Earl’s Sandwiches Expanding to Ballston
Earl’s Sandwiches, located at 2605 Wilson Blvd in the Clarendon/Courthouse area, is expanding with a second location in Ballston.
The restaurant will be replacing an existing deli across the street from the Ballston Metro station. Co-owner Steve Dugan told ARLnow.com that he hopes to open in early September, after a couple days of renovations. Dugan was unable to confirm the exact address of the restaurant due to a confidentiality agreement.
Earl’s of Ballston is applying for a license to serve beer and wine, according to Virginia ABC records.
Earl’s in Courthouse offers sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs and wraps, as well as soups, chili, fries and salads. Most sandwiches are made with fresh-roasted meats and range in price from $7 to $9.
Photo via Facebook
Five Arlington Companies Make Inc. 500 List
Five Arlington-based companies have made Inc. Magazine’s prestigious Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S.
The highest on the list, at #80, is Innotion Enterprises, which has 43 employees, $35.8 million in revenue (as of 2011) and a 3-year growth rate of 3,500 percent. The company, based in Ballston, offers information technology services to the federal government and asset management services to real estate firms.
Another Ballston-based real estate management firm, Matt Martin Real Estate Management, ranked #116. The company had $31.4 million in 2011 revenue, a 3-year growth rate of 2,669 percent and has 110 employees across the country. It provides services to the real estate industry, and to the General Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Evoke Research and Consulting, based in Rosslyn, ranked #283. The company had $8.9 million in revenue in 2011 and a 1,291 percent growth rate. Evoke employs 49 people and offers project management, budgeting, contract, portfolio management and business management strategy services to government clients.
Ballston-based Global Telesourcing is #441 on the Inc. 500 list, with $8.4 million in revenue (in 2011), 847 percent growth and 410 employees. The company provides outsourced inbound and outbound sales call centers, utilizing native-level English speakers at a facility in Monterrey, Mexico. “We achieve results and quality scores that typically outperform domestic U.S. competitors, but at a dramatically lower cost,” the company said in a press release today.
Courthouse-based A+ Government Solutions rounds out the Arlington list at #468. The company provides management and IT consulting services to government clients, specializing in health programs and human resource management. A+ had $24.5 million in revenue in 2011, a 821 percent 3-year growth rate, and has 128 employees.
Bill Colton, president of Global Telesourcing, said making the Inc. 500 list is an honor for growing companies.
“We are thrilled to make this list,” he told ARLnow.com. “It’s the ‘gold medal’ for entrepreneurs and is particularly meaningful to have earned the honor during one of the most challenging economic environments in a century.”
Look Back: One Year After the Earthquake
Exactly one year ago, at 1:51 p.m. on August 23, 2011, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit Virginia and the D.C. area, a wholly unexpected jolt that sent residents and workers scurrying into the streets.
Damage from the earthquake was relatively minor. Loose items fell from store shelves. Some brick structures like chimneys were damaged. Walls cracked at historic Arlington House. The foundation at Arlington Fire Station No. 2 was damaged. The Thomas Jefferson Theater had to be closed for repairs.
In the immediate aftermath of the quake, cell phone service was overloaded by people calling loved ones. Numerous gas leaks are being reported and hundreds of Dominion customers in Arlington lost power. This website crashed and remained only periodically reachable for at least an hour. Office buildings closed for damage assessments, and highways were jammed with workers heading home early.
If there were some bright spots, it was that no significant injuries were reported, and the day’s Democratic primary went off without a hitch.
After the jump, some videos that were taken in Arlington during and after the earthquake.
Shirlington 5K to Benefit Army Quadruple Amputee
A 5K race in Shirlington next month will benefit an Army staff sergeant who lost all four limbs to an IED in Afghanistan earlier this year.
The 9/11 Heroes Run Shirlington, scheduled for 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, will feature a 5K race and a 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk. The event is one of nearly three dozen 9/11 Heroes races around the country.
Registration for individuals is $35, while registration for a family of four is $80. Half of the proceeds will benefit the Travis Mills Fund. Sgt. Mills was the fourth quadruple amputee from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries. A father and husband, Mills has been living at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he has been learning to walk on a new set of prosthetic legs.
Mills, a Michigan native, appeared on TV last month and discussed his road to recovery and his optimistic outlook on life. The Mills Fund helps his family pay travel and living expenses that aren’t covered by insurance or the military. The race aims to raise a total of $5,000.
A post-race party will be held at The Bungalow Sports Grill in Shirlington (2766 South Arlington Mill Drive).
Another, unrelated 9-11 memorial race, the Arlington Police, Fire & Sheriff 9-11 Memorial 5K in Crystal City, is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 8.
Photo via Facebook
Ballston Office Building to Be Vacated, Renovated
(Updated at 12:40 p.m.) The Webb Building, a 10-story office building at 4040 N. Fairfax Drive in Ballston, is being renovated.
The building’s current tenant, the Department of Defense, will be moving out in December as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC). In anticipation, the building’s owner is embarking on a major renovation project to “re-position” the 1960s-era building for occupancy by a new tenant.
“The building… will be fully renovated, with a new lobby, landscaping, façade improvements, fitness center, updated common areas, updated HVAC and fire and life safety systems, and a roof deck with extensive views,” according to a press release. “We see a unique opportunity to deliver a fully refreshed, high quality work environment at a price point substantially lower than the new buildings being delivered in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.”
To fund the $5 million renovation project and the leasing efforts, owner RESI Management has raised $21.2 million from Chevy Chase-based Federal Capital Partners, along with a $33.5 million loan from Wells Fargo. The renovations are expected to be complete by mid-2013.
The 184,216 square foot building first opened in 1966. Located two blocks from the Ballston Metro station, the building has been serving as the headquarters for Department of Defense Education Activity, which manages schools for military children.
ACPD Wins Award for Traffic Safety Program
The Arlington County Police Department has been honored for its traffic safety program.
The department was recognized as having the best traffic safety program in Virginia, for municipal police departments with 301 to 450 sworn officers. The award was announced during the recent Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police conference.
ACPD said it accomplished its traffic safety goals through “education, enforcement and engineering,” and through a number of initiatives, including:
- Traffic Accident Reduction Program (TARP)
- Response to citizen complaints utilizing a traffic complaint database
- Selective enforcement in areas designated as problem locations
- Safe Routes to School program
- Bicycle and Pedestrian safety
- Participation in Virginia’s Street Smart campaigns
- Participation in the Click or Ticket occupant safety programs
“Providing over 70 years of professional police services to the citizens and guests of Arlington County, ACPD continues a long commitment to the enforcement of all traffic laws,” the department said in a press release. “The primary goal of the department traffic safety program is to facilitate the safe and efficient flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic.”
Morning Notes
Man Saves Life of Granddaughter — A grandfather saved the life of his granddaughter on Sunday, after the little girl started choking on fruit inside her family’s Arlington home. The grandfather, Rick Corbett, used his CPR training from the Boy Scouts in order to help save her life. [WUSA 9]
County Still Trying to Buy Courthouse Building — Arlington County is in negotiations to purchase the 1960s-era office building at 2020 14th Street N. The potential purchase sparked controversy among neighbors, largely due to the plan to place a year-round homeless shelter on the building’s lower floors. [Sun Gazette]
Tech Event Tonight at Artisphere — The technology networking organization Tech Cocktail is holding a mixer and startup showcase tonight at Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd). Last-minute tickets for the event, which runs from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., are $20. [Tech Cocktail]
