A pedestrian tunnel connecting the Pentagon City Metro station to the northeast corner of the intersection of S. Hayes Street and 12th Street S. is close to finally opening.
The tunnel was slated to open in 2015 after $1.3 million worth of repairs and upgrades but remained closed. It was initially built by a developer in 1984 but was never opened to the public due to “reasons related to safety, operational and legal issues,” according to Arlington County.
Gov. Announces New Jobs for Arlington — Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) has announced that Vorsight, a “sales effectiveness” tech firm in Rosslyn, will be expanding its corporate headquarters, creating 112 new jobs in Arlington. [Governor of Virginia]
New Apartments in Crystal City/Pentagon City — More than 1,100 new apartments opened in the Crystal City and Pentagon City area in 2016. More than 3,000 additional apartments are in the development pipeline. [Bisnow]
Beyer Won’t Participate in Inauguration — Don’t expect to see Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) at the inauguration of Donald Trump nor at any celebratory inaugural events. Beyer says he “will not be part of normalizing or legitimizing” president-elect Trump, whose “values and… actions are the antithesis of what I hold dear.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Cubs at the Pentagon City Ritz — The World Series-winning Chicago Cubs made the Pentagon City Ritz-Carlton their home base before meeting President Obama at the White House on Monday. The hotel is a popular destination for visiting sports teams. [Twitter]
The electrical issue on the tracks was reported by a train operator. A rider said via Twitter that there was a haze and a smell of smoke at the station, which was reportedly being evacuated.
Blue and Yellow line service through Pentagon City is currently suspended. Commuters should expect traffic impacts near the station due to the emergency response.
The incident happened Monday around 4 p.m., near the Costco and Best Buy parking lot. Police say a 10-year-old girl was approached by a man after being dropped off by her school bus.
“The victim described the suspect as speaking with a British accent as he offered her candy and reported to have dogs inside his van,” police said in a press release. “When the victim refused, the suspect grabbed her backpack and jacket before the victim was able to escape. The suspect fled the area by vehicle.”
‘Pop-Up Hotel’ Opening in January — “WhyHotel” is the new name of a “pop-up hotel” in the Bartlett apartment building in Pentagon City. Starting in January, the hotel will offer 50 unleased, furnished apartments as hotel rooms. Although most of the building is leased, owner Vornado is experimenting with “WhyHotel” as a way to monetize new apartment buildings during the lease-up period. [Washington Business Journal]
School Board Responds to Student’s Letter — Arlington School Board Chair Nancy Van Doren has responded to an open letter published in the Washington-Lee Crossed Sabres student newspaper. The letter, which was widely shared across social media, took the school board to task for approving high school boundary refinements that were seemingly antithetical to APS’ diversity goals. Without addressing the diversity issue, Van Doren defended the process and encouraged students to participate in future high school boundary decisions. [PDF]
It happened on the 400 block of 12th Street S., between Army Navy Drive and S. Eads Street. That’s the same stretch of road that was shut down yesterday due to a man with mental health issues who reportedly injured himself and was being uncooperative with police.
That same man is believed to be the person who jumped today, according to scanner traffic.
The incident happened shortly before 1 p.m. Friday on the 1200 block of S. Hayes Street, near the Pentagon City mall.
“Following a verbal dispute between two parties over parking, a male subject allegedly exposed his genitals to a male victim,” according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report.
Struggling fast-casual restaurant chain Noodles & Co. has closed its location at the Pentagon Row shopping center (1201 S. Joyce Street).
The eatery closed last month after 14 years in business. The restaurant’s exterior sign has since been removed and its interior has been largely cleared out.
Per Student Spending Questioned — Arlington Public Schools is again being questioned about why it has the highest per-student costs — $18,957 — of any suburban D.C. jurisdiction. Fairfax County, the largest school system in the state, has a per-student cost of $14,432. [InsideNova]
Woman’s Tireless TSA Protest — Alyssa Bermudez, a former Army staff sergeant and Bronze Star recipient, has been tirelessly protesting in front of Transportation Security Administration headquarters in Pentagon City, claiming that she was sexually harassed and fired for complaining about it. Other complaints and a lawsuit point to an alleged culture of harassment within the agency. [Washington Post]
The Sweetgreen at 575 12th Road S. in Pentagon City, near the Whole Foods and the Orangetheory Fitness, is the chain’s eighth location in Northern Virginia and its fourth in Arlington.
Like the Sweetgreen that opened in Clarendon this summer, the Pentagon City location will be donating its opening day sales to help the hungry.
Located in the former Hudson Trail Outfitters space, the off-price retailer will offer “high-quality and on-trend merchandise from top designers at amazing prices,” plus “jewelry, home, beauty, pet products, toys and more.”
As part of its Oct. 29 grand opening and 7:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony, T.J. Maxx says it is donating $5,000 to local nonprofit Doorways for Women and Families.
