The Arlington Community Foundation is pleased to announce that Arlington’s front-line human service workers will be honored with the 2020 William T. Newman, Jr. Spirit of Community Award.

This year’s event is a FREE virtual celebration on Wednesday, September 23 at 12 p.m. For more information and complimentary registration visit arlcf.org/spirit-event.

The Foundation is excited to recognize the dedication and hard work of Arlington’s frontline human service workers as they have been crucial to keeping the community going during this pandemic crisis.

This year’s event will also feature interviews with Chris Nassetta, President & CEO of Hilton, and Steve Presley, Chairman & CEO of Nestlé USA. Each will discuss their experience in the Arlington community, crisis response and the changing face of business.

Registration for the virtual celebration is free and available at arlcf.org/spirit-event. It’s also not too late to sponsor! More information is also available at the link above.

The Spirit of Community Award, named in honor of the Foundation’s Founder and President Emeritus, the Honorable William T. Newman, Jr., was established to recognize individuals and/or organizations who have demonstrated a tireless and unselfish commitment to improving the quality of life in Arlington.


Address: 1045 N. Utah Street #310
Neighborhood: Ballston | Windsor Plaza
Listed: $614,900
Open: Virtual Tour

Do you have moderate to severe discomfort from your AirPods. Do you wake up with nightmares that you are on a never-ending Zoom call? Do you have a fear of your boss finding out that you aren’t actually working from home? You, like many millions of people may have Labor Domicile Syndrome… Pure Insanity from working from home. Thankfully we have a cure.

At unit 310 Windsor Plaza with its expansive floor plan, huge kitchen, multiple large work spaces and a sunroom escape, you will never feel like you are working from home

The living room has a gas fireplace with stone surround and a tasteful stone accent wall. Just past the living room, you will find your next oasis, a huge panoramic glass enclosed sunroom with floor to ceiling windows overlooking tree lined Utah Street, your perfect built in city escape!

The Owner’s Suite has a separate private access to this beautiful sunroom, providing the suite with a vast amount of natural light from the floor to ceiling windows. The Owner’s Suite includes a dual sink vanity, a deep jetted soaking tub and a spacious walk in closet with built-ins.

The second bedroom and full bathroom, located next to the Owner’s Suite, offers ample closet space and two nice sized windows. The entire unit is newly painted and one parking space and one storage unit convey. At the Windsor Plaza, enjoy the outdoor swimming pool, large courtyard, grilling area and easy walkable access throughout the Ballston neighborhood.

This perfect community is located just around the block from the Ballston Metro and steps away from the new Ballston Quarter, shops, restaurants and everything Arlington has to offer!

Listed by:
Shawn Battle
Orange Line Condo | Century 21 Redwood Realty
703-999-8108
[email protected]
OrangeLineCondo.com


This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

As many have heard, as of July 1, 2020, the new Virginia Human Rights Act began to provide new protections from discrimination for employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity. A lesser-known form of discrimination was also prohibited as of that date, which prohibits race discrimination based on hairstyle. Governor Northam signed the VHRA into law on March 4, 2020.

The Virginia legislature, in amending the VHRA, included a ban on discrimination “because of or on the basis of traits historically associated with race, including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists.”

Governor Northam stated, in approving the law: “It’s pretty simple — if we send children home from school because their hair looks a certain way, or otherwise ban certain hairstyles associated with a particular race — that is discrimination… This is not only unacceptable and wrong, it is not what we stand for in Virginia. This bill will make our Commonwealth more equitable and welcoming for all.” The Governor’s press release also cited to comments by Virginia Delegate McQuinn: “A person’s hair is a core part of their identity… Nobody deserves to be discriminated against simply due to the hair type they were born with, or the way in which they choose to wear it. The acceptance of one’s self is the key to accepting others.”

The Commonwealth of Virginia is now the fourth state to ban race-based hairstyle discrimination after California, New Jersey and New York passed similar laws. Colorado is in the process of enacting a similar law presently, and more than 20 other states have similar legislation proposed or pending.

This new legislation is likely to need to a 2-3 year period of adjustment as employers in Virginia start to realize that such forms of discrimination are against the law either through the complaint process or in court. A link to the new Virginia law is located here.

Contact Us

If you are in need of employment law legal representation or advice, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or through our contact page to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook or Twitter.


This regularly-scheduled sponsored column is written by the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy team (AIRE). This county program helps you make smart energy decisions that save you money and leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

Home insulation has a significantly greater impact on your home’s energy use and comfort than new windows or doors.

Believe it or not, 9 out of 10 homes in the U.S. are under-insulated. That means that you most likely live in one of them. Older Arlington homes were built when insulation was expensive and fuel was cheap. Many Arlington homes were built with no insulation and are uncomfortably hot in the summer, cold in the winter and have uneven temperatures room-to-room and floor-to-floor.

Do you have uneven temperatures throughout your home? What are you waiting for!? Join other Arlingtonians that already weatherized their homes and are enjoying the benefits of year-round comfort and lower utility bills.

You can also take advantage of the tax credit for insulation before the end of the year!

In most cases, the fixes aren’t complex and the cost will likely be less than you expect. In just one day you can have your home insulated and be comfortable year after year.

Unsure where to start? Check out this list of contractors who participated in previous County programs. Give an insulation contractor a call today to get an estimate.

The sooner you act the more comfortable your home will be.


Address: 1218 Perry William Drive
Neighborhood: Everymay (McLean)
Listed: $1,725,000

Captivating home in sought-after Evermay with heated, saltwater pool! Beautifully updated, and thoughtfully designed to offer all the conveniences for today’s living.

There’s space for working from home, enjoying a Staycation while sipping beverages pool-side or under the covered patio, cooking for family or a small gathering of friends, and finding quiet spaces throughout. Find your inner chef while enjoying the spacious eat-in kitchen, fully updated with high-end appliances.

This turnkey home features five generously sized bedrooms, three are located on the upper level with two full baths including the primary bedroom with ensuite bath and private balcony, while on the lower level you will find two additional bedrooms and a Jack-n-Jill bath.

The Evermay neighborhood is 2.5 miles to the Chain Bridge and D.C., 2 miles to Downtown McLean, and close to Tysons with plenty of shopping and dining options.

Listed by:
Steve Wydler
Wydler Brothers of Compass
703-348-6326
[email protected]
wydlerbrothers.com


Looking for a home? There are plenty of houses and condos open for viewing this weekend.

Check out the Arlington Realty website for a full list of homes for sale and open houses in Arlington. Here are a few highlights:

3012 N. Oakland Street
4 BD/5 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Re/Max West End
Listed: $1,950,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

1722 S. Arlington Ridge Road
3 BD/2 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Compass
Listed: $1,490,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

2518 N. Columbus Street
4 BD/3 BA single-family home
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $998,000
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.

 

125 N. Oakland Street
3 BD/1 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Listed: $895,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

851 N. Glebe Road #1705
2 BD/2 BA condo
Agent: Century 21 New Millennium
Listed: $739,900
Open: Saturday 12-4:30 p.m.

 

2174 N. Brandywine Street
2 BD/2 BA, 1 half bath villa/townhouse
Agent: Compass
Listed: $624,900
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.

 

1915 S. Kenmore Street
4 BD/2 BA villa/townhouse
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $529,900
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.


Just Listed highlights Arlington properties that just came on the market within the past week. This feature is written and sponsored by Andors Real Estate Group.

Unlike last year, our fall market is off to a great start, and it really never slowed at the end of summer.

Bolstered by low interest rates and a high level of white-collar jobs that allow remote work during the pandemic, Arlington continues the hustle and bustle. Despite inventory growing slowly and steadily, we’re still a strong seller’s market and I see nothing on the horizon that will change that.

A topic we haven’t talked about much is condo fees, but it makes sense to visit this subject briefly, considering around 60% of our inventory in Arlington has condominium ownership. As a reminder, a condo is a method of ownership, meaning you own your unit and a shared interest in the common spaces such as pools, parking lots, tennis courts, etc., and are bound by the rules, bylaws and covenants established and maintained by unit owners through a condo board — perhaps one of the smallest examples of a local government. You have access to those amenities through your ownership and payment of the association’s fees.

Condos can look like townhomes, high rises, garden style buildings and even appear as semi-detached homes. Monthly fees in Arlington vary widely, with some in the $200 range and not providing much in the way of amenities, to buildings that include all utilities, have 24-hour concierge and a wide variety of amenities and conveniences. The latter can run you towards $1,000+ in Arlington, but the average falls somewhere in the $400-$600 range depending on the amenities included.

Condo fees increase over time, sometimes the result of unexpected maintenance, or increases in costs of contracts and services such as landscaping, lifeguards or snow removal. Fees rarely decrease, and there are often rules contained in the individual organization placing a cap on how much they can increase year to year.

Townhomes are sometimes condo ownership, but more frequently part of a homeowner’s association (HOA) — and HOAs typically have much lower fees than condos. Usually there aren’t many utilities included; they don’t have elevators or other costly systems to maintain and the function of an HOA is more limited in scope, generally to architectural rules, landscaping and perhaps a pool or tennis courts.

We don’t have many examples of single-family homes belonging to HOAs in Arlington, but as you venture farther outside the metro area, this becomes much more prevalent from tract-development housing.

Now for your weekly stats…

This past week in Arlington, sellers listed some 84 properties for sale while buyers ratified 68 contracts. 32 of the ratified contracts were on homes listed just within the past week.

There are currently 444 homes for sale in Arlington, 16 more than last week. 128 are detached homes, 42 are townhouses/semi-detached and 274 are condos. Average days on market (DOM) for currently available homes is 49 and median DOM is 30.

The median list price of currently available properties is $628,500, while the average is $866,392. Last year for the same week, sellers listed 72 homes and buyers ratified 48 contracts.

Click here to search currently available Arlington real estate — if you see a home you’re interested in purchasing, we’d love to help!

Call the Andors Real Estate Group today at (703) 203-1117 to talk more about buying or selling Arlington real estate. Below are eight homes that are new this week that I think you might like to check out.


This sponsored column is by James Montana, Esq. and Doran Shemin, Esq., practicing attorneys at Steelyard LLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Arlington, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact James for an appointment.

Dear ARLnow readers,

  • James just returned from his vacation, during which he hiked a 290-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail, sleeping in a camping hammock all the way. He also snagged this shot with the wild ponies of the Grayson Highlands.
  • Doran is too busy winning cases to write an article this week. She had to cover the whole docket while her self-indulgent boss was hanging out with wild ponies.
  • We paid for the advertising space, didn’t we?

Therefore:

  • Enjoy the silly photo.
  • Get outside. This wonderful weather won’t last.
  • Long live the free press!

As always, we welcome your thoughts and comments. If you have any requests for our next immigration column, let us know! We’d love to address issues of concern to ARLnow readers.


Address: 867 N. Lebanon Street
Neighborhood: Dominion Hills
Price: $799,000
Open: Sunday, September 20 from 1-4 p.m.

This classic three bedroom two bath Dominion Hills colonial is nestled on a well landscaped lot in the Ashlawn, Swanson, Yorktown school district.

Recent important updates include: heating and air conditioning (2019), gas 50 gallon water heater (2018), garden shed for bike and sports storage (2016), electrical panel box (2016), front portico, slate stairs and handrails (2014).

Desirable details include gleaming wood floors on two levels, double pane windows, gas fireplace in the living room, kitchen with plenty of counter space for renewed interest in cooking and baking, a big rec room with areas for media, play, distance learning and an office nook for Zoom calls.

A brick patio is off the kitchen, and the large lot offers shady spots for play and sports, and sunny spots for gardening and soaking up Vitamin D. Space is available for a fire pit, wading pool and features that will enhance outdoor living.

The nearby bike path leads to both Ballston and EFC Metros, and the home is near Madison Manor park, Westover Village, Dominion Hills pool, Arlington County skate parks, and a pub and services.

A refreshed home in a wonderful location for up or down sizing.

Listed by:
Betsy Twigg
McEnearney Associates
703-967-4391
[email protected]
www.betsytwigg.com


With dental offices reopening around the country, it’s likely your next dental appointment will look and feel a little different as new safety protocols are implemented.

Below, Drs. Hartman and Morrow explain the steps their office, Elite Dental, has taken to allow patients to receive dental care safely amidst COVID-19. Dentistry is essential health care, so if you have questions regarding your own office’s safety, give them a call and ask about their safety measures to ensure your comfort in returning.

Personal Protective Equipment

Your clinical team is outfitted with the highest level of PPE including an N95 mask layered with a level 3 mask, glasses, face shield, gloves, head covering, lab jacket and office-designated shoes. We promise, we’re still the same smiling faces behind all this gear!

Screening

A temperature check is completed before any patient comes into our office, followed by completion of a COVID-19 screening form. Our team also has their temperature tested twice a day, we’re in it with you!

Appointments

We’ve lengthened our appointments and staggered start times to minimize traffic in our office and limit the number of people you come in contact with. You can also expect to be kept separate in our waiting space and during check-out.

Pre-Rinse

We have each patient rinse for 30 seconds with a peroxyl mouthwash. This rinse is important as it reduces the viral load in your saliva, which minimizes potentially unhealthy aerosolized droplets in the air of treatment rooms.

Isolation

During procedures that produce aerosols, we use a specialized suctioning device, the Isolite, that significantly minimizes any aerosols from escaping into the air.

Air Filtration

With the previously mentioned precautions, there should be minimal unwanted droplets in the air. However, you’ll also find multiple medical grade air filters with a rating of HEPA-13 to help clean and purify, ensuring clean air for each patient.

General Cleaning

While we always clean surfaces thoroughly and to OSHA standards, we’ve ensured all waiting room surfaces, door handles and any high traffic areas are sanitized multiple times throughout the day.

We can’t stress enough how important it is to maintain your regular cleanings, and that prevention is key for your gum and overall tooth health. There IS a way to receive dental care safely, now is not the time to put off treatment that could cause dental emergencies down the road!

Dr. Hartman and Dr. Morrow practice at Elite Dental in Arlington. Call 703-988-6963 or visit their website to schedule an appointment!


This article was written by Michael Stiefvater, Business Development Manager for Arlington Economic Development.

Once again, Arlington made its mark on the annual Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies as 31 local companies qualified, including five that ranked in the top 500.

To qualify for the prestigious list, each company exhibited exponential growth over the preceding three-year period and earned over $2 million in revenue last year. While the companies share several traits that positioned them for success, perhaps the most important is their ability to identify and recruit exceptional talent. Along their growth trajectory, each company was able to assemble a standout team to fuel its rapid expansion.

With Northern Virginia being home to one of the nation’s top talent pools, the Arlington honorees are well-positioned to continue building teams equipped to develop innovative products or provide excellent service to commercial and government entities. Given the desire to remain a member of the Inc. 5000 for years to come, these companies are seeking talent to fill positions in a diverse set of industries, including cybersecurity, government contracting, information technology, marketing and software development.

For job seekers, this presents a unique opportunity to join one of the region’s next leading companies, including Arlington’s highest-ranked and most-recognized companies on the list, Royce Geospatial Consultants and Fors Marsh Group, respectively.

Appearing on the list for the first time, Royce Geospatial Consultants is Arlington’s highest-ranked honoree at #333. The Clarendon-based government contractor reported an impressive three-year growth rate of 1,370% and has openings in in GIS application development, data science, geospatial engineering and software development.

According to Royce Geo’s CEO, David Sterling, “Our number one goal is to provide clients with highly mission focused subject matter experts who think innovatively with a sharp eye on mission. As a company, we operate as an employee first/mission first entity and we believe, if you take care of both with equal attention, everything else takes care of itself.” 

On the other end of the appearance spectrum, Fors Marsh Group (FMG) led Arlington companies by earning its eighth-consecutive place on the Inc. 5000. The Ballston-based, Certified B Corporation helps organizations and governmental agencies make research-backed decisions and implement solutions that positively affect customers, employees and the citizens they serve. FMG’s client portfolio has grown in large part due to the talent it recruits from higher education institutions, like George Mason University (GMU), to fill positions in the fields of data science, human capital strategy and policy evaluation.

Fors Marsh Group’s Senior Vice President and GMU alumni, Brian Griepentrog says, “The talent in our local undergraduate and advanced degree programs is simply world class, and cultivating these partnerships is central to our company’s success. And is one reason almost one-third of our almost 300 employees have a degree from a local D.C. Metro university.” 

For more information on Fors Marsh Group, Royce Geospatial Consultants and all of Arlington’s 31 companies on the Inc. 5000, Arlington Economic Development’s webpage provides a snapshot of each company and its current career opportunities.


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