Ballston | ARLnow.com

Board Requests Planning Funds for New Ballston Metro Entrance

Published September 25, 2013 at 6:10PM | Updated September 26, 2013 at 9:16AM

On Tuesday, the Arlington County Board approved a funding plan for the county’s share of revenue generated by Virginia’s new transportation legislation. The plan, which will be submitted to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA), calls for $500,000 to be allocated to planning for the new Metro entrance during the current fiscal year.

The entrance is already partially designed. As proposed, it will be located at the intersection of N. Fairfax and Vermont Streets, allowing easier access to the new developments along Glebe Road in Ballston, the Bluemont neighborhood and other points west. The station will feature two street-level elevators and escalators, connecting to an underground passageway and mezzanine (with an attended kiosk) that will lead to the train platform.

Around Town

Bank to Fill Former Ruby Tuesday Space

By Katie Pyzyk

Published September 17, 2013 at 1:30PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 4:33PM

(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) A space that sat vacant for years near the Ballston Metro station is about to get a new tenant.

According to permits filed with the county, Bank of America plans to open a branch in the former Ruby Tuesday space. The new bank will occupy one of the first floor commercial spaces in the building at 901 N. Stuart Street, just feet away from an existing Presidential Bank.

Around Town

New Mike Isabella Restaurant Coming to Ballston

By Katie Pyzyk

Published September 11, 2013 at 12:15PM | Updated September 11, 2013 at 1:45PM

A spinoff of the recently opened Kapnos will occupy a space at 4000 Wilson Blvd in Ballston, which is the Liberty Center South development. That’s the development where Taylor Gourmet will go in as well, as announced earlier this summer.

Kapnos Taverna will feature the same types of Northern Greek inspired fare found at Kapnos. Unlike the D.C. location, the Ballston restaurant will offer weekday lunch, weekend brunch and a happy hour menu.

Around Town

Redevelopment Proposed For ‘Flag House’

By Ethan Rothstein

Published September 6, 2013 at 9:30AM

"Flag house" in 2012

The Ballston-area house, a duplex on the 4200 block of Washington Blvd near Washington-Lee High School, was built between 1895 and 1910, according to county documents. Its owners have submitted a site plan proposal for two semi-detached townhouses to take its place.

The proposal calls for the building to be demolished and replaced with a 4,707-square-foot, 43-foot-tall brick structure. The home’s solid-paneled doors, metal gutters, downspouts and other interior and exterior elements will be preserved as part of the redevelopment, according to the proposal.

News

Orange Line Closed West of Ballston This Weekend

By Ethan Rothstein

Published September 5, 2013 at 4:30PM | Updated June 29, 2018 at 3:23PM

Starting at 10:00 p.m. Friday and continuing until closing Sunday, East Falls Church and points west will not have Metrorail service.

An express bus will travel from Ballston to Vienna and add approximately 25 minutes of travel time. Local buses will stop at East Falls Church, West Falls Church, Dunn Loring and Vienna, taking approximately 15 minutes between each stop.

News

Fish and Wildlife Service Moving Out of Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Published September 5, 2013 at 11:55AM | Updated September 5, 2013 at 1:33PM

(Updated at 1:30 p.m.) The headquarters of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be moving out of Ballston, employees are being told today.

The move is another blow to Arlington’s commercial real estate market, which is dealing with rising office vacancy rates (16.5 percent as of January) and the impending loss of the National Science Foundation.

Around Town

Resident Warns of Ballston Gas Station Scam

By Ethan Rothstein

Published September 4, 2013 at 3:35PM

If someone approaches you in the Ballston area, claiming to be in need of gas money, you might want to think twice before obliging. According to an ARLnow.com tipster, the man is perpetrating a scam.

The tipster said a man in Ballston came up to her and her husband earlier this year and said he needed gas money to visit his dying father. They handed over $20. This week, the same man — apparently not recognizing the couple from the earlier encounter — came up to them again and recited the same story.

Around Town

Ribbon Cutting Scheduled for New Ballston Bocce Park

By ARLnow.com

Published September 3, 2013 at 9:30AM | Updated September 3, 2013 at 10:25AM

A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for a new park in Ballston.

The park, at the corner of Glebe Road and N. Randolph Street, quietly opened to the public in July. Located adjacent to the Ballston public parking garage, the park features a pair of bocce courts, numerous benches and landscaped green space.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 3, 2013 at 8:30AM

Yorktown Wins Big in Opener — The Yorktown High School football team defeated Coolidge 49-0 at their season opener on Thursday, Aug. 29. Senior running back M.J. Stewart ran for 215 yards on 15 carries. The Patriots next face Langley on Sept. 6. [Sun Gazette]

Arlington Firefighters Assist on Six-Alarm Fire — Firefighters from Arlington County helped to battle a six-alarm warehouse fire in Alexandria on Labor Day Monday. It took more than 200 firefighters four hours to finally get the fire on S. Pickett Street under control. [NBC Washington]

Around Town

New Petco Store to Open Sept. 4

By ARLnow.com

Published August 28, 2013 at 9:55AM

The new “Unleashed by Petco” store in Ballston is expected to open next week.

A sign on the door of the store, on the 3900 block of Wilson Blvd, says it will open on Wednesday, Sept. 4. The former tenant, a burger restaurant called Wiinky’s, closed on March 31.

Around Town

Ballston Mall Moves Closer to Redevelopment

By Ethan Rothstein

Published August 26, 2013 at 10:30AM

Mall owner Forest City Enterprises is “close to finalizing a deal with Macy’s” to allow the process to move forward and the company to begin applying for permits from the county, according to Forest City spokesman Gary McManus. Securing a deal with Macy’s, one of the mall’s “anchor tenants,” was one of the last impediments to the long-awaited redevelopment.

Forest City is planning to recast the mall as Ballston Center, building more than 300 apartments on top of a renovated shopping center and adding office space. As part of the redevelopment, Forest City is negotiating with Macy’s to take over some of the department store’s space. The negotiations were initially expected to take a few weeks after the announcement of the proposed renovations, in February.

Events

Charity Hockey Tournament Returns to Kettler

By Ethan Rothstein

Published August 23, 2013 at 10:30AM

Kettler Capitals Iceplex

The event is held yearly to benefit Inova Blood Donor Services. A team of Washington Capitals alumni will take on corporate teams from Booz Allen Hamilton and Deloitte, as well as a group of youth hockey coaches from around Northern Virginia, called the Virginia Coaching Cardinals.

The event is scheduled for Sept. 7 at 7:00 p.m. Admission $10 but children wearing hockey jerseys are admitted free. The event features a round-robin format of 15-minute games, and is expected to run until 10:30 p.m.