Mayor Gaskins, Atlantic editor to discuss housing affordability at Lyceum

The other day L asked what I was reading and you’d think I’d know better than to tell her after The Great Odyssey Obsession of 2024 Anyway now she’s demanding installments of Dracula (edited for kids) as a bed time story 🧛🏻‍♂️ “It’s just like hotel Transylvania!”

I don't think I have heretofore posted this bit of handiwork form some years back, but, in prep for a new one, I am doing so now. My analysis of key barred owl subspecies. 🦉#bird

Remember this? Well we got another example of how feedback method changes the outcome At an in-person meeting, the local Civic Association voted pretty overwhelmingly to oppose bike lanes on Braddock Road bc they'd remove parking bsky.app/profile/alex...

Gonna have to wash that game down with another beer and a hit of Ken Burns

🎄

Oh dude that’s offal.

Thanks for everyone who chimed in. I preferenced the Tupelo then a Willow Oak, then any other native shade tree (Neighbor has a hackberry already or that’d have been my #2)

Now *that* is how you name a beer 🤣

Insane but true fact: making US roads as safe as Canadian, Australian, or European roads would save more lives than eliminating murder from the US.

Walking S Pickett is such a visceral study in a changing Alexandria In a few blocks: - new development w/ shops & wide plaza-like walkways -shopping ctr w/ narrow, broken walk unseparated from speeding cars - car dealership - man sleeping in a bus shelter - back to new builds & wide walks

Uh oh, the Alx Forward report comes with a data portal that lets you make a bunch of different maps *and overlay zoning* There goes the weekend public.tableau.com/app/profile/...

Interesting chart from the Alx Forward plan, looking at what types of jobs commute into and out of Alexandria. Many of the people who keep our community functioning in service, care, and administrative roles don't [can't afford to?] live in Alexandria

Okay so many decades ago the industry stopped designing office buildings with windows that could open. Think about it, does your office building have windows that open? Probably not. 1/

Hell yeah. Take that, Arlington (ignore the rest of the column)

Staff meeting: "What are people thankful for? Put it in chat" Everyone: family, my team, good news from a client, etc. Me: Justin Beaver & family

Thank goodness we have the BAR to block housing so we can preserve the historic integrity of these 1960s/70s office buildings

You could name all your buses after pizza establishments that could be fun

LTE: YIMBY bc she’s a vampire and requires more walkable “dining” options

- name the buses - sell naming rights - Duke St in Motion, brought to you by Yates Pizza Palace (Just like the next bus, it’s Coming Soon)

Yasir's trying to figure out a meet-up spot before the next DSLUP mtg at Bishop Ireton Very glad staff are talking about the need for better connectivity in this corridor, bc stuff like this is a constant pain Small cut-through trails would make a big difference for bike/walkability in Central Alx

Idk who this is or the context of the sign but displaying bylaws on a personal sign at the meeting has to be a top 10 Civic Association moment I love this so much, what an icon

My favorite genre? Dash bus poetry @dashbusva.bsky.social

❤️❤️❤️

these projects are all cool. but 👀👀👀👀👀👀 "Historic preservation regulations, including changes to the Board of Architectural Review’s authority and review processes"

Who needs an alarm when you can rely on then toddlers rendition of everyone’s favorite hit “I love dada, dada quack quack” Live from her crib, 630am

This is a great, deep dive on affordable housing preservation. Our Master Plan process has a strong focus on building and (specifically last night) preserving "affordable units." That's great! But so far I'm not seeing substantive discussion of preserving "affordability" more broadly

"On a per capita basis, Alexandria would need to approximately double its entire housing budget to match DC’s commitment level."

This is a really excellent piece of local journalism:

Putting out the bat signal for a friend who's on the board of an NGO focusing on eating disorder support/recovery - does anyone have connections with nonprofits, foundations, or electeds in the DC area working in that space?

"the district experienced a 2.5% enrollment decline this fall." I wonder if we are "solving" school crowding by pricing out families

Sorry, man. I have no power over the ceaseless march of time

The vice mayor tried to silence me by also replying to councilman McPike so i present this quote skeet for your consideration

This is the real war on Christmas.

me when i see the tiny # of units produced in zoning for housing 1

Rosemont friends, I know it's probably not how you want to spend your evening but we could really use some additional bodies who support the Braddock Rd safety improvements at the civic association meeting on Weds night The anti-bike lane grumps are turning people out and agitating to hold a vote

Tree people which of these should i rank for the city to plant in our hellstrip? Full sun, and we already have an eastern redbud in our yard so it that pls

Tonight!

Jahmyr Gibbs’ vision in the open field is wild Guy cuts into what looks like nothing and tacks on another 15 yards

i love Alexandria in the fall

New stickers arrived 😍 Calendar too but she’s in a drawer til new years

There’s not a house in the world that’s worth subjecting myself to 95 regularly Brought to you by traffic on the way to Dumfries 😭 Build housing in alx so people don’t have to endure this

Update: The council approved a master plan amendment, zoning text amendment, and coordinated development district concept plan for several Potomac Yard properties.

“Thank you for pronouncing Stephen correctly. I am sometimes confused with Steph Curry, but really the only similarity is we both have a great jump shot” 💀 Alas they also share opinions about opposing nearby housing projects but I appreciate the humor sports.yahoo.com/nbas-steph-c...

“I’m here to make sure you hear from someone who works in and loves La Pluma, not just from people who have never stepped foot in the coffee shop” *side eye that would freeze an active volcano*

Happening now

Dela shares our room Unless L has a nightmare Those nights, she keeps watch

Alexandria’s DASH bus system is carrying 40% more passengers than in 2019, Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley reported Wednesday, part of a regional transit surge that has pushed ridership well beyond pre-pandemic levels.

👀 @alyia4alx.com and @yappelbaum.bsky.social will discuss Zoning for Justice and Affordability, hosted by @homeofva.bsky.social at the Lyceum in Old Town Mon. 12/8, 6:30 - 8:00pm Event is free but space is limited: homeofva.org/events/lets-...