development | ARLnow.com

Keep 23rd Street Weird: Crystal City Restaurant Owners, Residents Sound Off On Parking Changes

Published November 19, 2019 at 3:45PM

Restaurants along 23rd Street S. in Crystal City

Restaurant owners, residents, and advisory group members alike are demanding that an upcoming residential development in Crystal City includes more customer parking for the 23rd Street “Restaurant Row.”

At an unusually heated Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC) meeting Monday night, a representative from Crystal Houses developer Roseland Residential Trust outlined its plans for “Crystal House 5,” one of the new residential buildings proposed to be added to the existing apartment complex on the 1900 block of S. Eads Street.

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JBG Proposes Another Crystal City Development

By ARLnow.com

Published November 19, 2019 at 1:55PM

Plans for 101 12th Street S. in Crystal City (courtesy JBG Smith/TMRW Studios)

Developer JBG SMITH is adding to its already extensive redevelopment plans in and around Crystal City.

The top property owner in the so-called National Landing area (Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard) just revealed plans for a new office building, just down the street from Amazon’s planned HQ2.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 19, 2019 at 7:30AM

Dorsey Staying Put, For Now — “The chairman of the Arlington County Board says he’s not going anywhere… ‘My personal financial issues do not impinge on my ability to work with colleagues both in Arlington and throughout the region, our county staff and our community,’ Dorsey said. ‘I intend to demonstrate over the next four years those who voted to re-elect me did not make a mistake.'” [InsideNova]

RiverHouse Plans Pick Up Opposition — “JBG Smith’s plans to add nearly 1,000 new housing units to its RiverHouse Apartment Complex in Pentagon City, not far from the future home of Amazon’s second headquarters, now look to be in trouble. Arlington officials and neighbors are pushing back against the developer’s proposal.” [Washington Business Journal]

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 18, 2019 at 6:00AM | Updated November 18, 2019 at 8:49AM

Kids wait to cross Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Scooters Can Officially Ride on Sidewalks, Trails — Details about the new, William Shatner-approved permanent e-scooter and e-bike regulations approved by the County Board over the weekend: “Motorized scooters and skateboards will have a top speed of 15 miles per hour, and e-bicycles will have a top speed of 20 miles per hour on streets and trails. When operating on public sidewalks, the top speed of all the devices is restricted to six miles per hour. The devices will not be allowed to operate on sidewalks where a protected bicycle lane is available and may be prohibited from other sidewalks.” [Arlington County]

Progress on Second Ballston Metro Entrance Plan — “At long last, Arlington seems to be making real progress on building a western entrance to the Ballston Metro station — and that includes finding a path to fund the stalled project. County officials plan to set aside an extra $25 million for the Metro station entrance, then ask for $33.5 million in regional transportation funding for the project.” [Washington Business Journal]

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Officials Expect Arlington’s Office Vacancy Rate to Keep Dropping Next Year

By Kalina Newman

Published November 15, 2019 at 1:45PM | Updated November 15, 2019 at 2:02PM

Office buildings in Crystal City (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington’s office vacancy rate could drop below 15% next year as business continue to move to the area, according to some local experts.

Leaders of commercial real estate Avison Young and Arlington Economic Development (AED) said there is likely to be continued progress in Arlington’s long-standing struggle with a high number of empty office spaces.

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County Looking to Remove Road Connected to Amazon’s Pentagon City Development

By Airey

Published November 15, 2019 at 11:10AM

The county is looking into whether to remove a section of road planned for the Met Park site officials say it no longer needed in now that Amazon is moving in (Image via Arlington County)

Arlington is considering removing a planned section of road in the Metropolitan Park site in Pentagon City, the future home of Amazon’s permanent HQ2.

The Arlington County Board will vote during its meeting this Saturday, November 16 on the first step to nixing a stretch of 14th Road S. that was supposed to one day extend eastward on the lot that now slated for the first phase of Amazon’s headquarters plan.

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County Board to Consider Zoning Changes for Ballston Harris Teeter Development

By Airey

Published November 14, 2019 at 1:30PM

A 2018 rendering of a redeveloped Harris Teeter, seen from along N. Glebe Road.

The Arlington County Board is poised to advance the Ballston Harris Teeter project with several zoning updates.

The County Board will vote during its meeting this Saturday, November 16 on whether to approve the developer’s request to change the land’s zoning categories to permit the the many housing units as planned (732) and add retail to the buildings (83,600 total square feet.)

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Concept of Expanded GMU Arlington Campus Released

By ARLnow.com

Published November 8, 2019 at 3:00PM | Updated November 8, 2019 at 6:02PM

A 2019 rendering of the expanded George Mason University campus in Virginia Square (via GMU)

The expansion of George Mason University’s campus in Virginia Square is envisioned as a gleaming glass-and-steel tower with the school’s distinctive “M” emblazoned on top.

That’s according to a new concept design for GMU’s planned Institute for Digital Innovation, released as the university announced $235 million in new funding from the state to expand the campus and develop more tech talent. The new building will be built atop the long-shuttered Kann’s Department Store, on the west side of the Fairfax Drive campus.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 29, 2019 at 7:30AM

23rd Street Restaurants Worry About Parking — “Owners and operators along Crystal City’s ‘restaurant row’ are demanding changes to Roseland Residential Trust’s proposed multimillion-dollar expansion of the Crystal House complex, saying the project may irreparably harm their businesses… At issue are 95 pay-to-park spaces in a lot at South Eads and 22nd Street South, around the corner from the restaurants on 23rd Street.” [Washington Business Journal]

Juvenile Detention Facility in Question — “The City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church, and Arlington County will host community meetings in November to obtain public input for a study examining the future of the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center (Center). The facility, located in Alexandria, is operated by the three jurisdictions through a regional Juvenile Detention Commission.” [Arlington County]

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Proposed Ballston Hotel To Include Locally-Run Bars, a Jacuzzi, and a Light Display

By Airey

Published October 22, 2019 at 3:45PM | Updated October 22, 2019 at 4:03PM

New rendering of the proposed hotel in Ballston (Image via Arlington County)

Early plans for the new hotel being proposed in Ballston include locally-run bars, a rooftop jacuzzi, an artistic LED light display, and possibly an urban farm.

Vienna-based developer Schupp Companies is proposing to build the 10-story, 180-room hotel at the intersection of N. Randolph Street and 5th Road N. along with a two-story underground parking garage with space for 91 cars, as first reported by UrbanTurf.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 21, 2019 at 6:00AM

Shucking oysters at Shucktoberfest in Shirlington (Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman)

Scooters May Be Allowed on Arlington Sidewalks — “The Board voted unanimously to advertise a public hearing at the Nov. 16, 2019 County Board Meeting to consider proposed regulations of shared mobility devices. The proposed revisions include allowing the [scooters] to be used on County streets, sidewalks and multi-use trails and putting in place a permit fee structure for private companies offering the devices. During the pilot program, the devices have been prohibited on County sidewalks.” [Arlington County]

Clarendon Cafe Rebrands as ‘Three Whistles’ — “CoworkCafe founder Ramzy Azar rebranded the space this week. In addition to a new name, Three Whistles (2719 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia) has a new look and a new menu. Azar expects to roll out a menu full of Mediterranean small plates in the next few weeks. He says sharable dishes help create the feeling of a gathering place.” [Eater]

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County Board to Consider Nixing Path as Part of Crystal City Development

By Airey

Published October 17, 2019 at 10:15AM

Land that developer LCOR Inc wants the county to sell near S. Eads Street to help construction on the 12th Street Apartments project (Image via Arlington County)

The Arlington County Board is set to consider a developer request to get rid of a little pathway in Crystal City to make room for a new construction site.

Developer LCOR Inc. is offering the county $125,436 to nix a small pedestrian pathway near S. Eads Street near the Crystal City-Pentagon City border. The county’s vacation of the pathway will allow LCOR’s Verizon site project on 1400 11th Street S. to move forward.