County Board members are considering a contract to convert Kenmore Middle School’s athletic fields from grass to synthetic turf, among other improvements.
Set for approval as part of the Board’s consent agenda, the contract is slated to be awarded to the LandTek Group, the low bidder among four competitors.
Is there anything Falls Church residents love as much as dogs? Cats, apparently.
Just months after being named the most “dog-loving” city in Virginia, the Little City has ranked top in the state for its residents’ love of cats.
Welcome to Kami’s Korner where we’ll take a deep dive into Arlington’s condominium market by focusing on what’s coming next. From emerging developments to shifting trends, this space will spotlight the opportunities and insights shaping the future of condo living in Arlington.
Let me tell you about a recent rental car experience I had that got me thinking about the next generation of new construction condominiums. I recently got rear-ended, and no one was hurt thankfully, but it was an experience to say the least. I know what you are thinking. How the hell is this related to new condos in Arlington? But trust me, it is, or will be.
The accident resulted in my having to get a rental car. Once I completed my reservation at the agency, I went outside to the car lot with the agent and he asked me to pick a car. I looked at the thirty or so cars, various makes and models, and all were grayish soulless boxes. I half jokingly asked him “Do you have any that aren’t so ugly and boring? Good grief. They all look the same.” Rows of boring shades of gray, taupe, off white, white, or metallic with similar body styles. I asked him if he thought they all got together and decided to make the same hideous car. He laughed at me and said he didn’t disagree, while then steering me toward a red Tesla. As I opened the door to the Tesla it reeked of things I haven’t been around since college. I commented that at least someone was having fun in their rental car.
It got me to thinking about how we have seemingly sucked the life out of so many things since the pandemic era. So many things look the same- AI generated, Minecraft style futuristic, and terribly stark. Even McDonald’s restaurants, my kids’ favorite fine dining, is modern and minimal with mostly black and beige. What happened to the joyfully obnoxious red and yellow… where is Ronald McDonald? Even McDonald’s knew that red and yellow created emotional memory. Somewhere along the way, we forgot that lesson.
Why Design Memory Matters
Gray is now synonymous with the last generation of condos, a symbol of the gloomy pandemic era with gray cabinets, gray floors, and gray tile. That won’t work going forward and thankfully interior design is shifting toward a look that’s individually collected, warm, natural, and exhibits quiet luxury. Housing prospects don’t want to buy a new gray soulless box that looks like all the others and evokes no emotion. I’m not sure how the car industry arrived at the conclusion that they did. Cars and condos shouldn’t both suffer from soulless sameness.
Due to current economics, the next generation of luxury condos in the 2029-2032 time frame will be 30% more expensive than the last new builds. For new construction condominiums, the quality of the floor plans are of the utmost importance. I often say the true high-end buyer doesn’t compromise well. To get the pricing projected, the quality has to be world class. We can afford to make a few mistakes (slightly overpriced maybe or the views are marginal) but if the layout and the finishes are the very best in the marketplace, the condominium sales will be successful. The inside matters most. The consumer is very smart and picks the best residences first. Let’s give them some reasons to move.
For the last 10-15 years we’ve encouraged developers to include a few “memory points” in their design. This is something the consumer would not expect, shows someone with real talent was involved in the design process, and confirms that several layers of thought were given to the livability of the residences. We have fun with this, and it makes the consumer more confident in making a buying decision when the condominium has personality. (more…)
The Five Guys in Courthouse has temporarily closed for a revamp of its interior.
The burger spot at 2300 Wilson Blvd closed on July 6 and is expected to reopen in August, a company spokesperson told ARLnow. No further information was available on the specific renovations, but permit applications mention “interior alterations.”
What if restaurant rankings reflected what diners actually buy and where they choose to return instead of who writes the loudest review?
Tasti is a new Arlington-built restaurant discovery app that creates rankings from verified receipt data. Scan a receipt after dining and Tasti identifies the restaurant and dishes, adds that information to the community rankings, and keeps your personal spending private.
It’s going to be hot, hazy and moderately unhealthy to be outside today (Thursday).
The National Weather Service just issued a Heat Advisory, starting at 11 a.m. and remaining in effect until 8 p.m. tonight. That’s on top of the earlier Code Orange air quality alert, amid the sweltering weather and smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota.
Due to the extended period of extreme heat forecasted for the next several days in our area, the Civic Jam event originally scheduled for Friday, July 3, 2026, has been postponed to Friday, July 24, 2026.
Commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary of the United States of America at Civic Jam! Celebrate the City of Falls Church’s diverse community, civic engagement, and classic summer fun. Jam out to live, local music, sip on local brews, enjoy tasty treats and eats, and a full evening of festivities for all ages on Friday, July 3, 2026, from 6 to 10 p.m.
A Pentagon City ice cream shop is hosting a meet-and-greet this weekend with a local, internet-famous toucan.
Chester, a 9-year-old toucan with nearly 850,000 followers on TikTok, will be posing for photos at Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream (1201 S. Joyce Street) from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday.
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) was a supporter of an amendment to slash U.S. military financing to Israel, which divided House Democrats yesterday (Wednesday).
Prior to the 104-314 vote — which pitted supporters including House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) against opponents including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) — Beyer voiced support stripping $3.3 billion in support to Israel.
Reported crimes declined in all major categories between 2024 and 2025 in Virginia, with some rates reaching five-year lows.
Paralleling similar decreases in Arlington, overall violent crime dropped by 6%, from 19,862 crimes in 2024 to 18,722 in 2025, according to a dashboard from Virginia State Police.
Iraqi Visit Grounds DCA — New details have emerged about Tuesday’s ground stop at Reagan National, when security for Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit halted flights for hours. “Commercial flights were postponed from taking off or landing at the D.C.-area airport from 11 a.m. ET until around 3 p.m. Over 300 flights were delayed and at least 126 flights were canceled, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware.” [CBS News, Dave Statter/X]
JBG Smith Exits Rosslyn — JBG Smith is poised to sell Central Place Residences, a 31-story, 377-unit apartment tower atop the Rosslyn Metro station at 1800 N. Lynn Street, to Boston-based Berkshire Residential Investments for a price expected to top $200 million. The deal would mark the Bethesda-based developer’s full exit from the Rosslyn market. [WBJ]
Drifting at the Pentagon — “Someone had fun at 3:30 this morning at a Pentagon parking lot on Army Navy Drive,” Dave Statter posted Wednesday, sharing video of the pre-dawn drifting. He wondered whether it was the same driver who used to do the same thing at the intersection with Eads Street before police caught him near the Pentagon. [Dave Statter/X]
O’Connell Runners Defend Titles — The Bishop O’Connell boys cross-country team is gearing up to defend two 2025 championships this fall. Last year’s squad first won the Virginia state Catholic crown, then captured the Division I state championship for the first time in 25 years. It has many key performers returning. [RunWashington]
MWAA Taps Airport Advisers — The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority awarded a combined $50 million in contracts to HNTB, Accenture and EY to help oversee coming infrastructure projects at Reagan National and Dulles. The work is expected to include replacing Reagan National’s aging Terminal 1 “banjo” concourse and a $22 billion overhaul at Dulles. [WBJ]
Who Pays for Power Lines — Consumer advocates and Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s (D) administration are pushing state regulators to make data centers pay for the high-voltage transmission lines that serve them, part of a Dominion Energy case over how power line costs hit customer bills. The State Corporation Commission has until Aug. 1 to decide. [Virginia Mercury]
Heat Slows Amtrak Trains — Amtrak has added temperature-related speed restrictions across the Northeast, including the D.C. region, as extreme heat grips the area. Trains may run at reduced speeds and face delays between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. through Friday, and affected customers have already been notified. [Fox 5]
Business Optimism Ticks Up — Optimism among N. Va. business leaders is improving, though some worry about taxes and the state’s new paid family and medical leave program, according to a second-quarter survey from the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and PR firm Pinkston. About three-quarters are optimistic about their company’s performance, up from 67% in the first quarter. [FFXnow]
Youngkin Joins Venture Studio — Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is returning to dealmaking, joining venture studio Red Cell Partners as a partner, chairman and board member, he told Axios. Youngkin, who left as Carlyle co-CEO in 2020 to run for governor, said the role will take one to two days a week and reiterated he has no plans to run for president in 2028. [Axios]
It’s Thursday — Expect mostly sunny skies with a high near 100 and heat index values as high as 104, along with areas of smoke between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Winds will be light from the northwest at 3–8 mph. Overnight, a slight chance of evening showers and thunderstorms gives way to a partly cloudy low around 77. [NWS]
There’s more local news to explore. Check out WSHnow, with stories from around the region.
Photo courtesy Dave Statter
Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 15, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect patchy smoke from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with mostly sunny and hot conditions, reaching a high near 100°F and a heat index up to 104°F. Winds will be light and variable, shifting to the west at 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Thursday night will be partly cloudy with a slight 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m., followed by patchy smoke. The low will be around 76°F, with west winds around 6 mph turning north in the evening. See more from Weather.gov.
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”
– Henry Ford
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.
Two Arlington residents delivered standout performances for Falls Church-based NOVA Fencing & Archery Club at the 2026 USA Fencing National Championships.
Solomon Brosnan, a student at Washington-Liberty High School, captured the Division III National Championship in Men’s Épée. Brosnan began fencing overseas before joining NOVA, where his game rose to a national level.
