Columbia Pike | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published November 18, 2011 at 8:30AM

Traffic on the GW Parkway (file photo)

Garvey Announces For County Board — Arlington school board member Libby Garvey, who ran unsuccessfully for state Senate earlier this year, will formally announce next month that she’s running for Senator-elect Barbara Favola’s old seat on the County Board. In an email to supporters, Garvey also said that she will not run for re-election to the school board when her term is up in 2012.

Pike Streetcar Project Moves Forward — The Columbia Pike streetcar project is still on track. “We’re on a schedule to try to get a project going, and we don’t want this to take as long as Dulles rail,” County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman told WAMU.

News

High-End Cocktails Coming to Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Published November 9, 2011 at 3:08PM

The Washington Post’s Going Out Guide has today’s scoop that mixologist Todd Thrasher, Northern Virginia’s king of cocktails, will be opening a new bar within the already-announced Eamonn’s: A Dublin Chipper restaurant on Columbia Pike.

According to the Post, the 30-seat bar — named ‘TNT’ — will feature original cocktail creations and a sort of global cocktail “greatest hits” menu. TNT and Eamonn’s is expected to open around the beginning of spring.

Around Town

Brown’s Used Car Center Closes on the Pike

By ARLnow.com

Published November 2, 2011 at 3:23PM

The dealership, at 3200 Columbia Pike, was once billed as “the area’s largest selection of pre-owned/used cars, trucks, SUVs and vans.” Its brands included Honda, Toyota, BMW, Nissan, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Lexus, Infiniti, Hyundai and others.

Now, the parking lot has been cleared out and little but furniture and art remains in the one-time showroom. An employee who answered the phone confirmed that the super center has closed. The employee said she did not know what will take its place.

Events

Meeting to Address Improvements on Columbia Pike

By Katie Pyzyk

Published October 25, 2011 at 2:55PM

The focus will be on the progress of the Columbia Pike Multimodal Street Improvements Project and what should be done next to reach its goals. The county started the project to analyze transportation along the 3.5 mile Columbia Pike corridor, and suggest improvements for pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles.

Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting and offer feedback on the recommended design. It’s tonight from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Walter Reed Community Center (2909 S. 16th St.).

Traffic

High Grass Makes Tricky Merge Even Trickier

By ARLnow.com

Published October 25, 2011 at 9:30AM

The tricky merge from eastbound Columbia Pike to northbound Washington Boulevard has been made even trickier recently due to high grass.

The merge, which lacks an acceleration lane to get up to the speed of fast-moving traffic on Washington Boulevard, has been the scene of numerous fender benders. While it was still hard for drivers to see oncoming traffic when the grass was mowed, cab drivers tell us that it’s now even harder.

Around Town

Penrose Square to Get $2 Million Public Park

By ARLnow.com

Published October 11, 2011 at 12:27PM

Over the weekend, the Arlington County Board will vote on whether to approve a construction contract and a public art contract for a “Penrose Square Public Plaza” at 2503 Columbia Pike. The 17,360 square foot plaza will be a central focus of the revitalized Columbia Pike “town center,” and will serve “as a meeting and gathering spot in the Corridor’s new urban fabric.”

The construction contract, worth some $1.6 million, will create “a tree-covered terrace with movable tables and chairs; an inner plaza with a water feature… an inscription of historical significance of the site; and a grass mound area shaded with trees for informal seating.” The water feature will be made sustainable “by collecting, treating and then reusing water from the fountain again to minimize daily water consumption.”

News

Coming Soon: Señor Pan Bakery and Cafe

By ARLnow.com

Published October 6, 2011 at 2:54PM

A new Latin bakery and cafe is coming to the heart of Columbia Pike.

Signs in the window of the former La Cabaña Peruvian restaurant at 922 S. Walter Reed Drive that a new eatery called “Señor Pan Bakery and Cafe” is planning to open in the space. According to the signs, the bakery could be open as soon as mid-November.

News

Chainsaw Accident Sends Worker to Hospital

By ARLnow.com

Published September 30, 2011 at 3:19PM

A man suffered a serious arm injury this afternoon after reportedly being cut by a chainsaw.

Initial reports suggest the man was in a bucket truck doing tree maintenance at an apartment complex on the 2000 block of Columbia Pike when the chainsaw accidentally cut him in the bicep. Paramedics were called, a tourniquet was applied, and the man was rushed to the hospital.

News

Mystery Video Cameras on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Published September 30, 2011 at 1:30PM

Over the past couple of weeks, people have been noticing mysterious, concealed video cameras mounted on lamp posts along Columbia Pike.

Some residents thought they were ingenious surveillance cameras in place for the 9-11 anniversary. Others thought they were part of some shady dealings, and called police to investigate.

Traffic

Columbia Pike Repair Work Expected Soon

By ARLnow.com

Published September 28, 2011 at 12:31PM

The bumpy and pothole-ridden stretch of Columbia Pike between George Mason Drive and Four Mile Run will be getting some much-needed repairs this fall, according to Arlington County officials.

“The excessive heat and rain this summer, combined with construction and regular bus traffic, have taken a toll on the Pike,” admitted county spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel.

News

Washington Blvd Bridge Work to Begin This Spring

By ARLnow.com

Published September 22, 2011 at 4:25PM

At a community meeting on Tuesday, VDOT project manager Christiana Briganti-Dunn said land acquisition and construction is expected to begin this spring and will be complete by Aug. 2015. The $51.5 million project is being paid for primarily with federal and state funds, although Arlington is expected to contribute about $1 million for utility relocation and upgrades.

The project will replace the crumbling Washington Boulevard bridge, which dates back to the 1940s, and replace it with a new, wider span that will be dubbed the Freedman’s Village Bridge, in honor of the enclave of freed slaves that was established nearby in 1863 and remained until the 1890s.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 21, 2011 at 8:45AM

Residents Decry Aircraft Noise — Noise from airplanes landing at Reagan National Airport is “seriously affecting residents’ quality of life” in the Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights neighborhood. Residents told airport representatives at last night’s civic association meeting that the noise has gotten considerably worse since nighttime repair work on the airport’s main runway began in May. [Ode Street Tribune]

Pike Resident Named Roommate of the Year — Columbia Pike resident Jesse McLaughlin has won free rent for a year and $10,000 cash after being named the Apartments.com Roommate of the Year. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office employee’s cooking and cleaning prowess helped him beat out nine other finalists for the title. As it turns out, Jesse’s roommate is actually his girlfriend, Lisa. [Roommate of the Year Contest]