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Pricey Rent at Ballston Common Mall

Published June 7, 2011 at 11:15AM

Arlington County leases a 3,119 square foot store, on the second floor near the entrance to Macy’s Furniture Gallery, to house the Woodmont Weavers program. The privately-run but publicly-funded program allows adults with cognitive disabilities to learn how to weave, to sell their creations (placemats, pillows, totes, scarves, hats, etc.) and to earn a wage in the process. The county subleases the space to St. Coletta of Greater Washington, which runs the program on behalf of the Department of Human Services, for a nominal $1 rent.

On Saturday the board is expected to approve a lease and sublease renewal for the mall storefront. According to the staff report, the base rent for the store from Nov. 1, 2011 to Oct. 31, 2012 will be $67,528.80 per year. Add in taxes and utilities, and the expected annual cost rises to $93,911.40.

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Boccato Gelato Expanding with Boccato Lounge

By ARLnow.com

Published June 1, 2011 at 10:42AM

The new “Boccato Lounge” will serve as a “place for families and the community to gather,” according to co-owner Cristian Velasco. Featuring beer, wine and live entertainment, the lounge will similar to Tryst in Adams Morgan — a hybrid coffee/alcohol hang-out spot.

Velasco says the lounge will allow Boccato to give its coffee and espresso program the attention it deserves, while giving customers more room to enjoy their drinks. There will, of course, be free WiFi.

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Online Fundraiser Seeks New Router for Pike Coffee Shop

By ARLnow.com

Published May 31, 2011 at 10:11AM

Gooljar wants to raise $200 to get local, independent coffee shop Rappahannock Coffee & Roasting (2406 Columbia Pike) some new WiFi gear. It seems that the cafe’s existing wireless router is slow, outdated and can barely accommodate more than four simultaneous WiFi users. To remedy the situation, Gooljar is asking customers to make donations to help update the equipment.

“It’s a small coffee shop and the owners don’t make that much to be spending it on things like this but people are here all the time and we could benefit from a new router!” he wrote on ChipIn.com, a web site that helps users conduct grassroots fundraisers.

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Moon-Linked Sheraton National Hotel Sold

By ARLnow.com

Published May 27, 2011 at 7:30AM | Updated May 27, 2011 at 8:57AM

The hotel, located just off of Columbia Pike at 900 S. Orme Street, had been owned by National Hospitality Corporation, a company linked to Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church.

HEI Hotels and Resorts purchased an ownership interest in the hotel for an undisclosed sum. The company owns 39 hotels in 16 states, including the Sheraton Crystal City.

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Colony House Furniture to Become Hotel

By ARLnow.com

Published May 26, 2011 at 9:36AM | Updated May 26, 2011 at 10:18AM

The recognizable building has been sold to the B.F. Saul Company, the Bethesda-based developer behind the recent Clarendon Center project. Last week representatives from Saul presented their redevelopment plan to the North Rosslyn Civic Association. Under the plan, an eight story extended stay hotel will be built on the 1.2 acre site at the corner of Lee Highway and N. Quinn Street. The hotel will include eight stories of guest rooms on top of two stories of above-ground parking.

(The parking must be built above ground since the site sits on solid rock. The building will technically be ten stories high from the Lee Highway side, but will only be considered eight stories due to the steep elevation near the rear of the site.)

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Italian Restaurant Coming to Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Published May 25, 2011 at 3:55PM

Padrino’s Fine Italian Cuisine hopes to first open its doors at some point near the end of June, according to owner Sami Khan, who said he’s excited to be opening a restaurant on the Pike.

“This is a beautiful place,” he said of the still-developing strip.

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Still Awaiting Construction at Trader Joe’s Site

By ARLnow.com

Published May 25, 2011 at 3:03PM

Interior construction of the hotly-anticipated grocery store has yet to begin. In November a Trader Joe’s rep told the County Board that they hoped to have the store open by “mid-2011.” Now, that seems highly unlikely.

Reached for comment yesterday, all Trader Joe’s spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki could tell ARLnow.com is that the store is on track to open by the end of the year. She said the company never actually promised an earlier opening.

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Jimmy John’s Coming to Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Published May 25, 2011 at 9:33AM | Updated May 25, 2011 at 11:01AM

The restaurant will be opening next to a new Sandy Spring bank branch at 550 N. Quincy Street, adjacent to the still under-construction Founders Square office development.

No word yet on an exact opening date for Jimmy John’s, but it just posted a help wanted ad on Craigslist yesterday. The restaurant is seeking sandwich makers, delivery drivers and bike delivery riders.

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Board Approves Limited Live Music at Westover Beer Garden

By ARLnow.com

Published May 18, 2011 at 5:00AM

Westover beer garden (courtesy Alan Howze)

Westover Market manager Devin Hicks has agreed to abide by 14 conditions, which were laid out by county staff in response to the concerns of residents who own homes near the beer garden. (Initially, staff recommended against the permit, but were instructed by the Board to come up with conditions more acceptable to concerned neighbors.)

The conditions include:

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Civic Associations Support Beer Garden Plan

By ARLnow.com

Published May 13, 2011 at 4:01PM | Updated May 14, 2011 at 2:12PM

Update at 2:10 p.m. on 5/14/11 — The County Board has put off final action on the Westover Beer Garden until Tuesday. It appears that the board is leaning toward approving some sort of live entertainment permit with additional restrictions.

Below are letters from the presidents of four civic associations in favor of a compromise that would allow the Westover Market’s popular beer garden to host live entertainment three days per week. The proposal is up for a vote by the County Board on Saturday.

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DEVELOPING — Staff Recommends Denying Westover Beer Garden Permit

By ARLnow.com

Published May 12, 2011 at 4:42PM | Updated May 12, 2011 at 5:26PM

Westover beer garden (courtesy Alan Howze)

The County Board is set to vote on the permit application at its meeting on Saturday. The permit would allow the beer garden to host concerts, open mic nights and other forms of live entertainment.

The presidents of four surrounding civic associations have all written letters to the County Board in favor of live entertainment at the beer garden. The leaders said their associations voted overwhelmingly in favor of a compromise plan between Westover Market and neighbors.

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Psychic Replaces Cherrydale Clockworks

By ARLnow.com

Published May 12, 2011 at 10:04AM

The tick of time has brought some changes to the 3500 block of Lee Highway in Cherrydale.

Cherrydale Clockworks closed in October, prompting the landlord to start looking for another tenant. Earlier this year a tenant was found: a psychic who specializes in astrology, palm and tarot card readings.