Courthouse | ARLnow.com

Published March 6, 2014 at 2:30PM | Updated March 6, 2014 at 3:58PM

Those in and around the retail industry say the recent trends toward mixed-use, urbanized development and the growth of “milennials” among consumers in the post-recession years add up nicely for Arlington.

Bruce Leonard, a managing principal at Streetsense, a real estate, retail and marketing firm, gave a lecture at George Mason University’s Arlington campus last month called “the changing face of retail.” He contended that the retail market is catching up to the real estate market in seeking urban, walkable centers.

Events

Bayou Block Party Still On for Mardi Gras

By Ethan Rothstein

Published March 4, 2014 at 3:30PM | Updated March 4, 2014 at 3:46PM

Bayou Bakery (1515 N. Courthouse Road), the Cajun-themed coffee shop and restaurant by New Orleans-native chef David Guas, is hosting its Bayou Gras Block Party this evening, starting at 5:00 p.m. in front of the store.

Northbound N. Courthouse Road is shut down to make room for a large heated tent between Clarendon Blvd and 15th Street N., and is expected to remain closed until the party ends at 10:00 p.m.

Events

Clarendon Mardi Gras Parade Returns Next Week

By ARLnow.com

Published February 25, 2014 at 10:15AM | Updated March 3, 2014 at 4:10PM

The annual Clarendon-Courthouse Mardi Gras Parade will take place next Tuesday, March 4.

The free, family-friendly parade will start at 8:00 p.m. at N. Barton Street and will make its way up Wilson Blvd to N. Irving Street in Clarendon. The parade features decorated vehicles, marching bands, parade floats, groups with animals, historic fire trucks, school groups and more.

Around Town

‘DC Sliders’ Food Truck Debuts in Arlington

By Ethan Rothstein

Published February 20, 2014 at 10:00AM

A new food truck, DC Sliders, has come to serve lunch to customers in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.

The truck’s first day in Arlington was Feb. 6. It serves an array of mini-burgers, including the “Elvis” slider, featuring the King’s favorite sandwich ingredients: peanut butter, banana and bacon. Currently, it has regular stops in Courthouse and Rosslyn, as well as Reston and Tysons Corner, but it has also stopped in Ballston in the last two weeks.

News

Homeless Shelter Bids Arrive On-Budget

By ARLnow.com

Published February 5, 2014 at 7:15PM

Arlington County received two bids on the construction of a new “Homeless Services Center” at 2020 14th Street N., across from Arlington police headquarters. KBE Building Corporation bid $5.7 million and Miller Brothers Inc. bid $5.2 million for the project, which will involve interior alterations on two floors of the county-owned office building and the enclosure of an open parking area on the ground floor. The figures do not include project contingencies and some material costs.

“The total amount is within budget,” Arlington County spokeswoman Mary Curtius told ARLnow.com on Monday. The Arlington County Board is expected to award a construction contract at its meeting later this month.

Around Town

County Staff Pulls Back on Proposed Patio Restrictions for Velocity 5

By ARLnow.com

Published January 22, 2014 at 10:00AM

In December, county staff recommended that Velocity 5’s popular outdoor patio be forced to stop serving food and drink at 11:00 p.m., in response to “community concerns about noise.” That’s despite a report from the police department saying that noise complaints were down by 50 percent.

The owners of Velocity 5’s Courthouse location, which changed hands in early 2013, rallied supporters via social media after learning of the staff recommendation. Dozens showed up at the Dec. 17 County Board meeting where the proposal — part of the renewal of Velocity 5’s live entertainment permit — was under consideration. The Board ended up deferring the proposal until January to allow staff more time to work with the owners.

Around Town

Robeks in Courthouse Closes

By Ethan Rothstein

Published December 9, 2013 at 1:30PM

The Robeks smoothie shop in Courthouse has closed.

The Robeks location at 2300 Wilson Blvd, next to Me Jana was one of two locations for the national smoothie chain in Arlington. The Courthouse shop’s only current Arlington location is in Shirlington (4115 A S. Campbell Street).

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published December 9, 2013 at 9:45AM | Updated June 29, 2018 at 3:22PM

Metro Proposes Loop Line — Metro officials are considering a proposal for establishing a loop line between Arlington and the District. The line would include a new cross-Potomac River connection between Arlington and Georgetown in D.C., plus new stations near Rosslyn and the Pentagon in Arlington, and in Georgetown, Logan Circle and East Potomac Park in D.C. However, the plan also eliminates the direct Yellow Line connection between Arlington and downtown D.C. [Greater Greater Washington]

Unemployment Rises in Arlington — The unemployment rate in Arlington rose from 3.7 percent in August to 3.9 percent in October. However, Arlington’s unemployment rate remains the lowest in the Commonwealth of Virginia. [Sun Gazette]

News

Crime Report: Man’s Ear Severed in Fight

By ARLnow.com

Published December 4, 2013 at 3:45PM | Updated January 9, 2018 at 3:49PM

File photo

The incident happened Friday afternoon at a residence in the Alcova Heights neighborhood. The upper portion of man’s ear was severed, but he was “very uncooperative” and wouldn’t tell police what happened, according to Arlington County Police Department spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

Police do not have any suspects in the case.

Around Town

Photos: Elementary Schoolers Trick-or-Treat in Courthouse

By Ethan Rothstein

Published October 31, 2013 at 12:00PM

Elementary schoolers trick-or-treat in Courthouse in 2013 (staff photo)

Hundreds of grade-schoolers flooded the sidewalks of Courthouse this morning, trick-or-treating for Halloween.

Key Elementary School students, along with teachers and parents, went up and down Clarendon and Wilson Blvd just after 9:00 a.m., collecting candy from tables local businesses like John Marshall Bank and the Bank of Georgetown.

Around Town

Toscana Grill in Courthouse Changes Management

By Ethan Rothstein

Published October 29, 2013 at 9:30AM

The Italian restaurant’s website, SpaghettiYaFace.com, was recently updated to say the restaurant was closed for good. However, that site was maintained by Joe Smith, who was managing the restaurant the last two years.

Smith’s contract with Toscana’s owner ended last week, but the restaurant, located in Courthouse Plaza (2300 Clarendon Blvd), has continued operations. Manager Nargis Mughal said some changes are planned, including a new menu.

News

Abortion Rights Activists Hold Protest Outside Courthouse

By Ethan Rothstein

Published October 9, 2013 at 11:40AM

Protesters lined N. Courthouse Road this morning (Wednesday) to speak out against the new state regulations on abortion clinics this year.

Falls Church Healthcare Center filed a lawsuit against the Virginia Board of Health and the Virginia Department of Health in Arlington Circuit Court, and doctors and administrators from the practice spoke before a crowd of several dozen before the case was set to be heard in court for the first time.