Dashcam video of house explosion (via Arlington County/YouTube)
An Arlington man likely caused the explosion that killed him and leveled his house during a standoff with police in December, authorities have concluded.
James Yoo, 56, appears to have poured gasoline throughout the basement where the blast — which engulfed the house in a fireball, hurled debris for three blocks and could be heard and felt for miles around — originated. Investigators concluded that Yoo himself likely sparked the blast by striking an ignition source such as a match, lighter, flare or gun.
Welcome to Kami’s Korner where we’ll take a deep dive into Arlington’s condominium market by focusing on what’s coming next. From emerging developments to shifting trends, this space will spotlight the opportunities and insights shaping the future of condo living in Arlington.
I had the pleasure of attending the local Urban Land Institute’s Building Healthy Places Summit this week at Georgetown University. Our region benefits greatly because the ULI Global Headquarters is here in DC. More info about this fantastic organization here: https://washington.uli.org .As a longtime member of ULI, I am continuously curious about the places that “thrive beyond the 9-5” and what is required to create active and economically vibrant neighborhoods in Arlington.
This includes a strong employment base, growing residential population, restaurants, entertainment, walkability, reliable transportation, mixed use development, safety, parks, and services that support daily life. In Arlington, we have a few of these exciting environments such as Clarendon and Shirlington, maybe Ballston, Columbia Pike, and Crystal City.
There is a new high-end condominium district emerging in Rosslyn centered on Gateway Park which will transform Rosslyn into more of an 18-hour city. As much as we like Rosslyn, it’s not there yet, but with three new communities coming, it’s the area that will see the heaviest influx of new condos in the next cycle. Residents are looking for an experience in their neighborhood.
Rosslyn is at an inflection point and with early renewed economic confidence, a micro-district surrounding Gateway Park is emerging. The condominium market has suffered a one-two punch and has yet to return to normal. The real estate development world was hit with COVID and brought the market to a standstill. I fondly call the current time period the “COVID hangover.” Let me explain.
It takes years to bring a new condominium to market including at least 1-2 years of entitlement and financing, 1 year of design, and 2 years of construction. If you count back 5-6 years, no one local was doing any of that with any real enthusiasm. Commercial markets then got hit with interest rates that roughly doubled, and then federal downsizing upset the situation.
Arlington is well poised for the return of luxury condos. It’s the second most educated city (behind Cambridge, Mass.) in America with 77% possessing college degrees. All the capital wealth makes 22207 the 36th most expensive zip code in the US with a median home price of $2.6M. Virginia is in the top 10 of US states for millionaires (roughly 275,000 or 8% of the residents). What do these people expect in the urban environment?
The next 3 luxury condo projects will all be overlooking Gateway Park, the new social epicenter of Rosslyn. To understand the effect this has today, just go visit Columbus Circle or Meridian Hill in DC. The parks are beautiful and safe again. Residents are visiting, smiling, taking pictures, enjoying the weather, lingering for longer, spending money, socializing, and proud to be there.
I, for one, can’t wait to witness the transformation. It will be a few years in the making and I’m here for it. Gateway Park is the connector for the next luxury condo district coming to Rosslyn in Arlington and it should produce an area that will “thrive beyond the 9-5.”
Do send along your questions, inquiries, and design preferences for the next generation of condominiums to our market. My personal email is: [email protected]
Water main break on S. Walter Reed Drive (photo courtesy Matthew Young)
A busy road is closed, multiple schools have closed, and a boil water advisory is in effect after a large water main break.
The break happened in a 16-inch water main early Friday morning — before 6 a.m. — near the intersection of S. Walter Reed Drive and S. Randolph Street, sending a large amount of water down the hill to S. Four Mile Run Drive.
Towering clouds yesterday, as seen from Arlington (courtesy Gale Harris)
House Explosion Update Today — “Arlington County, along with federal law enforcement partners, will provide an update on the investigative findings into the December 4, 2023 home explosion on N. Burlington Street. The press conference will be streamed live on Arlington County Government’s YouTube channel.” [Arlington County]
APS Budget Discussion — From former School Board member Barbara Kanninen: “Flashy headline from our friends at the Gazette Leader — APS on road to a $1B budget! Increasing by 26% over next 10 years! Another way of putting it: APS budget anticipated to increase by exactly the Fed’s estimated 10-year inflation rate.” [Twitter, Gazette Leader]
Local Happy Hours — “Sometimes there’s nothing like capping the end of a long workday—or just a day—with a cold drink and a warm bite to eat. Whether you’re on the hunt for $4 brisket dumplings or wallet-friendly cocktails on the patio, here are some great places to visit for boozy bargains and late afternoon snack specials.” [Arlington Magazine]
Hot Car Reminder — From the Animal Welfare League of Arlington: “Summer has arrived here in Arlington, so we need to remind our community about the dangers of leaving pets in cars. DO NOT leave your pets in the car when the temperature is over 65 degrees outside. If you see a pet in a car on a hot day, please call AWLA at (703) 931-9241.” [Twitter]
Cybersecurity Clinic at GMU Law — ” The National Security Institute’s Cyber and Tech Center (CTC) at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School and Howard University School of Business (HUSB) have been selected to receive $1 million in support from Google’s Cybersecurity Clinics Fund to establish the NSI CTC – HUSB Cybersecurity Clinic.” [Press Release]
Gun Buyback This Weekend — “Local residents will be able to receive upwards of $250 in gift cards as part of a gun buyback this weekend. The drive-thru event, held at Arlington Assembly of God church at 4501 N. Pershing Drive in Buckingham, will run from 8 a.m. until noon on Saturday, June 8.” [ARLnow]
It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny conditions with a high near 83 and west winds between 5 to 10 mph. For Friday night, it will be mostly clear with a low around 60 and west winds at 6 to 9 mph. [NWS]
St. Agnes Catholic Church in Arlington is hosting its monthly run & walk social on June 18th (Thursday) at 6:30pm. The 3 or 4 mile run (or walk) will start in the back parking lot (off N. Stafford St.) and end at St. Agnes. Participants can enjoy complimentary pizza afterwards. Drinks are BYOB. Extra points if you wear Catholic school swag. Thank you Father Oetjen, who started off our May run from Court House to/from the Marine Corps War Memorial with a prayer (and ran a competitive pace). Also, thank you to the Notre Dame and Georgetown alumni who wore their schools’ colors!
Please RSVP at the link, so we know how much pizza to get. Thank you!
Expect mostly sunny conditions with a high near 83 and west winds between 5 to 10 mph. For Friday night, it will be mostly clear with a low around 60 and west winds at 6 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
Suspected hit-and-run vehicle, taken from a resident's security camera in the Maywood neighborhood (courtesy anonymous)
A food delivery driver has been arrested and charged with a pair of felonies after a serious hit-and-run pedestrian crash last month.
Police say 33-year-old Ronnell Blakeney was arrested Wednesday and is now in jail, facing charges of Aggravated Malicious Wounding and Felony Hit and Run. They say that Blakeney struck the victim with his car during a dispute over Blakeney allegedly driving too fast in the neighborhood.
Though media reports are buzzing with tales of an invasive, parachuting arachnid with four-inch legs, the Joro spider doesn’t appear to have landed yet in Arlington.
The bug, a native of East Asia introduced to Georgia in the 2010s, hasgeneratedheadlines across the Eastern seaboard this week. Though of minimal threat to humans, the creature’s size and its spiderlings’ habit of gliding for miles on strands of web have raised cries of disgust and alarm.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch map for 6/6/24 (via NWS)
Arlington County and most of the D.C. area is now under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch.
Arlington is at a lower risk of severe storms than points to the south and east, according to the National Weather Service, but is nonetheless included in the watch, along with D.C. and neighboring Virginia counties.
Mason Square Plaza after revamping (Staff photo by Savannah Taffe)
It will be a busy summer at George Mason University’s Virginia Square campus.
Joining the slate of events held at The Plaza at Mason Square — located at 3351 Fairfax Drive — this year is an outdoor music series, as well as a reading series and weekly tai chi.
