An apartment redevelopment proposed for a strip mall on Columbia Pike is stalled for the foreseeable future after the anchor tenant — a grocery store — fell through.
But some of the existing tenants, including the restaurant Atilla’s, have already moved out. And now, the Fillmore Gardens shopping center on the 2600 block of the Pike, which includes a still-operating CVS, is attracting graffiti artists and other signs of blight, according to neighbors.
(Updated at 7 p.m.) A new apartment building may be coming to a southern portion of Crystal City, and changing some infrastructure in the process.
Developer JBG Smith announced today a plan for a 370-unit apartment building on “Block W” in Crystal City. The site is bounded by Crystal Drive, a National Airport access road, and railroad tracks, and is currently home to a gravel parking lot, an off-ramp from the access road and a small, JBG-owned workout park.
EcoAction Arlington just got a $60,000 boost from the Arlington branch of the NAACP and the Mormon church in its efforts to plant trees in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Last year, the environmental advocacy group announced its plan to plant trees in 10 neighborhoods where the canopy is thinner than elsewhere — areas generally less wealthy and more diverse than Arlington’s leafier enclaves. The 2022 announcement coincided with a $50,000 donation from Amazon.
It’s time to bid farewell to The Americana Hotel in Crystal City.
The long-time budget hotel along Richmond Highway is being demolished to make way for residential redevelopment across the street from Amazon’s nearly-open second headquarters and a short distance from the Crystal City Metro station.
Pentagon Explosion Hoax — “A purportedly AI-generated photo of a fake explosion at the Pentagon spread rapidly on social media on Monday – prompting mass confusion among users and a brief selloff in the US stock market. The fake photo, which showed smoke billowing outside the Pentagon, was shared by Russian state media outlet and other accounts alongside claims that an explosion has occurred at the complex. ” [Twitter, New York Post, Vice]
County Comms Questioned — “Despite community concerns that the Arlington government leadership – elected and appointed – is increasingly disconnected from the community it theoretically serves, those very leaders contend there have been marked improvements in the breadth and depth of communication with residents in recent years. ‘We have spent a lot of time coming up with ways . . . [of] expanding our tools,’ County Manager Mark Schwartz said in a May 16 briefing of County Board members.” [Gazette Leader]
Local and state officials gathered today to celebrate the grand opening of a place where people can go if they are experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
The newly renovated Crisis Intervention Center (CIC) provides behavioral healthcare services in a community-based setting to individuals experiencing a psychiatric crisis. The location at 2120 Washington Blvd is open 24/7, 365 days per year, to people of all ages.
Thieves damaged 25 vehicles in several North Arlington neighborhoods over the past few days.
That’s according to Monday’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.
Goodwill of Greater Washington and AHC Inc. are teaming up to build affordable housing above a new second-hand store and donation center on S. Glebe Road.
DC Urban Turf first reported the news.
We’re getting our first official look into the mostly completed first phase of Amazon’s HQ2 in Pentagon City.
Amazon shared photos this morning from inside the two-building, 2.1 million square foot office complex, located along S. Eads Street between 12th and 15th streets.
Educating Students About Drug Dangers — “All Arlington public schools teach students how to protect themselves from drug use beginning in the fourth grade. Sexton said they teach elementary students how to read a medication label, how to recognize a medication has expired and how to say no when strangers or even other children offer candy or pills. For middle school students and older, they focus on harm reduction for opioids and particularly fentanyl.” [Virginia Mercury, Medill News Service]
Ebbin Discusses Budget Battle — “Ebbin said Democrats wanted to provide more money for education and mental health, and might be able to cut a deal with Republicans. The GOP in return could demand tax cuts. With state finances in good shape, there is no pressing need to tackle the issue. Should there be no further agreement beyond the ‘skinny budget’ amendments adopted earlier this year, the accumulating surplus funds will simply sit in the government’s bank accounts.” [Gazette Leader]
Six months ago, the Arlington County Board adopted ranked-choice voting for the upcoming Democratic primary.
Since then, the Arlington elections office has been busy educating anyone who asks on the method, which only applies to candidates for County Board.
A sliver of an apartment building is being proposed for Crystal City along Route 1.
Developer Dweck Properties proposes to construct a new, 412,975-square-foot building with 403 residential units and additional mixed-use space near the existing Crystal Plaza Apartments (2111 Richmond Hwy), according to an application filed with Arlington County on May 3.
