Author: Ethan Rothstein

Tutto Bene in Ballston Closes

By Ethan Rothstein

Tutto Bene in Ballston closes Tutto Bene in Ballston closes

Italian restaurant Tutto Bene, at 501 N. Randolph Street in Ballston, across from Ballston Common Mall, is now closed.

Owner Orlando Murillo posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page that its last day open was Sept. 29, and a sign on the restaurant’s front door reads “We’re going out of business as of 09/29/2014.” Murillo said in his post that the restaurant never recovered from the recession, despite the continued growth of Ballston’s food scene.

“The great economical problem that hit us since 2009 was [the] number one problem and not easy to resolve,” Murillo wrote. “We were hoping that in a couple years we will come back on our feet, but that never happened. It was very sad to see how things were going down hill and all the progress coming to Arlington bring the increases that we were not able to overcome.”

“On September 30, 2014 we decide that there was no way for us to continue in business, and it was an extremely sad day for me and my employees. The fact that they stayed with me from the first day to the last, 26 years together living every day as a big family I will keep all of them deeply in my heart.”

The restaurant drew rave reviews from Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema in 2004 for both its Italian food and its special Bolivian food offerings on the weekend. There’s no word on what will replace it.

McEnearney Associates Founder Dies at 87

By Ethan Rothstein

John McEnearney (photo courtesy McEnearney AssociatesJohn McEnearney, the founder of the D.C.-area real estate broker McEnearney Associates, died yesterday at the age of 87.

McEnearney founded his real estate company in 1980 in Alexandria, and it has since expanded to 12 offices, offering residential and commercial real estate, plus property management services. McEnearney’s Arlington office is 4720 Lee Highway.

The company is ranked as one of the top 75 real estate firms by sales volume in the United States.

McEnearney served as an officer in the U.S. Navy for 27 years, according to a company-produced obituary, and is expected to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery later this year. Below is the full obituary, written with “input from the McEnearney family.”

John McEnearney, the chairman and founder of McEnearney Associates, passed away on October 8 at the age of 87.

Born Nov. 8, 1926, McEnearney graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1949 and served on active duty as a Naval officer for 27 years. During his time in the Navy, his tours of duty included such diverse and interesting places as Korea, Antarctica, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Brooklyn and Washington, D.C. During two years’ service in Vietnam, in direct support of the U.S. Marines, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, presented to him personally by four-star General Lewis Walt of the United States Marine Corp.

The day following his retirement as a Navy Captain in 1976, McEnearney joined a residential brokerage firm in Alexandria, Va. His performance during his three years as an agent qualified him as one of the top real estate professionals in Northern Virginia. He went on to acquire his broker’s license and founded McEnearney Associates.

McEnearney opened the first office of McEnearney Associates, Inc. in 1980. Initially, his firm specialized in marketing fine residential properties in Old Town Alexandria. Over the years, McEnearney Associates has expanded to seven residential offices, a commercial office, a Relocation Department and three locations for Property Management. The firm now serves the entire metropolitan Washington, D.C., area and is consistently ranked among the 75 largest real estate firms by sales volume in the United States. The focus remains on marketing fine residential properties throughout the area.

“When my father founded McEnearney Associates more than 34 years ago, his goal was to gain the respect of the public and to provide real estate services that are second to none,” says Maureen McEnearney Dunn, president of McEnearney Associates. “His devotion and loyalty to the company and our associates, clients and customers is a testament to the major contributions and success of the firm throughout the years. John absolutely loved everything about the real estate business and was completely devoted to his agents and staff.”

For more than 30 years, McEnearney Associates, Inc., has set professional standards for service in the Washington area real estate industry. McEnearney was one of the first brokers to recognize real estate agents for the professionals they are, encouraging continuing education and higher standards, providing a professional work environment and developing effective and comprehensive marketing programs that support the Associates’ efforts to provide exceptional service to their clients.

According to family and friends, McEnearney preferred face-to-face or telephone conversations over voice mail or email, though he did develop a reputation for thoroughly researched letters and giving his honest opinions. Described as a smart and generous man, McEnearney earned a highly valued reputation for exceptional service and outstanding performance in the real estate industry and in the community. Always invested in the personal and professional wellbeing of his agents, McEnearney created a family firm in which everyone is a part of the family.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Northern Virginia Association of REALTORS and was recognized as Businessman of the Year by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce in 2006. McEnearney was an active supporter of more than 50 organizations, including The Hopkins House; Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN); Alexandria Senior Services; and Children’s National Medical Center. His personal contributions to so many organizations were in addition to his philosophy of corporate giving from the company.

McEnearney was preceded in death in 2009 by his wife Ginny, and is survived by their six children — Sean, Sharon, Mark, Maureen, Mike and Kathy — as well as 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions can be made to Capital Caring (formerly Capital Hospice) and So Others Might Eat. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, October 17 at 11:30 a.m. at Saint Luke Catholic Church, 7001 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101. Burial at Arlington Cemetery with full military honors will be scheduled for later in the year.

Photo via Live Wire Media Relations

Construction to Start This Month on New Crystal City Apartments

By Ethan Rothstein

New apartment building proposed for former Crystal City Post Office site (rendering courtesy Kettler)The high-rise apartment building that will replace the former Post Office on S. Eads Street expects to have shovels in the ground by the end of the month.

The building, at 1720 S. Eads Street, is being developed by Kettler and will be called m.flats, the same name of a recently opened Kettler apartment building on K Street NW in D.C.

The development, which was approved by the Arlington County Board last February, will be 11 stories tall with 198 units, comprised almost entirely of one- and two-bedroom apartments. There will be 176 spaces of underground parking, a “gaming area, fitness center, street entry bike room, and an all-season landscaped courtyard with fire and water features.”

“Our m.flats apartments are meeting a growing demand for living spaces within walking distance of work, shops and entertainment,” Robert C. Kettler, chairman and CEO of Kettler, said in a press release. “The thought process around m.flats recognizes the fact that many young people are forming families later in life. As a result, they not only want to enjoy the vibrancy of city life, but live in an apartment that has many conveniences and amenities.”

The construction is expected to be complete in October 2016. There’s no firm date yet on when construction will begin, according to a Kettler official, but the company is “pushing to begin work by the end of the month.”

The building was the first approved under the Crystal City Sector Plan, and Kettler agreed to keep 16 units at affordable rates and achieve a LEED Silver rating. The other 182 units will be marketed as “smaller, luxury units catering to single renters, young professionals and couples looking to share an apartment,” according to Kettler’s press release.

Kettler is currently in construction on the 411-unit Acadia building in the Metropolitan Park complex in Pentagon City.

Image courtesy Kettler

Pop-Up Beer Garden Coming to Rosslyn This Month

By Ethan Rothstein
1/3

Workers and residents in Rosslyn will be able to sip some suds at a pop-up beer garden in a new public plaza this month.

On Friday, Oct. 24, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., Continental Pool Lounge will be hosting the beer garden in the new Plaza on 19th, a public space at the corner of 19th Street N. and Moore Street, behind the bus stop. The new plaza has tables, seating and a charging stations with plugs for iPhones, Androids and other devices.

The beer garden is Oktoberfest-themed, and the Continental will be pouring a selection of fall beers and serving up bratwursts. The event itself will be free to attend, but beer and brats will be available for purchase. There will also be live music to entertain those willing to brave the late-October chill.

Next weekend, on Saturday, Oct. 18, will be another booze-themed event: the Washington Wine Academy is partnering with the Rosslyn Business Improvement District to offer an event where guests can sample from 26 different wines and 26 different beers. The event, called “the A-Z of Wine and Beer,” will be offered in two time slots: 3:30-6:30 p.m. and 7:30-10:30 p.m. There will be beer and wine offered for every letter of the alphabet, such as a lambic, a Unibroue and a doppelbock, or an Orvieto, a Viognier and a Hondurrabi.

The event will be held at 1500 Wilson Blvd. Participants can purchase $36.50 tickets online for either the beer samplings or the wine samplings. The price may increase as the event draws closer. Hors d’oeuvres from some local restaurants will be served. Washington Wine Academy expects more than 1,000 people to attend.

Disclosure: Rosslyn BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser

SAT, ACT Scores Rise in Arlington

By Ethan Rothstein
1/4

The average SAT score for students in Arlington Public Schools increased last year, as did participation in SAT and ACT college preparedness testing.

According to data from Arlington Public Schools and SAT and ACT’s test administrators, 77.9 percent of APS grads took at least one of the two tests this year, up from 66.9 percent five years ago. The improvement was even more dramatic among black and Hispanic students, with participation increases of 17.1 and 12.9 percent respectively.

Students with disabilities saw the biggest jump in participation: In 2009, just 30.4 percent of students with disabilities took the tests; last year, 69.9 percent took one or both tests.

Arlington students averaged a combined 1,652 points on the three SAT sections — reading, math and writing — which is a 30-point increase since 2009 and 123 points higher than the statewide average. All racial groups saw increases in their scores, but the achievement gap  has not been closed: white students had an average SAT score of 1,813 in 2014, while black students’ average score was 1,373 and the score for Hispanics was 1,469.

“As we continue to focus on academic planning through our Aspire2Excellence efforts, it is rewarding to see more and more of our students stretching themselves with their academic goals and moving toward future college and career pursuits,” Superintendent Patrick Murphy said in a press release. “I applaud and recognize the commitment of our instructional staff to ensure that students are well-prepared for these important steps, and I appreciate the critical support that is provided by our families and administrators to ensure that all students excel and realize their full potential.”

Thirty percent of on-time APS graduates took the ACT test, with a composite score of 25.2 out of 36, above the state average of 22.3 and the national average of 21.

Police: Man Exposes Self at Middle School

By Ethan Rothstein

Police car (file photo)(Updated at 11:20 a.m.) A man exposed himself outside Gunston Middle School (2700 S. Lang Street) last Tuesday, police said.

The incident happened just before 7:00 p.m. Police say an unknown suspect exposed himself at the water fountain outside the school, near the athletic fields.

“The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his thirties, approximately 5’3″ tall and 140 lbs,” according to an Arlington County police crime report. “He was wearing a bright red shirt and blue jeans at the time of the incident.”

There’s no indication that any children saw the man’s genitalia, police told ARLnow.com. WJLA reported that the fields were likely in use by community groups at the time.
 

Rosslyn Baby Shoe Maker Tries for Etsy Success

By Ethan Rothstein
1/3

Becca Premo is likely Arlington’s only clothing maker who specializes exclusively in baby shoes.

Premo, 25, runs The Bashful Elephant, an online baby moccasin seller through the website Etsy. Premo has been selling “baby mocs,” as she calls them, on Etsy since March.

Premo moved to Arlington when her husband got a job in the D.C. area, but she had already set the wheels in motion for her new career path, designing patterns and styles in the Windy City. She had been studying psychology at Roosevelt University when the artistic side of her started to get restless.

“My parents encouraged me to pick a practical career path, so I picked psychology and stifled my creative self,” she told ARLnow.com over coffee at Cosi in Rosslyn. “I felt like I was in a box.”

Premo started to look for ways to express herself and turn it into a business. Sewing and crafts “have always been in my family,” the Chicago area native said, so she decided to make shoes. Baby shoes were a natural choice, since less material makes it cheaper to get started.

“It’s easier to make baby sizes,” she said, “and you can be more creative. You can make a bright pink shoe with bows and people love it.”

It took her months to get an array of patterns and designs she was happy with, she said. Even though making the shoes is “super user-friendly,” she admitted she was nervous to actually hit the market.

“I was scared to start for a long time,” she said. “I felt I needed to present it as a serious business, but I found out people want a personal touch. They want to know your story.”

Once Premo launched the store, she got immediate interest and drew a following on Instagram, where she says she attracts a majority of her customers.

More than six months in, she offers shoes for newborns up to size 7, which she says is approximately for toddlers 2-and-a-half years old. Because her customer base is constantly growing, she said she’s considering growing along with it; she is looking into purchasing rubber soles and making bigger shoes.

“There’s a huge market for people who are willing to spend,” she said. “Lots of people have a lot of money, and they would rather spend it on their children than on themselves.”

While she was making her point, a male stranger walked by and asked about the dozen or so shoes laid out on the table. He was a new father, and just like that, Premo’s point was made, and she had another customer.

“I’ve never gotten any negative feedback, thank goodness,” she said. “When you put yourself out there, people see you’re just a girl trying to do something, and they really latch onto that.”

Arlington Agenda (Oct. 6-12)

By Ethan Rothstein

Arlington Agenda is a listing of interesting events for the week ahead in Arlington County.

If you’d like to see your event featured, fill out the event submission form. Also, be sure to check out our event calendar.

Wednesday

APAH-25th-Logo_rgb_no-titleAPAH’s Annual Fundraiser*
Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 5:00-8:00 p.m.

The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing celebrates its 25th anniversary with a dinner, honoring retired state Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple and JBG Companies managing director Brian Coulter.

photo272Vintage Arlington Exhibit Reception*
Cherrydale Branch Library (2190 Military Road)
Time: 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Photographer and Pasha Cafe owner Bill Hamrock hosts an exhibit of vintage Arlington photos at the Cherrydale library. The event is free and catered by Pasha Cafe.

Thursday

Twins from The ShiningLive Music: Cake and Calculus, Exit Vehicles*
IOTA Cluba & Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 8:00-11:30 p.m.

This event, called D.C. Twin Fest, features two bands headlined by sets of twins. Twins are encouraged to come and join the festivities. Admission is $10 at the door.

challenge_clear1Challenge Racism
Campbell Elementary School (757 S. Carlin Springs Road)
Time: 7:00-9:30 p.m.

A free discussion series intended for parents and residents alike, asking the community to share stories of racism and to discuss the modern state of race relations in 11 sessions.

Friday

Las-Cafeteras_event (1)Live Music: Las Cafeteras
Artisphere Ballroom (1101 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 8:00 p.m.

East L.A. latin fusion band Las Cafeteras brings their eclectic instrument mix, including a requinto, a “donkey jawbone, and a cajòn, to Artisphere. Tickets are $15.

Saturday

Saint Ann Fall Festival*
Saint Ann Parish and School (980 N. Frederick Street)
Time: 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

“Moonbounce & obstacle course, games, raffles, silent auction, white elephant sale, food, beer garden, live music and entertainment. Free admission and parking.” Call 703-525-7599 for more information.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

White Flag Was Faded, Not a Prank, Says Office of Naval Research

By Ethan Rothstein

White flag flying outside Ballston's Office of Naval Research (photo courtesy Lori Klein) White flag flying outside Ballston's Office of Naval Research (photo courtesy Lori Klein)

Update at 2:15 p.m. — Office of Naval Research spokesman Doug Abbotts said that the flag is that of the building’s property manager, and it was left up overnight this week while the American flag was taken down. Abbotts said that while it looks like a plain white “surrender” flag, the logo is “faded, but it’s there.”  The white flag has since been taken down.

For two days this week, the Office of Naval Research building, at 875 N. Randolph Street in Ballston, was flying a white flag on its flagpole, not its usual stars and stripes.

Lori Klein lives in the building behind ONR’s headquarters, and she said the flag was up Wednesday and Thursday nights before she talked to a security guard last night. This morning, the white flag was nowhere to be seen and the American flag was back in its normal place.

“I was walking my dog when I saw the flag, so I stopped a security guard and told him about it,” Klein told ARLnow.com over the phone today. “He had no idea it was up there.”

A spokeswoman for the ONR was not aware of the flag when first contacted by ARLnow.com.

The flag was seemingly reminiscent of the work of German artists this summer, who replaced two American flags on the Brooklyn Bridge with white flags.

If it was a prank “somebody really pulled something off… considering there are cameras and security guards all over the place, and how high alert they must be on,” Klein said.

The Office of Naval Research is an agency within the Dept. of Defense that “coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the United States Navy and Marine Corps.”

Photos courtesy Lori Klein

DEVELOPING: School System Scrambling for Seats as Enrollment Spikes Again

By Ethan Rothstein
1/8

Arlington Public Schools’ capacity crisis is only getting worse, and members of the community are clamoring for good solutions fast.

APS Assistant Superintendent for Facilities and Operations John Chadwick said the school system grew by 1,200 students in the 2014-2015 school year, 400 more than APS had projected. That’s the equivalent of two full elementary schools, Chadwick said.

The growth means that initial APS projections of seat deficits will need to be revised. With last year’s numbers, APS projected having 960 more middle school students than seats in the 2018-2019 school year; once projections with this year’s numbers are calculated, that figure is likely to reach over 1,000.

“We are experiencing an unprecedented rate of enrollment growth,” Chadwick told a crowd of more than 100 parents and residents at Williamsburg Middle School last night. “Determining the location of those seats is a really challenging process, but we have to make decisions. If enrollment continues to grow as projected, we’re going to look at many more sites for new schools and renovations before we’re through.”

At the heart of the discussion during last night’s community meeting is the School Board’s impending decision to try to add 1,300 middle school seats in North Arlington by some combination of building additions and renovations to existing APS properties, or constructing a new school at the Wilson School site in Rosslyn.

Other options on the table include:

  • Building additions onto the Stratford school site on Vacation Lane, which currently houses the H-B Woodlawn and Stratford programs, to form a new neighborhood middle school. Stratford and H-B Woodlawn would be moved the Reed-Westover site with additions and renovations.
  • Expanding both the Stratford and Reed-Westover buildings and constructing an addition onto an existing middle school.
  • Moving H-B Woodlawn and Stratford to the Wilson School site and constructing a new neighborhood middle school at the Stratford building.

“Our goal is try to get secondary seats as soon as possible to alleviate what we see as imminent future crowding in our schools,” Lionel White, APS director of facilities planning, said.

Many residents and parents have complained that APS has faltered in both informing and seeking input from the community, but last night’s meeting was viewed by some as a significant step toward alleviating the crisis.

“I think for the first time, everyone’s realizing we’re wasting too much time and we’ve got to get more seats,” said Emma Baker, a parent of two Jamestown Elementary School students. “We need to start building now.”

Baker had attended previous meetings between staff and parents, and she said last night was the first time she felt everyone was actively trying to reach the best decision, instead of hemming and hawing. “It’s a very different tone,” she said.

Jamestown teacher and mother of two Megan Kalchbrenner said the option of building additions onto four existing middle schools is “not an option” — staff generally agreed, saying it would cost $16.5 million over budget and wouldn’t be an optimal long-term solution.

“What I want to know is what are they going to do for kids in the next two years?” Kalchbrenner asked. “We have capacity issues today.”

Last year, there were eight “relocatable classrooms” — classrooms in trailers adjacent to schools — at Williamsburg, four at Swanson and one at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. Chadwick said the interim plan before major construction is still being developed, and he couldn’t reveal any concrete solutions.

(more…)

Highline in Crystal City Plans Late 2014 Opening

By Ethan Rothstein

Future Highline bar in Crystal City (photo courtesy Robert Mandle)The newest food and drink option coming to Crystal City, Highline, hopes to open by the end of the year.

The bar is opening in the former Bailey’s Pub space at 2010 Crystal Drive. It’s owned by Bedrock Bars, which also owns the Continental in Rosslyn, CarPool in Ballston and Buffalo Billiards, RocketBar and Penn Social in the District, among others. Highline would be Bedrock’s 25th restaurant.

“The number one thing people want in their community is a place beyond work and home — what we call the ‘Third Space,'” said Geoffrey Dawson, one of the bar’s co-owners. “We want Highline to be a place where people can literally and figuratively get outside of their box either to hang with friends, collaborate with colleagues or meet new people.”

Highline will consist of 7,300 square feet of indoor floor space. It is being imagined as a “neighborhood meeting house,” with whiteboards and post-its for business lunches and coffee meetings, and the capability to shift to a happy hour, relaxed feel in the evenings.

The concept isn’t yet complete, however. Dawson and his co-owner, Peter Bayne, said they plan on hosting “pop-up happy hours” throughout Crystal City to solicit ideas for the bar from the community. Bayne calls it a “crowd-sourced social space.”

“Highline will be uniquely designed for and unique to Crystal City,” Bayne said in a press release. “We want to hear from the people who work and live in Crystal City — find out what they want our space to offer.”

Highline plans to offer a selection of craft beers and cocktails, but there’s no word yet on how many taps the bar will have or if it will have the games like shuffleboard and skeeball that have become Bedrock’s other D.C.-area offerings’ signatures.

File photo courtesy Robert Mandle

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