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UPDATED: Artisphere’s Dome Is Not Doomed

Published November 4, 2015 at 10:30AM | Updated November 4, 2015 at 12:44PM

(Updated at 12:40 p.m.) One of the most recognizable features of the former Artisphere cultural center in Rosslyn is not on the chopping block, after all.

On its Nov. 14 meeting agenda, the Arlington County Board is scheduled to consider a site plan amendment for 1101 Wilson Blvd, “relating to the demolition” of the Artisphere dome.

The county terminated its lease on the Artisphere space last month, five years after the center first opened. Previously used by the Newseum, when it was located in Rosslyn, the dome theater may narrow down the kind of tenants property owner Monday Properties can attract.

From a public notice about the site plan amendment:

SP# 89 1101 Wilson Owner, LLC to delete Condition #4 relating to demolition of dome structure on Wilson Boulevard; in C-O zoning district under ACZO §15.5. Property is approximately 60,700 sq. ft.; located at 1101 Wilson Blvd.; and is identified as RPC# 16-039-002; -003; -021. Applicable Policies: GLUP “High” Office-Apartment-Hotel; Rosslyn Sector Plan.

However, county officials now say that the dome is not in danger, at least for now.

From Helen Duong, the Chief Marketing Officer for Arlington’s Dept. of Community Planning, Housing and Development:

This condition currently requires that the Newseum Dome be demolished if the County moves forward with construction of the Loop Road in Rosslyn (the Dome is located partially within what would have been the right of way for the Loop Road). Given adoption of the new Rosslyn Sector Plan this past summer, in which the Loop Road concept was abandoned, there is no longer a need to demolish the dome, and therefore the property owner wants the condition requiring demolition removed. As is my understanding, Monday Properties does not want to demolish the dome, but would like to market the space without the encumbrances required by Cond. #4.

Flickr pool photo by TheBeltWalk

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 4, 2015 at 9:40AM | Updated November 4, 2015 at 10:07AM

Another Chaotic Metro Commute — The late morning rush hour commute on the Orange and Silver lines was snarled by a disabled train at Courthouse. Overcrowded platforms were reported at Arlington Metro stations. [Twitter]

Nazi Memories in Arlington — Longtime Arlingtonians shared their memories of former Williamsburg Blvd resident George Lincoln Rockwell and his Arlington-based American Nazi Party with “Our Man in Arlington” columnist Charlie Clark. One vivid memory comes from the daughter of a Holocaust survivor who happened to patron the same Arlington barbershop as Rockwell. His only remark to his daughter after Rockwell was assassinated at the Dominion Hills Shopping Center: “They shot the Nazi today.” [Falls Church News-Press]

E-CARE Stats — The stats are in for Arlington’s Halloween E-CARE recycling event. According to the county, 1,784 residents dropped off items, including 72,185 pounds of household hazmat materials and 2.5 tractor trailers full of electronics. [Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by Vandiik

BREAKING: Man Critically Injured After Jumping From Bridge While Running from Police

By ARLnow.com

Published November 3, 2015 at 11:05PM | Updated November 4, 2015 at 1:23PM

(Updated at 1:15 p.m.) A man has been badly injured after jumping off a bridge while running from Arlington County police.

The incident happened around 11 p.m. Tuesday on Shirlington Road, between the Shirlington and Nauck neighborhoods

The man was pulled over after being spotted driving recklessly on I-395, weaving in and out of traffic and driving on the shoulder at an excess rate of speed, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. He exited the highway at Shirlington and pulled into an Exxon parking lot.

After stopping the car, the man got out and started running, shouting that officers would have to shoot him to stop him, Sternbeck said. While fleeing he jumped from the Shirlington Road bridge over Four Mile Run and fell onto rocks some 20 feet below.

The man was still breathing but was bleeding profusely from a “severe head injury” in which brain matter could be seen, according to scanner reports. He was transported to the trauma center at George Washington University hospital.

The car the man was driving was reported to be a rental car. Police say he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

No word yet on the man’s identity, but police said he is 37 years old and from Fort Washington, Maryland. He’s currently listed in critical condition, clinging to life but unresponsive, we hear.

The Shirlington Road bridge was closed in both directions for a period of time while investigators documented the scene.

Election Turnout Light So Far, Despite Competitive County Board Race

By ARLnow.com

Published November 3, 2015 at 1:45PM

Despite one of the most consequential and competitive County Board races in recent memory, relatively light turnout has been reported at the polls in Arlington so far today.

Linda Lindberg, Arlington County’s top elections official, said turnout was around 12 percent as of 12:45 p.m.

“It’s been pretty light,” Lindberg told ARLnow.com “Some precincts are doing quite well and others are very, very slow.”

Lindberg said turnout is similar to the 2011 election, when 26 percent of registered voters went to the polls. She expects the final turnout today to be around that figure. The number of absentee ballots submitted this election cycle — 2,200 — is also comparable to 2011.

“I would have thought that we would have done a little better this time, because we do have a more competitive County Board race,” Lindberg said.

No major problems have been reported at the polls, which opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m. Arlington County is using paper ballots this year, a throw back to the mid-20th century. Most recently, Arlington had been using electronic voting machines that were later revealed to have serious security flaws.

Some voters who required assistance using the ballot reading machines have complained that poll workers could see who they voted for while demonstrating how to use the machines.

“We’re going to iron out those issues,” Lindberg said.

The Arlington County elections office will be tweeting County Board election results live tonight after polls close, via its @arlingtonvotes Twitter account.

Registered voters who have not yet cast ballots can find out more information about the candidates via the League of Women Voters voter guide.

Voter turnout is only about 10-12% so far. Come on, Arlington – we can do better, so get out to vote! Polls close at 7 pm.

— Arlington Elections (@ArlingtonVotes) November 3, 2015

County Board to Hear Carpool Development Proposal

By ARLnow.com

Published November 3, 2015 at 12:30PM | Updated November 18, 2016 at 2:48PM

Rendering of residential building proposed for Carpool site

The Arlington County Board is scheduled this month to hear a proposal to replace Ballston watering hole Carpool with a 22-story luxury apartment building.

Developer Penzance and a real estate investment firm acquired the Carpool property and an adjacent office building just under a year ago. In a site plan amendment, Penzance is proposing to build a 330,000 square foot, 330-unit residential building on the Carpool site at 4000 Fairfax Drive.

The 1960s-era, 10-story Webb Building next to Carpool, which was recently renovated and is being used on an interim basis by Marymount University during construction on its “Blue Goose” site, will remain “for the near future.”

The new residential building will have a 264-space parking garage, but 66 spaces will be made available to residents in the Webb Building’s garage, which has 286 spaces. The residential building will also have 8,400 square feet of ground floor retail space, and will be built to LEED Gold sustainability standards.

The Arlington Planning Commission heard testimony from the developer last night (Monday). ~~The County Board is expected to decide on final approval at its Nov. 14 or 17 meeting.~~ A draft document indicates that county staff is recommending the site plan amendment be approved.

There’s no word yet on when Carpool will close nor when construction will start on the new building.

Update at 11/17/15: Consideration of this development was deferred to the County Board’s December meeting.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 3, 2015 at 9:30AM

It’s Election Day — Arlington voters are heading to the polls today to vote in a number of state and local elections. The most closely-watched and competitive of these is the race for County Board. Democrats Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey are facing off against independents Mike McMenamin and Audrey Clement for two open seats. Other races include largely non-competitive races for county constitutional offices, House of Delegates and state Senate seats, and the Arlington School Board. Local polling places are open until 7 p.m. [Arlington County]

DJO Standout Profiled — Standout Bishop O’Connell High School linebacker Landan Word has been profiled by the website Scout.com. Word, who has committed to the University of Virginia, is “physical [and] smart in way he plays,” the sports website says. [Scout]

Beyer Gets Spelling Kudos from POTUS — Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) received a handwritten note from President Obama congratulating him on his recent National Press Club spelling bee victory. The president called the win “seriously impressive” and noted “I use spell check.” [Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

RedRocks Closing Tonight, To Be Replaced By Wood Fire Kitchen and Whiskey Bar

By ARLnow.com

Published November 2, 2015 at 2:45PM

RedRocks Neapolitan Bistro, the anchor restaurant at Penrose Square on Columbia Pike, will be closing after tonight.

RedRocks first opened at 2501 Columbia Pike in early 2013, then “relaunched” last year with lower prices, more burgers and delivery service. With middling results, the owners decided to shutter RedRocks and launch an all-new restaurant.

RedRocks will close its doors after 10 p.m. tonight.

A new restaurant and bar called Marble and Rye will be opening in its place, “offering a locally-sourced, seasonal menu highlighting the wood fire stove.”

Marble and Rye will offer “20 craft beers on tap, a carefully thought out cocktail menu, and bourbons and ryes to pair with every item on the menu,” according to its website.

“Marble and Rye is moderately-priced contemporary American wood fire kitchen and whiskey bar that combines locally-inspired, seasonal, and creative food with one of the best and most extensive lists of whiskeys, and specialty seasonal cocktails,” a restaurant spokeswoman, Sarah Lakey, tells ARLnow.com.

“It will offer high quality food with a great atmosphere, ambiance, have a friendly and knowledgeable staff, and provide free and convenient parking in order to create a sense of ‘place’ and provide a great experience to our customers.”

Helming the new restaurant will be chef Kate Bennett, who has most recently been working as a private chef for a local real estate developer. Before that she worked for as an assistant kitchen manager for a large restaurant group in New York City.

“Our chef, Kate Bennett’s menus are always fresh and adapting with the seasons in order to provide farm-fresh northeast ingredients… from nearby farms and specialty purveyors,” says the website.

An early menu sent to ARLnow.com includes small plates from roasted marrow bone to mushroom gnocchi, a selection of wood-fired vegetables, salads, wood oven pizzas and grilled entrees like cedar plank salmon, caramelized diver sea scallops, baby back ribs, two types of burgers and quinoa cakes.

Entree prices range from $13 for a basic “chef’s burger” to $26 for an espresso rubbed filet.

“The restaurant will offer a lunch menu that will compliment our dinner menu, including specialty pizzas, salads and sandwiches, a daily happy hour, weekly events including Whiskey Wednesdays where customers can experience high end whiskeys from our tasting room at a reasonable price and a unique Sunday brunch with drink specials,” said Lakey.

The restaurant will also “actively promote and support local breweries and distilleries with an attractive tasting room and open floor plan for private events.”

While still majority owned by the owners of RedRocks, it will be run under the leadership of Bennett and a new management team.

Marble and Rye is expected to open in mid-to-late November.

Photos: Burned-Out Beemer Sitting on Road Near Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

Published November 2, 2015 at 1:05PM

The remnants of a recent car fire were still sitting on a busy road near Shirlington around lunchtime Monday.

A BMW 3-series sedan, with its front end burned out, is parked along 31st Street, a road that connects Shirlington and the Fairlington neighborhood.

The acrid stench of burned vehicle components was still fresh in the air for residents walking their dogs near past the car. There were no fire department vehicles or tow trucks in the vicinity when ARLnow.com walked by the wreck.

No word yet on when the vehicle will be removed.

Sugar Shack Donuts, 1000 Degrees Neapolitan Pizza Coming to Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Published November 2, 2015 at 11:35AM | Updated November 2, 2015 at 12:52PM

(Updated at 12:50 p.m.) Two popular restaurants will be joining Chipotle on the corner of Columbia Pike and Glebe Road.

Sugar Shack Donuts, a Richmond-based eatery serving fresh donuts and coffee, and 1000 Degrees Neapolitan Pizza, a quickly-expanding New Jersey-based pizza chain, are coming to the ground floor of the Pike 3400 apartment building, according to building permits.

Built on the former Rosenthal car dealership, Pike 3400 is currently home to the only Chipotle location on the Arlington stretch of Columbia Pike.

Sugar Shack attracted plenty of cult-like buzz — and actor Kevin Bacon — when it opened in Alexandria earlier this year. The location is owned by former Virginia delegate Rob Krupicka and makes its donuts in-house, without the help of machines.

The new Sugar Shack on the Pike will also be owned by Krupicka. He told ARLnow.com that the store should be open in “early 2016.”

1000 Degrees has been opening hundreds of new locations nationwide, building a business based around $7.99 personalized pizzas which are cooked in two minutes — similar to existing local fast-casual eateries like Spinfire. 1000 Degrees also offers breadsticks, build-your-own salads and fire roasted wings.

So far there’s no word on when 1000 Degrees will open.

Another building permit application indicates that a Supercuts hair salon is also planning to open at 3400 Columbia Pike.

Hat tip to Joe M.

Dems, McMenamin Trade Barbs on I-66, Parks

By ARLnow.com

Published November 2, 2015 at 10:35AM

Democrats say independent County Board candidate Mike McMenamin’s stance on I-66 would ” threaten the quality of our parks.” McMenamin says that his opponents are “purposely distorting his position.”

The latest skirmish involving a County Board candidate started when an automated call from Del. Rip Sullivan (D) started ringing in thousands of Arlington homes Sunday.

Sullivan’s recorded voice ripped into McMenamin for suggesting that he would support adding an extra lane to I-66 within the existing VDOT right of way in Arlington, tying that position into an issue near and dear to many Arlingtonians: parks.

Hi, this is Delegate Rip Sullivan. I have served on a Park Authority and Transportation Commission, and I’ve got an important message for you about the use of parks and green space in Arlington.

Independent-Republican for County Board, Mike McMenamin, supports widening I-66, which would threaten the quality of our parks at Madison Manor, Bon Air, Thrifton Hills, McCoy, and other parklands across the County. It would also threaten the quality of the Custis Trail. To protect parkland throughout Arlington County from development, join me in supporting Christian Dorsey and Katie Cristol. If protecting Arlington’s parks and green space is important to you, then vote on Tuesday, November 3rd for the two candidates committed to protecting parks and green space: Christian Dorsey and Katie Cristol.

Paid for and authorized by Christian Dorsey for County Board and Katie Cristol for County Board.

McMenamin responded in turn by accusing the Democrats of tying to “hide their weakness on parks.” From a press release:

Mike McMenamin today accused Delegate Rip Sullivan of making an 11th-hour attack purposely distorting his position on I-66.

“It shows that the political establishment in Arlington is worried about losing,” said McMenamin, who is running as an Independent for the County Board.

In a robo-call to thousands of voters on Sunday, the Democratic delegate said that McMenamin’s support for widening the interstate freeway would threaten the quality of various county parks.

McMenamin countered that he would only tolerate widening the highway within the current right of way and no further. Such widening, he said, would not take away any parkland at all.

“My opponents have been unwilling to say that they won’t build affordable housing on parkland, a position they know is unpopular, so they are trying to muddy the waters with these dubious attacks,” McMenamin said. “In fact, I am the only candidate committed to not building on our parks.

The Independent candidate said he is committed to keeping parkland and trails intact. “If any VDOT proposal would negatively affect any parks in Arlington, I think I would be the most effective voice for the neighborhoods.”

“While I don’t like the idea of having to widen 66, I fear the State is inevitably going to do just that,” he said. “After all, VDOT owns the road. So, I have taken the position that Arlington must strike the best deal possible.”

McMenamin also opposes tolls for I-66, saying it will lead to more surface traffic in nearby neighborhoods.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 2, 2015 at 9:20AM | Updated November 2, 2015 at 9:49AM

Group Offers Cheap Drinks to Encourage Voting — A nonprofit group will outside a half dozen Arlington polling stations on Tuesday, handing out wristbands good for cheap drinks at Clarendon bars, to “encourage young voters to celebrate democracy” and “draw more apathetic young voters out on Election Day.” [Washington Post]

Arlington Asking for Aquatics Center Feedback — Should Arlington County build the stalled Long Bridge Park aquatics and fitness center? If so, what kind of features should it include? That’s what the county is asking in a new online survey. Arlington originally launched a public input process for the planned aquatics facility in March. [InsideNova]

Airport to Cease Being a Homeless Haven — Starting today, Reagan National Airport will be kicking out the homeless who have used it as a makeshift shelter. Because it was clean, safe and open 24/7, dozens of local homeless individuals would pretend to be waylaid travelers and sleep in the airport’s terminals overnight. Increased use as a homeless sanctuary prompted airport officials to decide to no longer tolerate what will now be treated as trespassing. [Washington Post]

Fuel Spill at DCA — On Friday hazmat crews and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to a reported spill of 7,500-9,000 gallons of jet fuel on the south side of Reagan National Airport. The spill has been largely contained and is not a threat to drinking water, officials say. [WTOP]

Flickr pool photo by Vandiik