The Unleashed by Petco store near Ballston is closing this month.
The smaller-format chain pet store — which also offered pet vaccinations, dog training and a self-serve washing station — has been in business at 3902 Wilson Blvd for just over 10 years.
It plans to close on Saturday, Jan. 20, and is offering discounts of 10-60% as part of a store closing sale.
ARLnow reported on a “for lease” sign outside of the single-story, 4,666 square foot commercial building early last year.
Unleashed opened in the space in September 2013, replacing the quirky, homegrown burger-and-hot-dog restaurant Wiinky’s.
A leasing flyer noted that the building was last renovated in 2013, when Petco moved in, and that it has 19 parking spaces.
The last remaining Unleashed store in Arlington is located at 5400 Langston Blvd. It opened in 2011. A previous Pentagon City location closed in 2021.
While store employees were not sure what would be replacing Petco, permits filed in September show that it will be an Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care clinic. Planned interior construction work to the circa-1925 building includes new rooms, walls, ceiling soffits, restrooms, lighting and relocated stairs.
An Inova spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment by publication time. The healthcare system is in the midst of a major expansion that will see new hospitals in Springfield and Alexandria, as well as a sizable healthcare facility near Potomac Yard.
Jo DeVoe contributed to this report
The outer structure of George Mason University’s $235 million expansion project in Arlington is complete.
The university celebrated the “topping out” milestone last Friday with tours of the under-construction FUSE at Mason Square structure on its Virginia Square campus.
During the event, students and faculty showcased the types of work the new, tech-oriented facility will house, including the development of robotic limbs and disaster simulation research.
The university broke ground on the 345,000-square-foot building at 3351 Fairfax Drive in January 2022. Previously, the site was home to the old Kann’s Department store, which was demolished in March 2021.
Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The new facility is expected to serve 750 students initially and up to 2,000 students within the next five years, according to a GMU spokesperson. It will dedicate 60% of its space to university programs and lease the remaining area for retail and private office use.
The building will house GMU’s Institute for Digital Innovation and the newly minted School of Computing, which will offer courses in artificial intelligence, data analytics and cybersecurity.
The Arlington campus is already a hub for several of GMU’s schools, spanning policy, law, conflict resolution and business.
The university’s president, Gregory Washington, told ARLnow that housing technology and social science disciplines under one roof will improve how society adopts new technologies, such as artificial intelligence.
“Engineers alone can’t do it. You need humanists. You need social scientists, and you need business people. We got all of them here working together on the next generation of problems,” he said. “That’s the difference you will see here that you don’t see many other places,”
Washington is also betting on the new facility in Arlington attracting talent that might otherwise choose bigger-name research institutions, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“If you go to MIT, what you’ll find is that the facility we’re building is… better than 95% of the facilities they have,” he said.
During the event, Arlington Economic Development Director Ryan Touhill highlighted the potential for the new facility to energize the local tech sector, which has grown rapidly in recent years, particularly with the arrival of major tech companies like Amazon.
“This project can’t be coming online at a better time,” he said. “We’re really focused in Arlington County and regionally on growing our homegrown tech sector. And that’s part of our long-term economic growth strategy.”
A new deli and coffee shop has opened in Virginia Square and it is hoping that Arlington mid-century nostalgia will bring in customers.
Super Garden Market has opened at 3444 Fairfax Drive, in the former Coffee Beanery location that closed earlier this year.
The new name references the original Super Garden Market and Deli — which operated in the same location for 47 years, before closing over three decades ago. Although the new coffee shop shares the same name as its predecessor, Asefaw Redai Sultan, the shop’s owner, clarified there’s “no relation” between the two.
“We are renewing the name,” Sultan said. “Everyone remembers the older name… we hope they’ll come back.”
Unlike the original grocery store and deli, Super Garden Market sells breakfast sandwiches, salads, smoothies, pastries and coffee.
Eventually, Sultan plans to expand the menu to include lunch items and is waiting for the state to greenlight a liquor license to sell beer and wine.
Sultan, a resident of Arlington for two decades, acquired Coffee Beanery from a friend he said was eager to leave the coffee industry. He filed for a new business license with the state this past June, according to the State Corporation Commission website.
Sultan says he began refurbishing the space in July. Super Garden Market held its grand opening this past Sunday.
If you’re a fan of art and tacos, today is your lucky day.
This afternoon (Thursday), from 3-7 p.m., local art galleries in the Ballston and Virginia Square neighborhoods will open their doors for the annual Arlington Art Walk.
Meanwhile, Rosslyn Business Improvement District is staging “Rosslyn’s first-ever Taco Crawl” from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Here is how to participate in each event today.
Arlington Art Walk
The art walk, sponsored by Arlington Economic Development, is free to everyone and features 12 local galleries and artists throughout the Ballston and Virginia Square neighborhoods between N. Glebe Road and Washington Blvd.
“The ‘Arlington Art Walk’ is a self-guided art experience that connects local galleries, artist studios and cultural events,” Arlington Economic Development says on its website. “During the walk, gallery hours for participating organizations will be extended so that our friends, neighbors and artists may come see what we’re up to.”
The walk kicks off at Mason Exhibitions, located at 3601 Fairfax Drive, next to Quincy Park. Art aficionados can pop into nearly a dozen participating venues and see outdoor, permanent installations from Arlington Public Art along the way.
Exhibits are on display at the following places:
- Arlington Independent Media
- ARC 3409 Art Studios
- Arlington Art Truck
- Arlington Public Library Maker’s Studio ‘The Shop”
- Cody Gallery
- Fred Schnider Gallery
- Mason Exhibitions Arlington
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Northside Social Arlington
- WHINO
Rosslyn Taco Crawl
If the art walk leaves you hungry, the Rosslyn BID and DC Fray are hosting a guided taco tour in Rosslyn to celebrate National Taco Day, which the U.S. celebrated yesterday.
Tickets for the Taco Crawl are $15 and come with tacos at every stop.
Check-in takes place at Central Place Plaza, which will also feature live music and games to enhance the walking experience.
Photo (top) via Mason Exhibitions/Facebook
A suspect is in custody after police say a store in Virginia Square was robbed and one of its employees threatened.
The unidentified store on the 3400 block of Washington Blvd — the same block as the Giant supermarket — was robbed of several bottles of wine Tuesday afternoon, according to scanner traffic. The thief then used a wine bottle to threaten a store employee before boarding a Metro bus, police said.
Police tracked down the bus and took the suspect into custody.
More, below, from the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report.
ROBBERY, 2023-09120186, 3400 block of Washington Boulevard. At approximately 3:41 p.m. on September 12, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect entered the business, collected merchandise and allegedly exited the store without payment. An employee followed the suspect out of the store, during which the suspect threatened the employee with a wine bottle before boarding a Metro bus. Officers located the bus with the suspect on board and took him into custody without incident. [The suspect], 35, of No Fixed Address was arrested and charged with Robbery. He was held without bond.
ACPD is investigating a pair of incidents this past weekend that left two people with serious injuries.
The first happened around 11 p.m. Friday on the 3500 block of Wilson Blvd in Virginia Square. That’s the same block as a 7-Eleven and a tobacco store.
According to police, a man trying to shoplift was confronted by an employee, who he then assaulted, causing serious injuries. A suspect was later located nearby and arrested.
More from an ACPD crime report:
MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-08250310, 3500 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 11:01 p.m. on August 25, police were dispatched to the report of an assault with injury. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect entered the business, collected merchandise and attempted to leave the business without payment when he was confronted by an employee. The suspect returned the merchandise and began to leave the store when he allegedly assaulted the employee, resulting in lacerations, and caused property damage to the business. The employee was able to move away from the suspect who then fled the scene on foot. The victim sustained serious, non-life threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital. During the course of the investigation, the suspect was located in the area and taken into custody. During a search of his person, the suspect became combative and resisted officers. [The suspect], 33, of Burtonsville, Md. was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding, Destruction of Property, Obstruction of Justice and Shoplifting.
On Saturday night, near the Arlington Mill Community Center along Columbia Pike, police say two male suspects beat up a victim while making threatening statements.
The victim was seriously hurt and the suspects fled the area, police said. The reason for the attack is unclear.
From ACPD:
MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-08260296, 900 block of S. Dinwiddie Street. At approximately 10:47 p.m. on August 26, police were dispatched to the report of an assault with injury. Upon arrival, officers met with the reporting party who observed two unknown male suspects kick and strike the victim while making threatening statements. The reporting party then confronted the suspects who fled the scene on foot. The victim sustained serious, non-life threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital. Officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results
A 34-year-old D.C. man was arrested last month in a high-profile Arlington sexual assault case.
Police say they suspect Geremy Bridgeforth is the man who broke into a woman’s apartment in Virginia Square on April 2 and sexually assaulted her. That attack was followed by a subsequent early-morning apartment break-in on April 12, in Courthouse, in which the victim was touched inappropriately.
Blurry surveillance photos of the suspect were released by police a few days later.
In an update in the case Thursday afternoon, Arlington County police announced additional charges against Bridgeforth, who according to court records was arrested on July 14.
Following a comprehensive criminal investigation, the Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is announcing charges have been obtained in the April 2 incident in the Ballston-Virginia Square neighborhood. Geremy Bridgeforth, 34, of Washington D.C. is charged with Burglary with Intent to Commit Murder/Rape/Robbery and Object Sexual Penetration. During the course of the investigation, detectives determined that between April 1 and April 2, the suspect entered additional residences in the 3900 block of Fairfax Drive and stole property. He was charged with Burglary (x2), Credit Card Theft (x2), Credit Card Fraud (x2) and Petit Larceny related to those offenses. Additionally, Mr. Bridgeforth was charged with Burglary with Intent to Commit Murder/Rape/Robbery and Aggravated Sexual Battery in the April 12 incident in the Clarendon-Courthouse neighborhood. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.
Bridgeforth has a number of prior arrests and convictions in Arlington dating between 2015-2021, according to court records, for crimes including fare evasion, trespassing and indecent exposure. Most recently he served a net two months in jail on the 2021 indecent exposure charges, court records suggest.
Multiple residents told ARLnow at the time that the Courthouse break-ins followed the installation of new smart locks, which some claimed would leave apartment doors open even when an app said it was locked.
Bright and early this morning, Lady Liberty in repose rolled into Arlington on a flatbed truck.
Then, the turquoise lady was lifted by a crane onto the front lawn of the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington (MoCA), the county’s recently rebranded art museum at 3550 Wilson Blvd.
“Reclining Liberty,” by New York City artist Zaq Landsberg, is inspired by traditional Asian art depicting the reclining Buddha on his path to enlightenment, appearing serene at the knowledge of his imminent death.
The artwork is intended to invite passers-by to contemplate the ideals of liberty and freedom embodied by the Statue of Liberty — put in conversation with Buddhist enlightenment ideals, Arlington’s military architecture and nearby national monuments.
“Recontextualizing ‘Reclining Liberty’ in Arlington makes sense for our current moment. Placing it within a few miles of Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon, the National Mall, etc, adds a new layer onto the work,” Landsberg said in a statement earlier this summer.
There will be a public event on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to celebrate the sculpture’s arrival with an artist talk, food, art and other family-friendly activities.
The museum is also planning a series of accompanying talks and conversations, in partnership with Arlington Public Art, which will address issues related to the work: the role of monuments and memorials in public life, immigration and democracy. A schedule is forthcoming.
“Reclining Liberty” will lie in repose there until July 28 of next year. Prior to her immigration to Arlington, she had year-long stints in Harlem and Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
(Updated at 5:15 p.m.) One pocket of Arlington County has the most office space on the market and seeking tenants in the D.C. area, according to a new report.
A submarket made up of Courthouse, Clarendon and Virginia Square tops the charts for its “availability rate” — which includes any offices that can be leased now or in the next year — because of its high concentration of older office buildings.
“There are a number of dated 1980s-constructed buildings that sit idle as tenants continue to re-evaluate their office needs and often move to newer or renovated buildings in different submarkets,” says Ben Plaisted, vice chairman at commercial real estate company Savills, which produced the report.
In this submarket, Arlington Economic Development staff says 80% of offices were built more than 20 years ago.
“National and regional trends show that new leases tend to prefer buildings built in the past 10 years,” the county’s economic development arm said in a statement. “As a result, submarkets with newer product tend to have lower availability and submarkets with older product tend to have higher availability.”
Across Arlington, vacancy is concentrated in older buildings: about 75% of vacant square footage is within buildings at least 30 years old, says AED.
In response, why Arlington County is trying to infuse old office buildings with a mix of emerging businesses, such as research and development, artisan workshops, breweries and distilleries, and even pickleball courts.
AED provided a few caveats to the report.
It says Savills combined Courthouse, Clarendon and Virginia Square into one submarket, while another real estate company, CoStar, only combines Courthouse and Clarendon. That changes the overall availability rate.
Without Virginia Square, Clarendon-Courthouse has the second-highest availability rate in Northern Virginia and the D.C. area, behind Herndon, according to July 2023 data from CoStar, AED said.
Including Virginia Square means adding one major construction project to the mix: George Mason University’s FUSE building, says AED. The new facility has over 100,000 square feet listed as available for tenants.
The economic development division also says availability rates should be taken with a grain of salt.
“Availability rates can mask available square feet, as submarkets vary greatly in size,” AED said. “Therefore, the same amount of available square footage would appear as much lower availability rates in larger submarkets.”
Like other parts of the nation, Arlington is seeing tenants seek out smaller offices in higher-quality buildings, dubbed the “flight to quality.”
Overall, the report notes Arlington has some of the highest rent prices in the D.C. area, which is due to building quality plus proximity to D.C. and Metro. Over 60% of Arlington’s office product is listed by CoStar as Class A, or those built recently with attractive amenities and high rents, among other features.
“[Tenants] are willing to pay top dollar for high quality space but by reducing their footprint, they are not increasing their overall real estate costs,” Plaisted said. “The war for talent continues to be prevalent in the market and occupiers are looking to incentivize staff to be at the office by upgrading their physical location and space.”
Not everyone is reducing their footprint, however. AED says a half-dozen Arlington-based firms, from consulting firms to to government contractors, expanded their offices over the last year.
Meanwhile, a handful of British tech firms recently opened outposts in Arlington, while shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls moved some of its offices from D.C. to National Landing.
Arlington has scored some commercial real estate wins with retention of tenants. The only notable tenant that AED says — to their knowledge — fully moved out of Arlington over the past year is the tech company Ostendio, which is now fully virtual.
Photo via Google Maps
George Mason University is mulling a future expansion of its Arlington campus.
To realize that long-term goal, this April the university purchased an $8.25 million piece of property across the street from the its Mason Square campus in Virginia Square, according to county property records.
The acquisition is located at 3300 Fairfax Drive, in a 1960s-era office building that currently has some law and insurance agent offices, as well as a pilates and yoga studio.
In the immediate future, the university does not have plans for the site.
“These properties are strategic investments that provide security and flexibility for the future of the Mason Square Campus,” GMU media relations manager John Hollis told ARLnow.
“In the near term, Mason expects to continue current or similar operations to the existing tenants, while longer term opportunities include potential developments in support of Mason’s faculty, students, and mission,” he continued.
Although the statement alluded to more than one property, Hollis did not specify any other properties recently acquired by the school.
The Arlington campus of the Fairfax County-based university holds the university’s School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, economics, business and arts departments, the Antonin Scalia Law School and the Schar School of Policy and Government.
Mason Square is currently in the midst of a major expansion, with the under-construction Fuse building set to host labs, classrooms, an innovation center and retail spaces, among other uses. The university estimates the building will be substantially complete in May 2025.
Should the newly-acquired building be redeveloped in the future, it would join a bevy of other projects in the area, including the redevelopment of the nearby YMCA, St. Charles Catholic Church, the Joyce Motors site and the former Silver Diner location.
The YMCA may be ditching tennis courts when it redevelops its property in Virginia Square.
The organization plans to tear down its facility at 3400 13th Street N. and build a new recreational facility with an aquatics center, a multi-purpose gym with workout rooms, and a “diversity and inclusion center.”
There will also be a seven-story apartment building with 374 units, as well as open spaces and footpaths through the site.
Tennis players, however, have watched the eight existing courts get cut in half in the plans — and now axed — just ahead of the next project planning meeting set for today (Thursday). After this meeting, the project will head to the Arlington Planning Commission and County Board later this year.
In a letter to members sent last week, and in comments to ARLnow on Tuesday, the organization says it must change course because planning guidance prevents it from building a structure tall enough to accommodate courts.
Without support for the taller heights from Arlington County and neighbors, it says the courts will be scrapped and it plans to work with Arlington to contribute to tennis amenities elsewhere.
“Over the course of multiple reviews of the site plan with the county and the community, the Y and our development partner came to the conclusion we had to reduce the overall footprint of the building,” said Alison Risso, the communications director of YMCA of Metropolitan Washington. “Tennis courts require a substantial amount of horizontal and vertical space while only typically serving two to four players at a time on a court.”
The decision shocked some tennis players, including Janet Barsy.
“The eight Y indoor courts are the last public indoor tennis courts in Arlington,” she said. “They are well used by Arlington and other Northern [Virginia] residents for personal and organized tennis and provide a venue for many popular adult and children’s clinics.”
Barsy says she is dismayed by what she feels is a lack of meaningful engagement with players, who were not pleased by the initial plans, which proposed a reduction in courts. Early public feedback included comments from several tennis players advocating for more courts and fewer bells and whistles.
“Early and honest engagement would have been in keeping with the Y’s four stated core values: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility,” she said.
Risso, however, notes tennis membership “has continued to decline over the last decade,” perhaps replaced by pickleball fever. The proposed facility’s multi-purpose gym includes three indoor pickleball courts and convertible courts for squash, handball and racquetball.
For the county’s part, communications and engagement specialist Elise Cleva says staff flagged that the proposed site layout was “inconsistent with what was envisioned” in a planning document guiding redevelopment along Washington Blvd and N. Kirkwood Road.
The document was precipitated by plans to redevelop the YMCA facility as well as the American Legion and Mill Creek Residential sites to its south.
