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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Sandy Marks will be sworn in to the Alexandria City Council at 6 p.m. Tuesday, taking the seat vacated in January by former Councilman R. Kirk McPike and giving the city its first female-majority council in its 279-year history.
Later in the meeting, the council will publicly receive what appears to be the only bid to take over operations at one of Alexandria's marquee cultural assets. According to a May 7 memo from Deputy City Manager Emily A. Baker, Scout Urban, LLC was the only firm to submit a timely proposal by the April 27 deadline to lease, manage, and operate the Torpedo Factory Arts Center at 105 Union St.
Under Ordinance No. 5625, which the council passed Feb. 21, the presiding officer is expected to read Scout Urban's name in open session, summarize the bid, ask whether anyone in the chamber wishes to submit an additional bid, then formally close bidding and refer the proposals to City Manager James F. Parajon for evaluation. The franchise carries an initial term of at least five years and can be extended, with council approval, to a total of up to 40 years. Staff anticipate bringing a recommended franchise agreement back to council in the third quarter of 2026.
The stakes are substantial. The 77,000-square-foot waterfront landmark is currently run by the city's Office of the Arts as a near-breakeven enterprise fund, with operating expenses averaging just over $1 million a year between fiscal 2022 and 2025 and earned revenue averaging about $992,000. Several senior TFAC positions — including director, registrar, gallery curator and program coordinator — are listed as vacant in the RFP. The city has also appropriated about $5.8 million in capital funding for the building, with $2.5 million spent and another $3.3 million budgeted through early 2027 for electrical, exterior, elevator, door, lighting and HVAC upgrades. A separate $3.5 million is set aside for revitalization through fiscal 2035.
Bids will be evaluated on organizational qualifications, staff experience, operations and management approach, marketing plan, capital improvement strategy, stakeholder engagement and the financial bid.
The swearing-in
The 6 p.m. ceremony at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center, 4850 Mark Center Drive, will be called to order ahead of the Pledge of Allegiance and opening remarks by Mayor Alyia Gaskins. Clerk of the Court Greg Parks will read the statement of results from the April 21 special election before administering the oath of office and the ethics pledge to Marks. Marks will then deliver remarks, followed by closing remarks and a reception in the cafe.
Marks, a Democrat and former two-term chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee, won the special election with 53% of the vote. She will serve through Dec. 31, 2027, and would have to seek election in November 2027 to remain on the dais.
Legislative agenda
The regular meeting begins about 7 p.m. Among the items council will take up:
- State of the Economy and downtown parking. The city manager is set to deliver an oral State of the Economy report and an update on downtown parking, two topics that framed this spring's budget debate.
- Federal priorities. Members will consider a resolution identifying Alexandria's fiscal 2027 federal funding priorities and asking the city's congressional delegation for support.
- Commercial zoning. A first reading is scheduled for the implementation ordinance tied to the April 18 Commercial Uses text amendment. The change would permit outdoor fitness studios and live entertainment subject to use limits, revise restaurant rules, allow temporary trailers at schools and add day care as a permitted use in one commercial zone.
- Sidewalks. A separate first reading would amend city code provisions on placing merchandise on sidewalks and on street encroachments.
- Leases. Three lease items sit on the consent docket: an agreement with Casa Chirilagua for the city-owned community building at 4109 Mount Vernon Ave., a three-year renewal with the Alexandria Boxing Club at Charles Houston Recreation Center and a three-year renewal with Child and Family Network Centers at the Leonard "Chick" Armstrong Recreation Center.
- General Assembly recap. Council will conduct a final review of the 2026 Virginia General Assembly session, including new mandatory and permissive authority granted to localities.
Council is also expected to act on a slate of board and commission appointments, including contested seats on the Alexandria Housing Affordability Advisory Committee, the Commission on Employment, the Commission on Persons with Disabilities, the Community Criminal Justice Board and the Public Records Advisory Commission.
How to watch
The meeting will be held in person in Room 1305 at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center and electronically. It will air on government Channel 70 and stream on the city's website. Residents can join on Zoom using webinar ID 914 8495 7183 and passcode 358590, or by phone at 301-715-8592. Written comments may be emailed to CouncilComment@alexandriava.gov.
The full docket and supporting materials are posted on the city's Legistar site.
