An Arlington elementary school celebrated a major upgrade to its basketball court this week thanks to a local dad and some pro sports teams.
Mascots from the Washington Wizards and Mystics joined a crowd of third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students on Monday to mark the installation of four new basketball hoops at Barcroft Elementary School. The hoops, courtesy of the Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation, replaced deteriorating equipment that dated back to the 1960s.
The former Pamplona space in Clarendon is vacant no longer.
Hyde Social will bring a low-frills local hangout to 3100 Clarendon Blvd, ownership tells ARLnow, with both indoor and outdoor seating.
Is your home starting to feel a little too cozy?
Summer is often the time when many Arlington homeowners start to notice their homes feeling cramped, whether you have school-aged kids still at home, your college student has moved back in for the summer, or you’re preparing to welcome aging parents for an extended stay.
While it’s too late to complete a major renovation this summer, it’s the perfect time to start planning so you can live more comfortably next year. Your Arlington lot may be small, and Arlington zoning ordinances are notoriously tricky to navigate, but your property likely has untapped potential. You can maximize your lot through a side or rear addition, popping the top, adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or outdoor living space, and/or finishing an underutilized basement.
With thoughtful planning, you can create the space your family needs while staying in the community you love, even on a small lot.
Before jumping into any addition or major renovation, it’s important to understand what your property can support and how your family’s needs may evolve over time.
One of the first steps is reviewing your plat (survey) to understand your buildable area, as one of the unique home-construction challenges in Arlington is that a majority of homes were built before current setback requirements were enacted, which impacts the scope of many construction projects. Setback requirements refer to the distance by which a home must be “set back” from the front, side, and rear property lines.
A word of caution: If your builder isn’t deeply familiar with Arlington’s setback rules and the available legal workarounds, your project can be derailed before it even starts.
As part of the strategic planning process, make sure you evaluate your long-term goals and create a master plan that accounts for all the spaces you intend to renovate. For example, renovating a basement without considering future plumbing, electrical, or HVAC needs can lead to unnecessary rework later.
And if you are undertaking a significant addition project, we generally recommend including a basement foundation, as it is not feasible to add one after initial construction is complete. Even if you choose to finish the basement later, it remains a more cost-effective way to add square footage than other areas of the house.
A thoughtful, whole-home approach helps create a smoother renovation process and a home that continues to meet your needs over time. Additionally, consider if you plan to live in your home late in your life – something we call aging in place. If so, knowing that is your long-term goal will influence your renovation project.
For many Arlington homeowners, a rear or side addition is the most straightforward way to gain usable square footage, as long as their plat allows for it. By adding square footage to your home, you can make space for a larger kitchen and family room, add a mudroom as your dedicated “drop zone” for all your kids’ sports equipment, and even add a main-level guest suite. Rear and side additions can be single or multi-story, even if you don’t pop the top on the existing structure.
One key consideration for a home addition in Arlington County, however, is understanding how the Department of Environmental Services calculates whether you are over or under 2,500 square feet of disturbed area. If your project clears, digs up, or grades more than 2,500 square feet of land, per their definition, you’ll be required to pay for extra county permits, civil engineering plans, and potentially expensive drainage systems to handle rainwater runoff.
When your lot coverage is limited by setback requirements, the only way to go is up!
We recently transformed an outdated 1,300-square-foot rental property in Highview Park into a spacious, modern home for a young family. Adhering to zoning guidelines required preserving the existing foundation, so we took the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home down to its foundation, expanded it slightly on the left side, and built up! The result is an essentially brand-new four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath custom home that boasts 2,916 square feet across three floors.
Arlington County saw a rise in total crime from 2022 to 2023, including a nearly 20% increase in drug-related crimes, according to the police department’s new annual report.
The county tallied 474 instances of the production, distribution or use of illegal narcotics in 2023, up from the 2022 total of 396. Those were the “primary driver” in an increased rate of “crimes against society,” according to the report.
School’s out and summer’s the perfect time to try something new. Youth Beginning Fencing (ages 7–12) at Nova Fencing and Archery Club builds focus, coordination, and confidence. Twice a week for 4 weeks, gear included. New session starts June 22 — reserve your child’s spot today!
A new marker commemorating Black troops who fought in the Civil War has been installed at Fort Ethan Allen Park.
An official unveiling for the new sign at 3829 N. Stafford Street is scheduled for Thursday, June 20 — the day after Juneteenth. The marker commemorates the 107th United States Colored Troops, which ran drills and manned the ramparts at Fort Ethan Allen and other Arlington forts starting in October 1865, guarding D.C. following the end of the war.
A 45-minute mat-based class programmed to the beat of the music. Heavy weights, resistance bands, and stability training. Every Monday night — max 22 spots.
Remembering Frank O’Leary — “[Frank] O’Leary, who served as treasurer for 30-plus years before retiring in the summer of 2014, died June 7 after battling leukemia for the preceding six months. He was 80. O’Leary was ‘a great Arlingtonian, one of those remarkable people who have helped make Arlington the thriving community that it is today,’ County Board Chairman Libby Garvey said as news of his death began to circulate.” [Gazette Leader]
Board Member Shows Gun Haul — From County Board member Takis Karantonis: “With Letty Hardi – Mayor of the City of #FallsChurch – while visiting the location of the 1stgun-buyback event – last Saturday. Sobering how many and what kind of firearms were collected. Can’t be more thankful to @MomsDemand @parisa4justice @ArlingtonVAPD” [Twitter]
School Board Candidate Makes It Official — “An educator who is wrapping up a career in the Arlington school system has filed the paperwork necessary to run for School Board. Paul Weiss, who has spent the last 22 years teaching at H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program and 36 years in education overall, joins a field that for now includes Democratic endorsees Zuraya Tapia-Hadley and Kathleen Clark and independent James ‘Vell’ Rives.” [Gazette Leader]
Candidates Talk Art — “It may not come as a complete surprise, but the five candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for County Board recently came out in favor of the arts. At a forum sponsored by an arts-advocacy organization, no less.” [Gazette Leader]
I-395 Crash Caught on Camera — From Dave Statter: “This was a crash that happened Sunday morning on I-395N at Exit 10C. If you don’t know before seeing the video exactly how this crash occurred, you just haven’t been paying attention in class. The driver making that left turn on the interstate highway still missed the exit they were trying to reach. And they ruined someone else’s day in the process.” [Twitter]
Guidebook Author Interviewed — “Barbara Noe Kennedy shares her passion for discovery and highlights for readers in her new book ‘100 Things to Do in Arlington Before You Die.'” [Fox 5]
Rosslyn Restaurant Options — “D.C. is just a short walk over the Key Bridge from Rosslyn, but Arlington’s original urban village is also a tempting destination in its own right, with exciting new dining options—including a buzzy, Metro-adjacent food hall—joining a long-running list of neighborhood hangouts. Here’s where to go for ceviche, all-day brunch, craft cocktails, killer tacos or a hearty plate of pasta.” [Arlington Magazine]
It’s Tuesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high near 77 and a gentle northwest wind at around 6 mph. As for Tuesday night, the skies will be mostly clear, with a gentle wind and a low around 60. [NWS]
Good Monday 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 — Jun 10, 2024.
Here is what’s going on Tuesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect a mostly sunny day with a high near 77 and a gentle northwest wind at around 6 mph. As for Tuesday night, the skies will be mostly clear and the temperature will drop to around 60, with a north wind at around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. See more from Weather.gov.
“There is nothing impossible to him who will try.”
– Alexander the Great
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.
Yorktown girls finish as Class 6 state lacrosse champions
A near undefeated campaign ended with a program-best 21-1 single-season record, 20 straight victories and district, region and state championships for the Yorktown Patriots in girls high-school lacrosse this spring.
A drone, a helicopter and at least three police agencies helped to apprehend a driver who crashed during a chase early Monday morning.
The crash happened just after 1 a.m. as Virginia State Police chased a black Chevy Camaro from I-395 to Arlington Mill Drive, near Shirlington. State troopers originally tried to stop the Camaro for reckless driving on southbound I-395, according to a VSP spokesperson.
An Arlington man has been convicted of a 2023 murder in the Buckingham neighborhood.
James R. Williams shot another man, Sean Bowman, to death in an apartment on N. Thomas Street on March 25, 2023, an Arlington jury found.
The Arlington Home Energy Hub is a new resource provided by Arlington County to help residents make their homes more energy efficient, healthier and powered by clean energy. Arlington residents can now explore a new webpage with information and resources to learn about, plan for and implement home energy upgrades.
The Home Energy Coach is a new resource that provides free, virtual technical support to help Arlington residents make energy upgrades. Home Energy Coaches are available to help with any type of energy upgrade, such as installing new heating and cooling equipment, improving insulation and adopting solar energy. Homeowners can meet with a Home Energy Coach individually and renters can join a group coaching session. To get started, Arlington residents can submit an interest form online and a Coach will follow up with more information.
