February 13, 2020
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Alexandria Times Vol. 16, No. 7 Alexandria’s only independent hometown newspaper. FEBRUARY 13, 2020 City responds ‘Forest’ con- to Seminary Up in smoke cept chosen for MacArthur Road inquires School board approves Council chooses not to net-zero energy design for take action at legislative elementary school rebuild meeting BY CODY MELLO-KLEIN BY MISSY SCHROTT The school board unani- Following months of commu- mously approved one of two de- nity turmoil over the narrowing sign concepts for the Douglas of Seminary Road, city staff went MacArthur Elementary School before council Tuesday evening to rebuild at its Feb. 6 meeting. provide an update on the project After narrowing down design and answer questions. options from three to two last Council voted 4-3 in Septem- month, the school board decided ber to implement a road diet on a to move forward with a “forest” .9-mile section of Seminary Road concept. near Inova Alexandria Hospital, The approved concept in- reducing it from four to two trav- cludes a three-story building el lanes. The changes were put in set back from Janneys Lane with place later in the fall. multiple non-contiguous play Council requested an update areas and recreational fields about the project after Council- visible from the road. The class- or Amy Jackson, at a legislative rooms will have a view of the meeting in December, attempted nearby forest, and the build- to rescind the decision to narrow ing will be ACPS’ first net-zero the road. At the time, staff and ready school, meaning it will be the rest of council said they were PHOTO/CLAUDIA HOSKY capable of producing as much not prepared to discuss the topic. The thick, black plume of smoke from a four-alarm fire south of the beltway was energy as it consumes. Leading up to Tuesday’s meet- visible for miles on Saturday. The fire destroyed a new mixed-use development called Mignon Anthony, chief op- ing, Jackson said she was consid- South Alex near the intersection of Route 1 and Kings Highway. Read the full story erating officer of Alexandria ering making another motion to on page 4. City Public Schools, noted that rescind the decision. However, the design is still in the concept Tuesday evening’s meeting con- INSIDE phase. It provides a set direction cluded without a motion from for the structure and positioning Jackson and without any action T.C. Lights of the building, but leaves room taken by council. Jackson plans page Trial for controversial lawsuit for adjustments to the interior to process the information from Retail 11 is postponed. layout and outdoor spaces. the meeting and decide whether Page 3 “This is definitely a mile- she wants to make a motion in the Therapy stone for the work that we’re coming weeks, she said at the end Foodie doing with Douglas MacArthur, of the meeting. but it is not, by far, the last thing Celebrate Valentine's Day with a The atmosphere was tense that we’re going to talk about,” chocolate ganache. SEE SEMINARY | 9 Page 17 SEE MACARTHUR | 7 Matthew McCarthy 703-236-1366 ® NOVA 4617 Duke St, Alexandria 2 |FEBRUARY 13, 2020 ALEXANDRIA TIMES Christine Roland Garner Wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day! Since 1988 The time to sell is now. Let me put my 32 years of experience to work for you! KING’S CLOISTER DEL RAY $1,475,000 $1,075,000 - SOLD Beautiful 4 bedroom (all upper level), 3 bath colonial with off street parking. Prime location just a short Gorgeous 5 bedroom 4.5 bath brick colonial with a 2 car garage located across from the community stroll to shopping & restaurants on “The Avenue” and park in an elegant enclave of home just over 1 mile to the King St. METRO. Recently updated from Braddock METRO. Living room with gas fireplace top to bottom with high end finishes. Open floor plan, tall ceilings, detailed woodwork and hardwood and formal dining room. Eat-in kitchen with granite floors on 2 levels. Gourmet eat-in kitchen, family room with gas fireplace and study. Huge recently counters, 42” natural wood cabinetry and adjacent fam- finished lower level with gym, 5th bedroom, full bath and recreation room. Upper level with 4 bedrooms ily room with abundant windows. Lower level features a and 3 renovated baths including the Owner’s suite with 2 walk-in closets. recreation room, 3rd bath, laundry and storage rooms. OLDE BELHAVEN TOWNE BRADDOCK HEIGHTS DEL RAY $744,000 $1,399,000 - Reduced $989,000 - SOLD Light filled 4 bedroom 3.5 bath end town- house on a spacious 7,958 sq. ft. lot across from the Belle Haven golf course and a few blocks from the riverfront. Hardwood floors on 2 levels, 2 wood burning fireplac- Lovely 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath brick and stone colonial es and freshly painted with attached garage built by a prominent builder in Fabulous 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath Dutch Colonial with interior. Master suite 1948 as his personal residence. Over 4,600 sq. ft. of off street parking. Totally renovated and expanded with modified en suite interior space with generous room sizes, tall ceilings, in 2018 with a wonderful open floor plan. Gourmet bath with soaking tub and walk-in shower. custom built-ins and 3 fireplaces. Many recent updates kitchen with quartz counters and island breakfast Finished walk-out lower level with 4th bed- including a brand new Master bath and replacement bar opens to the dining room and living room with room, 3rd full bath and family room with wet windows throughout. Spacious fenced lot features French doors to a deep fenced yard. Main level half bar and French doors to the deep fenced yard a large flagstone patio, outdoor fireplace, irrigation bath and study. Three upper level bedrooms including with flagstone patio. system and exterior lighting. the Owner’s suite with walk-in closet. Christine Garner (703) 587-4855 Weichert My Priorities Are Simple...They’re Yours! For additional information & Photos, Go to: www.ChristineGarner.com WWW.ALEXTIMES.COM FEBRUARY 13, 2020 | 3 WEEKLY BRIEFING T.C. lights trial postponed Titans football coach steps down The trial to determine School Board. James Longerbeam whether Alexandria City A few weeks ago, both stepped down as head coach of Public Schools can add lights parties agreed to postpone the T.C. Williams High School to the new football stadi- the trial to June for schedul- football team on Feb. 3. um at T.C. Williams High ing reasons, Liebeler said. Longerbeam has served School has been postponed ACPS began construc- as head coach since 2016, from Feb. 24 to June 8, Lars tion on the football field when he moved from Pan- Liebeler, the attorney for the this past fall; however, the ama City, Florida to Alex- plaintiffs, said last week. school division will hold off andria to take the position. PHOTO/MISSY SCHROTT The controversy sur- on adding lights until after He cited his father’s recent Coach James Longerbeam. rounding lights at the sta- the trial, Liebeler said. passing and his mother’s dium has been ongoing for The city declined to dementia as reasons for his “This was a very difficult T.C. Williams will always be years. The residents whose comment at this time on decision in a Facebook post. decision for myself and my near and dear to us.” homes border the stadium the active litigation outside “My family and I are re- family. However, at this In 2019, Longerbeam say ACPS can’t install lights of its court filings, accord- locating at the end of the time we have to do what is helped lead T.C. Williams’ because it would be breaking ing to city spokesperson school year to get closer to in the best interest of my football team to its first a promise the school division Craig Fifer. my mom to assist with her mother and her care for as playoff win since 1990. made to those residents and [email protected] care,” Longerbeam wrote. long as we have her here. [email protected] their ancestors in the 1960s. Several of those ancestors lived on the school property before their land was taken by eminent domain. On the other side of the issue, T.C.’s Parker-Gray Stadium has been in need of renovating for years. The stadium has worn out turf, a condemned press box, a track that falls short of regulation standards and no bathrooms. Because the stadium doesn’t have lights, the T.C. Williams football team and other groups from the school are limited to holding practices and games during daylight hours. ACPS began seeking public input about modern- izing the stadium in Febru- ary 2017 and submitted a concept design to the City of Alexandria in late 2017. In October 2018, city coun- cil approved the modern- ization project. Residents from six of the neighboring households filed an original complaint in August 2018 and an amended complaint in De- cember 2018. Loudoun Cir- cuit Court Judge Thomas D. Horne ruled in April 2019 to send the case to trial in Feb- ruary 2020. The defendants are the City of Alexandria and the Alexandria City 4 |FEBRUARY 13, 2020 ALEXANDRIA TIMES The Lamplighter Four-alarm fire destroys FINIALS construction site near Route 1 Plume of black smoke These little giants add visible from miles away the finishing touch to BY LUKE ANDERSON your lamp and show attention to detail in your décor! Come in A plume of black smoke today and see what they billowed above Alexandria on can do for you! Saturday due to a four-alarm structure fire about a mile south of the beltway.