(Updated at 9:55 a.m.) A two alarm fire destroyed a house and sent two children to the hospital this morning.

The fire was reported at a home on the 2000 block of S. Lincoln Street, in the Nauck neighborhood, around 7:45 a.m. Two children who were inside the home were transported to Children’s Hospital for possible smoke inhalation. The fire was extinguished around 8:15 a.m.

Firefighters from Arlington and Alexandria responded to the blaze. The family that owns the home is being assisted by the Red Cross.

Fire photos courtesy @CAPT258 and Daniel Fitch

The former Lucky Seven store in Nauck, closed since a fire last summer, was recently torn down and will eventually become part of a park.

Before the fire, in 2010, the property (2406 S. Shirlington Road) was purchased by Arlington County for $1.4 million, according to property records. The purchase followed a public process in 2006 to design a “Nauck Town Square,” a central public gathering place for the community that complements the developing Nauck Village Center commercial district on Shirlington Road.

The “town square” would incorporate the existing green space on the block, the Lucky Seven property and a still-privately-owned property at 2400 S. Shirlington Road. The county is now in discussions with the owner of that property about a possible acquisition, according to Chikwe Njoku, the county’s Neighborhood Revitalization Program Coordinator.

The current design for the Nauck Town Square includes “a public plaza with outdoor seating, landscaped areas with a water feature, decorative lighting, public art, and displays featuring the history of the community,” according to the county website. It will also feature either an open-air pavilion or an enclosed public multipurpose facility, for hosting entertainment and community events.

“Once completed, this Square will encompass the entire block and host a variety of community events both formal and informal,” the county said. “Additionally, it will provide an outdoor location for public art, Nauck interpretative historical elements, and outdoor entertainment.”

Njoku said it’s impossible to know exactly when the project will move forward, since it depends on the purchase of private property. He also said that the plans for the town square are likely to be “slightly different” than those conceived in 2006.

“There is no official timeline for this project yet since we are still in discussions with the owners on the acquisition of the final parcel,” Njoku said. “However, we are planning to engage the community this Fall and revisit the design that was developed as part of the Nauck Town Square Charrette. We will have a better idea of the project timeline by the time we start that process.”

Javon Martin Trial Underway — The trial for Javon Martin, one of the men accused of killing Arlington resident Carl Diener in 2009, began on Monday. Attorneys for the Commonwealth spent much of Tuesday (January 29) presenting evidence against Martin. The other man accused of the crime, Martin’s cousin Roger Clark III, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder last year and is awaiting sentencing. [Washington Post]

Man Arrested for Attempted Rental Car Theft — Police arrested a man who caused a scene at Reagan National Airport on Tuesday morning. He was spotted running around the grounds of DCA and along the George Washington Parkway after allegedly trying to steal a rental car. Airport Police found 28-year-old Robert Cooper of Washington, DC in Crystal City a short time later and arrested him. Cooper has been charged with Attempted Grand Larceny.

Green Valley Pharmacy Receives Historic Designation — The Green Valley Pharmacy in the Nauck neighborhood has been approved by the County Board for designation as the 33rd Arlington Historic District. It is the first historically African American commercial building to be honored as an Arlington Historic District. The designation was granted not for the site’s architectural significance, but for the historical and cultural significance, as well as recognition for Dr. Leonard Muse’s lifetime of contributions to his community. [Arlington County]

New Recruits Sought for Civic Leadership Program — Arlington County is looking new recruits for its Neighborhood College program, which is a free, eight-session course to encourage civic engagement and help residents build leadership skills. Participants will learn how to become neighborhood advocates and how to bring about change for issues affecting the community. The sessions will be held each Thursday evening from April 4 to May 23. Applications for the 2013 Civic Leadership Development Program are due March 4, 2013. [Arlington County]

(Updated at 2:30 p.m.) The Green Valley Pharmacy (2415 Shirlington Road) property in Nauck is expected to earn a local designation as an Arlington Historic District. The measure was requested by long-time property owner Dr. Leonard Muse, and needs approval from the County Board at its meeting on Saturday (January 26).

Dr. Muse submitted a formal letter in 2009, in addition to a petition of support with 143 signatures, requesting the status. Since then, the county’s Historic Preservation Program staff has been working with Dr. Muse to conduct research on the building and on Dr. Muse’s contributions to the community.

The structure originally was built as a grocery store in 1942, and Green Valley Pharmacy was established in 1952. The county staff report states that the site’s significance is not due to architectural history, but rather its cultural history. An excerpt from the report reads:

Although the building itself is of modest construction and has undergone some minor aesthetic alterations over time, it is Arlington’s only surviving example of an African American owned and operated pharmacy that has remained in continuous operation for 60 years. The pharmacy is the second oldest business in Nauck (the oldest by only a few months is the Friendly Cab Company) and has witnessed six decades worth of cultural and social history under management by the same owner. Into the 21st century, the Green Valley Pharmacy continues to be a popular community gathering place, serves as an important anchor of the Nauck neighborhood, and is an important physical reminder of both the impacts of racial segregation and Arlington’s mid-20th century African American commercial heritage.

The staff report also noted Dr. Muse’s accomplishment of becoming a registered pharmacist in Virginia in 1954, during “the challenging era of racial segregation and inequality.”

In order to receive historic designation, a site must meet at least two of eleven criteria listed in the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance. The Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) found that the property in question meets three of the criteria, and therefore is worthy of historic status.

Through the designation, the pharmacy building would be preserved. New construction may still occur on the site adjacent to or on top of the current building, but first must be reviewed by the HALRB to make sure it would be compatible with the historic district.

The staff report notes that the County Manager has agreed to use $2,000 in county funds for a historic marker on the Green Valley Pharmacy site.

Currently there are 32 buildings, sites or multi-property districts that have been designated as Arlington Historic Districts. The most recent addition was the Calloway Cemetery last year.

Photos via Arlington County

A new Chinese restaurant is coming to the Nauck neighborhood.

China House, at 2249 S. Shirlington Road, will offer Chinese cuisine via carry out and delivery. The restaurant is also applying for an ABC permit to serve beer.

An individual who answered the phone at a number listed for the restaurant said the owners expect to open in “a couple of weeks.”

Veterans Day Ceremony in Clarendon — Local VFW and American Legion posts jointly organized a Veterans Day ceremony at the Clarendon War Memorial on Sunday. At the annual remembrance ceremony a wreath was laid for Lance Cpl. Niall Coti-Sears, who was killed in Afghanistan this year. [MyFoxDC]

Reeves Farmhouse May Be Sold — The Arlington County Board is expected to decide whether to sell the historic Reeves farmhouse, at auction, for residential use. The county had been looking for ways to save the farmhouse for public use, but rejected a proposal to use it as a learning center, apparently due to the proposal not adequately providing for the high cost of needed repairs and renovations to the house. [WAMU]

Historic Status for Green Valley Pharmacy? -- Next month Arlington County Board members are scheduled to consider a proposal to designate the Green Valley Pharmacy a historic landmark business. The pharmacy opened in 1952 at 2415 Shirlington Road, in the neighborhood now known as Nauck. The county’s Historic Affairs and Landmarks Review Board supports the historic designation proposal. [Sun Gazette]

Shirlington Tree Lighting Two Weeks Away — Shirlington Village will hold its annual Christmas tree lighting event on Tuesday, Nov. 27. [Shirlington Village Blog Spot]

Flickr pool photo by Philliefan99

The incident happened just before 11:00 yesterday (Monday) night. The officer was walking in the Nauck neighborhood when he heard a woman screaming for help. Using a flashlight, the officer located a man with his pants unbuttoned, attempting to rape a female victim in a wooded area on the 3500 block of 23rd Street S., in the area of the school and the Drew Community Center, according to police.

Dumfries, Va. resident Kenneth Staton, 34, was arrested and charged with attempted rape. He’s being held without bond.

According to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck, Staton met the woman at a nearby bus stop, asked her for a cigarette, and started talking to her, before throwing her to the ground and attempting to rape her. The woman had a “busted lip” but did not require medical treatment, Sternbeck said.

Photo courtesy Arlington County Police Department

Park Contracts Approved — The Arlington County Board has voted unanimously to approve contracts for improvements to two county parks. The tiny 0.6 acre Nauck Park at 2600 19th Street S. will get a renovated restroom, new swings, a slide and a “spinner bowl.” Virginia Highlands Park, at 1600 S. Hayes Street, will get the county’s fourth “sprayground” park for children. [Arlington County]

Bus Stop Moved Away from Sex Offender — An Arlington mom has succeeded in getting Arlington Public Schools to move her middle-school-aged daughter’s bus stop further away from a convicted sex offender’s house. The stop was six homes away from the man’s house. APS spokeswoman Linda Erdos called WUSA 9′s story on the situation a “cheap shot.” [WUSA 9]

Board Approves ‘Citizens United’ Resolution — The County Board on Tuesday approved a resolution calling for a federal constitutional amendment to reverse the implications of the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court decision. [Sun Gazette]

The Board will consider a $573,000 contract to build a new “sprayground” at Virginia Highlands Park, at 1600 S. Hayes Street near Pentagon City. The park was originally scheduled to open this past Memorial Day, but the project has been beset by delays. According to the staff report, the project was finally put out for bid in May, only to have the bids from contractors all came in higher than expected.

The sprayground was redesigned in order to put it within budget. A new water re-circulation system, which should save 113,000 gallons of water per week, was put into place. The sprayground was also reduced in scale, and certain features like a steel fence and a designed rock structure were eliminated.

The Board will vote on whether to award a $521,000 contract contract with a $52,000 contingency to Southern Playground Corporation.

The other contract under consideration is for the tiny 0.6 acre Nauck Park, located at 2551 19th Street S.

Planning for playground upgrades to the park began all the way back in 2004. Construction was finally set to get underway in 2008 — following a plan to enhance amenities at the park while removing an existing restroom — when the Nauck Civic Association request that all work on the project stop, so that the park could be redesigned in a way that would keep the restroom. In order to keep the project within budget, the county scaled down other planned amenities within the park.

On Saturday, the Board is scheduled to consider a $316,000 contract — $287,000 plus a $29,000 contingency — with Avon Corporation. The contract covers renovations to the playground and the bathroom, as well as accessible entrances, an accessible picnic area, benches and bicycle racks.

A man is in jail after allegedly beating up his roommate over money.

The incident happened yesterday (Tuesday) evening in the Nauck neighborhood. Police say a knife-wielding man beat up his roommate after accusing the victim of stealing several hundred dollars. Police responded and swarmed the area when a neighbor called police to report seeing the victim bleeding and hunched over outside the house, with the suspect standing by him with a knife in hand.

The victim — who wasn’t actually stabbed, according to police — was treated and released for minor injuries.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 08/21/12, 3600 block of S. Kemper Road. On August 21 at 4:35 pm, two roommates got into a dispute over money and a physical altercation ensued. One of the roommates pulled a knife and beat up the victim roommate, who had to be transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. Jose Alejandro Mendez Cruz, 19, of Arlington, VA, was arrested and charged with malicious wounding. He was held without bond.

On Sunday morning, meanwhile, a suspect cut a hole in the metal security gate of a Pentagon City store and stole $28 in loose change. Police say the suspect could have gotten away with much more — $700 in cash was sitting next to one of the registers.

BURGLARY, 08/20/12, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. Between 9:40 pm on August 19 and 9:40 am on August 20, an unknown subject(s) cut a hole in a metal security gate and entered a business, opting to steal approximately $28 in loose change instead of the $700 in cash next to the register. There is no suspect(s) description.

The rest of this weeks’s Arlington County crime report, after the jump.

ROBBERY, 08/21/12, 2400 block of S. Glebe Road. At 9:45 pm on August 21, an unknown suspect threw hot coffee on the front desk attendant of a hotel, jumped the counter and stole a cash drawer with approximately $450 and a cell phone. The suspect fled the scene in a white sedan. A K9 track and US Park Police helicopter assisted in the search of the suspect, which yielded negative results. The suspect is described as a black male, 6’0” tall and 170 lbs. He was wearing a black hat, reading glasses, black athletic jacket, white athletic shorts and white shoes at the time of the robbery.

ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY, 08/19/12, 1100 block of S. George Mason Drive. At 3:25 am on August 19, two unknown subjects entered a convenient store in an attempt to rob the cashier. One subject brandished a firearm and demanded money. When the second subject entered the store, a firecracker exploded in his hand causing both subjects to flee the scene. Nothing was taken from the store. The suspect with the firearm was described as a white male, approximately 5’8” tall with a medium build and black hair. He was wearing grey hoodie sweatshirt, a dark bandana around his face and black shorts. The second suspect was a black male, approximately 5’7” tall with a average build and was wearing a white v-neck tshirt and dark shorts.

ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSAULT, 08/19/12, 2400 block of N. Custis Road. At 2:34 am on August 19, a female victim was walking home alone from the Courthouse Metro station when a male subject grabbed her from behind and forced her to the ground. The victim bit the subjects hand as he covered her mouth and then screamed for help, causing the subject flee the scene. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5’7” tall, weighing 200 lbs. He was wearing a white button down shirt and blue jeans at the time of the incident.

IMPERSONATING A POLICE OFFICER, 08/19/12, 2600 block of S. Jefferson Davis Highway. On August 19 at 8:08 pm, a subject was taken into custody for impersonating a police officer at a car rental establishment. Anthony Brent, 35, of Alexandria, VA, was arrested and charged with impersonating a police officer and unlawful wearing of police insignia.

BURGLARY, 08/20/12, 6100 block of N. Washington Boulevard. Between 8:43 am and 1:35 pm on August 20, an unknown subject(s) entered a locked residence through a rear door and stole jewelry and silverware. There is no suspect(s) description.

BURGLARY, 08/19/12, 2700 block of Wilson Boulevard. Between midnight and 9 am on August 19, an unknown subject(s) entered a business and stole cash, iPad and laptop. There is no suspect(s) description.

BURGLARY, 08/18/12, 1600 block of Clarendon Boulevard. Between 12:30 and 5 pm on August 18, an unknown subject(s) entered an apartment and stole a laptop, camcorder and camera. There is no suspect(s) description.

BURGLARY, 08/17/12, 4700 block of N. 1st Street. Between 5 pm on august 16 and 1:15 pm on August 17, an unknown subject(s) entered a locked residence and stole a safe and a computer. There is no suspect(s) description.

BURGLARY, 08/15/12, 5000 block of S. Chesterfield Road. Between 7 am and 3 pm on August 15, an unknown subject(s) pried open a dead-bolted door and stole cash from a residence. There is no suspect(s) description.

BURGLARY (COMMERCIAL), 08/17/12, 2400 block of N. Lee Highway. Between 12:45 and 1:15 am on August 17, two subjects broke into a gas station and stole cigarettes, cigars, lighters and condoms. Police witnessed the crime from a parking lot across the street. After a brief foot pursuit the subjects were taken into custody. Elmer Randall, 25, of Arlington, VA, and Camron David Rashed, 20, of no fixed address, were arrested and charged with burglary, petit larceny and possession of burglarious tools.

BURGLARY (COMMERCIAL), 08/16/12, 2000 block of S. Jefferson Davis Highway. Between 5:50 pm on August 15 and 9:30 am on August 16, an unknown subject(s) entered a business and stole two laptops. There is no suspect(s) description.

STOLEN VEHICLES

08/21/12, VA 707302, 2008 Honda CBR1000 Motorcycle, White and Black, 2700 block of S. Veitch Street
08/20/12, VA XBK4335, 2006 Ford Econoline, White, 2100 Crystal Plaza Arcade Parking Garage
08/19/12, VA 733978, 2007 Suzuki GSXR600, Blue and White, 2600 block of S. Uhle Street
08/16/12, VA 576979, 2006 Yamaha YZF R6 Motorcycle, Blue, 3500 block of S. Stafford Street