Design of Clarendon’s Bronx Pizza Revealed

Columns

by ARLnow.com April 5, 2012 at 2:46 pm 7,405 57 Comments

We now know what the long-vacant future location of Bronx Pizza in Clarendon will look like after construction.

A tipster sent along this design rendering, which was posed to Facebook earlier today. Bronx Pizza, on the ground floor of 3100 Clarendon Boulevard, will feature New York-style pizza, subs and pastas. It’s expected to serve food “all day,” including breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night. It’s also expected to offer a delivery service.

There’s still no word on when work will finally get underway at Bronx Pizza — which has been little more than an empty storefront with a “coming soon” sign in the window since early 2011. Building permits for the restaurant were issued last spring but have apparently not been utilized yet. A Bronx Pizza website, meanwhile, is still “under construction.”

The Bronx Pizza restaurant concept is being developed by Mike Cordero, owner of Caribbean Breeze in Ballston.

Photo via Facebook

CW

Can any commercial real estate expert conjecture as to who typically is eating the rent in this kind of instance? I would not think that the property owner would want to lose 12+ months of rent, and I doubt a restaurant owner could afford to eat 12+ months of rent either, but by definition one of the two has to be happening. Which is it?
- ARLnow.com
  
  A previous response to this comment was deleted for making an unsubstantiated allegation of a crime, which is against our comment policy.
- clrdon
  
  About $50 – $70 psf depending on the TI package and free rent given
novasteve

Arlington needs a chicago style hotdog place.
- JamesE
  
  Hot Dougs? I want to try that duck sausage dog with foie gras.
  - Clarencourt Neighbor
    
    Hot Dougs would be ideal, but I would settle for Weiner’s Circle East.
- nom de guerre
  
  Until that happens, here’s a place where you can get all the ingredients to make your own.
  
  http://www.viennabeef.com/
- NYC style
  
  we need some NYC style street meat carts!!!!!!
- Clarencourt Neighbor
  
  Someone opened a Chicago-style hot dog place on U Street. I never went, and I think it went out of business, relocated to College Park. Though I believe they went out of business as a victim of a development deal, rather than a failure to attract customers.
Chris

What was there before this place? I’m drawing a blank.
- nom de guerre
  
  The VA Square 7-11 guy was shooting blanks.
- drax
  
  Some kind of fashion and music store.
- Arlington Native
  
  Chris, I think that space was previously a Lady Hamilton Dress shop.
  - pghbigdog
    
    Bronx pizza shop used to be a bridal shop of some kind…. never did much business. It occupied the HR Block site also.
awh hells bells

Will the pizzas be cooked in a wood-fire oven or by hot air?
- nom de guerre
  
  It will be cooked by the air generated by the comments found on on Arlnow.com
  - drax
    
    That would burn it to a crisp though.
karzai

Maybe someday they will actually build this restaurant. Right now, it is a storage locker for surplus goods from next door Pacers. This storefront almost reminds me of Dr. Dremo, which was always “about to open,” “thinking of opening,” close to signing a deal..” blah blah blah

If you’re going to open Bronx Pizza (and I’m from NYC so I was actually looking forward to this restaurant) either open it already, or take the sign down….

And Sam’s Corner either needs to keep regular hours or cede its lease. it should be investigated by health authorities for spoilage, etc. There is no way that food can be fresh in a shop like that that is never actually open.

SAM’S CORNER: WE DON’T WANT YOU ANYMORE, SO PLEASE GET LOST……
- nom de guerre
  
  I agree with your comment about Sam’s Corner but the owner owns all of the current real estate-Sam’s, O’Sullivan’s, LeoNora Bakery,etc.
  - karzai
    
    There’s an owner of those buildings, yes, but I believe I heard it is an elderly couple that leases the Sam’s Corner store and runs that business.
    
    I live in Clarendon and I am in a position to observe that Sam’s is never open, and therefore to avoid it. A visitor who is not from Clarendon would not know this, and might find a (rare) moment when Sam’s is open, and eat spoiled food and get sick. It is the County’s responsibility to protect its citizens and others.
    
    There is simply no way that anyone can convince me that the food at Sam’s can be trusted given the hours (or non-hours) they keep.
    - Hattie McDaniel
      
      The county cannot inspect them because they are never open.
      - karzai
        
        Exactly, that’s the impression all of us have. I have walked by it many many times – weekday, weekend, whatever – and never, not once, has it been open.
        
        Apparently, there are some friends of the Sam’s Corner operators on this blog who jump in and try to defend it every time one of us comments about this. They say it is open when they go there. But we know better – it is never open.
        
        The County needs to inspect this health hazard immediately and close this thing down. Before someone gets really really sick, or worse, by stumbling into it when it actually is open.
      - drax
        
        So you’re saying the county needs to close it down because it’s never open.
      - Speculation
        
        I get it that no one thinks Sam’s is “ever open”, but to blatantly assume there are health code issues is just ridiculous. …”that’s the impression all of us have”… and your impression is obviously fact…?
        
        I used to work across the street and though I agree, their hours aren’t enough to make this their obviously financial lifeline, but it’s not for them, they own the property it sits on and the store is just a small family business. I used to go in at lunch time and there were people with large orders for offices that had called ahead and swinging in to pick them up and in the span of 20 minutes there were easily 10 people picking up orders. They close when their grandkids have swim meets in the summer afternoons or when their family goes to the beach, and although this doesn’t make it the most convenient place, it also doesn’t make it sketchy or unclean. Who says they can’t buy food in small amounts to make for a lunch rush for one day? They don’t have to buy mass bulk food that would go bad and therefor be unhealthy.
        
        It’s of no higher quality than say a swimming pool snack bar, purchasing in smaller amounts and not huge wholesale items and only open for limited hours. Again, not super convenient, but don’t slander a business you know nothing about.
        
        Sidenote, they’re actually very nice people and they don’t care if you don’t like them. They could “retire” from Sam’s and be perfectly well off, they just like having a family business. Get over yourself.
      - PS – You’re rude
        
        “Apparently, there are some friends of the Sam’s Corner operators on this blog who jump in and try to defend it every time one of us comments about this. They say it is open when they go there. But we know better – it is never open.”
        
        You obviously show that you don’t “know” anything here, PS. I am not a friend of the store, but I know that I’ve seen it open, I’ve seen people get food, I’ve gotten food myself. It’s not great, but it’s not terrible. They little family sits inside and hangs out for the few lunch hours they’re open then go on with their lives. People only jump on you because you jump up to say you know things which you obviously don’t… not because they are friends with anyone who works there or owns it. Find out real facts before you slam others whom you know nothing about.
        
        My assumption is they wouldn’t want you in their store anyhow.
    - nom de guerre
      
      The elderly couple that you refer to are both the proprietors of Sam’s Corner and the owners of the property that occupies the whole block. And no, I am not a friend of theirs but I acknowledge their right to do what they please since they own the property. If you are so concerned about the safety of the food there may I suggest that you take your business somewhere else. And since it appears to you that Sam’s is never open you shouldn’t have much to worry about.
      - karzai
        
        Indeed, I do not patronize Sam’s Corner and will not do so. Yes, I agree that people have a right to do what they want in/on their property. However, if someone is operating a business that is open to the public, the community has a right to know that the business is being operated in accordance with certain accepted principles and a certain level of transparency.
    - ClarendonWorker
      
      I work right near Clarendon metro. Sam’s is open during lunch, i have been there. I wouldn’t say my sub was good (at all), but it was open.
      
      It was: awkward. No one else was in there, a lot of open space. I had a conversation with the guy behind the counter the whole time waiting for my cheesesteak being made by his girl in the back. I didnt necessarily want to keep talking to the guy but no one was in the store, it was so quiet and felt like i had to.
      
      havent been back…
- ChefJ
  
  Really? Does that “Bronx” pizza looks like a glamorous dump.
Arlington Native

Thanks, ArlNow for the update. I was wondering what was going on with Bronx Pizza. I had surmised that the owners ran out of money and couldn’t afford to open as planned.

Even though Arlington doesn’t NEED another pizza place, I am looking forward to the possibility of good NY-style pizza.
- John Fontain
  
  I’m guessing Bronx’s pizzas will be about as authentic as Hollywood Tan’s tans.
  - ChefJ
    
    Fontain FOR THE WIN!!!!!!!
  - drax
    
    Fontain is on a roll this week.
Arlypoo

I wish these owners the best, but… can Clarendon/Courthouse really support another pizza place?
BreakPause02

Speaking of announced places but never opened, when is Z-Burger opening? I think it was supposed to open last summer?
- Clarencourt Neighbor
  
  Someone posted about this in the “Forums” section earlier today, check it out. I think they’re saying 2015. They still have to raze the parcel and build it from scratch, I think.
xva

Sam’s is alway open when I go there. Always good fresh food.
Sam owner last 20 years. Same good food. They always catered our company parties.
- Mongo
  
  Mongo like candy!
  - FrenchyB
    
    Candygram for Mongo!
- karzai
  
  Really, when is that? It is never ever open when I’ve walked by and the impression the rest of us have is the same as mine.
- karzai
  
  When do you go there? Because none of the rest of us ever sees it open.
Dee Arl

It’ll make it for a while if they stay open for the peeps spilling out of the bars at 2am. Other than that, nothing beats Pete’s…to me anyway 😉
Mongo

A good jewish deli would crush in clarendon. Fact.

Also, a strip club would be all-rite by be, truth be told.
- Lee-n-Glebe
  
  I’d like to see something along the lines of a 2nd Avenue Deli, not so much a Carnegie Deli.
- Jewish
  
  You know what restaurants all around the D.C. area have failed time after time? Jewish ones. For some reason they can’t sustain business. So I think this Jewish Deli idea is terrible.
  - Jewish
    
    I should say Kosher restaurants have been huge failures rather than Jewish ones.
    - awh hells bells
      
      Oi vey!
  - ChefJ
    
    You’re right, JW. The Kosher restaurant went down in flames… IN BETHESDA no less! The downside to a “Jewish” deli is that they fail to embrace the pig! I sumbit to you exhibit A: The Italian Store. Mongo, a Jewish deli wouldn’t “crush” in Clarendon, it would fail in Clarendon. Italian Store “East” a tiny outpost and drop the pies to take out (too many ovens dedicated to too little dollars, just honest to God Italian goods, sandies, pasta, cheese and the vino to beat all. THAT would crush
  - drax
    
    You haven’t been to Montgomery County lately, have you?
- anonymous
  
  A Taylor Gourmet Deli, a Pot Belly or an Italian Store (east) as someone else pointed out would be great…
  
  To be honest any good deli with good cold (and hot sandwiches) would be great.
  
  also… Sup-Dawgs (hot dogs) would be good too….
Buggin’ Out

Hey, Sal, how come they ain’t no brothas on the wall?
MC

The URL for Bronx Pizza says “Caribbean Breeze.” Are they the ones behind this? I’d rather something Island-oriented in that space – New York pizza is junk for people who don’t know what pizza is.
- nom de guerre
  
  Yes. If you read the entire article the last sentence is-The Bronx Pizza restaurant concept is being developed by Mike Cordero, owner of Caribbean Breeze in Ballston.”
  - bred
    
    As I understand it, Mike Cordeo is from the NYC area.
CalabreseNYC

My family is from the Bronx, and there isn’t anything Bronx-like about that restaurant design. Maybe the pizza will be better?
Arlingtron

Just what we need … another pizza place. (A Google search found nine from Va. Square to Courthouse.) I suppose this dish has the highest profit margin.

How about a casual joint that serves up decent sandwiches and beer? And by “casual” I mean no starched tablecloths/napkins and sandwiches less than $8, entrees less than $16, and craft beer pints no more than $5. It would get my business more than once a week.
- JBalls
  
  Please submit your customer plan to local business organizations, and a restaurant will be set up to meet your needs accordingly.

Subscribe to our mailing list