Ethan Rothstein | ARLnow

Making Government Smarter Fuels Rapid Growth for Clarendon Startup

Published May 4, 2015 at 12:30PM

Editor’s Note: Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

Now, he’s leading one of Arlington’s fastest growing companies, going from five employees just a few years ago to close to 100 by the end of 2015. Ishaq is the founder and CEO of ByteCubed, a government contractor and consulting business focused on ensuring the best decisions possible for its clients.

Around Town

The Italian Store in Westover to Open In Two Weeks

By Ethan Rothstein

Published May 4, 2015 at 11:20AM | Updated May 4, 2015 at 12:40PM

Despite a weekend where neighbors came by and were served free pizza, The Italian Store isn’t opening in Westover for another two weeks.

Owner Robert Tramonte said the two soft openings were meant as a “thank you” to the neighborhood– and a chance to break in the new pizza ovens — but the store, at 5837 Washington Blvd, is far from fully stocked. Many of the shelves are still bare, waiting for deliveries from Italy.

Events

Arlington Agenda (May 4-10)

By Ethan Rothstein

Published May 3, 2015 at 9:00AM

Arlington Agenda is a listing of interesting events for the week ahead in Arlington County. If you’d like to see your event featured, fill out the event submission form.

Also, be sure to check out our event calendar.

Around Town

100 Montaditos in Rosslyn Closes

By Ethan Rothstein

Published May 1, 2015 at 3:45PM

100 Montaditos in Rosslyn closes

Just over 13 months after opening with a mini-sandwich giveaway, 100 Montaditos in Rosslyn is now closed.

The Spanish-style restaurant at 1776 Wilson Blvd specialized in serving all different kinds of mini sandwiches, with a variety of ingredients like pulled park, Iberican ham, brie and chocolate. Its parent company declared bankruptcy back in March, which appears to have been the Rosslyn location’s death knell.

News

County: Rent in Arlington Dropped Five Percent in 2014

By Ethan Rothstein

Published May 1, 2015 at 1:55PM

Last year, the average rent in Arlington was $1,834 per month, according to the Dept. of Community Planning, Housing and Development.

That’s a dropoff from $1,934 in 2013 and $1,999 in 2012. It’s the cheapest average apartment rent since 2011, when the price was $1,768 per month, according to county records.

News

Housing Homeless Vets in the Shadow of the Pentagon

By Ethan Rothstein

Published May 1, 2015 at 12:15PM

For 20 years before that, Hill, who served in New Mexico, Italy and Nuremburg, Germany, was chronically homeless. He had lived on family’s couches and floors, and when he could no longer do that, he slept on the streets of D.C., in shelters in Alexandria and in 24-hour laundromats along Columbia Pike. There were nights he slept in Reagan National Airport, he said; anywhere with a roof and unlocked doors.

Last June, the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network, after working with Hill for months getting his finances and documentation in order, found Hill an apartment, secured housing subsidies and provided support to make sure he sustained himself there.

Feature

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By Ethan Rothstein

Published May 1, 2015 at 11:00AM

The real estate market isn’t cooling off anytime soon, and with the calendar turning to May, neither is the weather. Clear skies, full market inventory, can’t lose.

See our real estate section for a full listing of open houses. Here are a few highlights:

Events

Where to Watch the Fight and the Derby in Arlington

By Ethan Rothstein

Published May 1, 2015 at 10:10AM | Updated May 1, 2015 at 10:52AM

The 141st running of the Kentucky Derby will start around 6:30 p.m., and Circa at Clarendon (3010 Clarendon Blvd) is hosting Arlington’s watch party. Fancy hats are encouraged and mint juleps will be served for $7.

Welterweight champions Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao — long considered the two biggest names in boxing, but who have never fought before — will face off later that night (sometime around midnight, in all likelihood). The pay-per-view cost to view the fight is $99, which means bars in the area will ask viewers for cover charges to watch the most anticipated fight in years in their businesses.

News

Artisphere: Most Shows in Final Months Sold Out

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 30, 2015 at 5:00PM

According to Artisphere Director of Marketing and Communications Barry Halvorson, most of Artisphere’s shows this spring have sold out. But then, he said, that’s not altogether a new phenomenon for the almost-five-year-old arts center.

“Over the last three years or so, we have really been hitting our stride,” Halvorson said. “We’re on track to come ahead slightly of last year. We’ve been performing to an average of 75 percent capacity. That’s above industry average.”

News

ACPD to Conduct DUI Checkpoint Tomorrow

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 30, 2015 at 3:45PM | Updated April 30, 2015 at 4:31PM

File photo

ACPD will team with the Virginia State Police, Fairfax County police and the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office to conduct the checkpoint.

Wherever it is, every driver will have his or her license checked and will be asked to take sobriety tests if the officers suspect alcohol consumption.

Events

Arlington Chamber Holds ‘Shark Tank’ for Students

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 29, 2015 at 3:30PM | Updated April 29, 2015 at 4:08PM

Students and a mentor at the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (photo courtesy Arlington Chamber of Commerce)

(Updated at 4:00 p.m.) Some of Arlington’s most ambitious teenagers will go before a panel of judges, “Shark Tank”-style, to present business ideas they have cultivated for weeks.

The event is called the Young Entrepreneurs Academy Investor Panel, is May 7 at Marymount University’s Reinsch Library (2807 N. Glebe Road), from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. It’s hosted by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, which has taken a dozen students from ages 12 to 18 from Arlington schools and taught them the fundamentals of starting a business, every Wednesday evening since Jan. 7.

News

Iwo Jima Memorial to Receive a $5.3 Million Facelift

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 29, 2015 at 1:30PM

One of D.C.’s most prominent philanthropists has turned his eyes — and his wallet — to Rosslyn’s U.S Marine Corps War Memorial.

The Iwo Jima memorial is in line to receive a $5.37 million donation from David Rubenstein, who just last year gave $12.35 million to the Arlington House Robert E. Lee museum in Arlington National Cemetery. Rubenstein co-founded the private equity firm The Carlyle Group and has also used some of his billions of dollars to fund the Washington Monument’s post-earthquake repairs and enrich the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ endowment.