Businesses, 275th Anniversary, Development: What's New In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — From the much-discussed Potomac Yard arena proposal to new small businesses opening, Visit Alexandria shared a recap of what's new in Alexandria at a membership meeting Monday.

The city's tourism organization Visit Alexandria briefs its members annually on recent and upcoming openings as well as development news, the tourism outlook and resources to help businesses. This year, the organization had plenty to share as numerous major developments are underway, new businesses are being introduced, and the city is planning Alexandria 275th anniversary festivities.

Alexandria turns 275 in 2024, ushering in a lineup of events to celebrate. Most events will happen from April to mid-September. The George Washington Birthday Parade in February and opening of the Interstellar Influencer (Make an Impact) art installation kicks off the 275th anniversary in the spring. Other major events are special editions of the two-day Portside in Old Town Summer Festival with the ALX Jazz Fest in June and the Alexandria City Birthday Celebration with fireworks on July 13. Alexandria-based Port City Brewing Company will create a new Pale Ale called ALX275, brewed with 275 lbs. of hops to be served at the Portside in Old Town Summer Festival. In September, the city will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial and the 50th anniversary of the Torpedo Factory Art Center.

Other notable anniversaries coming up are the 250th anniversary of the Friendship Fire Company, 90th anniversary of the Little Theatre of Alexandria, 85th anniversary of the Alexandria Library Sit-in, 80th anniversary of Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, 50th anniversary of Lee-Fendall House, Alexandria Archaological Commission and Alexandria Historical Society and 40th anniversary of the Alexandria Black History Museum.

Development news was shared by Marian Marquez of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership. The development on the minds of many regional residents is the proposed Potomac Yard arena and entertainment district. Legislation to create a sports authority to finance the project has been introduced in the Virginia General Assembly. Approval by the General Assembly would be needed for the project to move forward, as well as various City of Alexandria approvals.

Marquez noted that the entertainment district would be part of larger redevelopment plans by JBG Smith in Potomac Yard. Future development could include part of the Potomac Yard shopping center, but Marquez said the project partners and Target indicated they would like a Target store to stay in the future development. The city has various public engagement events underway to discuss the proposed arena and entertainment district.

Another development underway is the Potomac River Generating Station in Old Town North, which is in the planning and permitting phase before demolition can begin.City Council approved the development district zoning and conceptual design plan for the former power plant from developer Hilco Redevelopment partners in 2022. The West End development is also underway after the former Landmark Mall has been demolished. Buildings are in the design phase, and the Inova Alexandria Hospital is on track for completion in 2028, according to Marquez.

On a smaller scale, Visit Alexandria shared plenty of business opening updates. In the Del Ray neighborhood, small businesses continue to emerge. Le Petit Ananas will seve its Hawaiian shaved ice outside Bagel Uprising starting in spring. Orkney Springs Distillery opened in December, offering a tasting room specializing in vodka and gin. In June, Hi/Fi Tex-Mex BBQ opened in the back of Evening Star Café and won praise from the Washington Post's Tim Carman. Kazien Tavern rebranded in fall 2023 into Zuki Moon, an Asian fusion restaurant blending Japanese and Filipino flavors. Detroit-style pizzeria Jet’s Pizza opened in fall 2023 just north of Del Ray in Arlandria. At the nearby Oakville Triangle development, Founding Farmers is expected to open in late summer.

Along with Orkney Springs Distillery, other businesses for wine, spirits and beer opened. Negus Winery and Meadery near Van Dorn Street, serves up Ethiopian honey wine, also known as tej, in the first honey wine tasting room in the U.S. Mieza Blendery offers its blended beers in a tasting room in the West End, while Atlas Brew Works will open at Carlyle Crossing in 2024. MacMillian Spirit House, from the same owners as MacMillan Whisy Room in Mosaic District, will open in Old Town North in 2024. Journey to wonderland with the Alice’s Cocktail Bar or Casa Luna below Kisso Asian Bistro for speakeasy vibes.

In Old Town, new business openings Pippin Toy Co. from the Red Barn Mercantile and Penny post owner Amy Rutherford, Tatte Bakery & Café, Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar, Connect & Sip Café from PIES Fitness Yoga Studio, wellness boutique The Greenery, houseplant shop Genius Genus and upscale boutique Frances Valentine. Coming soon are bubble tea shop Bloom Tea, beignet shop Ben’Yay’s, French and Italian-inspired home store Crème de la Crème. Meanwhile, zero-waste store Mason & Greens just reopened after renovations.

Hotels, which are having a tougher time recovering lodging tax revenues than businesses producing sales and meals tax revenues, had a few major updates to share. Old Town North's Hotel AKA Alexandria, which hosted Visit Alexandria's meeting, opened in 2023 and is gradually opening more of its spaces. According to managing director Christopher Saputo, the hotel's terrace with a seasonal bar and outdoor fire pits will open this spring. Meeting and event space will expand from a junior ballroom and boardroom with a patio to include a larger ballroom and two breakout rooms. The hotel's a.lounge and cafe are already open to the public.

Another major hotel opening will be Hotel Heron in the restored building of Old Town Alexandria's historic George Mason Hotel at Washington and Prince Streets. General manager Philip Blane said the hotel's earliest opening timeline is late spring 2024, although that could be pushed back. The hotel will offer a restaurant, cocktail bar, meeting spaces and a seasonal rooftop bar.

Other hotels are doing renovations — the ballroom at Embassy Suites by Hilton Alexandria Old Town, the lobby, meeting space and guest rooms at Hilton Garden Inn Alexandria Old Town National Harbor, and internet upgrade in guest rooms and meeting spaces at Hilton Alexandria Old Town. The Westin Alexandria Old Town will rebrand its restaurant in summer 2024.

On the waterfront, Visit Alexandria highlighted Jula's on the Potomac, a rebrand of Cafe 44 with new dining spaces. Cooper Mill, the concept from Murray Bonitt of Bonitt Builders and Noe Landini of Landini Bros., will open in a historic waterfront warehouse in 2024.

At Robinson Landing, the city will open a new archaeological exhibit called "The Buried Ships of Robinson Landing." Three historic ships were discovered at the Robinson Landing construction site in 2018.

Another waterfront milestone is the African American Waterfront Heritage Trail. The two routes of the self-guided trail were launched in the last few years, and a public ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on Feb. 10. Tall Ship Providence also reopened in 2023 at a new permanent home, the Senator John Warner Maritime Heritage Center. The new center features an Education Center, a Naval History Theater, an Observation Deck, Ticket Office and Gift Shop. Programs like a dockside tour, sunset sails, specialty sails and private charters are offered.

On the art side, 25 new artists have been introduced at the Torpedo Factory Art Center since 2022 as the city implemented a new re-jurying process. A few of these artists are Singaporean-born Angeline Oei offering sustainable couture clothing designs, Anthony Nsofor offering paintings and photography demonstrating Nigerian nationality and the Black experience, and Sierra Barnes’s comics and illustrations blending Eastern and Central European mythology.

The sixth public art installment at Waterfront Park will open in spring to November 2024. Intersteller Influencer (Make an Impact) by Jason Kilmoski and Lesley Chang of STUDIOKCA explores an asteroid that hit 35 million years ago near the area that is now Alexandria.

At the Freedom House Museum Gonzaga High School’s exhibit on slavery research, “Searching for Truth in the Garden,” will be open through April 15, 2024. The exhibit explores the life of Gabriel, a teenager enslaved at Washington Seminary (now Gonzaga High School) in 1829.