waterfront | ALXnow

Alexandria streamlining and improving King Street pedestrian zone planning

Published March 25, 2024 at 10:10AM

Lower King Street, closed to traffic (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The conversion of some King Street blocks to pedestrian zones has been a fairly popular move. Now, the city is merging those long-term planning efforts with waterfront flood mitigation, hopefully streamlining improvements to the 100 and unit blocks of King Street.

A report prepared for a Traffic and Parking Board meeting later today (Monday) said the city is looking at long-term plans for the pedestrian zones as well as incorporating the project into the broader waterfront flood mitigation plans.

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New exhibit with scale models of Alexandria’s buried ships opening next month in Old Town

By Vernon Miles

Published March 19, 2024 at 9:55AM | Updated March 19, 2024 at 11:16AM

Pieces of 18th-Century ships waiting to be scanned (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated 11:15 a.m.) A new ‘windowfront exhibit’ about the Buried Ships of Robinson Landing is coming to Old Town early next month.

The exhibit features scale models of four 18th and 19th-century ships discovered during excavations of the Robinson Landing Site.

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New Black History Month events announced for Alexandria, including upgrades to waterfront trail

By Vernon Miles

Published January 25, 2024 at 11:00AM

Page from a 1858 registry of Black Alexandria residents (image via City of Alexandria)

Black History Month kicks off next week and events around Alexandria throughout February will explore, commemorate and celebrate Black history in the city.

One of the biggest new additions is the “African American Waterfront Heritage Trail” running along the waterfront.

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Developer revives plans for Robinson Terminal North

By Vernon Miles

Published November 21, 2023 at 10:10AM

Robinson Terminal North (image via Google Maps)

After years of stalled planning, the Washington Business Journal first reported that Robinson Terminal North redevelopment could be revived.

The Journal reported that a new development concept plan has been filed with the city’s planning department. The plan will include multifamily residential, ground-floor retail and a restaurant, with mixed-use residential buildings straddling N. Union Street.

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Reproduction schooner ‘Pride of Baltimore II’ docking in Alexandria this month

By Vernon Miles

Published October 4, 2023 at 9:45AM

Pride of Baltimore II near Annapolis (image via Pride of Baltimore II/Facebook)

Patrick O’Brian enthusiasts rejoice: another Age of Sail replica ship is coming to Alexandria.

The schooner Pride of Baltimore II, a replica of the 1812 ship Pride of Baltimore, will be docking at Alexandria’s marina later this month.

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Upcoming symposium celebrates 293 years of Alexandria’s waterfront history

By Vernon Miles

Published September 7, 2023 at 9:50AM

The Old Town Alexandria waterfront (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria’s waterfront turns 293 this year and, may we just say, it doesn’t look a day over 200.

A symposium called The Alexandria Forum is returning next month to look back those nearly 300 years of history at the edge of the Potomac River. This year’s theme is The Waterfront Revisited: Birth and Rebirth, 1730-2023.

News

Changes proposed for Chart House on Alexandria’s waterfront

By James Cullum

Published August 11, 2023 at 9:30AM

A motorized retractable pergola is being proposed for the Chart House on the Alexandria waterfront (via City of Alexandria)

Changes are coming to Chart House, the popular restaurant with panoramic views of the Alexandria Waterfront.

The restaurant at 1 Cameron Street filed a special use permit request to modestly increase the footprint of the outdoor dining terrace and install a motorized retractable pergola.

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Alexandria’s big waterfront flood mitigation projects to move forward early next year

By Vernon Miles

Published August 9, 2023 at 3:45PM

Flooding on lower King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

A new report on the city’s Floodplain Management Plan offers a look at what’s ahead for flood mitigation projects around the city.

Two items in the report highlight progress on flood mitigation along the waterfront. Two parts of the mitigation plan are re-grading sections of lower King Street and nearby streets to improve drainage and minimize flooding and the construction of an elevated walkway along the waterfront.

News

PHOTOS: Alexandria celebrates 274th birthday on the waterfront

By James Cullum

Published July 10, 2023 at 2:30PM | Updated July 11, 2023 at 9:56AM

Alexandria's birthday celebration at Oronoco Bay Park, July 8, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Thousands attended Alexandria’s birthday celebration on the waterfront on Saturday.

For a minute it seemed that rain on Saturday would result in a washout, like last year when the event was postponed. But skies cleared and grass dried enough for the event to continue as planned.

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Here’s your guide to this weekend’s Portside in Old Town Summer Festival

By James Cullum

Published June 15, 2023 at 2:50PM

Alexandria’s summer will kick off this weekend with the Portside in Old Town Summer Festival. Here’s what you need to know.

The free event, which includes the 45th annual Alexandria Jazz Fest, will be held at Waterfront Park (1A Prince Street) on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 9 p.m.

News

New maritime center at Waterfront Park opens this Saturday

By James Cullum

Published June 14, 2023 at 10:45AM

The Senator John Warner Maritime Heritage Center at Waterfront Park is the new home of the Tall Ship Providence (staff photo by James Cullum

The Tall Ship Providence sailed up the Potomac River to its new permanent home at Waterfront Park in Alexandria on Tuesday, and the floating Senator John Warner Maritime Heritage Center will start offering interactive tours for the public starting this Saturday, June 17.

The effort to build the maritime center goes back to 2018, and construction started last year. In April, the center was floated up from Baltimore and final touches have been added to the two cottages housing an education center where visitors will get an immersive lesson about sailing during the Revolutionary War.