construction | ARLnow.com

County Gears Up to Spend Nearly $410,000 Installing A/V System at Long Bridge Park Aquatics Center

Published January 24, 2019 at 9:45AM

Long Bridge Park aquatics center interior (via Arlington County)

Arlington officials are getting ready to spend nearly $410,000 for the installation of video boards at the Long Bridge Park aquatics and fitness center, a pricy project that has drawn plenty of criticism over the years.

The County Board is set to approve a contract with a construction company this weekend, after staff submitted a report arguing that only a firm with “specialized knowledge” will be able to handle the installation of the center’s audiovisual systems. The county’s main contractor kicked off work on the building this summer, though workers have mainly been occupied with clearing the site at 475 Long Bridge Drive since then.

News

NoVa Congressional Delegation Pushes for Funding for Major GW Parkway Rehab Work

By Alex Koma

Published January 17, 2019 at 4:15PM

GW Parkway rehabilitation project (via National Park Service)

Federal officials think they have a good shot at winning $126 million in grant funds to make a series of badly needed repairs on a long section of the GW Parkway, and Northern Virginia’s congressional delegation is throwing its weight behind the effort.

The National Park Service, which maintains the road, is currently applying for a hefty U.S. Department of Transportation grant to fund rehabilitation work on a roughly eight-mile-long stretch of the parkway, as it runs between the Spout Run Parkway in Rosslyn and I-495. Now, both of Virginia’s senators and three local members of Congress are lending their support to the funding push, in a bid to finally afford some changes on the aging roadway.

Around Town

Safety Concerns Prompt Sidewalk Closure on Four Mile Run Bridge to Alexandria

By Alex Koma

Published January 15, 2019 at 4:45PM

Safety concerns have prompted the county to close a sidewalk along a bridge over Four Mile Run connecting Arlington and Alexandria.

The western sidewalk of the bridge connecting S. Arlington Ridge Road with Mount Vernon Avenue is now closed indefinitely, the county announced last week.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 15, 2019 at 8:45AM

Gymboree Expected to Close — “Children’s clothing retailer Gymboree Group Inc. is expected to seek bankruptcy protection this week, with plans to close all 900 of its stores, according to people familiar with the matter.” The company has a Gymboree location at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall. [Wall Street Journal]

A First for the Local Real Estate Market — “The Arlington real estate market for 2018 was essentially flat compared to a year before – while, for the first time, the average sales price of single-family homes topped the $1 million mark.” [InsideNova]

Schools

Plans for Education Center’s Transformation into Classroom Space Begin to Take Shape

By Alex Koma

Published January 8, 2019 at 2:45PM

Plans to transform the old Arlington Education Center into a new wing of Washington-Lee High School are taking shape, with early designs calling for 24,600 square feet of classrooms in the renovated building.

Arlington school officials hope to someday add space for 600 high school students on the site, the former home of the Arlington Public Schools offices at 1426 N. Quincy Street. But first the School Board needs to sign off on a full renovation of the building, in order to welcome students in time for the 2021-2022 school year.

News

Reagan National Airport Set to Close Some Arrival Doors for Construction Starting Today

By Alex Koma

Published January 7, 2019 at 9:45AM

Passengers arriving at Reagan National Airport can expect some more construction-related changes to the lower, baggage claim level at Terminal B/C.

Starting today (Monday), exit doors at either end of the terminal will be closed to allow for additional work, airport officials announced last week. DCA is in the midst of its massive “Project Journey,” an effort to construct a new security screening area and a new gate for regional flights, replacing the “35X” gate.

News

Demolition of Crystal City’s Elevated Section of S. Clark Street Moves Ahead

By Alex Koma

Published December 28, 2018 at 2:45PM

Demolition work continues on the elevated section of S. Clark Street in Crystal City.

Demolition work on the elevated section of S. Clark Street in Crystal City is slowly moving forward.

Workers kicked off a project to demolish the road and transform the area’s transportation network in earnest this summer, when they tore down S. Clark Street’s overpass over 15th Street. S. Since then, the county says workers have still had to use “10 to 15 dump trucks per day” to remove all the soil that supported that structure.

Traffic

New Round of ‘Clarendon Circle’ Construction Prompts Additional Traffic Changes Starting Today

By Alex Koma

Published December 26, 2018 at 10:45AM

Construction work on the "Clarendon Circle" intersection

A new round of construction is kicking off at one of Clarendon’s trickiest intersections, and that means more lane closures and traffic changes.

Starting today (Wednesday), workers plan to start major sidewalk expansions at the “Clarendon Circle” intersection, or the area where Clarendon, Washington and Wilson boulevards meet.

News

Wilson Blvd Upgrades in Virginia Square Poised for Spring Construction

By Catherine Douglas Moran

Published December 11, 2018 at 3:45PM

The county could soon get started on some eagerly awaited improvements to Wilson Blvd in Virginia Square this spring.

Between 2009 and 2012, Arlington County completed two previous phases of road construction from N. Quincy Street to N. Lincoln Street, adding new sidewalks, streetlights, trees, bus shelters and a traffic signal at Oakland Street.

Around Town

Construction on Ballston Quarter Pedestrian Bridge Ramps Up Ahead of Spring 2019 Opening

By Alex Koma

Published December 11, 2018 at 2:45PM | Updated December 11, 2018 at 4:19PM

Workers assemble the Ballston Quarter pedestrian bridge in Mosaic Park in December, 2018 (Staff Photo)

The construction of a new pedestrian bridge linking Ballston Quarter to the area’s Metro station is picking up steam.

Workers recently began installing supports for the bridge near the development’s entrances along Wilson Blvd, as well as near the “Ballston Exchange” development at 4201 Wilson Blvd, where the walkway will ultimately connect.

News

Custis Trail Narrows Temporarily for N. Lynn Street Project in Rosslyn

By Catherine Douglas Moran

Published December 10, 2018 at 4:45PM

The Custis Trail at N. Lynn Street in Rosslyn (photo via VDOT)

Starting this week, construction to improve the intersection of Lee Highway and N. Lynn Street in Rosslyn will significantly narrow a portion of the Custis Trail.

The trail narrowing will last for nine to 10 months while construction takes place on the south side of the trail.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published December 10, 2018 at 9:45AM

Rosslyn Lands Trump HQ2 — President Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign will be opening a satellite office to its Trump Tower headquarters at a Rosslyn office building. Arlington has previously been home to a number of presidential campaign headquarters. [Politico]

Popular Popcorn Purveyor Opens at DCA — Chicago’s Garrett Popcorn Shops now has a second location in Arlington. Garrett’s new shop is now open in the pre-security section of Reagan National Airport near Terminal C. [Twitter]