A curious plaque outside a private development in the Old Glebe neighborhood underwent some copy-editing in recent years.
The plaque is attached to a large stone on the corner of N. Richmond and Stafford streets, near where Fort Ethan Allen once stood. It marks the entrance to a development across the street from the Madison Community Center and Fort Ethan Allen Park, built by former developer and prominent philanthropist Preston Caruthers, who died earlier this year.
Arlington is not known as a hotspot for forest fires, but there’s an elevated danger of wildfires throughout Northern Virginia today.
Other parts of Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia are also being warned of the fire hazard, owing to an ongoing drought, low humidity and breezy conditions.
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.
If you are in the market for a new Arlington condominium today, bring a flashlight. There is absolutely nothing to see and it’s a total ghost town. This isn’t a lack of buyer interest. I start by blaming the lingering, multi-year COVID hangover where no projects got designed, financed, or approved for several years since we didn’t know if the world would continue. Construction costs then further paralyzed commercial real estate and rising interest rates also crashed the party. No model units exist, no fancy preview sales offices or even a basic website landing page.
Want a place under 1,500 square feet? Pack your bags for Alexandria. Want a completely different suburban vibe? Enjoy the commute from McLean or Reston. The big local guessing game is simple. Who actually crosses the finish line first? Will it be 1501 Langston Boulevard? The upcoming tower at One Rosslyn? Or the old Key Bridge Marriott site known as Potomac Overlook?
Place your bets now. None will begin before roughly 2029 if all goes well.
If you are in the market and don’t want to wait until 2029 for these new communities to make a buying decision, you might consider the latest luxury condominium in Arlington in Rosslyn, Pierce. This stunning community sold out in 2024 and there hasn’t been another new condominium community since. Let’s look at some of what the community offers.
A Real Option: Pierce
With 104 residences spanning 27 floors, Pierce offers expansive floor plans with premier interior finishes. At the height of sophisticated condominium living in Rosslyn, it boasts showstopping Potomac River and DC skyline views through dramatic, floor-to-ceiling windows, generous private balconies, high-end finishes, and excellent floor plans. It has some of the best views in town and has aged well. Full disclosure on the building management: My friend is the board president and my company hired the resident manager so the building is run flawlessly. The finances are actually in order.
The Bragging Rights (By The Numbers)
Buying here requires serious financial muscle. Of the 104 residences, 38 were under $1.5M, 51 were from $1.5M–$2.5M, and 15 were over $2.5M. Pierce’s average size is 1,894 sq ft, making the average price $1,910,000. With an average price per square foot of $1,033/sq ft, it is one of the top five residential buildings in Northern Virginia.
Who Lives There
The typical buyer isn’t a single 20-something. 65% of the buyers were couples and the average age among the buyers was 53. 35% were from Northern Virginia and another 33% were from out of the area, which was driven by the volatile job market during COVID. 65% of those buyers in Virginia were already in Arlington and 20% were retired. Just 13% actually commute into DC so Northern Virginia’s economy is doing just fine. About 60% used a trusted agent to make their purchase and that is typical across all similar new communities.
Historic Resources Plan Approved — “On Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, the Arlington County Board approved an update to the Historic and Cultural Resources Plan (HCRP), concluding a multiyear process to develop a more modern approach to how the County advances the preservation and appreciation of its built and cultural environments.” [Arlington County]
Burglary at Clarendon Smoke Shop — From Dave Statter: “Burglars hit a smoke & vape shop in Arlington County (VA). Video shows two people looking at the business at 2907 Wilson Boulevard in Clarendon just after 1:00 a.m. yesterday. A few minutes later, according to @ArlingtonVaPD, the pair broke through the glass of the front door. One of the burglars tripped on the way out less than a minute later.” [Twitter]
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 — Nov 14, 2023.
Join DC Road Runners and Potomac Valley Track Club for our annual Family Night at the Track and Meet of Miles. The event is open to runners of all ages and paces as well as nonmembers.
This event hosts 400 meter and 800 meter races for kids ages 1-8, as well as multiple 1-mile heats for participants of all ages. There is also a 3K race that is open to participants of all ages.
Visitors to the Ballston Public Parking Garage this month may have noticed the absence of parking ticket kiosks and gates.
They were replaced with a new contactless parking system last month on Oct. 16.
(Updated at 3:35 p.m.) Gunston Middle School was placed in lockdown this afternoon due to a threat found in the school.
Initial reports suggest that a threat of violence at a specific time was found in a bathroom. Police responded to the scene and the school’s classrooms were locked down.
Last week’s election may have had few surprises locally but it shook up the Virginia State Senate and House of Delegates.
Virginia elections analyst Sam Shirazi caught up with ARLnow’s Jo DeVoe to talk about how Democrats won majorities in both legislative chambers and why Arlingtonians should look outside the county’s deep blue bubble and pay attention to state politics.
The next year will see some important steps forward as Arlington County looks to uncouple law enforcement from its response to homelessness and behavioral health crises.
In 2024, the county will implement new protocols and a call system to ensure people experiencing behavioral health crises — due to a mental illness, substance use disorder or disability — receive services rather than get arrested and jailed.
It was an active weekend for Arlington County police.
A number of notable incidents were detailed in the latest ACPD crime report. Among them were a pair of assaults on police early Saturday morning.
