Amazon | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published October 2, 2019 at 7:30AM | Updated October 2, 2019 at 8:37AM

Fire Station 8 mural in Hall's Hill (Photo via Flickr Pool/John Sonderman)

Amazon Tweaking HQ2 Heating Plan — “Amazon.com Inc. confirmed it will tweak some elements of its HQ2 plan in Arlington County to eliminate a carbon dioxide-emitting system. The news comes a little more than a week after CEO Jeff Bezos announced in D.C. plans to end the company’s reliance on fossil fuels in a decade.” [Washington Business Journal]

County Tax Deadline Coming Up — “Taxes are due soon! If you have moved or sold your car, you may still owe taxes for the months when your car was in Arlington. If you are waiting for account adjustments, still pay your bill in full by Oct. 5. Overpayments will be refunded.” [Twitter]

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BREAKING: JBG Smith Announces Massive Redevelopment Plan for Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published October 1, 2019 at 5:20PM

JBG Smith redevelopment plan map (Map via JBG Smith)

Property owner JBG Smith announced late Tuesday afternoon a major new redevelopment push in Crystal City in the wake of Amazon’s arrival.

The developer says it is planning to redevelop “approximately 2.6 million square feet of space across five multifamily buildings and one office building.”

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Officials Mulling Removal of Route 1 Overpasses in Crystal City

By Airey

Published October 1, 2019 at 9:05AM | Updated October 1, 2019 at 10:15AM

A 2010 Crystal City Sector Plan diagram envisions a more walkable streetscape with trees overhead, instead of a highway (Image via Arlington County)

Officials are considering lowering Route 1 in Crystal City to ground level after Amazon moves in.

Details remain scant, but officials appear to considering a plan to remove several highway overpasses that span over roads from 12th Street S. to 18th Street S. in favor of at-grade intersections with traffic signals. Currently, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is studying the project.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 27, 2019 at 7:30AM

‘Moderate Drought’ in Arlington — “A significant lack of rainfall and unusual late season heat has led to flash drought conditions across a large portion of the area.” [Twitter]

Extended Closures Expected at Local Metro Stations — “The next round of work is scheduled to include platform repairs and other station upgrades at Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church, East Falls Church, West Hyattsville, Prince George’s Plaza, College Park and Greenbelt…. In summer 2021, Metro plans closures or long-term single tracking… at Arlington Cemetery on the Blue Line in Virginia; and Reagan National Airport on the Blue and Yellow Lines.” [WTOP]

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 25, 2019 at 7:30AM | Updated September 25, 2019 at 8:56AM

Arlington, Alexandria to Talk Cooperation — “The Arlington County Board and Alexandria City Council will consider ways they can cooperate to manage the growth expected from Amazon’s HQ2, Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus and George Mason’s School of Computing during a joint work session on Tuesday, Oct. 1.” [Arlington County, Washington Post]

Some, But Not All, Washington-Lee Signs to Be Replaced — “The Generals records sign will retain that name because the students made those accomplishments while it was still Washington-Lee. Facilities is currently working on replacing signs throughout the building. The score board is in that [queue] to be replaced.” [Twitter]

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Community: Amazon Headquarters Needs Protected Bike Lane, More Buses

By Airey

Published September 24, 2019 at 3:45PM | Updated September 25, 2019 at 9:49AM

Rendering of the street view around Amazon's Met Park development with a protected bike lane, two-lane street, and a sidewalk (Image via Arlington County)

Plans for Amazon’s new headquarters in Pentagon City are taking shape, but community leaders want the company to look beyond cars.

Several dozen residents and community group representatives urged the company to take a stronger stance on pedestrians and public transit during a site plan review at the Aurora Hills Community Center (735 18th Street S.) Tuesday night.

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Crystal City BID Expands, Seeks to Rename Itself “National Landing”

By Airey

Published September 23, 2019 at 3:50PM | Updated September 24, 2019 at 12:23AM

Map of newly redrawn Crystal City BID boundaries (Image via Arlington County)

(Updated at 12 a.m.) The Crystal City Business Improvement District is set to absorb parts of Potomac Yard and Pentagon City, and could be eying a name change.

The Arlington County Board approved a 76% increase to the land included within the BID’s boundaries during its meeting this past Saturday, September 21, after the BID gained the required support from commercial property owners.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 20, 2019 at 7:30AM | Updated September 20, 2019 at 8:34AM

(Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Bezos Talks HQ2 — “[Amazon CEO Jeff] Bezos was pressed on why Amazon would seek to build its headquarters in a dense area like Arlington, given the potential disruptive impacts of the company’s army of new workers moving into the area. But he reiterated that he’s ‘glad it’s not in the suburbs,’ arguing that the new HQ’s location demonstrates Amazon’s commitment to environmental sustainability.” [Washington Business Journal]

No Plan to Change Lee Highway Name — “Speculation that the currently active Lee Highway Alliance has a name change as part of its planning for re-imagining that major road is unfounded, according to its vice president, Sandra Chesrown.” [Falls Church News-Press]

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UPDATE: Line Stretches for Blocks at Amazon Job Fair in Crystal City

By Airey

Published September 17, 2019 at 3:45PM | Updated September 17, 2019 at 5:27PM

Job seekers line up at Amazon career day in Crystal City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 5:25 p.m) Amazon drew an overflow crowd to its Crystal City career fair this morning as people vied for the 30,000 jobs Amazon recently announced it’s hiring nationwide, including at its new HQ2 in Arlington.

At last minute, the company tacked on extra hours to the event, which was one of six job fairs Amazon held as it looks to fill 30,000 jobs nationally — including 1,600 jobs in Virginia and 400 in Arlington. The fair was held at The Grounds at S. Eads Street and 12th Street S. today (Tuesday), leading applicants toting resumes to line up along 12th Street almost to the Route 1 overpass.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 17, 2019 at 7:30AM | Updated September 17, 2019 at 8:46AM

Thousands Expected at Today’s Amazon Event — “Thousands of job-seekers are expected to swarm the site of Amazon’s future headquarters at a ‘career day‘ in Crystal City on Tuesday, as the online retail giant begins to accelerate its hiring and presence in Northern Virginia.” The opening time has been pushed up to 8 a.m. [Washington Post, Twitter]

Suspect Chomps on Cop Along Lee Highway — “The officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and made contact with Suspect One, when he observed Suspect Two attempt to flee on foot. With the assistance of additional officers arriving on scene, Suspect Two was stopped. While officers attempted to remove Suspect One from the vehicle and detain him, he actively resisted and bit an officer.” [Arlington County]

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Economists Say Arlington Likely “Dodges a Bullet” In Next Recession

By Airey

Published September 13, 2019 at 1:30PM

As some indicators point toward another recession around the corner, local economists say Arlington would likely escape the brunt of a downturn.

The recession that kicked off after the country’s housing market collapsed in 2008 devastated communities and families nationwide. But experts say Arlington’s proximity to jobs and contracts from the federal government helped protect the county, and its growing business sector today may also help shield it from future recessions.

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EXCLUSIVE: You May Be Able to Take Your Drink to Go Near HQ2

By Airey

Published September 11, 2019 at 3:35PM | Updated September 12, 2019 at 9:38AM

Rendering of retail building at 18th Street S. and Crystal Drive in JBG Smith's plans for a Crystal Center (Image via Arlington County)

Developer JBG Smith may be planning to let people sip alcohol as they browse shops and sit outdoors in shopping areas near Amazon’s future headquarters in Pentagon City and Crystal City.

State records with the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Authority Control Authority indicate that the developer applied for a “Commercial Lifestyle Center” license this week. The special license is part of a 2018 law allowing shoppers to bring alcoholic beverages into shops or outdoor plazas to encourage consumers to stay longer and attend outdoor events.