Around Town

A Ballston seafood restaurant shuttered last week, at least temporarily, and will reportedly undergo some interior changes.

Mussel Bar & Grille announced on social media and in a storefront message that it has closed for renovations at 800 N. Glebe Road.


Schools

Numerous community members are pressing the Arlington School Board for a firm commitment to either renovating or replacing Thomas Jefferson Middle School.

Teachers, parents and students all pointed to the challenges of the half-century-old building’s narrow halls and limited natural light, which result in what one seventh grader called “a somewhat depressing environment.”


News

A North Arlington community center may close as soon as next spring for a multimillion-dollar maintenance project.

That’s when the Madison Community Center will begin undergoing $6.7 million in renovations, bringing a new roof, climate control system, windows, better lighting and other improvements to the lower-level fitness center and adjacent restrooms, according to a county webpage.


Around Town

Onelife Fitness is set to begin a $2 million expansion next week at its Ballston gym, constructing new spaces for exercise, recovery and physical therapy.

The fitness center on the third floor of Ballston Quarter will be expanding into vacant retail space below, adding about 12,000 square feet to double the center’s square footage dedicated to turf and strength training.


News

Crowds descended on the Arlington Historical Museum on Saturday as the facility reopened after months of renovations.

Hundreds of people filtered through the six-hour open house, appreciating the new facelift to the museum’s physical presence and exhibitions. The building at 1805 S. Arlington Ridge Road had been closed since the summer of 2024 to allow for the restoration of 47 original windows.


News

The Arlington Historical Society Museum is preparing to reopen after months of renovation and restoration work.

The museum at 1805 S. Arlington Ridge Road, which closed last summer for repairs, is hosting a grand reopening event on Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.


Around Town

Ballston’s fitness scene is growing stronger.

Ballston Quarter gym Onelife Fitness is planning to renovate and expand into a nearby vacant space. Meanwhile, Performance 360, a new fitness center, is gearing up to open where Hunan Gate closed in December.


News

Renovations are coming to the Association of the U.S. Army’s headquarters in Courthouse, bringing sidewalk closures starting this week.

Pedestrian traffic on a portion of sidewalk near 2425 Wilson Blvd will be closed as the 32-week project gets underway. To perform structural repairs and improve below-ground waterproofing, work crews will be temporarily removing the sidewalk, planters and the building’s accessibility ramp.


Around Town

The Barnes & Noble in Clarendon is temporarily closing this spring as plans to remodel and consolidate the space move forward.

Until May 23, the bookstore at 2800 Clarendon Blvd is holding a 25% off “last chance” sale on nearly all merchandise, a store manager told ARLnow. After that, the remodeling project is expected begin in the spring or summer and last through 2026.


Around Town

The McDonald’s at 3013 Columbia Pike is back in business after some renovations.

The location was bustling with dozens of customers this morning (Monday) after closing for at least a month. The fast food restaurant remodeled its kitchen to improve efficiency and installed a new service counter, a representative told ARLnow.


News

The Arlington County Board has tidied up a section of the county’s zoning ordinance that caused the Fairlington neighborhood fits.

County Board members on Saturday (Oct. 19) approved zoning amendments removing bureaucratic hurdles that had been placed on interior renovations and expansions of older townhouse and condominium properties.


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