Planning Commission | ALXnow

Grammy winners and other stars send in letters supporting The Birchmere’s new electric sign

Published March 8, 2023 at 3:30PM | Updated March 8, 2023 at 4:12PM

New sign at The Birchmere (image via City of Alexandria)

Chris Issak, John Waters and Judy Collins are just a few of the dozens of famous artists who petitioned the Alexandria Planning Commission and City Council to approve The Birchmere‘s Special Use Permit request to keep up its flashy new 5-foot-by-2.5-foot digital sign along Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria.

The Planning Commission approved the request 7-0 on Tuesday, and it now goes to City Council. Planning Commission Chair Nathan Macek said that the letters with all of the supporting signatures would be “an excellent auction item.”

News

Inova Hospital at Landmark project sails through Alexandria Planning Commission

By James Cullum

Published March 8, 2023 at 1:15PM

The proposed Inova Alexandria Hospital building on the former Landmark Mall site (via City of Alexandria)

The former home of Landmark Mall is likely to soon get a new tenant. The 1.1 million-square-foot Inova at Landmark Project sailed through the Alexandria Planning Commission last night, with just one hurdle left before getting the green light to start construction.

With the 6-0 (Chair Nathan Macek recused himself) approval further bolstering Inova’s plan to move Alexandria Hospital to the West End site, the matter will now be presented to City Council at its public hearing on Saturday, March 18.

News

Full redevelopment of Old Town North block heading to Planning Commission

By Vernon Miles

Published March 6, 2023 at 2:55PM

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

The Montgomery Center redevelopment is heading to Alexandria’s Planning Commission later this month.

The proposed development, first announced last spring, is a sweeping overhaul of a block at the heart of Old Town North.

News

Inova wants 250-foot height allowance for its Hospital at Landmark project

By James Cullum

Published March 2, 2023 at 3:45PM

The proposed Inova Alexandria Hospital campus on the former Landmark Mall site (via City of Alexandria)

The 1.1 million-square-foot Inova at Landmark project is headed to the Alexandria Planning Commission on Tuesday, signaling the beginning of an official public approval process. If all goes according to schedule, construction of the four-building medical campus could wrap in the second quarter of 2028, according to site development partner Foulger-Pratt.

The hospital building is designed to face Interstate 395, and is proposed to have a two-story glass atrium at its entrance, above which would be a six-story Z-shaped inpatient tower. Inova anticipates that the building will be 184 feet tall (nearly 17 stories) to hide hospital mechanical equipment, although the hospital system is asking for a maximum height allowance of 250 feet, or 23 stories.

News

Arlandria bar Hops ‘N Shine headed back to city review after being cited for multiple permit violations

By Vernon Miles

Published February 9, 2023 at 10:50AM

Hops n Shine (photo via Hops N Shine/Facebook)

After a series of neighborhood complaints, the popular Arlandria neighborhood bar Hops ‘N Shine (3410 Mount Vernon Avenue) is being brought back to the Planning Commission for a review of its special use permit.

The docket says Hops ‘N Shine says a special use permit, originally approved in 2020 for more outdoor entertainment and indoor seating, is under review after “violations of Special Use Permit conditions.”

News

Planning Commission says DHL temporary trailer on Duke Street has overstayed its welcome

By Vernon Miles

Published February 8, 2023 at 3:50PM

DHL Express trailer on Duke Street (image via City of Alexandria)

International shipping company DHL Express drew some flack from Alexandria’s Planning Commission after the company let slip in a recent meeting that they had no plans to find a permanent home for their “temporary” trailer business on Duke Street.

The company was granted approval for a temporary trailer set up in the parking lot of Shoppes of Foxchase (4513 Duke Street) during the pandemic. DHL was up for a two-year extension of their permit to operate in the parking lot but was applying for an additional three-year extension beyond that.

News

Alexandria found success in King Street pedestrian zones, but the 200 block could be trickier

By Vernon Miles

Published January 13, 2023 at 1:40PM

200 block of King Street (image via Google Maps)

While the city has had some success with pedestrian zones on King Street, city staff say less retail and sloping conditions could make it harder to add a similar zone along the 200 block.

Many residents have welcomed the pedestrian zones that the city added to the 100 and unit blocks of King Street, according to a survey. Motivated by this early support, Chris Ziemann, transportation division chief, said the city is focusing on improving the now-permanent pedestrian zones at the 100 block of King Street and the unit block — the block closest to the waterfront.

News

Birchmere brushes up against city zoning ordinance in switch to electric signage

By Vernon Miles

Published January 4, 2023 at 9:45AM | Updated January 4, 2023 at 10:12AM

New sign at The Birchmere (image via City of Alexandria)

(Updated 10:10 a.m.) Like Bob Dylan, The Birchmere has switched to electric — at least for its signage. Also like Dylan, it’s a change that’s causing some trouble for the music venue.

It started last summer when famed music venue The Birchmere Music Hall (3701 Mount Vernon Avenue) was finding it difficult to hire someone to change out the letters on the venue’s old sign.

News

What are some of the big City of Alexandria priorities in 2023?

By Vernon Miles

Published January 3, 2023 at 3:45PM

Alexandria City Hall was lit up for the weekend of Juneteenth 2021. (photo via Carol Jean Stalun Photography for Visit Alexandria)

Alexandria has kicked off the new year with a glimpse at some of this year’s biggest priorities.

A memo from Director of Planning Karl Moritz, published ahead of Planning Commission meeting this Thursday, lays out some of the work priorities for the city over the upcoming year.

News

Housing redevelopment in Arlandria would triple the number of affordable residences

By Vernon Miles

Published December 16, 2022 at 9:50AM

3908 Elbert Avenue development (image via City of Alexandria)

A planned redevelopment of an affordable housing building in Arlandria could triple the number of units on the site.

Community Lodgings Inc. is headed to the Planning Commission on Feb. 7 to pitch redevelopment plans for 3908 Elbert Avenue, currently the 29-unit Carpenters Lodgings building.

News

Potential impact on Alexandria shuttle programs creates setback for transportation funding overhaul

By Vernon Miles

Published December 9, 2022 at 10:20AM

A bus driver waits outside the Van Dorn Metro station in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

A plan to overhaul the way Alexandria handles transportation funding from developers was sent back for further review by the Planning Commission.

Members of the Planning Commission said earlier this week that there are too many lingering questions about the impacts on local residents of the proposed changes, though the changes are headed in the right direction.