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Photo courtesy of DRCA | Photo by Olivia Gravatt
On the site of an old shed now sits 16a West Del Ray: a beautiful, new 1,000 square foot two-story living space making this property a multigenerational family dream.
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Photo courtesy of DRCA|Photo by Olivia Gravatt
The Del Ray House and Garden Tour features backyard ideas for participants.
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Photo courtesy of DRCA | Photo by Olivia Gravatt
This accessory dwelling unit (ADU) started out as a garage - originally built 28 years ago - before being converted into a guest house about 3 years ago.
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Photo courtesy of DRCA | Photo by Olivia Gravatt
From first approach, you can see why the City of Alexandria awarded this home with a Beautification Award. The perennial gardens greet you as you approach the gracious front porch with its flowing white curtains catching the breeze.
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Photo courtesy of DRCA | Photo by Olivia Gravatt
This corner-lot was part of Northwest Alexandria’s 1890s subdivision, an early streetcar suburb along what is now Commonwealth Avenue. Although the lot was purchased in 1906 as an investment, the house itself was not built until the early 1990s.
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Photo courtesy of DRCA|Photo by Olivia Gravatt
A cozy conversation spot is featured in a backyard on the Del Ray home and garden tour.
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Photo courtesy of DRCA|Photo by Olivia Gravatt
A kitchen on the tour delights an attendee.
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Photo courtesy of DRCA|Photo by Olivia Gravatt
Longtime owners breathed new life into their 1920 bungalow by maintaining the home’s original footprint by reconfiguring the existing first-floor footprint and adding a second story. The striking new dark siding and A-frame wood beams bring a modern twist to the home’s abundant curb appeal.
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Photo courtesy of DRCA|Photo by Olivia Gravatt
Built in 1944, this building was originally a corner grocery store serving the Del Ray community until the 1980s before being converted to the lovely one-story home you see today.
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Photo courtesy of DRCA| Photo by Olivia Gravatt
The Del Ray Caboose
On Saturday, May 9, hundreds flocked to Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood to tour a dozen homes that were opened to visitors as part of the Del Ray House & Garden Tour, a fundraising event that the Del Ray Citizens Association hosts every two years. The featured homes included historic buildings, new builds, renovated homes, and two Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs, or guest houses), comprising the largest tour map in the event’s history.
“The eclectic nature of our neighborhood is what makes it great. From small to big and old to new, all of the homes have value and people who have put a lot of effort into making them unique,” said Lisa Quandt, Del Ray House & Garden Tour planning committee chair.
A popular stop on this year’s tour was the Little Red Caboose nestled between the Mount Vernon Rec Center, Mount Vernon Community School and Duncan Library, which was open to explore for the first time in over a decade. Proceeds from Tour ticket sales exceeded $27k and will go toward the Caboose Fund for its restoration, as well as MVCS after school tutoring, and the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria.
The tour was made possible with the help of generous homeowners, sponsors, and more than 75 volunteers who acted as docents across the self guided walking tour.
