Author: Chris Teale

Public Invited To Forum on Future of Buck, VHC Sites

By Chris Teale
1/10

Space for police, fire and emergency management, swing space for government offices or Arlington Public Schools, bus storage or parkland might be coming to two sites the county is considering acquiring.

The Buck property off N. Quincy Street near Washington-Lee High School and the Virginia Hospital Center site at 601 S. Carlin Springs Road could both be acquired by the county, which has options to buy or swap for the land and has been going through a review process to determine best future uses for it.

Through that process, there are now five possible scenarios for each on how the county might make use of these sites. Staff outlined those scenarios in a presentation to the commission last week, and the Joint Facilities Advisory Commission (JFAC) will host an interactive public forum on the plans tomorrow (Wednesday).

Both sites are being tapped to potentially include space for the county’s Office of Emergency Management and police and fire departments. Some scenarios would include parking for ART or Arlington Public Schools buses on the site, with varying levels of open space for recreation and community gardens.

One scenario for VHC (Scenario C) would reserve a 130,000 square foot site as temporary swing space for either APS or the county during construction elsewhere. No plan would place permanent school space at the Buck property, something that had been called for by neighbors in the past.

Other neighbors, meanwhile, previously raised opposition to the county buying the Buck site, and accused the county of “barreling ahead” with the acquisition without listening to community feedback.

“JFAC, working with county and schools staff and with the community, has developed five scenarios for how the county might use each of these possible land acquisitions to meet some of our many pressing facility needs,” said JFAC chair Ginger Brown in a statement. “This forum is meant to put those scenarios before all Arlingtonians, to gather their feedback before JFAC makes recommendations to the County Board.”

The forum will be held in the Wakefield High School cafeteria (1325 S. Dinwiddie Street) from 7-10 p.m.

RSVPs are required for those planning to attend the forum. JFAC will also host an open house on Tuesday, May 30 to discuss the potential uses.

An online form will be available on the JFAC website for public feedback on specific use scenarios for the properties, starting on Thursday, May 25, according to a county press release.

Arlington Crime Rate Drops in 2016

By Chris Teale

Arlington’s crime rate dipped by almost 3 percent in 2016, but the number of pedestrian-involved crashes rose slightly according to new data from the Arlington County Police Department.

It is the third consecutive year that crime has declined in the county. In 2015, the crime rate dropped by about 6 percent, while in 2014 it dropped by 8.22 percent.

The crime rate takes into account only “Part I” offenses — homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. The grand total was 3,512 in 2016, down from 3,628 in 2015.

Of those offenses, four saw increases from 2015:

  • Rapes increased from 27 to a five-year high of 41.
  • Aggravated assaults jumped from 144 to 177.
  • There were 182 burglaries, up from 179 the year before.
  • Vehicle thefts increased to 167 from 161.

Larcenies and robberies both dropped, while the murder rate held steady with one homicide last year: a fatal stabbing near the intersection of S. Glebe Road and 3rd Street S. on April 1. Police charged a 17-year-old with the murder of Dennis Adams, 46, in what police said was a “domestic incident” that took place in a home nearby.

“Part II” offenses — various felonies and misdemeanors — dropped to 7,288 in 2016 from 7,313 in 2015. Police said they received 83,511 calls for service in 2016, a 4.5 percent drop from 87,475 in 2015.

There were 140 fewer car accidents last year, while crashes involving bicycles — at least those reported to the police department — declined to 32 in 2016 from 46 in 2015. There were 127 crashes involving pedestrians in 2016, 24 more than in 2015, something department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said did not necessarily indicate a wider trend.

Instead, Savage said, police look at the five-year statistics on such crashes. She noted that the previous year’s total of 103 was a low, while the 2012 and 2014 figures all hovered around the 130 mark, which she said is “probably our median.”

Former Mexican Food Truck Moving to Arlington Drafthouse’s Green Room

By Chris Teale
1/5

The proprietor of a food truck that would park near the now-closed Food Star grocery store is set to take over the former Green Room next to the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse.

The truck, Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita, sold Mexican food like tacos, quesadillas and tortas from the parking lot at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. George Mason Drive.

Owner David Villalobos said on the eatery’s official Facebook page that their new digs at 2911 Columbia Pike will be open in the first or second week of June. He also said that customers can expect “new cakes and tacos” after the grand opening.

The restaurant replaces “The Green Room,” which hosted stand-up comedy and other events adjacent to the main theater. It closed earlier this year as owner Greg Godbout looked for a new tenant.

The changes are part of a wider revamp for the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse, which is preparing to show first-run and art-house movies, up its ticket prices and overhaul its food menu.

Staff Recommends Denying Historic Designation for Potential High School Site

By Chris Teale

A plan to designate one of the potential sites for a new public high school as a historic district will be discussed by the County Board tonight (Tuesday).

But the proposal has drawn skepticism from county and Arlington Public Schools staff, who want the Board to deny the request and instead help preserve flexibility for APS as it solves its capacity issues.

The Education Center at 1426 N. Quincy Street is one of three remaining options for the county’s next public high school — not counting a new option involving the center, floated by superintendent Patrick Murphy.

Under the plan for historic designation, the Education Center and the adjacent David M. Brown Planetarium would be saved from possible demolition and subject to a strict design review process for any changes to its exterior.

The request for historic designation came from local resident and Planning Commission member Nancy Iacomini, who described both 1960s-era buildings as “physical embodiments of the forward thinking of Arlington and our County’s hope for the future” in her nominating letter.

Preservation Arlington said in a blog post that the buildings are examples of “New Formalism,” which combined classical and more modern design elements. Both were completed in 1969, after being funded through a 1965 bond referendum.

But in their report on the plan, staff said the Education Center could help address school overcrowding and so designating it would prevent “maximum use (and reuse) of the public facilities we have.”

That is a view echoed by School Board chair Nancy Van Doren, who in a brief letter to County Board chair Jay Fisette expressed the School Board’s opposition to the plan.

“School Board members do not support pursuing historic designation of the building at this time as it would limit options to address the school division’s capacity needs at this site,” Van Doren wrote.

In a previous column, Peter Rousselot argued against the historic designation, and noted that APS is moving its administrative staff out of the building to new offices at Sequoia Plaza 2 on Washington Blvd. The School Board approved the move at its meeting last week.

Staff recommended finding that the site meet some of the criteria for historic designation but that further evaluation be shelved. They also proposed denying the request and collaborating in the future to see how the site can be reused.

Shirlington Dog Park Could Shrink Under County Plan

By Chris Teale
1/7

The much-loved Shirlington Dog Park could get much smaller under plans being discussed by the Four Mile Run Valley Working Group.

Three alternatives have been put forward for the park along Four Mile Run, including one that would reduce it by 75 percent to approximately 27,000 square feet, known as Alternative 1. The park would be cut in half at the current S. Oxford Street entrance, with the area west of Oxford Street reforested and the park running between S. Oxford and Oakland Streets.

The other two proposals would have the park at around 55,000 square feet (Alternative 2A) or 47,000 square feet (Alternative 2B). Both incorporate a proposed, expanded portion of parkland along S. Oakland Street.

A spokeswoman for the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation said that new plans are being explored for the dog park due to concerns around stormwater management. Jennie Dean Park and Shirlington Park are also being planned as part of the working group’s wider look at Four Mile Run’s future and a parks master planning process.

The possible reduction in size of the dog park is not quite as drastic a change as earlier rumors — that the county was planning to “move the dog park and make it much smaller, or do away with it” — had suggested. It has, however, sparked loud opposition from supporters of the dog park on social media, including on the park’s unofficial Facebook page.

“Just out of curiosity, what happened to the chorus of reassurances we got from the board reps just a couple of weeks or months ago about them not touching the park?” wrote one supporter. “I don’t know what bothers me more; the fact they continue to push initiatives that put the park at risk or that they misled supporters to believe the park was safe as-is.”

An online petition against the proposal has garnered more than 1,000 signatures.

“4 Mile Run Shirlington Dog Park is the best dog park in Northern Virginia,” wrote one signee. “One of the biggest reasons is its current layout. The small dog area, the water access, and the lengthy, open run area, as well as the seating, provide the best experience. Please do not alter this dog park!”

“It is an all too rare NOVA stress reliever that should be protected, not changed or reduced in size,” wrote another.

A separate Facebook group has also been started dedicated to saving the dog park and energizing supporters.

Parks department spokeswoman Martha Holland said there are no “short term” plans to change the park, but didn’t rule out longer-term changes due to state water runoff rules.

“Currently there is no immediate funding or intention on changing the configuration of the Shirlington Dog Park in the short term, however as capital renovations happen in the future or significant maintenance is needed in the parks, state mandated stormwater management standards will need to addressed,” she said. “County staff is working with the County-Board appointed Four Mile Run Valley Working Group on developing a plan for the park to meet state requirements and community interests.”

The County Board is set to have a work session on Four Mile Run Valley planning on May 30. Holland said that at no stage has removal of the park been on the table.

“The county recognizes that the Shirlington Dog Park, one of eight Arlington County dog parks that residents and their pets enjoy, is a tremendous and much-beloved resource for the county and there has never been any intention to remove it from the area,” she said.

The County Board is set to adopt the parks master plan for the three parks early next year. Public input on the draft concepts will be taken in July.

Continental Beer Garden Set For June Opening in Rosslyn

By Chris Teale

Rosslyn’s new 180-seat indoor and outdoor beer garden is slated to open next month.

The Continental Beer Garden at 1901 N. Fort Myer Drive transforms what was once a service station under an office building.

Continental’s outdoor space is equipped with bocce courts, patio sofas and lounge chairs, picnic tables and a long communal high top table for 150 people. Workers also added lights, flower boxes, tree planters and a mural.

Inside, reconditioned garage doors open to an indoor bar and kitchen with seating for another 30 people. The beer garden is owned by Curt Large, who also owns the nearby Continental Pool Lounge. The project received support from the Rosslyn Business Improvement District and landlord JBG.

Beers from Virginia and Germany will be served by the pint or pitcher, while wine can be ordered by glass or carafe from kegs. A slushy machine will also be among the drink offerings.

On the food menu, chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley has introduced a selection of sausages including bratwurst with sauerkraut and a classic D.C. halfsmoke with grilled onions and cheese.

Meek-Bradley, who was a finalist on the 13th season of the Food Network’s “Top Chef,” has added other snacks, entree salads, a selection of skewers served over basil quinoa salad and hot sandwiches like grilled cheese and pulled pork.

Once open, Continental’s hours will be 3-11 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. A firm opening date has not been set yet.

Courtesy photo

Police Seek Public’s Assistance to Find Missing Teen

By Chris Teale

Arlington police is seeking the public’s help to find a 16-year-old who went missing on the afternoon of May 9 after getting off a school bus.

Jessica Baires was last seen at the intersection of N. Pershing Drive and N. Thomas Street in Buckingham.

She is described as a Hispanic female with fair complexion, brown eyes and long curly brown hair. She is 5-foot-3 tall and weighs approximately 132 pounds. She was last seen wearing dark blue jeans and black shoes.

Police said detectives have canvased the area, spoken with her family and friends and followed up on leads but have been unable to find her.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Ms. Baires is asked to contact Detective C. Cook at 703-228-5747 or [email protected].

New Software Guides Landlords, Tenants Through Leasing Process

By Chris Teale

Startup Monday header

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

A new startup is looking to help landlords and tenants through every stage of the rental process, from listing and vetting potential renters to dealing with maintenance requests.

Sisters Miriam and Brenda Bolanos started Clarendon-based Leaseably last year, and began serving customers in April. The pair also have experience managing Airbnb properties, and said they want to save potential landlords money and time when they look to lease out their property.

The service is aimed at those who are looking to rent out one or two properties, as opposed to being for large apartment buildings, which already have in-house management and maintenance.

“If you think about it just conceptually, the options that owners have today for property management is a real estate company or managing it by themselves,” said Brenda Bolanos. “There’s nothing in between. So we are that in-between that will offer assistance to owners to help them manage their property to save time and to save money so they don’t have to pay as much as real estate companies charge.”

After registering their interest in using Leaseably, a potential landlord must provide details on their property and some photographs. The company then takes care of listing the property and being the point-of-contact for interested renters, before then coordinating viewings.

Once vetting potential renters, homeowners have the option to either prepare the lease themselves or use Leaseably to go through a realtor to prepare the paperwork. After providing an inspection list for move-in, tenants are in place.

But Leaseably’s services extend beyond getting homeowners a tenant. Once the renter is in place, they can help troubleshoot problems in the home and coordinate with a contractor to provide maintenance.

And the pair said that doing everything through virtual assistant software should help maintain a relationship between the landlord and their tenant by addressing needs quickly and automating as much as possible.

“Property management and real estate overall hasn’t had a change like everything else we have experienced with embracing new technologies,” said Brenda Bolanos. “Things haven’t changed in years, and of course part of it is regulation. I think there’s an opportunity to do things in a cost-effective manner, not compromising the security or trust of people, but opening that space that will offer a service at a reasonable price and that also responds to tenants and landlords.”

The sisters began Leaseably having spent a decade working for international organizations and managing Airbnb properties in Arlington. They said they had heard about other people’s difficulties managing their rented properties while working abroad or traveling, and so wanted to make things easier for everyone.

“One of the lessons was to have clear communication channels with tenants,” said Brenda Bolanos. “To know what they can expect and be able to respond when they need something in the property. We had long-term people who were abroad working for the government, and good communication was the best experience.”

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By Chris Teale

It’s the end of another week, and there has been plenty to talk about all across Arlington.

Ballston got some attention as it will be the location for a new Target, while a fire at an under-construction building in that neighborhood led to some traffic headaches.

Meanwhile, police investigated a student attack on a teacher at Carlin Springs Elementary School and a tree coming down on some power lines caused a brush fire along Four Mile Run Drive.

Our most popular story of the week was the officer-involved shooting on the off-ramp from I-395 on Wednesday afternoon.

But in lighter news, Arlington has been named the best city for millennials according to new rankings by Niche.com.

Feel free to discuss this week’s news or anything else in the comments. Have a great weekend!

Longtime Filipino Grocery Store Fiesta Oriental To Close Next Month

By Chris Teale
1/6

Since opening Filipino grocery store Fiesta Oriental in 1991, Fred Sunga and his family have done much more than sell food and provide other services to a bevy of loyal customers.

“When you have a Filipino business, your country people, they come to you for information,” he said. “They always call you, if they have a problem they will call you. Even if sometimes their car won’t start they will call and ask if I know a mechanic.”

But next month marks the end of an era, as the 67-year-old Sunga is set to retire on June 30 and close the Arlington Forest staple at 4815 1st Street N. That means that the area’s growing Filipino community must go elsewhere for groceries or to send money and packages to family back in the Philippines.

Sunga moved to the United States in 1978 and started working in a bank before opening Fiesta Oriental. He prides himself on staying true to his Filipino roots, right down to watching television shows from the Philippines in the store and speaking to customers in Tagalog, the country’s official language, or one of its many dialects.

And in addition to Filipinos, who come from as far away as Manassas and Maryland to shop at his store, local schoolchildren will now have to go elsewhere for their after-school snacks.

“When the school bus stops there, the kids are going to come and get their candy and soda,” Sunga said. “Just last week I told them that I’m closing up the store next month, and they said, ‘Why? Why are you doing this to me?'”

For the family, Fiesta Oriental was a major part of growing up in Arlington. Sunga’s three daughters, Audrey, Alyssa and Angelica, all worked there at least part-time from elementary school onwards and helped on Sunday when they would cook and sell homemade Filipino dishes.

The store is open every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., except Sundays, when it closes at 6 p.m.

Audrey Sunga, who has a 2-year-old son, Emmett, and another baby due in August, said it is a shame that the family business will close before they are old enough to appreciate it.

“We’re going to start buying rice for the first time in our lives,” she joked. “For Emmett and the baby on the way, it’s kind of sad they won’t be able to see this. We grew up with it our whole lives, so it’s sad to see it go.”

Fred Sunga, meanwhile, said he is looking forward to being a “stay-at-home grandpa,” and enjoying more time with his family. Both Audrey and Alyssa work in Arlington and graduated from VCU, while Angelica is still there studying electrical engineering.

While he is excited to start the next chapter of his life, Fred Sunga said it is hard when customers are clearly upset he is leaving.

“I’m going to miss the store that I’m doing every day,” he said. “Especially when my customers, when they come here and I’m telling them I’m retiring next month, I feel so sad when they say, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to miss you.’ Some old people, they cry when I tell them I’m retiring.”

County Celebrates Opening of Crystal City Multimodal Center

By Chris Teale
1/10

Representatives from the county and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority came together this morning to celebrate the Crystal City Multimodal Center‘s completion.

The center on 18th Street S. between S. Eads and S. Clark streets — next to the Crystal City Metro station — now has more bus shelters for use by local and regional buses, wider sidewalks, improved lighting, bike lanes and a kiss and ride zone where shuttle buses can also load and unload.

Funding for the $3.4 million project came a $1.5 million grant from NVTA, a grant from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, a developer contribution and money from the Crystal City tax increment financing area.

“With these infrastructure improvements, Arlington is making it easier and safer for people travelling to and through Crystal City — whether they are arriving by bus, Metro, on foot or by car,” County Board chair Jay Fisette said. “It’s the latest example of how the county continues to invest in Crystal City and continues to build on the community’s vision of enhanced access and connectivity.”

NVTA funds projects across four counties and five cities in Northern Virginia, and officials said improvements such as those in Crystal City help the entire region. NVTA board chair Martin Nohe gave the example that a stopped train in Arlington at 7 a.m. can cause parking problems in Woodbridge at 8 a.m., and the center will help ease congestion worries.

“The people of truly every Northern Virginia jurisdiction are benefitting not just from this project, but every other project throughout Arlington,” Nohe said.

Fisette said that such projects and an emphasis on transit helped Arlington be recently named the best city for millennials. Without planning and the community’s input combined with bodies willing to help with financing, projects like these could never come to fruition, he said.

“We can’t do it all ourselves,” Fisette said. “We have to partner to make things like this happen…That’s what makes a community good. You can’t do the last part [delivering a project] without the first part [money], and you can’t do the first part without the community and the vision.”

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