Urban Tandoor opened its doors yesterday (March 29) in Ballston.
The Indian restaurant, at 801 N. Quincy Street, is the newest restaurant in the neighborhood, and is down the street from Ballston Quarter construction. Urban Tandoor replaces Republic Kitchen & Bar, which replaced the former Leek American Bistro.
Lebanese cuisine fast-casual restaurant Badaro opened late Friday evening (March 23).
Though a worker at the location said that the shop is considering the first weeks a “soft opening” to smooth things out, the restaurant is open and ready for customers. Badaro replaces Ballston’s NKD Pizza location at 933 N. Quincy Street.
Shake Shack, Philz and More Coming to Ballston — “Ballston will beef up its fast-casual restaurant offerings by the end of this year, with Shake Shack, We the Pizza, Philz Coffee and Cava all slated to lease space in the newly dubbed Ballston Exchange project. Ballston Exchange, formerly known as Stafford Place I and II, was until 2017 home to the National Science Foundation.” [Washington Business Journal]
Outdoor Lab Squeezed by Rising Enrollment — “A growing student body at the elementary-school level may soon mean there are not enough days in the school year to send the usual cadre of students to the Arlington Outdoor Lab, located in Fauquier County.” [InsideNova]
The family of homicide victim John Giandoni is raising money via a crowdfunding campaign.
Giandoni, who would have turned 41 on Wednesday, was found dead in his home in Ballston last weekend. Police later determined his death to have been a homicide, though few details have been revealed about the circumstances.
From The West Wing to The Pelican Brief, Arlington has been home to a number of film scenes over the years.
The county’s tourism promotion agency, StayArlington, listed several notable locations in a recent blog post, and ARLnow hit the pavement to find some of the more famous sites.
Update at 4:25 p.m. on 3/20/18 — Police have identified the victim as 40-year-old Arlington resident John Giandoni.
Arlington County Police say Friday night’s death investigation in Ballston is now a homicide investigation.
Update at 2:50 p.m. on 3/19/18 — The man’s death is now being investigated as the county’s first homicide of 2018.
Arlington County Police are conducting an “active death investigation” in the Ballston area.
About a month ago, Girl Scouts began selling their famous — dieters might call them infamous — cookies in Arlington.
The net revenue raised from Girl Scout cookies funds the organization’s local council and troops, which in turn is used for trips or donated to community projects or causes.
Chalk up another name-brand restaurant heading to Ballston Quarter mall.
The renovated mall, which is set to open this fall, has announced an 18-restaurant food hall with the likes of Timber Pizza and Ice Cream Jubilee, plus the entertainment-oriented bar Punch Bowl Social.
Updated with County statement 3/2/2018 at 11:17 a.m.:
Arlington County believes that the dispute with the Berkeley Condo Association over public courtyard access is close to being amicably resolved, and that public access will be restored to the pathway on the property. The County Board authorized the County Attorney to engage in settlement negotiations with the Berkeley Condo Association, to resolve ongoing litigation, and the parties are negotiating a proposal, which, in all likelihood, will be finalized soon. Any final settlement would be between the County Board and the Berkeley Condo Association, not their attorneys or other County officials.
Spokes Etc. to Take Over Freshbikes Store — Northern Virginia bike retailer Spokes Etc. is expected to open in the former Freshbikes location in Ballston by the end of March. “[Spokes Etc. President Jim] Strang said the store will stock his main brands, which are Specialized and Trek, and he plans to pick up one or two boutique bike brands to complement them.” [Bicycle Retailer, Spokes Etc.]
Arlington Near Last for Snowfall on East Coast — Based on a chart from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Arlington and D.C. ranked 65th among 68 eastern U.S. cities for snowfall this season, with a measly 3.3 inches. Only three deep south cities recorded less snowfall than has been reported at Reagan National Airport. [Patch]
A proposal to build a 72-unit multifamily building in Ballston that met resistance from neighbors is moving forward.
In a 4-1 vote, the Arlington County Board approved a land use variance that will allow the Ballston condo and townhouse development to move forward. The development includes a total of 84 residential units, including 12 townhouses.
