Alex Koma | ARLnow

Plans for New Apartments Along Washington Blvd in Virginia Square Take Shape

Published January 22, 2019 at 9:55AM

Rendering of an approved development on N. Kirkwood Road in Virginia Square (via Arlington County)

Plans to redevelop several small businesses in Virginia Square into a new apartment complex are coming into focus, in a section of the neighborhood long targeted by the county for a bit of revitalization.

A developer is firming up plans to build a seven-story apartment building on a 1.7-acre property at 1122 N. Kirkwood Road, near the road’s intersection with Washington Blvd. Documents submitted to county planners late last month show that Eleventh Street Development is angling to add 255 one- and two-bedroom apartments to the site, complete with two floors of underground parking totaling 190 spaces in all.

News

UPDATED: Firefighters Called to Scene of Smoke-Filled Old Glebe Home

By Alex Koma

Published January 22, 2019 at 9:15AM | Updated January 22, 2019 at 10:51AM

(Updated at 10:45 a.m.) Firefighters were called to a home in the Old Glebe neighborhood this morning (Tuesday) for reports of a fire, only to discover faulty equipment was simply filling the home with smoke.

First responders were called to the 4500 block of N. Dittmar Road around 9 a.m. today. Fire department spokesman Ben O’Bryant said they then discovered a “haze of smoke” in the home.

Opinion

ARLnow Holiday Weekend Discussion

By Alex Koma

Published January 18, 2019 at 6:00PM

There’s another storm on the way this weekend — but it’s not shaping up to be anything like last weekend’s blizzard.

Forecasters are calling for another small batch of rain and perhaps even some snow to roll through tomorrow (Saturday), but it shouldn’t be anything too disruptive.

News

Arlington Transit Struggles With More Real-Time Bus Tracking Glitches

By Alex Koma

Published January 18, 2019 at 3:45PM

Arlington Transit’s real-time bus tracking service has been plagued by more technical difficulties this week, and county officials say they’re still unsure when they’ll find a permanent fix.

ART notified riders Wednesday morning (Jan. 16) that it was experiencing “intermittent problems” with the service, which is designed to let riders know how long they need to wait for another bus to arrive.

Events

Centennial Celebration for Fire Station 8 Scheduled in Ballston Next Weekend

By Alex Koma

Published January 18, 2019 at 2:45PM

Fire Station 8

Fire Station 8 on Lee Highway just passed its 100th birthday, and now a celebration of the station’s legacy is on the way in Ballston.

The John M. Langston Citizens Association is convening a “centennial celebration” next Saturday (Jan. 26) at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association building (4301 Wilson Blvd).

News

In Arlington Visit, Warner Cautions That Shutdown’s Impacts Will Soon Get ‘Exponentially Worse’

By Alex Koma

Published January 18, 2019 at 1:45PM

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) discusses the shutdown's impact at the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).

For all of the problems caused by the government shutdown across the D.C. region so far, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) fears things could get “exponentially worse” as soon as next week if federal employees are still going without paychecks.

Warner, like the rest of his Democratic colleagues in Congress, already sees the standoff over border wall funding engineered by President Trump as “outrageous” and a “disgrace.” Thousands of federal workers in the D.C. area alone missed their first paychecks of the shutdown last week, putting a severe strain on their finances and the whole region’s economy.

Events

Big Crowds Expected for Wreath Removal at Arlington National Cemetery Tomorrow

By Alex Koma

Published January 18, 2019 at 11:45AM

Volunteers remove wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery as part of the annual "Wreathes Out" event (Flickr photo via ANC)

Arlington National Cemetery is preparing to welcome thousands of volunteers tomorrow (Saturday) for its annual wreath removal event, and officials are urging participants to prepare for the big crowds.

Starting at 8 a.m., cemetery officials are expecting “traffic congestion and delays on nearby streets and at the cemetery’s entrances” for the “Wreaths Out” event, according to a news release.

Around Town

New Vietnamese Restaurant in Rosslyn Opens Its Doors

By Alex Koma

Published January 18, 2019 at 10:45AM

Saigon Noodles and Grill in Rosslyn (via @RosslynVA)

A new Vietnamese restaurant is now open in Rosslyn.

Saigon Noodles and Grill, located at 1800 Wilson Blvd, has posted banners proclaiming the eatery’s “grand opening.”

News

County Leaders Don’t Expect to See Seattle’s Problems with Amazon Spring Up in Arlington

By Alex Koma

Published January 17, 2019 at 5:00PM | Updated January 17, 2019 at 8:24PM

County officials holding a panel discussion on Amazon (via Facebook)

(Updated at 8:25 p.m.) When many Arlingtonians take a look at the sort of impact Amazon has had on Seattle since setting up shop in the city, they can’t help but feel nervous about how the tech giant might transform the county when it arrives.

The city has seen everything from skyrocketing housing prices to nightmarish traffic congestion stemming from Amazon’s rapid growth into one of the largest companies in the world, and leaders there have felt compelled to take new steps to bridge the growing inequality between the city’s tech workers and the rest of its residents.

News

NoVa Congressional Delegation Pushes for Funding for Major GW Parkway Rehab Work

By Alex Koma

Published January 17, 2019 at 4:15PM

GW Parkway rehabilitation project (via National Park Service)

Federal officials think they have a good shot at winning $126 million in grant funds to make a series of badly needed repairs on a long section of the GW Parkway, and Northern Virginia’s congressional delegation is throwing its weight behind the effort.

The National Park Service, which maintains the road, is currently applying for a hefty U.S. Department of Transportation grant to fund rehabilitation work on a roughly eight-mile-long stretch of the parkway, as it runs between the Spout Run Parkway in Rosslyn and I-495. Now, both of Virginia’s senators and three local members of Congress are lending their support to the funding push, in a bid to finally afford some changes on the aging roadway.

News

New Bill Could Change Arlington’s Powers to Ticket Parked Cars, But Backers See Other Purpose

By Alex Koma

Published January 17, 2019 at 1:45PM | Updated January 18, 2019 at 12:48PM

(Updated Friday at 12:45 p.m.) New legislation working its way through the General Assembly could soon let Arlington, and other large Northern Virginia localities, start hiring private contractors to ticket parked cars for minor violations like expired license plates — but the lawmakers backing the bill say they introduced it for a slightly different purpose.

Currently, only county police can hand out such violations. But identical bills just introduced down in Richmond by state Sen. Dick Black (R-13th District) and Del. Karrie Delaney (D-67th District) could allow private parking enforcement staffers in large counties like Arlington to hand out those tickets too — if the localities opt in for the change.

News

Market Common Clarendon Redevelopment Kicks Off, With New ‘Luxury Fitness Club’ On the Way

By Alex Koma

Published January 17, 2019 at 12:45PM

A rendering of the Market Common plans, with a view from Clarendon Blvd at N. Edgewood Street (via county staff report)

Work is now set to kick off on a major redevelopment project in Clarendon, with a “luxury fitness club” set to become the first tenant to move into the new, Whole Foods-adjacent building.

The developers controlling the Market Common Clarendon properties, located along the 2700 and 2800 blocks of Clarendon Blvd, announced yesterday (Wednesday) that they’re ready to start construction on an at-times controversial project transforming the old Clarendon Education Center into new office and retail space.