Board of Architectural Review (BAR) is conducting a work session tonight (Oct. 22) to discuss the certificate of appropriateness for the City Hall, Market Square, and parking garage renovation project.

The BAR approved demolition plans for the project last week, although it deferred the design approvals. The work session was scheduled after last week’s meeting, and city planners are operating on a tight schedule, hoping to break ground in the second quarter of 2026 with a completion goal of 2028, according to the city.

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TD Bank relocates to King Street, grand opening set for Saturday

By James Cullum

Published October 21, 2025 at 6:45PM | Updated October 26, 2025 at 2:10AM

TD Bank rendering at 515 King Street (via City of Alexandria)

TD Bank will reopen at its new location at 525 King Street in Old Town on Saturday (Oct. 25).

The bank is relocating from 119 S. Washington Street, and the grand opening at the new location on King Street will include brief comments from bank leadership, refreshments from neighbor Tatte Cafe and Bakery (535 King Street), a dog treadmill from The Dog Park (705 King Street), caricatures, and live music.

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Report: Alexandria real estate developer files bankruptcy, faces federal takeover of properties

By James Cullum

Published October 21, 2025 at 3:30PM | Updated October 26, 2025 at 2:06AM

510 Wolfe Street in Old Town (courtesy photo)

The sale of two large Alexandria properties could settle millions owed to the government by real estate developer and former Connection Newspapers CEO Peter Labovitz, according to a report from the Washington Business Journal.

Similarly, if ALXNow hears anything from the DOJ or other governmental entities pursuing a case against Mr. Labovitz, and they happen to mention 1700 Diagonal, please inform them that he has no interests in that building and tell them to contact me at any of the contact methods in my below signature. I am more than happy to clear up any confusion.

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Alexandria proposes solar panels for Durant Center roof

By James Cullum

Published October 21, 2025 at 11:45AM

Proposed addition of solar a photovoltaic panels to the roof of the Oswald Durant Center at 1605 Cameron Street in Old Town (via City of Alexandria)

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.

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New spa cuts ribbon at Archer Hotel in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published October 16, 2025 at 3:35PM

JoyLife Spa team members, spa owner Roshelle Veney (in black), Chamber ALX CEO Joe Haggerty, Archer Hotel sales director Andrea Mellado, ad more Archer Hotel staff (courtesy photo)

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.

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Fundraiser at Old Town bar to benefit Scholarship Fund of Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published October 16, 2025 at 3:30PM

Chadwicks at 203 Strand Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

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.

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Georgetown Olive Oil Co. planning October opening on King Street in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published October 16, 2025 at 2:00PM | Updated October 16, 2025 at 2:44PM

Georgetown Olive Oil Co. is opening at 1314 King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

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.

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Banned book speakeasy returning to Morrison House in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published October 15, 2025 at 2:30PM

The Study at Morrison House (via The Study at Morrison House on Facebook)

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.

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Police investigate $5,500 theft from Old Town Lululemon

By James Cullum

Published October 15, 2025 at 1:45PM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

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.

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Jones text scandal, ice cream assault case lead Alexandria’s top stories

By James Cullum

Published October 10, 2025 at 3:30PM

Democrat Jay Jones speaks in Richmond during his 2024 campaign kickoff for attorney general. Jones is now facing bipartisan backlash over newly surfaced text messages containing violent remarks about a former Republican House speaker. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury)

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.