Arlington’s Colonial Village community is the best place to live in America, according to new rankings.
The neighborhood next to Rosslyn and Courthouse is home to nearly 3,000 people and a historic, garden-style apartment and condo complex.
According to the ranking website Niche, which just updated its rankings for 2024, it’s the best neighborhood in the entire country.
Colonial Village, which has lower housing costs than other nearby neighborhoods, received high marks for schools, nightlife, diversity, proximity to jobs, health and fitness, outdoor activities, commute and being good for families. It’s easily walkable to two Metro stations and to numerous stores and restaurants.
Another nearby Arlington neighborhood made Niche’s top 10: Radnor/Fort Myer Heights ranked No. 8 in the U.S., for similar reasons as Colonial Village.
The county as a whole, meanwhile, was ranked by Niche as the No. 4 on its “Best Cities to Live in America” list.
“Living in Arlington offers residents an urban feel and most residents rent their homes,” Niche wrote. “In Arlington there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals live in Arlington and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Arlington are highly rated.”
Last year, Arlington was No. 2 on the “best cities” list. While the county fell on the list, Colonial Village moved up, from No. 2 to No. 1 on the neighborhoods list. Radnor/Fort Myer Heights also moved up, from No. 23. Ballston/Virginia Square, which was No. 21 last year, did not make the top 25.
The top 5 on both lists is below.
2024 Best Cities to Live in America:
- Naperville, IL
- The Woodlands, TX
- Cambridge, MA
- Arlington, VA
- Plano, TX
2024 Best Places to Live in America:
- Colonial Village, VA
- Carmel, IN
- Chesterbrook, PA
- Uptown Tampa, FL
- Cinco Ranch, TX
Hat tip to Rob S.
Thieves damaged 25 vehicles in several North Arlington neighborhoods over the past few days.
That’s according to Monday’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.
The first theft spree happened last week, overnight Thursday into Friday, in the Waverly Hills neighborhood, not far from the intersection of N. Glebe Road and Langston Blvd.
Thieves damaged five vehicles while stealing the glass from side mirrors, according to police.
From ACPD:
LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series) (Late), 2023-05190101, 4700 block of 20th Road N. At approximately 9:57 a.m. on May 19, police were dispatched to the late report of a larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined between approximately 10:00 p.m. on May 18 and 7:30 a.m. on May 19, the unknown suspect(s) stole the glass from the sideview mirrors of four vehicles and damaged the glass of the sideview mirror of a fifth vehicle. No other items were reported damaged or stolen. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.
An even larger spree was reported over the weekend in and around Rosslyn, with some 20 Honda vehicles broken into and their airbags stolen.
From the crime report:
LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series), 2023-05210011, 1300 block of N. Fort Myer Drive. At approximately 12:44 a.m. on May 21, police were dispatched to a vehicle tampering. Upon arrival, it was determined the reporting party observed three men in their 20’s breaking into vehicles. When she yelled out to them, they fled the scene in a gray sedan. During the course of the investigation, it was determined approximately 20 parked vehicles in the Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights, Rosslyn and Colonial Village neighborhoods had a window shattered and an air bag stolen. The involved vehicles are Honda models. The investigation is ongoing.
Thieves have targeted Hondas parked in Arlington for airbag thefts numerous times in recent memory, including in March and several times in 2022.
Arlington’s Colonial Village neighborhood is the No. 2 “Best Place to Live in America,” according to a recent set of rankings.
Two other Arlington neighborhoods, meanwhile, ranked in the top 25.
Colonial Village is best known for its historic garden-style apartments and condos, built between 1935 and 1940. Lush, landscaped and tree-lined, the community is both verdant and urban — it’s in easy walking distance to Courthouse and the Courthouse Metro station.
From Niche, which ranked neighborhoods across the United States:
Colonial Village is a neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia with a population of 2,895. Colonial Village is in Arlington County and is one of the best places to live in Virginia. In Colonial Village, most residents rent their homes. In Colonial Village there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals live in Colonial Village and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Colonial Village are highly rated.
The website released its annual rankings late last month. It’s the same set of rankings that found Arlington to be No. 2 among the “Best Cities to Live in America.”
Other notable local findings from Niche:
- Ballston/Virginia Square is the No. 21 best place to live in America
- Radnor/Fort Myer Heights, in the Rosslyn area, is the No. 23 best place to live in America
- Arlington Public Schools is the No. 2 best school district in Virginia, after Falls Church City Public Schools
(Updated on 11/30/22) The carjacking and pursuit we reported yesterday was far from the only car theft in Arlington over the long Thanksgiving holiday.
It was a busy few days for police, who handled a half dozen other vehicle thefts, as well as a pair of attempted carjackings in the Colonial Village area. One series of thefts claimed five vehicles in parts of residential North Arlington between Thanksgiving afternoon and the morning of Black Friday.
More from the latest ACPD crime report:
GRAND LARCENY AUTO, 2022-11230126/2022-11230160, 2800 block of Washington Boulevard/N. Jackson Street at Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 2:55 p.m. on November 23, police were dispatched to the report of an attempted larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim witnessed the unknown male suspect rummaging through his vehicle. When the victim approached, the suspect began to flee the scene on foot. The victim followed the suspect during which the suspect brandished a knife and fled the area. At approximately 3:20 p.m., police were dispatched to an additional call in the 2800 block of Washington Boulevard for a suspect matching the description of the previous incident who had stolen a running, unoccupied vehicle. The vehicle was later located unoccupied in the 2200 block of 19th Court N. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 30 years old, 5’6-5’7, with long curly hair, wearing a black jacket, white t-shirt, dark colored pants and a dark colored baseball hat. The investigation is ongoing.
GRAND LARCENY AUTO/LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series), 2022-11250027/2022-11250029/2022-11250035/2022-11250043/2022-11260096, 5300 block of 27th Street N., 5000 block of 36th Street N., 2300 block of N. Nottingham Street, 6000 block of 27th Street N., 6000 block of 28th Street N. At approximately 7:54 a.m. on November 25, police were dispatched to the late report of a grand larceny auto. During the course of the investigation, it was determined between approximately 2:30 p.m. on November 24 and 7:45 a.m. on November 25, five vehicles were reported stolen from the area. The stolen vehicles are described as a 2017 Toyota Rav4, Gray, MA License Plate: 50DC38, 2020 Kia Telluride, Gray, VA License Plate: VXY4222, 2017 Honda Odyssey, Black, VA License Plate: 1265SC, 2021 Range Rover Sport, Blue, VA License Plate: UGF2051. Additionally, one vehicle in the area was rummaged through and cash and sunglasses were stolen. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.
ATTEMPTED CARJACKING, 2022-11260179, 1700 block of N. Uhle Street. At approximately 6:37 p.m. on November 26, police were dispatched to the report of an attempted carjacking. Upon arrival, it was determined Victim One was inside her parked vehicle when the suspect approached, opened the door and ordered her to exit. Victim One exited the vehicle and the suspect entered but Victim One still had the keys. The suspect then fled the scene and approached Victim Two who had just parked in the 2100 block of Key Boulevard. The suspect grabbed the victim’s arm and demanded her keys. When she refused, he fled the scene on foot. No injuries were reported and no items were reported stolen. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 5’6, 30 years old, skinny build, wearing a knit cap, black jacket and black/gray jeans. The investigation is ongoing.
Also in the crime report were some gun crimes, including an apparent road rage gun brandishing on I-395 and an armed robbery north of Columbia Pike.
A 22-year-old man was arrested last night and charged with attacking and strangling a woman as she walked through a neighborhood near Courthouse.
The attack happened along a path on the 1800 block of N. Uhle Street, in the Colonial Village community, at around 7 p.m.
Police say the man put a cord around the woman’s neck, pulled her to the ground and then tried to strangle her with his hands. He ran off “when two witnesses arrived in the area,” according to police.
Detective work led police to a suspect who was subsequently arrested on the 1500 block of N. Pierce Street, in the Rosslyn area.
“Following the April 13 incident, detectives launched a thorough investigation which included canvassing for information, reviewing crime scene evidence, interviewing witnesses and following up on investigative leads,” Arlington County police said in a press release. “As a result, detectives identified [Marquis] Holmes as a suspect and sought a warrant for Strangulation.”
“On the evening of April 21, officers responding to the report of a suspicious person in the 1500 block of N. Pierce Street located the suspect and took him into custody without incident on the outstanding warrant,” the press release continued. “Following an interview with detectives, an additional charge of Abduction with Intent to Defile was obtained.”
The abduction charge implies that police believe the suspect intended to have some sort of forcible sexual contact with the victim.
The police department is asking anyone with additional information about the case to contact them.
“This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected],” police said.
Photo courtesy ACPD
A man used a cord and then his hands to try to strangle a woman last night in Arlington’s Colonial Village neighborhood, according to police.
The reported attack happened around 7 p.m. on the 1800 block of N. Uhle Street, in the garden-style apartment and condo community between Courthouse and Lee Highway.
“The female victim was walking in the area when the unknown male suspect approached her from behind and tightly put a rope or cord around her neck,” the Arlington County Police Department said today in a press release. “The victim attempted to pull the object loose and fell to the ground with the suspect over her. The suspect then began to strangle her with his hands and stopped the attack when two witnesses arrived in the area.”
The man “fled the scene on foot and a canvas by responding officers concluded with negative results,” ACPD said. “The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.”
Police described the suspect as “a light skin Black male in his late teens to early 20’s, 5’6″ tall with a thin build… wearing frayed blue jeans, a black zip up jacket with red accents on the sleeves, a tan or beige shirt underneath and a black baseball hat.”
“This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected],” said the press release. “Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).”
Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf
(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) A new French pastry shop is coming to Rosslyn this spring or summer, pandemic allowing.
In an era before social distancing and talk of quarantines, signs went up in the former Bean Good Coffee Pub space (1737 Wilson Blvd.) at the Colonial Village Shopping Center for Eclairons, a new cafe and bakery.
Signs in the window say the new restaurant will operate as a pastry shop, espresso bar and cafe serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The location is a spin-off of the Pastry Xpo Cafe in the Mosaic District in Fairfax. Staff at Pastry Xpo said that work is still ongoing inside Eclairons and the restaurant is not expected to open for “another few months.”
Plans to build seven new townhouses on N. Veitch Street in the Colonial Village are are moving forward, replacing a farmhouse built in 1920.
Seven townhouses would fill the parcel of land at 1731 N. Veitch Street, each four-stories tall. The new townhouses aren’t part of the Colonial Village development but are considered part of the Colonial Village neighborhood.
The homes are planned to face north and south with a 26-foot setback from the street. In the rear of each building will be a rooftop deck, a balcony on the second floor, and a two-car garage connected to the existing Colonial Village parking lot.
The plans were reviewed last night (Thursday) by the Transportation Commission, where most of the dissent on the project stemmed not from transportation issues, but preservation.
While not typically in the purview of the Transportation Commission, Commissioner Audrey Clement raised concerns about the historic nature of the building being replaced. The staff report notes that the existing single-family farmhouse on the property was constructed a century ago.
“This is a historic property,” Clement said. “The [Historic Affairs and Landmark Review Board] was not tasked to hear this item and I want to know why.”
A staff report said the development did go to the HALRB in June, but only as an informational item to receive feedback that led to some redesigns. While the property is surrounded by Colonial Village, which is designated as a historic district, the property itself is not marked as historic and feedback from the HALRB focused on keeping the design compatible with other nearby historic properties.
The townhouses were approved in an 8-1 vote by the Transportation Commission, with Clement voting against the project. The project is scheduled to go to the Planning Commission on Monday, Feb. 10, before being considered by the County Board.
Map via Google Maps
A new Thai restaurant is set to open in the Colonial Village Shopping Center near Rosslyn.
“Thai Select” is currently redecorating the space formerly occupied by sushi restaurant Rolls By U and is hoping to open next month, staff told ARLnow today (Thursday).
The owners behind the new restaurant near Rosslyn and Colonial Village are Debbie Piamsiri Ratanaprasith and Ann Chotika Chevasuttho, who also run Georgetown’s iThai restaurant, and the Side Street & Sushi Bar by iThai in Vienna.
Their new restaurant will be able to seat 48 people, according to permits.
Staff said Thai Select will serve a variety of Thai dishes and bubble tea. The latter may compete with the bubble tea served next door at frozen yogurt shop IceBerry.
Thai Select will replace the create-your-own sushi eatery Rolls By U that closed in December after opening in the shopping center in 2015. Its sister location in Foggy Bottom which opened in 2017 also appears to be closed. The Rolls By U owners’ other venture, Guarapo Lounge in Courthouse, closed in 2016.
(Updated at 9:40 a.m.) Good Sweat, an indoor cycling studio, is set to open in Rosslyn’s Colonial Village Shopping Center in early 2019.
Alessandra Hashemi, the founder of Good Sweat, told ARLnow that she is aiming for a March opening.
More than 180 people helped Good Sweat raise roughly $26,000 in 21 days, surpassing the studio’s goal of $25,000 in 25 days, the company posted on Facebook on Oct. 21. The money will fund the opening next year at 1711 Wilson Blvd.
A portion of the money from the campaign was donated to Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network to sponsor its “Sixth Annual Happy Hour Benefiting Veterans” on Nov. 7, Hashemi said.
The studio plans to have metered bike and offer classes in the mornings throughout the week and in the evenings on weekdays, according to a brochure sent to ARLnow.
“I have been indoor cycling for over 10 years, and I have seen it all (the good, the bad, the underwhelming),” Hashemi, said in the brochure. “Indoor cycling classes can be cathartic if you have amazing coaches, music and motivation.”
The brochure says that a percentage of every purchase will get invested in the community by hosting subsidized rides for low-income individuals and donating to a different local nonprofit every month, including Urban Alliance, A-SPAN Doorways for Women and Families and Arlington Food Assistance Center.
Good Sweat held two pop-up events earlier this year — a yin yoga class in February and a body weight boot camp in August.
The studio is currently selling discounted packages, some of which include pre-opening access, ranging from one drop-in class to unlimited access for three months.
Signs are up at The Simple Greek, a new restaurant at the Colonial Village shopping plaza near Rosslyn.
Company representatives say they’re hoping to open the eatery, at 1731 Wilson Blvd, in late April.
The Simple Greek serves personalized Greek pitas or bowls, with several protein options and toppings like feta cheese, Kalamata olives, and cucumbers. Four different sauces, including hummus and garlic cream, will be available, and the restaurant has dessert options that includes a baklava cheesecake and Greek yogurt.
Greek beer and wine are also available at select locations, but The Simple Greek’s website did not list if this location was among those with libations. The chain replaces the former Virginia ABC Store, which closed in 2013 and left the storefront vacant ever since.
According to a website location map, The Simple Greek chain has at least nine new locations in the works nationwide, from Massachusetts to Texas. Hours for the Arlington store are not yet listed on the website.
The Simple Greek was featured on the CNBC show The Profit, an appearance that later led to a lawsuit against host Marcus Lemonis and the subsequent closure of a location in suburban Pittsburgh.
