West End | ALXnow

Southern Towers residents decry response after building floods over weekend

Published October 17, 2023 at 4:20PM | Updated October 18, 2023 at 4:03PM

The Sherwood apartment building at Southern Towers in Alexandria's West End. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated at 4 p.m. on Oct. 18) For at least five weeks, Loren DePina and her family will be forced live in a one-bedroom apartment until flooding damage in her three-bedroom Southern Towers apartment is fixed.

DePina’s and 13 other apartments at Southern Towers’ Sherwood building (5001 Seminary Road) were significantly damaged early Sunday morning by a water leak that worked its way from the eighth floor of the 15-story building all the way to the first floor. Video of the damage showed residents wading through inches of water in apartments and hallways and flooded elevators.

News

Ax-throwing bar on target for grand opening this weekend in the West End

By Vernon Miles

Published October 17, 2023 at 2:00PM

Throwing axe being readied (image via Bad Axe Throwing/Facebook)

Bad Axe Throwing‘s new West End location at 617 S Pickett Street is having a grand opening celebration this weekend, Alexandria Living Magazine first reported.

A representative of the ax-throwing bar said the location is currently open, but is planning a grand opening celebration this Friday and Saturday.

News

Alexandria man busted for allegedly impersonating police with ‘Geek Squad’ badge

By James Cullum

Published October 17, 2023 at 9:30AM

A man was arrested for brandishing a firearm and impersonating an officer after a Sept. 8 brandishing incident (via Google Maps)

A 31-year-old Alexandria man is out on bond after being charged with allegedly brandishing a firearm and impersonating a police officer in the parking garage of his West End apartment complex. A search of the suspect’s vehicle yielded a firearm, stun gun, handcuffs, zip ties and a Geek Squad badge.

The incident occurred at around 1:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, in the 2800 block of Park Center Drive. Two tow truck employees were in the parking garage, when they saw a white BMW drive out of the garage and made eye contact with the driver, police said in a recently released search warrant affidavit.

News

Alexandria looking to install stopgap amenities for Landmark-area transit hub

By Vernon Miles

Published October 16, 2023 at 11:00AM

A DASH bus at Southern Towers (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

While the plan is to eventually create a new transit hub in the Landmark Mall redevelopment, the city is looking for grant funding to make the key transfer point more bearable in the near term.

The Transportation Commission is scheduled to vote on Wednesday, Oct. 18, to endorse a grant application to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation for up to $544,000.

News

Foxfire Grill near Alexandria is permanently closing on Halloween

By James Cullum

Published October 4, 2023 at 1:45PM

Foxfire Grill at 6550 Little River Turnpike is closing on Oct. 31, 2023 (via Facebook)

After decades in business, a local restaurant near Alexandria’s West End border will close at the end of the month.

Foxfire Grill owner Terri Fox recently announced the closure on the company website and social media. The restaurant with American fare at 6550 Little River Turnpike has weathered mixed reviews over the years, and even got a makeover in 2019 from celebrity chef Robert Irvine from Restaurant Impossible.

News

Police investigating robbery with injury at West End ATM

By James Cullum

Published October 2, 2023 at 1:30PM

A man was robbed of his wallet and phone outside an ATM machine in the 500 block of S. Van Dorn Street on Sept. 30 2023 (via Google Maps)

Alexandria Police are investigating a robbery outside a Bank of America ATM in the West End.

The incident occurred at around 7 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 30) in the 500 block of S. Van Dorn Street. The male victim reported that two suspects, a white male and a Black male, stole his wallet and phone and fled on foot, according to the police scanner.

News

Police: One victim injured in Mark Center-area robbery

By Vernon Miles

Published September 28, 2023 at 1:50PM | Updated September 28, 2023 at 2:15PM

Robbery on the 2000 block of North Beauregard Street (image via Alexandria Police Department/Twitter)

The Alexandria Police Department (APD) said one man was injured in a robbery near the Mark Center.

APD said the victim sustained minor injuries.

News

West End man charged and released after allegedly brandishing air pistol

By James Cullum

Published September 28, 2023 at 9:30AM

An Alexandria man was charged with brandishing a firearm in the 100 block of N. Grayson Street on Sept. 5, 2023 (via Google Maps)

A 46-year-old Alexandria man was charged with two counts of brandishing a firearm earlier this month after allegedly pointing a CO2-powered handheld pistol at a contractor working in his West End home.

On Sept. 5 (Tuesday), the contractor called police after the resident, Greco Gomez, allegedly brandished a firearm against him. The victim told police that he was working in the basement and took the trash outside and was “shocked” when Gomez allegedly threatened to shoot him, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

Opinion

Poll: Do you think the WestEnd development name is confusing?

By Vernon Miles

Published September 27, 2023 at 11:05AM

A rendering for Pavilion 1 on block F of the WestEnd Alexandria development (via City of Alexandria)

Despite some pushback from city leaders this weekend, the name WestEnd is likely here to say for the redevelopment at the former Landmark Mall site.

City Council members said the name is a baffling choice given that the project is located within the larger West End neighborhood.

News

Alexandria man arrested for allegedly peeping into West End apartment

By James Cullum

Published September 27, 2023 at 9:30AM

A man was charged with peeping into a dwelling in the 700 block of N. Howard Street on Aug. 27, 2023 (via Google Maps)

A 28-year-old Alexandria man was charged with peeping into a dwelling last month in the West End.

Police were alerted after midnight on Sunday, Aug. 27, that a man was allegedly peering through the windows of a lower-level apartment in the 700 block of N. Howard Street. A witness told police that the suspect would hide when anyone approached and then would return to the window, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

News

Alexandria leaders dismayed by developer’s baffling ‘WestEnd’ project name

By James Cullum

Published September 25, 2023 at 3:00PM | Updated September 27, 2023 at 12:33PM

A rendering for Pavilion 2 on block N of the WestEnd Alexandria development (via City of Alexandria)

(Updated 9/27/23) Before unanimously voting on financing the massive WestEnd Alexandria project at the former Landmark Mall site, a majority of Alexandria City Council members said that they still dislike the name.

Council unanimously approved a number of proposals on the 52-acre development, which will be devoted to the new Alexandria Hospital, and a multi-block town center with apartment buildings, pavilions, restaurants, and rooftop open space.