Written by Kate Kimberlin
A charcuterie board franchise officially opened its doors in Rosslyn earlier this month.
The second Virginia location of Graze Craze is located within the Le Méridien Arlington hotel at 1121 19th Street N.
The business was two years in the making, according to franchisee Amaan Bhanji. He was in high school when he got started on this venture, making him the youngest Graze Craze franchisee, per a press release.
“I’m so excited to serve the community and create relationships with the many amazing people I meet on my entrepreneurial journey with Graze Craze,” Bhanji said.
Bhanji started working in food service when he in high school. While he originally planned to pursue college, those early work experiences, along with visits to several Graze Craze locations, led him down the path of entrepreneurship.
“I immediately fell in love with the concept, the fresh ingredients, and the creativity that goes into creating stunning charcuterie. I knew opening my own Graze Craze location would be the perfect venture to kick off my entrepreneurial journey,” Bhanji said.
The business offers a menu of different “grazing” boards and boxes curated to fit different flavor and dietary preferences. The boards can also be made for one person or as many as 10. Customers can meet with a “charcuterie expert” who will help customize boards for anything from small gatherings to large events.
Menu offerings are made fresh daily, with a variety of meats, cheeses, fruits and dips that are made in-house. The menu also offers occasional seasonal boards, such as a “Game Day Board,” as listed on the website.
Bhanji said the business will debut a new “Springtime Spread” board tomorrow (Tuesday), with watermelon radish, Italian prosciutto, dried apricots and merlot cheese.
The franchise, founded in 2018 by an Oklahoma Air Force veteran, was launched amid the rising popularity of charcuterie boards. Now with over 40 locations in 18 states, it is considered a top franchise in the “grazing food” category.
Bhanji said the first week of business has been a success and he looks forward to continuing to win new customers.
“It’s thrilling to be part of this young brand that will help bring joy to our community. I love the fact that I will be able to cater events and help relieve stress from our customers while doing something I truly enjoy,” he said.
A wild incident involving a theft suspect in Pentagon City over the weekend was caught on camera.
It happened around 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, a block away from the Pentagon Centre shopping center. Police say a 31-year-old man stole items from a nearby store and then tried to fight an officer who tried to take him into custody.
An off-duty officer driving by saw the struggle and stopped to help.
More, beloe, from today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.
ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2024-03090121, 1200 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 1:41 p.m. on March 9, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect entered the business and allegedly concealed merchandise before exiting the store without payment. A responding officer located the suspect in the area of 15th Street S. and S. Fern Street and attempted to detain him. The suspect resisted arrest, pushed the officer away and attempted to strike them during which an off-duty officer who was driving in the area observed the struggle and exited their vehicle to assist in taking the suspect into custody. The suspect sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention. [The suspect], 31, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Assault on Police, Petit Larceny and Obstruction of Justice.
The scene was caught on camera and posted to social media by local public safety watcher Dave Statter.
Watch this: A little street drama around 2pm on S. 15th between Elm and Fern in Pentagon City. A struggle occurred between an @ArlingtonVaPD officer and a person they were trying to detain. Someone jumped out of their car to help the officer before backup arrived. Officers were… pic.twitter.com/l86OExmLlV
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) March 9, 2024
Today’s crime report also details a trio of robberies, in the Pentagon City, Rosslyn, and Courthouse areas.
The first, Saturday night, involved a knife-wielding man stealing money from a tip jar. The second, Sunday morning, involved a man who drove by a woman in a parking lot and stole her phone out of her hand. The third, Sunday night, involved a theft of cigarettes from a store by a pair of robbers, one of whom reportedly had a gun.
More from ACPD:
ROBBERY, 2024-03090186, 1000 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 7:02 p.m. on March 9, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect entered the business, approached an employee at the counter and demanded cash. When the employee refused, the suspect brandished a knife and stole money from a tip jar before leaving the scene on foot. No injuries were reported. A lookout was broadcast and responding officers canvassed the area for the suspect yielding negative results. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 40-50 years old, 5’10”-6’0” wearing all dark clothing. The investigation is ongoing.
ROBBERY, 2024-03100095, 1100 block of Arlington Boulevard. At approximately 11:03 a.m. on March 10, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined a dispute ensued after the male suspect, who was driving in a parking lot, honked at the female victim, who was walking. The suspect then drove next to the victim with his window down and stole her cellphone from her hand before fleeing the scene in his vehicle. No injuries were reported. During the course of the investigation, the cellphone was recovered in the area. The suspect is described as an older white male driving a blue sedan. The investigation is ongoing.
ROBBERY, 2024-03110001, 1800 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 11:56 p.m. on March 10, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined the two male suspects entered the business, selected merchandise, approached the counter and asked for cigarettes to be added to the transaction. A verbal dispute between the employee and suspects ensued during which the suspects attempted to steal the cigarettes before exiting the store. The employee confronted the suspects outside the business during which one suspect brandished a firearm before both suspects entered a silver sedan and fled the scene. No injuries were reported. The suspects are described as white males, approximately 5’6”-5’7”, 130-180 pounds with black or brown hair. The investigation is ongoing.
(Updated 3/14) A BurgerFi is opening in Rosslyn.
The Florida-based burger chain plans to hold a grand opening later this month, with free drinks and fries deals, for its new location at 1735 N. Lynn Street. It will be the franchise’s first foray into Arlington.
“We are extremely excited to have such outstanding operators join the BurgerFi family,” BurgerFi International CEO Carl Bachmann said in a statement. “The Arlington market is critical to our restaurant expansion plan along the East Coast corridor.”
Rosslyn franchise co-owner Punam Khandpur said in a statement that she and fellow franchisee Jaytee Kanwal have “signed for five stores primarily in Arlington and Fairfax counties.”
These would join several other BurgerFi locations in the D.C. area, including in Silver Spring, Prince George’s County and North Bethesda.
Originally set to open in fall 2023, the Rosslyn BurgerFi location opening comes on the heels of the opening of For Five Coffee Roasters in the same building.
On opening day, the restaurant plans to offer free fries with purchases from 1-5 p.m. and free drinks with purchases from 5-7 p.m. Other deals include:
- Coupons for $5 off a $15 purchase on opening day, while supplies last
- Frozen custard cups for $2 with any purchase on Sunday and Tuesday
- Free meals for kids every Monday with the purchase of an adult entrée, side and drink
- A $3 draft beer every Thursday with any purchase
The restaurant will be open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. It will have outdoor patio seating and will offer dine-in, takeout and online ordering options.
“We are excited to welcome guests to our first BurgerFi location, and celebrate with all-natural Angus burgers, hand-cut fries and one-of-a-kind custard shakes,” Kanwal said.
About 1,000 Dominion customers in the Rosslyn area are in the dark tonight (Friday).
An outage, first reported around 6:30 p.m., has knocked out power to a number of large buildings and other parts of the neighborhood.
Firefighters were dispatched to the area around the time of the outage for stuck elevators and fire alarms. They found an issue within an apartment building’s electrical vault on the 1800 block of Key Blvd, according to scanner traffic.
“[The] whole Colonial Terrace neighborhood is blacked out,” one tipster told ARLnow just before 7 p.m.. “Turnberry Tower also appears to be blacked out. Fire and police activity blocking Key [Blvd].”
Dominion’s website lists a cause of the outage as an “equipment fire.” Restoration is estimated between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.
Outage Update in Roslyn:
1022 customers out due to underground switch failure.Most customers will get power back temporarily, until a crane arrives overnight or early am to pull out the vault for crews to finish the job as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your patience!🙏🏻
— Peggy Fox (@PeggyDomEnergy) March 9, 2024
Roads are closed around the Key Bridge Marriott in Rosslyn after a fire in the vacant hotel.
Firefighters responded to the site at 1401 Langston Blvd around 8:30 p.m. and found fire on the fourth floor, according to ACFD.
The blaze was reported to be extinguished just after 9 p.m., though firefighters were still working to ventilate residual smoke and search the building.
Nearly a year ago, the discovery of a large number of squatters in the building prompted a large police response to the former hotel. Perimeter security was subsequently stepped up.
In November a security guard was charged after allegedly shooting a teen who was part of a group that was trespassing at the site.
A planned redevelopment of the hotel has been stalled due to financial problems at the California-based developer.
Update at 10:50 p.m.: The fire department has largely cleared the scene and roads have reopened.
UPDATE: Units arrived on scene to find fire on the 4th floor of the structure. The fire has been extinguished. Crews are working on ventilation efforts and secondary searches of the entire building.
— Arlington Fire & EMS (@ArlingtonVaFD) February 22, 2024
@ARLnowDOTcom @connormaj wow huge emergency response at the key bridge Marriott pic.twitter.com/VDbwlfBxWb
— Cap’s Year (@CapsYear) February 22, 2024
HOTEL FIRE— the old Key Bridge Marriott at 1401 Langston Blvd in Arlington. The fire was reported on the 4th floor. The building is supposed to be vacant. h/t @PenguinSix cc: @ARLnowDOTcom pic.twitter.com/4KyFpSf8re
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) February 22, 2024
Report of a fire on the fourth floor of the Key Bridge Marriott building that is supposed to be vacant. @ArlingtonVaFD on scene. @ARLnowDOTcom @matthewyoung31 #arlington #firefighters pic.twitter.com/ubDqktRTWX
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) February 22, 2024
A food hall in Rosslyn will soon undergo a major transformation.
Assembly, the food hall at Rosslyn City Center (1700 N. Moore Street), will be closing on Friday, March 1, a PR rep tells ARLnow. In its place will rise a new food hall called Upside on Moore.
All of the existing concepts at Assembly — from the Fog Point oyster bar to Charo’s Taqueria to Big Day Coffee — will close, we’re told. They are set to replaced by Ghostburger, Stellina Pizzeria, Laoban Dumplings, Lucky Danger, Kam and 46, La Michoacana and another coffee shop.
An opening of the revamped food hall is scheduled for Tuesday, March 19.
More from a media advisory:
Treat yourself to President Biden and Vice President Harris’ favorite burger for lunch or grab a Michelin-rated Margherita pizza before hopping on the metro. Meet a few friends for a happy hour of Chef Tim Ma’s famous dumplings or spring rolls and some nostalgic Filipino nachos or host your birthday on the terrace with all your favorite tacos.
The Bar at Upside on Moore will feature wines, beers, and specialty cocktails curated and created by Elli Benchimol of Georgetown darling Apéro. […]
The 30,000 square foot space is operated by DMV born and bred Mothersauce Partners, the hospitality group behind Thompson Italian, City-State Brewing Company, and other favorites in the DC area and beyond. The space features both indoor seating, an outdoor terrace, bar seating, and several conference rooms. The space is fully customizable for private events of all sizes and occasions. The space is fully customizable for private events of all sizes and occasions.
A website and Instagram account for Upside on Moore are expected to launch soon.
Mothersauce Partners was founded by local restaurant and nightlife vet Nick Freshman, who was also behind the recently closed Crystal City cafe The Freshman.
The Washington Business Journal reported in December that the owner of the Metro-adjacent Rosslyn City Center building had tapped Mothersauce Partners “to freshen up the design, branding and concept curation at the food hall.”
The change comes as the lunchtime and happy hour crowd in Rosslyn is expected to swell, with the arrival of another major corporate headquarters. CoStar Group is set to eventually have 650 employees working four-day-a-week in person, in the Central Place building across the street from the food hall.
Before the pandemic, it looked like Rosslyn would be home to three separate food halls. In addition to Assembly, which was opened in 2021 by Chicago-based DMK Restaurants, the neighborhood was slated to get Common Ground and Happy Endings Eatery, both in the Central Place development.
The former never opened and the latter has rebranded as The Happy Eatery, de-emphasizing the food hall concept.
A D.C. man is in jail after police say he tried to run from officers during a traffic stop in the Clarendon area.
Arlington police conducted a traffic stop on a reported stolen vehicle around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, near the intersection of 10th Street N. and Wilson Blvd. The driver then ran, police said, leading to a foot pursuit.
According to scanner traffic at the time, the chase briefly entered the Clarendon Animal Care veterinary clinic on 10th Street N. before the suspect was apprehended.
More, below, from an ACPD crime report.
UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A VEHICLE (Significant), 2024-02130072, 10th Street N. at Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 10:35 a.m. on February 13, an officer observed a vehicle reported as stolen travelling in the area and initiated a traffic stop. The driver stopped the suspect vehicle and officers gave commands during which the driver exited the vehicle and subsequently ran from the area. Following a foot pursuit, the driver was taken into custody. During a search of the vehicle, a stolen license plate was recovered. No injuries were reported. [The suspect], 21, of Washington D.C. was arrested and charged with Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, Obstruction of Justice and Buying/Receiving Stolen Goods. He was held without bond.
Separately, Arlington County police are looking for a Fedex truck that was stolen in Rosslyn earlier this afternoon (Wednesday).
The reported theft happened as the driver was making deliveries.
STOLEN FEDEX TRUCK— 1700 blk N. Pierce St off Clarendon Blvd. Man stole a white FedEx box truck while driver was making deliveries. @ARLnowDOTcom #DMVCrime pic.twitter.com/wt1mw60FwF
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) February 14, 2024
Arlington has landed the headquarters of another publicly traded company.
Arlington County and Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday evening that CoStar Group will be moving its corporate headquarters from D.C. to the Central Place building in Rosslyn. The Washington Business Journal previously reported that the company was nearing a deal to buy the office tower, describing the impending move as “another blow to downtown D.C.”
A total of 650 employees will work from the new HQ at 1201 Wilson Blvd, the county and the governor’s office said. That’s in addition to the more than 1,000 CoStar employees who work in a large “research and data analytics” office in Richmond.
“The decision to relocate the CoStar headquarters to Arlington County reinforces the positive environment state and local leaders have created for business,” state Sen. Barbara Favola said in a statement. “The well-educated workforce, world-class public schools, transit opportunities, and recreational spaces will be welcome assets for CoStar employees.”
CoStar made a splash over the weekend by airing several celebrity-studded commercials for its Homes.com brand during the Super Bowl.
As part of the move, CoStar will receive nearly $5 million in state economic incentives. The company will be paying Arlington County nearly $14 million, meanwhile, for exclusive use of what had previously been a public amenity under the building’s site plan agreement: the “View of D.C.” observation deck.
The space previously charged admission but in 2019 changed to being free to the public. The county says it plans to use the $14 million to accelerate proposed changes to nearby Rosslyn Gateway Park by a decade.
The CoStar Group announcement continues a winning streak for Arlington, which landed Nestle’s U.S. headquarters in 2017, Amazon’s HQ2 in 2018, and the corporate headquarters of Boeing and RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon) in 2022.
An Arlington County press release, below, notes that CoStar employees are expected to work from the office four days a week, “which will add to the vitality of Rosslyn’s ongoing transformation into a mixed-used neighborhood.”
Arlington Economic Development is pleased to announce CoStar Group will move its global headquarters to Rosslyn. CoStar Group, a leading global provider of online real estate marketplaces, information, and analytics in the property markets, has purchased 1201 Wilson Boulevard, a 560,000-square-foot office building known as Central Place Tower, and will move into the location in late 2024. CoStar Group will occupy 150,000 square feet of commercial office space and employ 650 workers in Arlington. Included in the S&P 500 Index and the NASDAQ 100, CoStar Group employs over 6,200 globally and is comprised of notable industry products and online marketplaces covering all aspects of real estate, including CoStar, LoopNet, Apartments.com, Homes.com and STR.
Earlier today, Governor Glenn Youngkin approved a $1.25 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Arlington County with this project. The Governor also approved $3.5 million in funds from the Virginia Economic Development Incentive Grant.
“Virginia’s a great choice for a new corporate headquarters location, and we are excited that CoStar Group, a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information, and analytics in the property markets, sees the economic advantage in moving to the Commonwealth,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “As states compete for business and jobs, the Commonwealth’s diverse, world-class talent, exceptional quality of life and stable business climate continues to stand out. We are proud that CoStar has chosen Virginia as its home.”
“The financially strategic acquisition of this building will provide the perfect home for the more than 500 employees at our current headquarters. We’re incredibly thankful for our 14 years calling Washington, D.C. home, and we will continue to be a part of this community even as we move across the river to Arlington County,” said Andy Florance, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CoStar Group.
“CoStar Group’s move to Arlington is a huge win and a testament to our high quality of life, dynamic urban centers, unparalleled talent pool and business-friendly environment,” said Ryan Touhill, Director, Arlington Economic Development. “CoStar Group’s outright purchase of the building also signifies confidence in our commercial real estate market, which is key to our ongoing efforts to reduce office vacancies.”
The facade of the new 36-story Hilton in Rosslyn is nearing completion but it could be nearly two years before the hotel welcomes its first guests.
Meanwhile, the project’s residential counterpart, Rosslyn Towers, is close to being done, with new tenants expected to move in within a few months, the developer tells ARLnow.
“We are excited to open Rosslyn Towers at The Key this spring,” said Greg Raines, a spokesperson for Dittmar Company, the developer of The Key.
While there is no firm data yet, Raines said the plan is to start leasing the 500+ apartments in the Rosslyn Towers building, at 1900 N. Fort Myer Drive, by April 1.
Dittmar’s goal for the 331-room hotel is to hold a grand opening sometime in the last three months of 2025, says Raines.
“We are excited to deliver both properties as we believe both are best in class and are exciting additions to Rosslyn, Arlington, and the surrounding [D.C.] area,” he said.
In September 2019, the Arlington County Board approved plans redevelop the 18-story, 50-year-old Rosslyn Holiday Inn with a residential tower of up to 25 stories and a hotel with up to 38 stories, with 37,000-foot conference center and 14,000 square feet of retail. The former hotel came down in a well-documented controlled implosion.
In 2021, the Arlington County Board approved a site plan amendment to adjust the hotel’s square footage to accommodate more parking and conference space, and increase the number of residential units from 523 to 536.
Dittmar said it would provide a cash contribution of $215,000 to the Affordable Housing Investment Fund to offset the requested additional density, per a 2021 county report.
One year later, Hilton announced it had signed an agreement to run the high-rise hotel.
While the residential tower looks finished, construction crews were still putting final touches on the exterior of the hotel when ARLnow visited the site yesterday (Tuesday). Last month, the company submitted applications for elevator and fire inspection permits, according to county records.
Dittmar also plans to share details regarding a new “destination restaurant” below the residential tower in the coming weeks, says Raines.
A 39-year-old man has been arrested and charged with “simulated masturbation” after an incident in Rosslyn.
Police responded to the area of Langston Boulevard and N. Oak Street shortly after 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1, for a man who was reportedly exposing himself.
From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:
INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2024-02010140, Langston Boulevard at N. Oak Street. At approximately 1:11 p.m. on February 1, police were dispatched to the report of an exposure. Upon arrival, it was determined the victims were walking in the area when they observed the male suspect allegedly exposing himself. Responding officers located the suspect on scene and took him into custody. Channing Ballinger, 39, of No Fixed Address was arrested and charged with Public Masturbation. He was held without bond.
The exact charge is “simulated masturbation,” according to the Arlington General District Court website, which also notes that the suspect remains in custody. The suspect has no past criminal history in Arlington, though a man of the same name and approximate age was previously charged with assaulting a police officer in Western New York, per a TV news report.
There have been a number of police dispatches to Rosslyn for reports of public masturbation in recent months, including at least two in the area of the H-B Woodlawn school at 1601 Wilson Blvd, per scanner traffic.
Police tell ARLnow that no arrests have been made in the previous incidents.
“As part of the investigation, officers will work to determine if [the suspect] is linked to any other incidents in the county,” said ACPD spokeswoman Alli Shorb. “Regarding your request related to North Rosslyn incidents, no arrests have been made.”
Separately, ACPD is investigating a series of airbag thefts along Columbia Pike from over the weekend. Six vehicles — all Hondas — were damaged.
From the latest crime report:
LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series) (Late), 2024-02030091, 3800 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 8:33 a.m. on February 3, police were dispatched to the late report of a larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined between approximately 10:00 p.m. on February 2 and 8:33 a.m. on February 3, the unknown suspect(s) forced entry into six vehicles by damaging the driver’s side door handle and stole airbags. Tools and electronics were also reported stolen from one of the vehicles. The victim vehicles are Honda models. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.
Arlington officers on the weekend nightlife detail, meanwhile, reportedly made an arrest early Sunday morning following a fight outside of a bar in Clarendon.
The fight was caught on video and posted to social media by public safety watcher Dave Statter.
This appears to be from the 1 a.m. Clarendon Ballroom fight I shared this morning⏬⏬. One arrest reported. Thanks to all who shared this with me. https://t.co/Di29iaVPRu
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) February 4, 2024
Vitality Bowls in Rosslyn has closed its doors after nearly eight years.
In 2016, a franchise location of the California-based superfood café opened in Rosslyn on the ground floor of 1515 Wilson Blvd, between Presidential Bank and a dentist’s office.
The interior of Vitality Bowls Arlington is now empty and the phone number is not in service. The Rosslyn location is no longer listed on the company’s website and Google marks the location as “permanently closed.”
The restaurant served organic smoothies, juices, salads and paninis and specialized in açaí bowls.
The café sat less than a half-mile from South Block, an Arlington-born smoothie and açaí shop that is enjoying substantial growth and looking to expand throughout the D.C. region. The South Block Rosslyn outpost opened in 2019 and is one of 15 locations total, with four others operating in Arlington.
In Rosslyn, smoothies and juices can also be found at bubble tea joint Gong Cha and frozen yogurt shop Ice Berry, both within a half-mile of the now-shuttered Vitality Bowls.
Vitality Bowls did not respond to a request for comment.
With the Rosslyn franchise closed, there are no other Vitality Bowl locations in Virginia. The brand, founded in 2011, recently added several locations throughout the U.S., with most of its outposts in California.