Crystal City | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published January 22, 2015 at 9:05AM

Another Early Morning Fire — Arlington County firefighters rescued a man from an early morning house fire on the 2100 block of S. Randolph Street. This is the second day in a row that Arlington firefighters rescued someone from a house fire. [WJLA]

Association Moves from Alexandria to Arlington — The American Diabetes Association is moving from Alexandria to Arlington. The association has signed a 78,000 square foot lease for a building in Crystal City. The building, owned by Vornado, has been vacant since the previous military moved out due to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Act. [Washington Business Journal]

Events

Tattoo Expo Coming to Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published January 14, 2015 at 11:15AM

The D.C. Tattoo Arts Expo is being held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott (1700 Jefferson Davis Highway) from Thursday night to Sunday night.

Organizers say the expo is “back, bigger and better than ever.”

Events

Help Us Celebrate ARLnow.com’s Fifth Anniversary

By ARLnow.com

Published January 12, 2015 at 3:45PM | Updated January 13, 2015 at 2:42PM

Launched on a Friday, on the eve of a snowy Saturday and a week before Snowmageddon, ARLnow.com has been published continuously ever since. During that time it has gone from being an informal local news blog based out of a Crystal City apartment to a professional news publication with full-time employees and an actual office.

By the time we officially turn five, two weeks from now, we’ll have published more than 10,000 articles, including on-the-ground breaking news reporting, big local scoops that became national stories, and plenty articles chronicling everyday life in our fair county.

News

Gas Leak Shuts Down Part of Crystal Drive in Front of EPA Building

By Ethan Rothstein

Published January 7, 2015 at 2:00PM | Updated January 7, 2015 at 5:46PM

Update at 3:45 p.m. — The gas line has been shut off and the incident has been cleared. Northbound Crystal Drive remains shut down between Potomac Ave and 27 Street S. as repairs on the gas line continue.

Emergency crews are shutting down the 2600 block of Crystal Drive to repair a gas leak.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 7, 2015 at 11:00AM

Murphy Apologizes for Snowy School Opening — Arlington Public Schools superintendent Patrick Murphy has personally apologized for the unpopular decision to open schools on time yesterday, in the midst of a snow storm. Murphy said APS, like other local school systems that also opened on time, had to make a decision early in the morning, when the forecast still called for less snow. “Once that decision is made, we are kind of locked in,” said Murphy. [InsideNova]

Salt Truck Slides Down Hill — The refreeze may have claimed a salt truck last night. A reader spotted a salt truck being pulled out of a ditch on N. Roosevelt Street. [Twitter]

Government Contracting Incubator Launches in Crystal City

Published December 22, 2014 at 4:20PM

Editor’s Note: Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

Eastern Foundry CEO and Founder Geoff Orazem said he expects to be full in his space on the fourth floor of 2011 Crystal Drive by “mid-February at the latest.” Its occupancy rate is just one example of the sweet spot his company has found in its sector.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published December 17, 2014 at 9:00AM

HOT Lane Lawsuit May Haunt County — At a time when the state is studying HOT lanes and other possible changes to I-66 inside the Beltway, Arlington County’s past actions may come back to haunt it. County officials “burned some bridges” when they filed a lawsuit against VDOT in 2009 to block HOT lanes on I-395. The county has also lost some regional credibility by abruptly canceling the streetcar project. Efforts by Arlington to oppose any changes on I-66, therefore, may fall on deaf ears. [InsideNova]

Incubator Launches in Crystal City — Eastern Foundry, a “veteran-owned government technology and innovation incubator,” celebrated its launch in Crystal City yesterday. The company held a ribbon cutting ceremony with Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Vornado/Charles E. Smith president Mitchell Schear. [PR Web]

News

Building-Sized Downton Abbey Mural Installed in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published December 16, 2014 at 1:30PM

Arlington-based PBS is celebrating the upcoming fifth season of its hit Downton Abbey with a building-sized mural on its Crystal City headquarters.

The temporary art installation, featuring the likeness of Downton character Lady Mary , is 90 feet high and 54.5 feet wide — 4,900 square feet total — and took about 140 hours to complete. It was installed at 2100 Crystal Drive in partnership with the Crystal City Business Improvement District and building owner Vornado/Charles E. Smith.

Events

Crystal City Hosting Tech Cocktail Startup Awards Tomorrow

By Ethan Rothstein

Published December 15, 2014 at 3:45PM | Updated December 15, 2014 at 4:13PM

The party will start at 6:00 p.m., end at 8:30 and costs $25 to attend ($35.99 if the guest wants a copy of Startup Mixology by Tech Cocktail’s Frank Gruber). All guests are encouraged to bring canned goods to donate to the Arlington Food Assistance Center.

Hundreds from the D.C. startup scene are expected to be in attendance, and awaiting the announcement of the annual awards. Winners will be named in the following categories:

News

UPDATED: Police, Hazmat Team Investigate Suspicious Substances in Crystal City Apartment

By ARLnow.com

Published December 8, 2014 at 3:35PM | Updated December 8, 2014 at 7:00PM

Update at 6:30 p.m.: Investigators have determined that the substances found in the apartment were cleaning supplies and chemicals such as acetone, police spokesman Lt. Kip Malcolm told ARLnow.com. The substances were held in “weird containers,” for reasons unknown. Hazmat teams have cleared the scene.

Earlier: Police and the Arlington County hazmat team are investigating a possible drug lab found in a Crystal City apartment.

Around Town

Highline Hiring, Requesting Live Entertainment Permit

By Ethan Rothstein

Published December 8, 2014 at 1:30PM | Updated December 8, 2014 at 1:55PM

Highline, the new Crystal City bar from the owners of CarPool in Ballston and the Continental in Rosslyn, is taking the last steps before an anticipated early January opening.

The bar applied for a live entertainment and dancing permit, which the Arlington County Board is set to review on Saturday, laying out plans for “musical ensembles, solo performers, deejays, karaoke, and comedians” to perform nightly until 2:00 a.m. County staff has recommended approving the permit with conditions that amplified music be limited to Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, when all windows and doors to the outside are closed.

News

New Office, Residential Towers Planned for Crystal City

By Ethan Rothstein

Published December 5, 2014 at 11:25AM

Vornado's rendering of its redevelopment plans for 223 23rd Street S.

Vornado is planning a new 25-story office tower and a 28-story apartment building at Crystal Drive and 23rd Street S.

The redevelopment plan would demolish the current, vacant office building at 223 23rd Street. In addition to building the two new buildings — which would be two of the tallest in Crystal City — Vornado is planning on building a 13,000-square-foot park on the site, adjacent to the residential tower, and a 4,000-square-foot pocket park along Crystal Drive.