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Exxon Station Closed in Ballston, Slated for Revelopment

Published January 11, 2016 at 1:15PM | Updated January 11, 2016 at 1:32PM

It didn’t take long for the Exxon station at the corner of N. Glebe Road and Carlin Springs Road to close following the Arlington County Board’s approval of a new apartment development in October.

The station is now shuttered and surrounded by a fence, as is the adjacent Prestige Certified Motors dealership (which moved to 7700 Lee Highway in Falls Church) and a surface parking lot once used by Macy’s. The block-long parcel of land is located across from Ballston Common Mall.

To be built on the parcel: a six-story, 173-unit apartment building dubbed 672 Flats. The building will include two ground floor retail spaces, an underground parking garage with 177 spaces and 70 bicycle parking spots.

No word yet on a construction timeline. Developer Penrose Group has completed a number of other projects around Arlington, including Pike 3400 on Columbia Pike, the Latitude Apartments in Virginia Square and the Residence Inn in Courthouse.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 11, 2016 at 9:30AM | Updated January 11, 2016 at 1:54PM

Opower Staying in Arlington — In a “symbolic economic development win” for Arlington, Courthouse-based tech firm Opower will be staying put, at least for a couple of years. The company, which was visited by President Obama in 2010 and went public in 2014, was considering a move and was being courted by property owners in D.C. It has renewed its 42,000 square foot lease in Courthouse Tower (1515 N. Courthouse Road) through May 2018. [Washington Business Journal]

Arlington Has ‘Scars’ from Former Railroad Lines — Even in places in Arlington that have since been paved over with development, you can still see the “scars” from former rail lines in aerial photos. D.C. also has its fair share of “scarhitecture.” [Greater Greater Washington]

Orange Line Delays This Morning — There were delays on Metro’s Orange Line this morning after trains started single-tracking between West Falls Church and Vienna due to a track problem. [Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by Brian Irwin

Mark Schwartz Selected As Permanent Arlington County Manager

By ARLnow.com

Published January 8, 2016 at 1:45PM

Mark Schwartz, who has served as interim County Manager since July 1, 2015, has been named Arlington’s permanent County Manager.

Schwartz was elevated to the temporary post after the retirement of former County Manager Barbara Donnellan. An Arlington resident since 1985, Schwartz previously was Arlington’s Director of Management and Finance and Chief Financial Officer before serving as Deputy County Manager under Donnellan.

The County Manager serves as the top executive in Arlington County government, managing the day-to-day operations of county government and its $943 million budget. The manager is appointed by the County Board.

The Board is slated to formally vote to approve Schwartz’s contract at its meeting on Saturday, Jan. 23.

County Board Chair Libby Garvey announced the selection of Schwartz in a memo to county employees shortly after 12:30 p.m. today.

County Employees –

I am pleased to announce that the Arlington County Board has selected Mark Schwartz as County Manager.

Mark is our unanimous choice, and we are very pleased to have him at the helm. He offers deep experience and knowledge of Arlington, but has demonstrated in the past six months an ability to look at things differently and a willingness to make changes. With Mark, we will have a tried-and-true Manager and a consummate professional able to work with this new Board to shape Arlington’s future.

We will be announcing this news to the public very shortly with a press release.

Our organization is filled with talent. Each and every one of you is critical to our success. As you know, Mark has been, and will be, a thoughtful and creative leader. Together, we will do great things and I’m excited!

Libby Garvey
Chair, Arlington County Board

The press release, after the jump.

(more…)

Homeowner Struck With Bottle During Lyon Village Burglary

By ARLnow.com

Published January 8, 2016 at 12:00PM | Updated January 8, 2016 at 3:58PM

(Updated at 3:55 p.m.) Police have released new information about an attack in Lyon Village that sent a man to the hospital with a serious head injury.

Arlington County Police say that the victim, who was struck in the head with a bottle, was a homeowner who discovered a man in his house during a residential burglary.

The incident happened around 10 a.m. on the 1800 block of N. Adams Street, near the intersection with Lee Highway.

Police say the victim was at home during the break-in, but at first didn’t hear the suspect. When he discovered the burglar in the house, he confronted him and a struggle ensued in the kitchen.

During the struggle, the suspect grabbed a bottle and hit the victim over the head with it, causing a “severe laceration,” according to Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage. The suspect then fled on food.

The homeowner, bleeding profusely, made his way to a neighbor’s house. The neighbor then called police to report the assault.

The victim was transported via ambulance to Virginia Hospital Center with what’s described as a non-life-threatening injury. Police found a large amount of blood on the ground, including on the neighbor’s front step, and recovered a pair of bloody gloves, according to scanner traffic.

Police are still investigating the incident but currently believe that the attacker did not know the victim. The suspect is described as a 5’7″ black male in his 50s.

Earlier in the investigation, police said that they believed the victim was struck while walking down the street.

Sugar Shack ‘A Few Weeks Away,’ Now Hiring on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Published January 8, 2016 at 10:15AM | Updated January 8, 2016 at 10:37AM

Sugar Shack Donuts on Columbia Pike, while it was still under construction

A new Sugar Shack Donuts store may open next month on Columbia Pike.

“Now hiring” signs have been posted in the windows of the storefront along S. Glebe Road, in the new 3400 Pike apartment building. Owner and former state legislator Rob Krupicka says the store opening is “a few weeks away.”

“Very close… Construction is almost done and then we have to get the final permits and train staff,” said Krupicka, who also owns a Sugar Shack location in Alexandria. “Folks should follow us on Twitter @SugarShackDMV or Facebook at Sugar Shack Arlington.”

Richmond-based Sugar Shack makes their donuts in-house, by hand. The company made a USA Today list of the top 10 “tastiest donut shops in the USA.”

Sugar Shack’s neighbors at Pike 3400 — formerly the Rosenthal car dealership — include a recently-opened Chipotle and, soon, a 1000 Degree Neapolitan Pizza and a Supercuts.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 8, 2016 at 9:30AM

Violent Attack at Pentagon City Metro — A seemingly random act of violence at the Pentagon City Metro station injured a man late last month. Details of the attack were just released: a 19-year-old man collapsed on the platform after being sucker-punched. Witnesses took cell phone photos of the attacker, who fled. The incident is one of a string of recent violent incidents at Metro stations. [Fox 5 DC]

GGW Questions Garvey’s Leadership — Will new County Board Chair Libby Garvey move Arlington forward with smart infrastructure investments, or pull back and scale down the county’s ambitions? That’s the question being posed by urbanist blog Greater Greater Washington, which has been critical of Garvey’s anti-streetcar stance. [Greater Greater Washington]

Garvey Announces Reelection Bid — Thought she has positioned herself as a somewhat anti-establishment figure in the local party, Libby Garvey detailed her Democratic bonafides while announcing her reelection bid at the Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting earlier this week. Garvey is facing a primary challenge on her left, from small business owner Erik Gutshall. [Libby Garvey]

Grant for ‘Little Saigon’ History — A $9,000 grant will allow Arlington County to produce a full-color booklet preserving the history of Arlington’s “Little Saigon” — a concentration of Vietnamese immigrants and businesses in Clarendon in the 1970s, before the opening of Metro. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

Arlington Police Warn Online Cleaning Service Customers About Thefts

By ARLnow.com

Published January 7, 2016 at 5:20PM | Updated January 7, 2016 at 6:35PM

There have been a string of home burglaries in Arlington and police believe the connection between them is the use of an online cleaning service.

Arlington County Police are now warning residents to be wary of any cleaner from an online service who refuses to give his or her last name and phone number. The department recommends the use of a home video security system for those who cannot be at home during the cleaning.

ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage declined to name the online cleaning service in question, citing “the integrity of ongoing cases.” She did, however, specify that the “cleaners are contractors signed up with an online cleaning service that does the scheduling on their behalf.”

The most prominent company to fit that definition is Handy. The New York City-based startup recently raised $50 million in venture funding, valuing the company around half a billion dollars. It has been criticized for its classification of cleaners as independent contractors.

So far, Handy has not responded to an inquiry from ARLnow.com. On its website, Handy says its cleaners are “experienced, friendly, background-checked, and insured.”

The police department issued an infographic (above) and the following statement about the online cleaning-related thefts.

The Arlington County Police Department has seen an increase in thefts from homes that have utilized online cleaning services. While a burglar has to break into an unsuspecting home, the same results can happen by giving unknown people access to your home. Below are a few things to consider before allowing any service provider into your home.

How long has the service been in business in your community?

Did you receive a favorable recommendation from friends or family?

Does the service have the appropriate permits to conduct business?

Is the service licensed properly with the County or the State?

When searching for an online cleaning service, it is suspicious of subcontractors to only provide partial names or to fail to provide telephone numbers. While there are many legitimate service providers, it is always recommended you remain present when the service is being provided and that you place all valuables in a secure area prior to their arrival.

If it is not possible for you to remain at home while the service is being provided and you can’t have a friend or family member assist you, you may want to reschedule for another time or consider monitoring the activity with a home video security system. These systems can be monitored via the web or your smartphone.

You work hard for things you have purchased. Help us to help you enjoy the fruits of your labor and avoid being a victim of theft.

A local online cleaning service, Maids in Black, said via a spokeswoman that it is “not a part of this investigation.”

“We pride ourself on hiring trustworthy employees who all must pass a background screening to ensure only the highest quality of service,” said Joanna Kalita. “These instances are quite unfortunate, however, in no way connected to Maids In Black.”

Superbarber Closes in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Published January 7, 2016 at 4:45PM

The Superbarber shop in Ballston has closed.

Located across the street from Ballston Common Mall, at 850 N. Randolph Street, the barber shop had a loyal client base and generally positive reviews.

“Looks like they cleared out over the holiday weekend,” said reader David J., in an email. “They were there for a while, and were a neighborhood staple.”

The shop has closed for good, but a sign in the window did not specify why.

Photos by Justin Funkhouser

‘Cheesehead’ Pep Rally with Packers Notables Coming to Clarendon this Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Published January 7, 2016 at 3:30PM

They may be in enemy territory, but “cheeseheads” from the D.C. area and around the country will be showing their Packers pride in Clarendon this weekend.

A pre-gameday pep rally will be taking place at Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland Street) this Saturday at 6 p.m. The free event is being hosted by Packers Everywhere, an organization that unites Packers fans in locales far from the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.

Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy will greet fans as they arrive, as well as participate in a question-and-answer session with radio sportscaster and “voice of the Packers” Wayne Larrivee.

Larrivee will also facilitate a discussion between former players Nick Collins and Nick Barnett about Sunday’s matchup with the hometown Washington Redskins. Finally, Packers.com bloggers Vic Ketchman and Mike Spofford will preview the game and give their predictions.

Food and drink will be available for purchase — and yes, Miller Lite, the official beer of the Packers, is on tap. There will also be several fan giveaways.

The pep rally is a precursor to Sunday’s wild card playoff game against the Redskins, which kicks off at 4:40 p.m. on Fox.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 7, 2016 at 11:35AM

Design of New Wilson School Lauded — “The new Wilson School might be the fanciest public school building in the nation.” So says the influential urbanist news website Citylab, of the design of the future home of the H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program. The fan-like design comes from a team of two architecture firms, including the Bjarke Ingels Group, which is noted for its experimental designs. The total project cost is estimated at $86-94 million. [Citylab]

APS Seeks to Squeeze More Capacity Out of Existing Schools — Facing a continued capacity crunch, Arlington Public Schools is seeking to find additional room for students in its middle and high schools. APS thinks it can squeeze another 600+ students total in its three high schools and another 150 students at middle schools, by finding additional usable space in the existing buildings. Growth in school enrollment, meanwhile, is slowing down but is not expected to stop. [InsideNova, InsideNova]

APS Wins Budget Award — Arlington Public Schools has been awarded a Meritorious Budget Award for excellence in budget presentation from the Association of School Business Officials International. The entry fee to be eligible for the award is more than $1,000. [Arlington Public Schools, ASBO]

BREAKING: Bank Robbery in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Published January 7, 2016 at 10:20AM | Updated January 7, 2016 at 4:49PM

Update at 4:50 p.m. — The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward in the case.

Earlier: Arlington County Police are on scene of a bank robbery at the Wells Fargo in Pentagon City, across from Costco.

The incident happened just before 10:15 a.m., on the 1400 block of S. Fern Street. Initial reports suggest a man passed a note to the teller and fled with cash in his hand.

Police detained at least one possible suspect after arriving on scene. They also investigated a report of a man seen running through the nearby Residence Inn hotel. However, the latest report is that surveillance footage suggests the suspect fled in a vehicle immediately following the robbery.

The suspect is described as a 5’9″ black male, wearing a dark baseball cap, red scarf, a gray hoodie and baggy sweatpants.

Anyone with information on the robbery or the suspect is asked to call police at 703-558-2222.