Thousands of Alexandria commuters watched through 2016 and 2017 as the former bright pink Generous George’s Positive Pizza on Duke Street was mostly demolished and rebuilt after sitting dormant for years.
The $3 million renovation changed the building from its iconic, eye-catching exterior to a more refined brick and steel design complete with a rooftop deck and new windows. A sign for Yates Pizza Palace went up, and the complete interior build-out included a new kitchen, utilities, seating and more.
Building owner Jeffrey Yates, a beloved longtime Alexandria resident and business owner, died last month after a battle with cancer. He had purchased the building in May 2014 for $1,675,000. The Yates family has not commented on the future of Yates Pizza Palace or on the future of Jeffrey Yates’ other businesses in and around Alexandria.
The pizza building, at 3000 to 3012 Duke Street, has been for sale and lease for the past nine months, according to CoStar, a commercial real estate database.
The sale price is undisclosed for the nearly finished, renovated restaurant. The lease is offered at $45,000 per month NNN (which stands for “net net net” and means the price includes property tax, insurance and maintenance).
Generous George’s opened in the 1970s and closed in 2009.
