The Alexandria Brief: Monday, December 15
Council approves affordable housing projects; Chamber releases 2026 agenda; new Metro bus route launches today
Good morning, Alexandria. I’m Ryan Belmore, founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief.
Happy Hanukkah to all those celebrating! The Festival of Lights began last night and runs through Dec. 22. The Lyceum hosts a Chanukah Festival at 6 p.m. today.
It’s a cold but sunny start to the week, with temperatures in the low 30s. City Council wrapped up a busy Saturday session approving affordable housing projects in its final meeting before City Hall renovations, and a new Metro bus route offering direct service to downtown D.C. launches today.
Here’s what you need to know.
1️⃣ Starting the week in Alexandria
Grab your warmest coat – it’s a sunny but frigid Monday with a high near 32 degrees and a low tonight around 21.
Highlights today include the Chanukah Festival at the Lyceum at 6 p.m. and Ice & Lights: The Village at Cameron Run starting at 5 p.m. For live music, catch Jim West at Laporta’s at 6 p.m. or the Traditional Irish Music Session at Daniel O’Connell’s at 7 p.m.
The city has a busy meeting schedule, including the Environmental Policy Commission at 7:30 p.m. and three virtual meetings at 7 p.m. At the library, seniors can enjoy bingo at the Burke Branch at 10:30 a.m., and horror fans can gather at the Barrett Branch at 6 p.m.
2️⃣ Council approves affordable housing in final meeting before renovation
City Council on Saturday unanimously approved two major affordable housing developments during its final meeting in chambers before a major renovation. The council backed Alfred Street Baptist Church’s project at 598 S. Alfred St. in Old Town West and approved the final phase of Potomac Yard, which will bring 620 housing units and 88 committed affordable units near the Metro station.
The meeting also featured a debate over commercial zoning amendments aimed at streamlining business operations, though several provisions were removed for further consideration.
The session included a ceremony honoring the historic chambers, with former mayors Bill Euille, Allison Silberberg, and Justin Wilson in attendance alongside former council members. Council will temporarily meet at the Del Pepper Senior Center during renovations.
3️⃣ Chamber releases 2026 legislative agenda
The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce on Sunday released its 2026 Legislative Agenda, outlining advocacy priorities for the city’s business community in the coming year. The agenda focuses on four key areas: economic development, workforce readiness, streamlined business processes and quality of life issues.
The Chamber is calling for diversification of Alexandria’s commercial tax base, a comprehensive workforce development strategy to prepare residents for jobs affected by AI and technology changes, and streamlined permitting and licensing processes for small businesses. The agenda also addresses housing affordability, childcare access and multimodal transportation, framing these as both workforce and business issues.
4️⃣ School board signals support for deferring $100 million Cora Kelly project
The Alexandria City School Board signaled support Thursday for deferring the planned modernization of Cora Kelly Elementary School from 2028 to 2036, a move that would free up funding to address overcrowded middle schools. The direction came during a nearly three-hour Capital Improvement Program work session as board members wrestled with a $55 million gap between the superintendent’s proposed $340 million capital plan and the city’s $285 million spending guidance.
The board faces pressure to address severe overcrowding at George Washington Middle School, which operates at 130% capacity, and Francis C. Hammond Middle School at 120% capacity. Two competing approaches emerged: Board Chair Michelle Rief proposed accelerating conversions of Jefferson-Houston and Patrick Henry schools, while board member Ryan Reyna suggested delaying specific decisions and creating joint subcommittees with the City Council to explore options.
Staff will return Tuesday with revised budget options, with final adoption of the 10-year CIP scheduled for Dec. 18.
5️⃣ New Metro bus route to offer direct service from Alexandria to downtown D.C.
Alexandria residents now have a new one-seat ride to downtown Washington, D.C., with Metro’s A29 bus route launching today. The new line connects Van Dorn Street station to Metro Center via the I-395 Express Lanes, with stops at Beauregard Street, Mark Center, Southern Towers and Shirlington. Buses will run every 24 minutes during rush hour.
The route is funded through the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s I-395/95 Commuter Choice grant program. Customers can visit wmata.com/tripplanner for schedule information or download the MetroPulse app for real-time updates.
Extra Extra!
A man died Saturday following a two-vehicle crash on King Street that sent two people to the hospital and closed a section of the roadway for hours, Alexandria police said. (The Alexandria Brief)
The search for Hieu Ngo, a 29-year-old Alexandria man reported missing on Dec. 1, has ended with the discovery of his remains. (The Alexandria Brief)
Want to serve this season? Festive opportunities to give back to the Alexandria community (Theogony)
Autonomous delivery robots are now operating on Alexandria sidewalks, while a local cybersecurity startup has raised $30 million in new funding. Here’s the latest in Alexandria business news. (The Alexandria Brief)
Alexandria is reviving the Mayor’s Cup, a rugby competition with its sister city, Dundee, Scotland, with a match scheduled for May 2026. This time, the city hopes to bring the trophy home. (The Alexandria Brief)
Virginia Tech’s Graduate School will hold a recognition ceremony and reception for students earning master’s and doctoral degrees at 6 p.m. today at the university’s Academic Building One in Alexandria. (The Alexandria Brief)
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