Ballston | ARLnow.com

Published February 13, 2014 at 3:35PM

First Down Sports Bar in Ballston nearly fills up during snowstorm in 2014 (staff photo)

A walk down the streets of Ballston in the immediate aftermath of the biggest snowstorm in years reveals a consistent trend: most businesses — like banks, barbers, and many restaurants — are closed, but bars are open.

Even in Ballston Common Mall, the Starbucks was closed, although the Panera Bread and Noodles & Company were open and filled with customers during the lunch hour. One of the busiest businesses in the area was First Down Sports Bar (4213 N. Fairfax Drive), which was crowded enough that the one bartender scheduled wouldn’t suffice; owner Ramesh Chopra had to come in and help.

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Bar Fight in Ballston Sends One to Hospital

By ARLnow.com

Published February 13, 2014 at 2:30PM

File photo

The incident happened around 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Arlington County police say a fight between two men led to one man stabbing and/or slashing the other with a broken beer bottle.

“The victim sustained lacerations to the face and neck,” according to the police report. “He was transported to GW Hospital.”

Around Town

Taylor Gourmet Eyes May Opening in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Published February 12, 2014 at 10:45AM

Interior construction on the restaurant, at the Liberty Center South development (4000 Wilson Blvd), is scheduled to start this month, we’re told.

Construction is expected to take about three months, shortly after which the restaurant will open.

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Man in Pajama Pants Seen Masturbating in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Published February 10, 2014 at 1:30PM

The incident was reported at 7:25 a.m. on Friday. According to Arlington County police, an 18-year-old woman said she saw a man pleasuring himself next to a fence on the 1100 block of N. Stafford Street, which is about two blocks away from the Ballston Metro station and one block away from Washington-Lee High School.

“The suspect is described as a white male, 20-30 years of age, and approximately 6’0”,” according to the ACPD crime report. “At the time of the incident he was wearing a blue skull cap, a dark blue jacket, and red plaid pajama pants.”

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Air Force Plans to Move Research Office Out of Ballston

By Ethan Rothstein

Published January 30, 2014 at 11:00AM | Updated January 30, 2014 at 2:36PM

The office employs 170 people at 875 N. Randolph Street in Ballston and focuses on improving the Air Force’s technological capabilities. If the move were to become official, the AFOSR would follow the National Science Foundation and federal Fish and Wildlife Service as another federal entity leaving Ballston for more affordable space. In this case, the Air Force would move the AFOSR to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.

“There are major advantages to being located in Arlington’s hub of innovation,” Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) told ARLnow.com. “Much of this human and technological infrastructure would be forfeited in a move to Ohio. I hope the Air Force realizes what it could lose if they decide to relocate the Office of Scientific Research.”

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Car Crashes into Westwood College in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Published January 29, 2014 at 10:35PM | Updated January 30, 2014 at 9:01AM

Photo courtesy Betsy Frantz

A car crashed into the front of the ground floor office of Westwood College in Ballston tonight.

The incident happened just before 8:30 p.m. at 4420 Fairfax Drive. A man driving a sedan suffered an apparent seizure, lost control of the car and crashed it into the front of the building, according to Arlington Deputy Fire Marshal Brian McGraw.

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County Board Approves ‘Blue Goose’ Redevelopment

By Ethan Rothstein

Published January 27, 2014 at 10:45AM | Updated January 27, 2014 at 1:31PM

Rendering of the upcoming development on "Blue Goose" site

The Board unanimously voted to redevelop the 1963 building, allowing the developer The Shooshan Company, in partnership with Marymount University, to build a nine-story office building and a 15-story, 267-unit residential building with 11 dedicated units of affordable housing.

The entire site will sit on three levels of underground parking, with 317 office spaces and 264 residential spaces. There will also be 3,000 square feet of ground floor retail space.

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‘Blue Goose’ Redevelopment Includes Funds for Pond, Custis Trail, Metro Entrance

By Ethan Rothstein

Published January 22, 2014 at 11:00AM

The proposed site plan amendment for the project will go before the Arlington County Board at its meeting this Saturday, Jan. 25. The Shooshan Company hopes to bulldoze the distinctive blue building at the corner of Fairfax Drive and N. Glebe Road and replace it with a nine-story office building — to be used to house the Marymount University programs now in the Blue Goose — and a 15-story residential high-rise.

The request for increased density comes with a proposed donation of $1.15 million toward the Ballston beaver pond restoration project and improvements to the Custis Trail, and a $4.57 million contribution to the Ballston Metro west entrance project.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 21, 2014 at 8:55AM

County Gets $500k for Beaver Pond Project — Arlington County has received a $500,000 state grant for a project to improve the Ballston beaver pond. “The $2.7 million improvement project, paid for mostly from stormwater funds, includes changing the flow pattern to keep water in the pond longer, allowing wetland plants to remove nutrients and other pollutants before it flows out,” the county said in a press release. “Construction is expected to begin in the summer 2014.” [Arlington County]

Fisette’s Disclosure Doesn’t Include Husband — County Board Chairman Jay Fisette’s annual financial disclosure did not include the finances of his husband. Fisette was married in D.C. this past September, but Fisette says he’s not required to include his spouse in the disclosure since their marriage is not recognized under Virginia law. [Washington Post]

Around Town

‘Blue Goose’ Panels to Be Donated to Museums

By ARLnow.com

Published January 13, 2014 at 3:15PM

The building, at 1000 N. Glebe Road, is slated to be torn down to make way for two new buildings: one with 165,00 square feet of office and instructional space, and another with 267 residential units and 3,000 square feet of retail space.

The 1960s-era building was named one of the most “Endangered Historic Places” by Preservation Arlington last year. Many local residents, however, say it’s an eyesore.

Around Town

County Inspectors Shut Down Ballston Water Fountain

By Ethan Rothstein

Published January 13, 2014 at 9:35AM

Located next to Rustico restaurant in the Liberty Center development, the fountain is privately owned and operated by property owner the Shooshan Company, according to county officials.

It has been on for years and children have played in it during the summers, but the Shooshan Company voluntarily turned it off this past fall after county inspectors discovered it had never had a health and safety license.

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Ballston Movie Theater, Doorways Home Closed Due to Flooding

By ARLnow.com

Published January 8, 2014 at 8:00PM | Updated January 8, 2014 at 11:38PM

Update at 8:45 p.m. — First Down Sports Bar and Grill had to shut down tonight, also due to a burst water pipe. From the businesses’ Facebook page: “We have had to close down suddenly for tonight because of a water pipe burst. Hopefully, we’ll be back up and running tomorrow. We will have an update on here as soon as we figure it out. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

Update at 8:35 p.m. — Tonight’s Arlington County Democratic Committee debate for County Board candidates was briefly evacuated tonight when a reported burst pipe triggered the fire alarm in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association building.