County Board | ARLnow.com

Board to Mull Plan for Apartments, Whole Foods in Pentagon City

Published July 10, 2013 at 3:45PM

The proposal involves Metropolitan Park Phase 4/5 at 1200 S. Eads Street. Developer Vornado wishes to combine Phases 4 and 5 to make one building, the fourth in the Metropolitan Park development. Phases 1 and 2 of the project focused on building The Gramercy at Metropolitan Park and The Millennium at Metropolitan Park, which are both currently occupied. Phase 3 is for The Acadia at Metropolitan Park, which is under construction. Planning for the overall project has been in the works for about a decade.

The 22-story new building would contain nearly 700 residential units and would have more than 40,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. Almost 37,000 of the retail space would be taken up by a Whole Foods. The plan includes a four level, 885 space underground parking structure that will likely have one floor reserved exclusively for use by the grocery store.

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Board Likely to Defer Latitude Apartments Consideration

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 10, 2013 at 9:50AM

The matter before the Board is a request to consider the proposal for the Latitude Apartments at 3601 N. Fairfax Drive. It involves rezoning the property from commercial to residential and approving a site plan for 265 apartment units, more than 3,000 square feet of retail and more than 2,800 square feet of cultural/educational use. There is also a request to allow an encroachment into a public street and utilities easement in order to add balconies along the N. Monroe Street side of the building.

Residents at the nearby Monroe Condominium (3625 10th Street N.) and others in the neighborhood have voiced opposition to the proposal, claiming the plan has progressed without adequate community input. The largest concern appears to be with rezoning the space to residential, which the residents note violates the Virginia Square Sector Plan. Opponents have also raised concerns about the influx of new residents from the apartment complex causing congestion at the Virginia Square Metro station.

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Board to Consider Additional Funding for Long Bridge Drive

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 9, 2013 at 3:30PM

Arlington County is preparing to complete the long-awaited reconstruction of Long Bridge Drive, but first the County Board needs to approve a request for an additional $750,000 for the project.

The transformation of the former Old Jefferson Davis Highway involves converting approximately 2,750 feet of pockmarked roadway — from 12th Street S. to just south of Boundary Channel Drive — into what’s described as a safe, efficient multimodal transportation corridor. Improvements include bicycle lanes, sidewalks, bus shelters, landscaped medians, new gutters and a drainage system.

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County Board to Decide on Art Grants

By ARLnow.com

Published July 9, 2013 at 9:45AM

The Arlington Commission for the Arts recommended that 18 arts organizations and one individual artist receive direct financial support as part of the county’s Fiscal Year 2014 art grants. One of the organizations set to receive a grant, Signature Theatre, withdrew itself from consideration after it accepted a $250,000 tax bailout from the county in May.

The following are among the recipients of the $199,100 worth of proposed grants.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 9, 2013 at 8:30AM

Next County Manager To Be Arlington Resident? — A majority of County Board members would like the next county manager to be from Arlington. “Residing in the locality would make someone aware, in a more personal way,” County Board Walter Tejada told the Sun Gazette. But, “our first priority has to be [getting] the best-quality person.” Current county manager Barbara Donnellan lives in Fairfax County. [Sun Gazette]

Hard Times To Get Exclusive Starr Hill Brew — Hard Times Cafe will soon be serving a new brew — Hard Times Craft Lager. The beer is is the result of an exclusive partnership between the restaurant and the Virginia-based brewery. Hard Times’ 17 D.C.-area locations, including its spot in Clarendon, will all offer the beer, starting around the end of the month. [Washington Business Journal]

News

Board to Consider Decreasing Speed Limits

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 8, 2013 at 11:45AM

The Department of Environmental Services conducted studies to examine the viability of changing speed limits on several streets. Information was gathered regarding factors such as vehicle speeds, collisions, traffic volumes, pedestrian and bicyclist activity and development patterns. Studies were performed in the following areas: N. Meade Street from Arlington Blvd to Marshall Drive (formerly Jackson Avenue), Clarendon Blvd from Washington Blvd to N. Oak Street, Wilson Blvd from Route 110 to Washington Blvd, and N. Sycamore Street from Washington Blvd to 17th Street N. and N. Roosevelt Street from 17th Street N. to the county line.

The studies indicated that speed limits along N. Meade Street, Clarendon Blvd and Wilson Blvd could be decreased from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour. The N. Sycamore Street/N. Roosevelt Street studies indicated the speed limit could be lowered from 35 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour.

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County Board Set To Approve Two More Bikeshare Locations

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 8, 2013 at 10:30AM

The two stations, at Columbia Pike and S. Walter Reed Drive and at N. George Mason Drive and Pershing Drive, are part of a 33-station expansion of the Capital Bikeshare program Arlington County plans for 2013.

According to Capital Bikeshare’s website, new stations have opened at S. George Mason Drive and Four Mile Run, S. George Mason Drive and 13th Street S., Columbia Pike and S. Orme Street, S. Stafford Street and 34th Street S. and N. Pershing Drive and Wayne Street in just the last 30 days.

Around Town

New Restaurant to Replace Baja Fresh, Zpizza in Rosslyn?

By ARLnow.com

Published July 5, 2013 at 2:20PM

Monday Properties, the owner of 1100 Wilson Blvd, is asking the Board for permission to extend the outdoor cafe seating in front of both restaurants further out into the public right-of-way. The new sidewalk cafe will be about 732 square feet. County staff has recommended the Board approve the request.

In a staff report, it’s revealed that Monday is planning to combine the two restaurant spaces into one, larger space.

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Board: No Competition from Proposed Alexandria Fitness Facility

By Katie Pyzyk

Published June 28, 2013 at 11:30AM | Updated June 28, 2013 at 11:47AM

The Alexandria City Council discussed the proposal it received from The St. James Group LLC during its meeting on Tuesday. The plan involves a long term lease of the 15 acre city owned property currently occupied by Hensley Park.

The Alexandria proposal includes amenities such as an Olympic sized pool and water play area, climbing wall and racquetball courts. Those features had already been included in Arlington’s long term plan for Long Bridge Park.

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Arlington to Contribute $7 Million to New Police Shooting Range

By ARLnow.com

Published June 19, 2013 at 11:15AM

The facility will be built on the grounds of Dulles International Airport as a joint venture with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Arlington County will contribute $7 million to the project. MWAA will contribute about $5 million and the land, valued at $6 million.

The new facility is necessary, county officials said, because the Dulles-area range where Arlington officers currently train does not have running water and permanent restrooms. It also has no covered firing points and minimal classroom space.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 19, 2013 at 8:50AM

County Invests in Supportive Housing — Arlington County has matched a $500,000 grant from the Arlington Community Foundation to convert 10 units at the Marbella Apartments in Rosslyn to Permanent Supportive Housing. The apartments will be offered to the county’s most vulnerable homeless residents at a rate affordable to those making about $22,500 per year. [Arlington County]

Spring Athletic Achievements — Sportswriter Dave Facinoli recounts some of the most notable achievements of Arlington teams and athletes this spring. [Sun Gazette]

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Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Published June 18, 2013 at 8:55AM | Updated June 18, 2013 at 9:36AM

Street Lighting Complaints Continue — At its meeting on Saturday, the County Board addressed the complaints it continues to receive over the new LED streetlights being installed throughout the county. The Board has heard a number of types of complaints, including the lights casting a harsh glow and being too bright. County Manager Barbara Donnellan acknowledged the complaints but didn’t have any immediate solutions. She said the new lights save a lot of money. [Sun Gazette]

Red Truck Bakery Profile — Earlier this month, web magazine Slate — a division of the Washington Post Company — profiled Arlington resident Brian Noyes, the founder of Red Truck Bakery. Noyes restored a Cherrydale farmhouse and began his bakery business there while still working for Smithsonian magazine. He began in 2009 by selling goods out of the back of a 1954 Ford pickup truck and eventually found a brick and mortar location to work in Warrenton. Noyes, who has baked treats for the likes of President Obama, plans to open a new location in The Plains soon. [Slate]