Dan Egitto | ARLnow

Columbia Pike development plans fall through at beleaguered Fillmore Gardens Shopping Center

Published May 14, 2024 at 10:30AM

An abandoned storefront at the Fillmore Gardens Shopping Center (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Plans to redevelop a Columbia Pike retail strip as a 247-unit apartment building have fallen through.

Following a year and a half of delays and recent issues with vermin and vandalism, the would-be developer has filed to abandon former ambitions and return the Fillmore Gardens Shopping Center to its former status as a strip mall.

News

‘The Wendy’ apartment building expected to open this fall on former Wendy’s restaurant site

By Dan Egitto

Published May 13, 2024 at 11:45AM

The Wendy apartment building at 2025 Clarendon Blvd (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A forthcoming apartment building at the former site of a Wendy’s in Courthouse is named — wait for it — The Wendy.

The 231-unit building, which broke ground in late 2022, is expected to open this fall, according to signage.

News

School Board votes for Arlington Career Center contract with no prevailing wage agreement

By Dan Egitto

Published May 10, 2024 at 3:55PM

Design of the Grace Hopper Center, now under construction (via Arlington County)

The Arlington School Board has approved construction of a new Arlington Career Center building without a guarantee of paying workers a prevailing wage.

Seeking to avoid rebidding the project and causing at least a year of delays, Board members voted 4-0 last night (Thursday) to finalize a $132 million contract that has drawn criticism from Arlington state representatives, labor groups and the local NAACP chapter.

News

Large outdoor screens at Arlington retail centers get thumbs up from Planning Commission

By Dan Egitto

Published May 10, 2024 at 11:45AM

The plaza at Ballston Quarter in 2022 (courtesy of Chris Chern)

Arlington retail centers may soon be able to play movies and commercial messaging on large outdoor screens.

A proposed zoning ordinance change, unanimously recommended by Arlington’s Planning Commission on Wednesday, would affect six commercial areas in Pentagon City, Clarendon, Ballston and Shirlington. It’s part of an effort to encourage “gathering and socializing” and allow for “interesting and authentic entertainment and experiences” in Arlington’s retail centers, per a county report.

Events

Columbia Pike summer film fest lineup announced

By Dan Egitto

Published May 10, 2024 at 10:45AM

Columbia Pike Movie Nights is back at Penrose Square and Arlington Mill (photo courtesy of Columbia Pike Partnership)

The Columbia Pike Movie Nights lineup for this summer has been announced.

This year’s films, screened outdoors on Friday and Saturday nights, include old-school classics like Dirty Dancing and Top Gun as well as more recent releases such as Barbie, The Color Purple and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

News

Missing Middle, visions of growth in Arlington debated at County Board candidate forum

By Dan Egitto

Published May 9, 2024 at 3:35PM

A Committee of 100 candidate forum (via Arlington Committee of 100/Facebook)

Competing visions of housing and development in Arlington underpinned a County Board candidate forum Wednesday night.

In particular focus at the Arlington Committee of 100 event were divided stances on Missing Middle. Supporting the rezoning policy, which the Board unanimously approved last year, are Democrats Tenley Peterson and JD Spain.

Around Town

WWII props built in Arlington backyard showcased at home of French ambassador

By Dan Egitto

Published May 9, 2024 at 9:45AM

A model military hedgehog outside the French ambassador's residence (courtesy of David Ostrander)

Model WWII props built in an Arlington veteran’s backyard were featured at a VIP event Wednesday at the French ambassador’s residence.

Former Army officer David Ostrander constructed a set of hedgehog anti-tank obstacles, as well as a portion of a World War II era landing craft, to go along with several surplus Army jeeps at two French fêtes. Yesterday’s event took place on Victory in Europe Day, while the second is scheduled to happen at the French embassy on June 6, the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

News

Court overturns Pentagon City plan, raising questions about proposed RiverHouse development

By Dan Egitto

Published May 8, 2024 at 3:55PM | Updated May 8, 2024 at 4:20PM

The existing RiverHouse apartments at 1111 Army Navy Drive (staff photo)

Arlington’s Pentagon City Sector Plan has been overturned by a state court.

Reversing a trial court’s decision, the Virginia Court of Appeals ruled yesterday (Tuesday) that the Arlington County Board failed to provide sufficient public notice before adopting a vision for the next 30-plus years of growth in Pentagon City.

Around Town

New Japanese restaurant offering ‘fine dining sushi’ now open in Ballston

By Dan Egitto

Published May 8, 2024 at 1:30PM

Kanji Izakaya (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

A new Japanese restaurant with an extensive sushi menu has officially opened its doors in Ballston.

Kanji Izakaya held a soft opening at 4301 Fairfax Drive last month and is in the process of building out its seating and offerings, manager Ting Chen told ARLnow.

News

Google’s $1 billion data center investment could be good news for tech in Arlington

By Dan Egitto

Published May 8, 2024 at 11:30AM

Amazon HQ2 in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

As Google plans to funnel $1 billion into Northern Virginia data centers, places such as Arlington may have renewed opportunities to attract tech investment.

Although the data center expansions announced last week are based in Loudoun County and Prince William County, they impact the entire area, said Terry Clower, director of George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis.

Events

Summer concert series returns to Lubber Run next month

By Dan Egitto

Published May 7, 2024 at 2:30PM

Musical performance from Signature Theatre at Lubber Run Amphitheater in 2018 (via Arlington Cultural Affairs)

Lubber Run Park’s summer concert series is returning next month with a packed lineup of performances.

Spanning musical genres from jazz and funk to classical and “chamber tango,” the free shows kick off June 8 and continue every weekend through Aug. 2. Friday and Saturday performances start at 8 p.m. and most Sunday shows are at 11 a.m.

News

Labor protections are worth a year of Career Center construction delays, unions and lawmakers say

By Dan Egitto

Published May 7, 2024 at 11:30AM | Updated May 7, 2024 at 11:50AM

NoVA Labor Federation President Virginia Diamond at a Monday press conference (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Arlington unions and state representatives are doubling down on calls for more labor protections in the construction of the new Arlington Career Center.

A $132 million construction contract is up for consideration at an Arlington School Board meeting on Thursday. At least a year of delays would likely result if the School Board seeks a prevailing wage agreement for the project, guaranteeing that workers get paid wages comparable to market rates, Arlington Public Schools staff said at a meeting last month.