Vernon Miles | ARLnow

Chick-fil-A Coming to Pentagon City

Published July 12, 2019 at 10:00AM

It appears a new Chick-fil-A is coming to Pentagon City, alongside a new Wiseguy Pizza location.

Both locations are ground floor restaurants in the Witmer, a new 26-story luxury apartment at the corner of 12th Street S. and S. Hayes Street, amid the Pentagon Centre shopping center. The Chick-fil-A is located at the top of the Pentagon City Metro station on the east side of S. Hayes Street next to the CVS.

News

Arlington Scales Up Community Energy Plan Ambitions Despite Feasibility Concerns

By Vernon Miles

Published July 11, 2019 at 3:30PM

Arlington County is working on plans to be “carbon neutral” by 2050.

The new goal comes is part of an ambitious update to the county’s current Community Energy Plan (CEP). It’s the result of community feedback that the earlier plan didn’t go far enough in addressing energy efficiency concerns, according to a staff report on the plan.

Around Town

‘The Freshman’ Launches Pop-Up in Crystal City Shops Ahead of Main Venue Opening

By Vernon Miles

Published July 11, 2019 at 1:30PM

Nick Freshman, owner of The Freshman, at the pop-up in Crystal City Shops

The Freshman is, both figuratively and literally, a little underground.

The restaurant comes from Nick Freshman, who’s also behind Spider Kelly’s in Clarendon. The Freshman is not planned to fully launch in its permanent home at 2011 Crystal Drive until 2020, but in the meantime the eatery has had a quiet “soft launch” across the street in Crystal City Shops.

Around Town

Nearly $34,000 Raised in One Day for Storm Damaged Westover Stores

By Vernon Miles

Published July 10, 2019 at 3:30PM | Updated July 10, 2019 at 5:48PM

Flooded basement at Ayers Variety & Hardware

(Updated at 3:45 p.m.) One day after a GoFundMe campaign launched to support Westover stores hit by Monday’s flooding, the fundraiser has passed its initial aim of $25,000 and has moved towards a new $100,000 goal.

Flash floods on Monday left stores on the north side of the 5800 block of Washington Blvd ankle-deep in water, with basements filled to the ceiling with water. Kristy Peterkin, a manager at Ayers Variety & Hardware, estimated the storm caused at least $100,000 in damages to the merchandise. Days after the storm, power still hasn’t been restored and most of the stores on the block remain closed.

News

The Goddard School Plans a Pair of Childcare Facilities on Lee Highway

By Vernon Miles

Published July 9, 2019 at 1:45PM

Building at 5328 Lee Highway proposed to be converted to a Goddard School location (photo via The Goddard School)

The Goddard School — a private early-childhood education franchise — is planning to open a pair of linked childcare facilities 350 yards apart on Lee Highway.

A decision on permits for the facilities at 5328 and 5222 Lee Highway are docketed for the County Board meeting this Saturday, July 13.

News

Crystal City BID Pushes to Expand to Pentagon City and Potomac Yard

By Vernon Miles

Published July 9, 2019 at 10:00AM

A map of the Crystal City BID's proposed expansion (via Arlington County)

Arlington County is considering a proposal to expand the boundaries of the Crystal City Business Improvement District to incorporate parts of Potomac Yard and Pentagon City, including Amazon’s permanent HQ2 campus.

At its meeting on Saturday, July 13, the County Board is expected to authorize an advertisement for a public hearing on Sept. 21 to discuss expansion of the BID’s coverage area to include 75 new commercial properties.

News

Storm Destroys Portion of Historic ‘Segregation Wall’ in Hall’s Hill

By Vernon Miles

Published July 8, 2019 at 4:30PM | Updated July 8, 2019 at 5:20PM

Wall between Waycroft-Woodlawn and former Halls Hill neighborhoods destroyed by flooding

The wall once divided the white Waycroft-Woodlawn subdivision from the black Hall’s Hill neighborhood was partially destroyed by this morning’s storm and flooding.

A section of brick wall, which was first constructed in the 1930s to close off the segregated neighborhood, collapsed amid fast-moving floodwaters.

News

Flooding and Power Outage Force Westover Stores to Close

By Vernon Miles

Published July 8, 2019 at 3:30PM | Updated July 9, 2019 at 11:07AM

Update at 11:05 a.m. — Most businesses along the north side of Washington Blvd in Westover are still closed following Monday’s flooding. Ayers hardware is open in a limited capacity.

UPDATE: Most businesses along the north side of Washington Blvd in Westover are still closed following Monday's flooding. Ayers hardware is open in a limited capacity. https://t.co/sutjwvqmNV pic.twitter.com/PhXIgFTBRs

Feature

Arlington Startup Develops Easy-to-Read Cybersecurity Scorecard

By Vernon Miles

Published July 8, 2019 at 12:45PM | Updated July 12, 2019 at 3:40PM

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. 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.

Fueled by a recent investment, Courthouse-based startup DivvyCloud unveiled a new suite of features to help identify potential cybersecurity weak spots at a glance

Around Town

Sloppy Mama’s Now Open on Lee Highway

By Vernon Miles

Published July 5, 2019 at 10:30AM

Sloppy Mama's co-owner Joe Neuman in front of the restaurant and food truck

Sloppy Mama’s Barbeque is now open at 5731 Lee Highway.

The location is the first full bricks-and-mortar restaurant for the popular D.C. food truck. The barbecue joint does have an outlet in the Ballston Quarter Market food hall, but co-owner Joe Neuman told ARLnow the Lee Highway restaurant handles much of the cooking for the Ballston Quarter location.

Feature

Inside the Heroic — and Notorious — History of Chain Bridge

By Vernon Miles

Published July 3, 2019 at 9:00AM

Today, Chain Bridge is a sleepy three-lane crossing between Virginia and D.C., but the bridge and its predecessors have played a prominent — if curious — role in the nation’s history.

“Most modern-day Arlington commuters who use Chain Bridge in their daily trek to and from the District would be astonished to learn how prominent the area at Pimmit Run at the Virginia end of the bridge was in the early days of our fledgling country,” Jim Fearson wrote in his “Chain Bridge: A History of the Bridge and Its Surrounding Territory from 1608-1991.”

Events

VDOT Plans Meeting Next Week About I-66 Widening Project

By Vernon Miles

Published July 2, 2019 at 9:00AM | Updated July 2, 2019 at 10:58AM

Deteriorating sound wall along I-66 (photo courtesy Del. Patrick Hope)

(Updated at 10:50 a.m.) A meeting is planned for Wednesday, July 10 in Arlington to provide an update on the I-66 widening project.

Work is underway to add a third travel lane to eastbound I-66 between the Dulles Connector Road and Fairfax Drive, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) website.