Preparations to demolish the shuttered Ballston Macy’s have begun as several hundred apartments and an as-yet-unnamed grocery store are expected in 2028.
Interior work began last month at 685 N. Glebe Road, where general contractor John Moriarty & Associates hopes to receive a demolition permit “any day now” and, if all goes as expected, complete demolition by August.
Any discussion of Jack Belcher won’t last long before the subject of girls softball crops up.
Belcher, who died Feb. 1 at age 77, was known to some as a longtime Arlington County government official, but to others as a passionate pioneer of youth sports, particularly softball, in the community.
Arlington’s small business community is strong and resilient. However, local businesses continue to face challenges from economic uncertainty, drops in consumer confidence, losses in access to capital, and disruptions from artificial intelligence. BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development, continues to rise to the challenge by supporting over 6,000 small businesses in Arlington with one-on-one counseling, innovative programming and robust marketing to encourage consumers to shop locally.
During a recent presentation to the Small Business Coordinating Council, BizLaunch Director Tara Palacios highlighted fiscal year 2026 results that underscore both the impact of Arlington’s business support programs and the pressures ahead.
BizLaunch provided technical assistance to entrepreneurs at a level 56% above its annual goal, reflecting sustained demand for one-on-one advising and business guidance. The division also served a diverse business community, including 52% women-owned businesses and 45% minority-owned enterprises. Nearly a quarter — 24% — of clients were in food and retail, industries that continue to face heightened economic pressure.
Major marketing and PR campaigns drove engagement across Arlington. Small Business Saturday, one of BizLaunch’s signature programs, prompted more than 4,141 transactions and $211,862 in consumer spending through the Open Rewards incentive, supported by a $10,625 investment of County funds. A coordinated marketing campaign with the BIDs and Partnerships further amplified the effort, generating more than 56,000 organic social media impressions, 44,000 video views and 1,619 engagements, along with nearly 2,000 paid ad clicks.
Support for business development through programming has also expanded. The BizLaunch Transformational Challenge and Pitchfest drew 40 participants for a five-week training program covering strategic planning, marketing, artificial intelligence and financial management. Participants developed pitch decks and presented to a panel of private lenders and business leaders. In all $25,000 was awarded to local businesses through the pitch event which came from private donations and contributions from the Industrial Development Authority. (more…)
The driver of a pickup truck involved in a fatal crash in Ballston last month is still hospitalized, local officials told ARLnow.
A criminal investigation into the incident, which killed a 32-year-old doctoral candidate and snarled traffic in Ballston for hours, is still underway, Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti told ARLnow.
Lyon Park residents, and those just passing through, can now learn a little more about the history of the community.
Three new historic markers celebrating the neighborhood were formally dedicated during a wintry event held Feb. 12.
Due to the extended period of extreme heat forecasted for the next several days in our area, the Civic Jam event originally scheduled for Friday, July 3, 2026, has been postponed to Friday, July 24, 2026.
Commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary of the United States of America at Civic Jam! Celebrate the City of Falls Church’s diverse community, civic engagement, and classic summer fun. Jam out to live, local music, sip on local brews, enjoy tasty treats and eats, and a full evening of festivities for all ages on Friday, July 3, 2026, from 6 to 10 p.m.
Kids Rob Business in Pentagon City — “Police said they were looking for a group of young people involved in a robbery that took place in Pentagon City on Saturday, the youngest of whom may have been five years old.” [DC News Now]
Guns Seized at DCA — “On Friday, TSA stopped a man from McGaheysville, Virginia, who was in possession of a 9mm handgun loaded with six bullets along with six additional accessible bullets in a gun magazine, according to reports. Then on Sunday, they stopped a New Hampshire man with a 9mm handgun along with an accessible gun magazine that was loaded with 15 bullets.” [Patch]
Arlington Bakery Expands — “Arlington-based French pastry shop Eclairons could be moving into the former Firehook Bakery location in Old Town.” [ALXnow]
Hope’s Governance Bill Moves Forward — The House of Delegates on Tuesday accepted a legislative amendment from the Virginia Senate, pushing back to 2026 final consideration of legislation by Del. Patrick Hope (D-1) to allow referendums on changes to Arlington’s form of government. The Senate added a “re-enactment clause” that would require the measure to pass again next year in order to become law. –Scott McCaffrey
Shirlington Storage Facility Bought — “Continuing its expansion in the Washington, D.C. market, SecureSpace Self Storage is pleased to announce its newest acquisition at 2710 South Nelson Street in Arlington, VA.” [Morningstar]
Loud Car Bill in Doubt — “An effort by Fairfax County officials to crack down on excessively loud vehicle exhaust systems is facing an uncertain future in Richmond, where state legislators recently voiced concerns about the possible costs.” [FFXnow]
Snow Threat Dwindles — “The D.C. area won’t experience a blockbuster snowstorm this week but could still get a little accumulating snow Wednesday and Thursday. The forecast is especially tricky because the region lies along the northern edge of a winter storm expected to pass well to the south.” [CWG]
It’s Wednesday — Expect snow after 1pm today, with cloudy skies and a high near 27. Northwest winds will reach 5 to 9 mph by afternoon. There’s a 60% chance of precipitation, accumulating less than half an inch of new snow. Tonight, there’s a slight chance of snow before 7pm and isolated snow showers after 4am, wth lows around 22. The chance of precipitation is 20%. [NWS]
Good Tuesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Feb 18, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect snow mainly between 1pm and 4pm today, with cloudy skies and a high near 27. Light northwest winds will reach 5 to 9 mph by afternoon. There’s a 60% chance of precipitation, accumulating less than half an inch of new snow. Tonight, a slight chance of snow before 7pm and isolated showers after 4am, lows around 22, and north winds at 3 to 7 mph. The chance of precipitation is 20%. See more from Weather.gov.
“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t — you’re right.”
– Henry Ford
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Mass resignations, layoffs and turmoil within the federal workforce present sweeping and potentially unprecedented challenges for Arlington’s economy, experts say.
As President Donald Trump’s plans to dramatically shrink the federal government have begun to take shape in recent weeks, so have projections for wide-ranging economic fallout throughout the D.C. area.
Two new on-site restaurants are planning to open at The Key, Rosslyn’s forthcoming Hilton hotel.
Signage for Locket, a restaurant with “fine American cuisine,” and Scott’s Coffee Shop & Mart have appeared at 1900 Fort Myer Drive. Both plan to open alongside the hotel this fall, a representative for Dittmar Company, the building’s property manager, told ARLnow.
Firefighters from Arlington and other local departments are on scene of a fire in Falls Church.
A one-story building is on fire at the Falls Green apartment complex at 501 Roosevelt Blvd, just north of the Eden Center shopping center.
