BRAC | ARLnow.com

As Thousands of Jobs Leave Arlington, Workers Plan to Stay

Published May 19, 2010 at 4:49PM | Updated May 20, 2010 at 9:38AM

About 500 enlisted employees, DoD civilians and contract workers showed up at the Crystal Gateway Marriott to find alternatives to moving to out-of-state bases or commuting to traffic-clogged exurbs. The moves are mandated by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closing Act, which will result in the closing of dozens of government offices and the loss of about 17,000 jobs in Arlington by next September.

The job fair attendees shared two common traits: they all like their current job and they all want to stay here.

News

Afternoon Notes: County To Spend Millions on Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published May 13, 2010 at 6:14PM

Arlington to Spend $90 Million To Improve Crystal City — Arlington County will spend about $90 million improving roads and parks in Crystal City in the wake of the 13,000 jobs set to leave the area by September 2011 as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) plan. A long-range economic development plan for Crystal City is expected to be approved this summer. More from the Washington Examiner.

Man With Gun Tried to Visit Fictitious Admiral At Pentagon — From WTOP we learn that on April 9, a month after the shooting outside the Pentagon Metro station, a man approached a screening area at the Pentagon and told security he was visiting an admiral — an admiral whose name was made up. Pentagon police later searched the man’s car and found a loaded 9-millimeter pistol. More from WTOP.

News

Weekend News Roundup

By ARLnow.com

Published May 10, 2010 at 7:14AM

Secretary Gates Calls For Reduction of DoD Spending — On Saturday Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave a blistering speech that called for a significant restructuring of Pentagon spending, reports Andrea Stone at AOL News. Citing a “gusher of defense spending” following 9/11, Gates stated his desire to reduce spending on weapons systems and military health care. He also called for a reduction in the number of generals and admirals in the services. Defense spending is a major component of the local economy.

BRAC Moves May Cause Traffic Woes — The transfer of 13,000 DoD jobs from Crystal City to Ft. Belvoir, Alexandria’s Mark Center development and elsewhere may cause major traffic problems, the Washington Post reports. The areas where the jobs are moving to are not Metro accessible and are not prepared to receive the ensuing crush of traffic, several people told the Post. By law, about four million square feet of office space in Crystal City must be vacated by September 2011.

Around Town

Even The Army Is Making April Fool’s Day Jokes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 1, 2010 at 2:04PM | Updated April 1, 2010 at 3:19PM

Update at 3:15 p.m. — On our Facebook page, Robert Cannon responds with another possible move: “Richmond announces its planning to relocate Arlington to the Soviet Union..”

It’s looking like a bleak day for south Arlington. First, Greater Greater Washington revealed that the 14th Street Bridge may be closed on nights and weekends to help plug the District’s budget gap. Now, in a press release, the Army said it’s looking to relocate the Pentagon to northwest Kansas.

Around Town

How George W. Bush Helped Make a Street Art Exhibit Possible

By ARLnow.com

Published March 26, 2010 at 5:40PM | Updated March 29, 2010 at 11:53AM

Much of the credit can be given to Art Whino and Shane Pomajambo, who curated the massive 75,000 square foot show, and to the Crystal City Business Improvement District, which came up with the initial concept and brought together Pomajambo, funding, and the space at 223 23rd Street South.

But there’s someone else who deserves some credit: former president George W. Bush. It was Bush who approved the recommendations of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission in 2005. BRAC required many of the military agencies that inhabit office buildings in Crystal City to move to cheaper, more secure locations.