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Redevelopment of American Legion Post into Affordable Housing Complex Wins County Approval

Published February 25, 2019 at 11:00AM

County leaders have now given the green light to plans to redevelop the American Legion post in Virginia Square into an affordable housing complex, a project widely hailed as an innovative effort to provide reasonably priced homes to veterans.

The County Board voted unanimously Saturday (Feb. 23) to approve plans from the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) to replace the Legion’s current home with a new seven-story structure. The building will have room for 160 apartments — half will be set aside specifically for veterans, and all of them are guaranteed to be affordable to people of more modest means for the next 75 years.

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Thai Treasure Opens for Business in Virginia Square Office Building

By Alex Koma

Published February 14, 2019 at 9:00AM

The interior of Thai Treasure in Virginia Square.

A new Asian fusion restaurant is now open for business in the base of a Virginia Square office building.

Thai Treasure opened its new location at 3811 Fairfax Drive this week, moving into the space formerly occupied by the Water & Wall restaurant.

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Plans for New Apartments Along Washington Blvd in Virginia Square Take Shape

By Alex Koma

Published January 22, 2019 at 9:55AM

Rendering of an approved development on N. Kirkwood Road in Virginia Square (via Arlington County)

Plans to redevelop several small businesses in Virginia Square into a new apartment complex are coming into focus, in a section of the neighborhood long targeted by the county for a bit of revitalization.

A developer is firming up plans to build a seven-story apartment building on a 1.7-acre property at 1122 N. Kirkwood Road, near the road’s intersection with Washington Blvd. Documents submitted to county planners late last month show that Eleventh Street Development is angling to add 255 one- and two-bedroom apartments to the site, complete with two floors of underground parking totaling 190 spaces in all.

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SUV Drives off Side of I-66 Near Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Published January 21, 2019 at 10:45AM | Updated January 21, 2019 at 8:59PM

(Updated at 9 p.m.) An SUV crashed and flipped on its roof near Rosslyn this morning, injuring one person.

The crash happened before 9:30 a.m. According to police, the SUV was on I-66, heading toward D.C., when it careened off the side of the highway and landed along Route 110 — near a construction zone where Route 110 splits off to westbound I-66 and Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn.

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Parking Emerges as Key Concern as Virginia Square American Legion Redevelopment Advances

By Alex Koma

Published January 7, 2019 at 1:45PM

A rendering of the planned redevelopment of Virginia Square's American Legion post (via Arlington County)

As plans advance for the redevelopment of the American Legion post in Virginia Square, neighbors are raising a familiar question for developers in Arlington’s densest areas: what about parking?

The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing hopes to eventually buy the 1.3-acre property at 3445 Washington Blvd and transform the current home of American Legion Post 139 into a building with 160 affordable apartments. The nonprofit would set aside space on the ground floor of the development for a new Legion post, and it even plans to reserve half of its homes for veterans.

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County Plans ‘Short-Term’ Safety Improvements Along Fairfax Drive, 10th Street N. Corridor

By Alex Koma

Published November 29, 2018 at 4:15PM

County officials are planning some improvements along Fairfax Drive and 10th Street N. as the roads run from Ballston to Clarendon, with a special focus on ways to make the corridor safer for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike.

Arlington transportation planners are circulating a survey seeking feedback on how the roads should change, as the county weighs a series of modest improvements over the next few months. In all, the study area stretches from Fairfax Drive’s intersection with N. Glebe Road in Ballston to 10th Street N.’s intersection with N. Barton Street in Lyon Park.

Around Town

Smoothie Shop in Virginia Square Closes for the Season, Leaving Future in Doubt

By Catherine Douglas Moran

Published November 7, 2018 at 4:45PM | Updated November 7, 2018 at 5:02PM

Pulp Juice and Smoothie Bar has temporarily closed in Virginia Square — but that closure could someday become a bit more final.

The smoothie shop neighbored Extreme Pizza in retail space below the Virginia Square Towers apartments at 3444 Fairfax Drive.

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Asian Fusion Restaurant Set to Move into Old Water & Wall Space in Virginia Square

By Alex Koma

Published October 31, 2018 at 9:45AM

The former Water & Wall space in Virginia Square, set to be replaced by Thai Treasure.

A new Asian fusion restaurant is on the way for Virginia Square, moving in to the space once occupied by Water & Wall.

Thai Treasure will soon open a new location at 3811 Fairfax Drive, owner Nui Bumrungsiri told ARLnow.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 25, 2018 at 8:45AM | Updated October 26, 2018 at 10:38AM

Vida Fitness Coming to Rosslyn Development — “Vida Fitness has signed a lease for 27,000 square feet at The Highlands in Rosslyn… The Highlands is a 1.2-million-square-foot mixed-use development from D.C.-based developer Penzance. The project’s groundbreaking [was Wednesday] and the first phase is slated for completion in the second quarter of 2021.” [Commercial Observer, Twitter]

Naked Man at Va. Square Metro Station — A naked man walked into the Virginia Square Metro station during yesterday evening’s rush hour. Police quickly responded, took the man into custody and requested medics to the scene to evaluate him for a possible drug overdose. [Twitter]

Around Town

Virginia Square DMV Shuts Down Temporarily Due to ‘Unsafe Conditions’

By Alex Koma

Published October 24, 2018 at 4:45PM | Updated October 24, 2018 at 5:17PM

The DMV customer service center in Virginia Square.

The Virginia DMV customer service center in Virginia Square is currently closed, due to some emergency duct work in its office building.

A sign on the door of the location at 3434 Washington Blvd says the temporary closure is due to “unsafe conditions” and that “every attempt is being made to restore service as quickly as possible.”

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State Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Highlander Motel Case, Clearing the Way for Redevelopment

By Alex Koma

Published October 16, 2018 at 10:45AM

The owner of the Highlander Motel in Virginia Square has secured a key legal victory, potentially allowing the property’s redevelopment to move ahead, and now he’s vowing retribution against county officials for tying up the process in court for years.

The Virginia Supreme Court declined last Wednesday (Oct. 10) to consider an appeal from the county in a case challenging local businessman Bill Bayne’s plans to replace the aging motel with a CVS Pharmacy. That means Bayne should be able to push forward with the redevelopment of the hotel, located at 3336 Wilson Blvd, after a judge twice tossed out legal action from county officials seeking to block those plans.

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GMU Declares a ‘No Scooter Zone’ at Its Virginia Square Campus

By Alex Koma

Published October 2, 2018 at 1:45PM | Updated October 2, 2018 at 3:23PM

Signs advertise a "no scooter zone" in front of George Mason University's Virginia Square campus (photo courtesy Chaz Papa)

George Mason University has cordoned off a “no scooter zone” in front of its Arlington campus in Virginia Square.

Readers alerted ARLnow to the signs yesterday (Monday), which are located in front of the university’s Founders Hall plaza on Fairfax Drive.