Around Town

A butcher and deli chain with a popular Philadelphia-style cheesesteak is planning to open a new spot in Crystal City.

Soko Butcher is coming to a 1,600-square-foot retail bay at 269 19th Court S., Suite 95, on the ground floor of the Grace and Reva apartments, owner Brad Feickert told ARLnow.


News

An advisory panel says the proposed pedestrian/bicycle bridge connecting Crystal City to Reagan National Airport falls short of optimal accessibility standards.

The current plan for an elevator and staircase at the Crystal City side of the crossing “is absolutely not sufficient,” said Pamela Van Hine, recording secretary of the Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC).


News

Construction on a row of new townhomes is getting underway at Crystal House Apartments, with completion expected in about a year.

The Highlands Row development of 42 townhouses along S. Fern Street — each with three bedrooms, two and a half baths and a price tag of about $1.2 million — is currently expected to begin foundation work next month and finish in May 2027, ARLnow is told.


News

Free weekend and evening parking is ending this week at several popular parking garages in Crystal City and Pentagon City.

JBG Smith — the prolific owner, operator and developer of numerous properties throughout National Landing and the D.C. area — will begin charging motorists a modest fee to park after-hours beginning on April 1.


Around Town

A new Pilates studio is rolling out plans to open in Crystal City.

Signs advertising “Pilates on the Mat” have appeared on the ground floor of The Grace and Reva apartments (269 19th Court S.). A website for the upcoming business advertises “a revolutionary fitness concept providing reformer-quality Pilates classes at a fraction of the price,” in addition to “corporate wellness” classes offered at offices and apartments.


Around Town

An Ace Hardware store is opening soon in Crystal City.

Arlington’s second Twins Ace Hardware is preparing to soft open at 2051 S. Bell Street on Tuesday, April 7, owner Jeff Smith told ARLnow. This will be followed by a three-day grand opening with “swag, gift bags, giveaways, and plenty of surprises” from May 29-31.


Around Town

A popular West Coast-inspired burrito shop and cafe from D.C. is opening for business next week at Crystal City’s Water Park.

Monstera Burrito opens Monday at 1721 Crystal Drive, bringing its signature San Diego-style, French fry-packed burritos and an extended menu of burgers, bowls, sandwiches and other bites. It’s the restaurant’s second location, joining a residency inside Georgetown’s Grace Street Coffee Roasters that opened in 2024.


Around Town

A D.C.-based bubble tea shop is now serving up colorful signature beverages in Crystal City.

Spot of Tea opened last week at 1631 Crystal Drive in Water Park, offering customizable fruit tea, milk tea and matcha. With flavors including vanilla taro milk tea, mango sticky rice matcha and passionfruit green tea, the cafe’s brightly hued beverages — adjustable by the level of ice and sweetness — match its vibrant decor.


Around Town

Cafe franchise Paris Baguette is planning a new location in Crystal City, and a previously announced Clarendon spot is set to open in a couple weeks.

Signs for the French-inspired eatery have appeared at 2000 S. Bell Street in Crystal City, on the ground floor of Valen apartments. The location is expected to open this summer, targeting a debut “in the third quarter of 2026,” according to property owner JBG Smith.


News

Plans to cover only a portion of a quarter-mile pedestrian bridge between Crystal City and Reagan National Airport are raising concerns among some local residents.

Officials from Arlington’s Department of Environmental Services have proposed to cover the CC2DCA multimodal connection on the western portion as it passes above rail lines, then on the eastern portion as it approaches the airport. For aesthetic reasons, however, the current plan is to leave the bridge open to the sky as it passes over GW Parkway.


Around Town

A husband-and-wife duo known for their work on the silver screen plan to release their second children’s book together after resettling in Arlington.

Brittany Scott Smith, an Emmy-winning director who has worked on “Sesame Street,” and her husband, actor Arjay Smith, release books together under the name “A.B. Smith.” Their latest book, “Wes and Morris Meet Passport Pat,” comes out on March 27.


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