Crystal City | ARLnow.com

VDOT Seeking Input on Ways to Improve Route 1 in Crystal City

Published October 20, 2020 at 10:30AM | Updated December 11, 2020 at 3:00PM

Current view of Route 1 (via National Landing BID)

The Virginia Department of Transportation is asking residents to take a short survey that will shape a study of potential improvements to Route 1 between 12th and 23rd Streets S. in Crystal City.

As development activity in Crystal City and Pentagon City continues, VDOT and Arlington County are looking for ways to improve the safety, accessibility and effectiveness of a variety of transportation modes on Route 1 in the area. In particular, the study responds to the increased demand for transportation resulting from the construction of Amazon’s HQ2.

News

Police: Drunk Man Tried to Force His Way into Woman’s Home

By ARLnow.com

Published October 20, 2020 at 9:45AM

File photo

Arlington County police arrested a man over the weekend after he allegedly tried to force his way into the home of a woman who opened her door to see if he needed help.

The incident happened around 1:45 a.m. Sunday on the 3100 block of 9th Street N., near Clarendon.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 15, 2020 at 6:00AM

Nonprofit Won’t Return to Arlington Office — “The American Diabetes Association isn’t planning a return to the Crystal City headquarters it left Alexandria for a few years back, not even when a Covid-19 vaccine is readily available and it’s safe to go back to the office again. The nonprofit is seeking to sublease all of its space at 2451 Crystal Drive, about 80,000 square feet.” [Washington Business Journal]

Voter Registration Open Until Midnight — “A judge on Wednesday granted a request from civil rights groups to extend Virginia’s voter registration deadline until Oct. 15 after the state’s online system crashed on the final day of the registration period, according to Virginia’s attorney general.” [Axios, Press Release]

News

County Seeks Input on Planned Park in Crystal City

By Jo DeVoe

Published October 14, 2020 at 11:00AM | Updated January 19, 2023 at 12:27PM

An aerial view of the Teardrop Parcel, which is being turned into a park. (via Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation)

Arlington County is asking for public input for a new park in Crystal City, just on the border of Pentagon City.

Currently called “Teardrop Parcels” from the shape of the two pieces of land that form the space, the county’s working name is “New Park at South Eads Street and Army Navy Drive.”

News

New Report Shows Route 1 in Crystal City as a Tree-Lined Urban Boulevard

By ARLnow.com

Published October 6, 2020 at 2:00PM

Rendering of potential changes to Route 1 - Option A (via National Landing BID)

Route 1 through Crystal City is currently a car-oriented, exhaust-clogged asphalt canyon that’s unpleasant for pedestrians to cross or even walk along. But there’s a push for that to change.

The National Landing BID, formerly known as the Crystal City BID before Amazon came to town, has just revealed its lusher, more pedestrian-friendly vision for Route 1, complete with wide sidewalks lined with ground-floor retail and restaurants.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 5, 2020 at 6:00AM | Updated October 5, 2020 at 9:30AM

Girl’s Study Shed Featured on NBC — With the help of a local Facebook group called “Buy Nothing,” an Arlington dad built a study shed for his daughter using materials donated by neighbors. The project was featured on Saturday’s national NBC Nightly News broadcast. [YouTube, Washington Post]

APS Graduation Rate Improves — “Arlington’s public-school students posted a 93.4-percent on-time graduation rate up from 92.5 percent a year before, according to new data from the Virginia Department of Education. Rates rose among both genders and in major racial/ethnic groups compared to the Class of 2019, while the school system’s dropout rate showed improvement, declining from 5.6 percent in 2019 to 4.9 percent in 2020.” [InsideNova]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 25, 2020 at 7:30AM

Crystal City Water Park to Get Big Upgrade — “JBG Smith Properties is pitching a major makeover for a small park at the heart of its Crystal City holdings, envisioning some new retail and even a bar atop a water feature. The developer filed plans with Arlington County earlier this month requesting an additional 6,100 square feet of density for the 1.6-acre park, located across the street from JBG Smith’s massive ‘Central District’ project at 1770 Crystal Drive.” [Washington Business Journal, Twitter]

Vote By Mail Facts — “The first round of vote-by-mail ballots have been sent to people who requested them, but it’s not too late to request yours. Ballot applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Oct. 23. To help you understand how voting by mail works — and feel confident in submitting your ballot — we’ve broken down the facts you need to know.” [Arlington County]

News

Sign Proposed for Top of New PBS Headquarters in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published September 9, 2020 at 9:30AM

New PBS headquarters at 1225 S. Clark St. (via Arlington County)

PBS is asking the Arlington County Board permission to add its logo to the top of its new headquarters in Crystal City.

The public broadcasting network is moving from its current space at 2100 Crystal Drive to the northern corner of the neighborhood, at 1225 S. Clark Street, after signing a 15-year-lease for 120,000 square feet of office space last year.

Events

Crystal City Plans New Drive-In Movie Series

By Vernon Miles

Published September 1, 2020 at 9:55AM

The National Landing BID (née Crystal City BID) is hosting a series of drive-in movies, starting Thursday and running weekly in September.

Retro drive-ins have become a popular alternative to traditional theaters, which can be a COVID-19 hazard. In Alexandria, a similar drive-in series has already sold out all of its tickets.

News

Police: Suspect Sprayed Man with Fire Extinguisher, Threw Wine Bottle at Amazon Office Window

By ARLnow.com

Published August 31, 2020 at 12:30PM | Updated August 31, 2020 at 12:50PM

(Updated at 12:50 p.m.) A 26-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly caused some minor mayhem in Crystal City last night.

Police say they the suspect, who was drunk, first asked a man for money, then — when the victim refused — struck him several times and sprayed him with a fire extinguisher.

News

Civic Associations Developing Proposals For Route 1 Changes in Crystal City

By Joseph Ramos

Published August 27, 2020 at 3:55PM

Route 1 in Crystal City over 12th Street S. (Image via Google Maps)

Members of civic associations for Crystal City, Aurora Highlands and Arlington Ridge are developing a proposal for changes to Route 1

The associations, convening as “Livability 22202” in a Zoom meeting last night, focused on how to improve Route 1 in Crystal City, specifically where it goes over 12th Street S. and 18th Street S.

News

Police to Start Enforcing Sidewalk Crowding Ordinance

By ARLnow.com

Published August 27, 2020 at 2:45PM | Updated September 23, 2020 at 11:13AM

(Updated at 3:15 p.m.) Starting tomorrow, standing in the wrong place with the wrong number of people could land you a warning from police.

Arlington County says it will begin enforcing its emergency sidewalk crowding ordinance — which makes standing in a group of more than three in designated zones a traffic infraction — on Friday.