Over the next 25 years, the D.C. area will need to invest more in housing and services tailored toward a rapidly graying population.
That is one of the takeaways from a presentation of job, population and household growth forecasts presented to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments today (Wednesday).
(Updated at 10:40 a.m.) A pedestrian was struck by a driver in front of Ballston Quarter mall this morning.
The victim, said to be a man in his 50s, could be seen lying motionless in the roadway while bystanders directed traffic around the crash scene, prior to the arrival of police and fire personnel. A fire department dispatch noted that the 911 call center received multiple calls about the crash, which happened around 10 a.m., directly in front of Ted’s Bulletin restaurant.
Plans to redevelop the Americana Hotel in Crystal City cleared their penultimate hurdle despite criticism that the project does not provide on-site affordable housing.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve plans from JBG Smith to redevelop the former motel at 1460 Richmond Hwy.
Stabbing in Virginia Square — “900 block of N. Pollard Street. At approximately 11:16 p.m. on April 10, police were dispatched to the report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim and suspect, who are known to each other, entered into a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical altercation during which the suspect allegedly struck the victim with a knife, causing a puncture wound. Medics treated and released the victim on scene.” [ACPD]
Limited Initial Impact from Missing Middle — “While a couple-hundred units per year isn’t something to sneeze at, especially cumulatively over time, neither would that level of production represent a tectonic shift in housing supply-demand dynamics. A single multifamily building easily could produce our estimated annual maximum possible under Arlington’s missing middle cap — albeit probably smaller units geared toward younger singles and couples rather than larger family households.” [Washington Business Journal]
(Updated at 9:20 p.m.) Roads have reopened around a bank in Clarendon after a reported robbery and possible hostage situation.
The Wells Fargo at 3140 Washington Blvd was robbed shortly after 3 p.m. and the suspect — reported to be a man in his 20s — was still in the bank when officers arrived. Police surrounded the bank and shut down traffic in the area.
The District of Columbia’s attorney general has responded to a scathing letter to D.C. officials sent by Virginia AG Jason Miyares (R).
Miyares suggested that the District is soft on crime, endangering Virginia residents who visit as well as neighboring jurisdictions like Arlington. The letter was sent as “a direct response to the tragic murder of Christy Bautista,” an Arlington woman stabbed to death in a D.C. hotel room, allegedly by a man with an extensive criminal history.
(Updated at 11:40 a.m.) No defendant under 18 years old has been tried as an adult in Arlington County since Parisa Dehghani-Tafti became Commonwealth’s Attorney in 2020.
For Arlington’s top prosecutor, this is an important reform. It keeps children in a system designed for guiding them, and holding them accountable while providing rehabilitative services.
County, Feds in Court Over Land — ” A trial underway in federal court will decide whether the U.S. government must pay up to $21 million to compensate a Virginia county for a parcel of land taken to expand Arlington National Cemetery… At issue is how much money, if any, the federal government must pay to Arlington County for the nine acres (3.6 hectares) of land it took from the county to accommodate the expansion.” [Associated Press]
TSA Stops Woman With Gun at DCA — “Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) prevented a Spotsylvania, Va., woman from bringing her loaded handgun onto her flight early this morning (April 10). The .380 caliber gun was loaded with five bullets.” [Press Release]
Someone in Arlington is apparently shooting rabbits with a blow dart.
Two rabbits, each with darts stuck in their bodies, were spotted by residents along the 700 and 800 blocks of N. Barton Street in Lyon Park earlier this month, according to the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. Animal control officers have been trying to capture the rabbits to provide medical treatment.
Two men are in police custody after a carjacking Friday night.
The carjacking was the tenth reported in Arlington so far this year, and the fifth in which a BMW was taken in the Crystal City and Pentagon City area.
Potomac Rail Bridge Price Going Up — “Virginia’s plan to double capacity for trains over the Potomac River is moving ahead amid inflation that has driven up the project’s cost and contributed to a $389 million budget shortfall, state transportation officials said. Construction of a new Long Bridge is projected to cost nearly $2.3 billion, up nearly $240 million from a year ago.” [Washington Post]
Arrest at Ritz Carlton — From Dave Statter: “@ArlingtonVaPD needing help to arrest a drunk & disorderly person is something often seen at the bars on Wilson Blvd (a bit too often). Not the norm for the Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City. But this was the scene around 1 a.m.” [Twitter]
Arlington County police are investigating yet another carjacking in the Crystal City area.
Initial reports suggest that a group of suspects, including one armed with a gun, carjacked a dark blue BMW X6 around 8:50 p.m. The victim reported the carjacking to employees at the CVS (2400 Richmond Highway) who then called police.
