Light smoke and flames could be seen coming from the balcony of an apartment on the 16th floor, according to scanner traffic.
Firefighters eventually located the source of the flames — which turned out to be an outdoor potted plant that had somehow caught on fire — and used an extinguisher to put out the flames. Most of the fire equipment that responded to the call is now packing up and clearing the scene, though some road closures may remain for another few minutes.
The deli, at 1000 N. Randolph Street in the former Upper Crust Cafe space, served Illy coffee and Carnegie Deli-branded meats, but received mixed reviews on Yelp, with customers complaining about the food and the service.
“I had to tell someone three times what was in a Reuben, only to have her slather mayo all over the bread,” wrote one reviewer.
Talk about a quick turnaround. Just days after brgr:shack (4215 Fairfax Drive) closed its doors across the street from the Ballston Metro station, Earl’s Sandwiches is nearly ready to open in the space.
Last month, Earl’s co-owner Steve Dugan told ARLnow.com he hoped the restaurant would be able to open in early September, and a sign posted on the window sports the hand-written note “this week.” Dugan confirms the restaurant should open on Friday or Saturday.
Number of Households Growing — The number of households in Arlington grew by one percent over the past year — from 105,667 to 106,717 — a rate twice that of the 0.5 percent household growth in the Commonwealth of Virginia, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. [Sun Gazette]
New Ballston Bars Reviewed — Ballston’s bar scene has “received a shot in the arm over the last two weeks” with the openings of World of Beer and A-Town Bar and Grill, according to a review by Fritz Hahn. [Washington Post]
The restaurant will be replacing an existing deli across the street from the Ballston Metro station. Co-owner Steve Dugan told ARLnow.com that he hopes to open in early September, after a couple days of renovations. Dugan was unable to confirm the exact address of the restaurant due to a confidentiality agreement.
Earl’s of Ballston is applying for a license to serve beer and wine, according to Virginia ABC records.
The highest on the list, at #80, is Innotion Enterprises, which has 43 employees, $35.8 million in revenue (as of 2011) and a 3-year growth rate of 3,500 percent. The company, based in Ballston, offers information technology services to the federal government and asset management services to real estate firms.
Another Ballston-based real estate management firm, Matt Martin Real Estate Management, ranked #116. The company had $31.4 million in 2011 revenue, a 3-year growth rate of 2,669 percent and has 110 employees across the country. It provides services to the real estate industry, and to the General Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The building’s current tenant, the Department of Defense, will be moving out in December as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC). In anticipation, the building’s owner is embarking on a major renovation project to “re-position” the 1960s-era building for occupancy by a new tenant.
“The building… will be fully renovated, with a new lobby, landscaping, façade improvements, fitness center, updated common areas, updated HVAC and fire and life safety systems, and a roof deck with extensive views,” according to a press release. “We see a unique opportunity to deliver a fully refreshed, high quality work environment at a price point substantially lower than the new buildings being delivered in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.”
Ryan will headline a private fundraiser at the Westin hotel in Ballston at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The fundraiser will benefit the Romney presidential campaign.
The stop is one of three planned Virginia events for Ryan this week. He will also be attending a fundraiser in Richmond on Thursday with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, and will be attending a rally at Deep Run High School in Glen Allen, Va. at 11:00 a.m. on Friday.
FroZenYo opened last week in the old Smoothie King location at 850 N. Randolph Street, across the street from Ballston Common Mall. The store offers more than a dozen flavors of frozen yogurt and nearly three dozen toppings. Frozen yogurt flavors include original tart, vanilla, chocolate, cookies and cream, red velvet cake, cake batter, coffee, butter pecan, dulce de leche, mango, coconut, kiwi strawberry, and raspberry pomegranate tart.
The store is open from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10:00 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. We’re told the store is in the process of applying for an outdoor seating permit.
Arlington police and firefighters are shutting down part of Henderson Road near Ballston due to a gas main rupture.
Henderson Road is being closed between Glebe Road and N. Thomas Street, according to scanner traffic. Some buildings on the block may also be in the process of being evacuated.
Local restaurateur Mike Cordero is planning a culinary one-two punch next week, with official openings scheduled for two Arlington restaurants in successive days.
First up is A-Town Bar & Grill, the renovated successor to Caribbean Breeze in Ballston (4100 Fairfax Drive). Cordero says the restaurant will likely start serving customers this coming Wednesday as part of a quiet “soft opening,” but will hold its official opening on Friday, Aug. 10.
A U.S. Postal Service van collided with a car at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and N. Glebe Road in Ballston just before 9:30 this morning.
Initial reports suggested the accident might have been a hit-and-run, with the postal vehicle fleeing the scene. In actuality, the accident apparently disabled the brakes on the minivan and it ended up rolling down a small hill before coming to rest on Washington Boulevard between Glebe Road and N. Buchanan Street, about 1 or 2 blocks away, according to scanner traffic.
