Author: Ethan Rothstein

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By Ethan Rothstein

It’s Memorial Day weekend, so while other house hunters in Arlington’s competitive market may be out of town, if you’re staying put, check out some of this weekend’s open houses.

See our real estate section for a full listing of open houses. Here are a few highlights:

2101 N. Scott Street2101 N. Scott Street
1 BD / 1 BA condominium
Agent: Brian Wilson, Wilson Realty Group
Listed: $285,000
Open: Saturday, May 24, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

3702-3rd-street-s3702 3rd Street S.
2 BD / 1 BA duplex
Agent: Monique Milucky, Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $415,000
Open: Sunday, May 25, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

4425-7th-street-n4425 7th Street N.
2 BD / 2 1/2 BA townhouse
Agent: Laura Schwartz, Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $655,000
Open: Sunday, May 25, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

1616-n-glebe-road1616 N. Glebe Road
3 BD / 2 1/2 BA single family detached
Agent: Diane Schline, Century 21 Redwood Realty
Listed: $719,000
Open: Sunday, May 25, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

1418-n-rhodes-street1418 N. Rhodes Street
3 BD / 2 1/2 BA condominium
Agent: Keri Shull, Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $899,000
Open: Sunday, May 25, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

2921-john-marshall-drive2921 John Marshall Drive
5 BD / 4 1/2 BA single family detached
Agent: Conor Sullivan, Re/Max Distinctive Real Estate
Listed: $1,695,000
Open: Sunday, May 25, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Closures for Memorial Day on Monday

By Ethan Rothstein

Courthouse PlazaArlington County offices and schools will close Monday, May 26, for the observance of the Memorial Day holiday.

County offices, courts, libraries, human services, the sheriff’s office and commuter stores will all be closed for the holiday. All community centers will be closed with the exception of Arlington Mill Community Center, which will open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All parks grounds will be open, however.

ART buses will be running on a holiday schedule, as will Metrorail and Metrobus. Permit and metered parking will not be enforced.

Trash and recycling pickup, however, are operating on a normal schedule, as are brush, metal and electronic pickup services. Cart repair and mulch delivery service is suspended for the day.

Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday is Next Week

By Ethan Rothstein

Hurricane Irene (8/26/11)In order to encourage Virginians to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season, starting on Monday the state is again offering a sales tax holiday on emergency supplies.

From May 25-31, certain emergency supplies that cost less than $60 — a list that includes batteries, flash lights, rope, duct tape, bottled water and cell phone chargers — are exempt from sales tax at all Virginia retailers. Portable generators that cost less than $1,000 are tax exempt, as are gas-powered chainsaws that cost less than $350.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today that it anticipates three-to-five hurricanes to hit this season, and one or two “major” hurricanes. The National Weather Service is anticipating a “below normal” hurricane season, but that doesn’t mean NWS scientists aren’t urging caution.

“The prediction of a below normal hurricane season should not be taken to mean Virginia won’t be impacted this year,” said Bill Sammler, NWS warning coordination meteorologist, said in a press release from Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D). “Let’s all remember that it only takes one storm to cause severe damage and even loss of life.  Everyone should get ready now for this hurricane season.”

State officials are urging residents to purchase flood insurance, saying “an inch of water in a small home can lead to more than $10,000 in losses.” The governor’s office is recommending families have at least a three days’ supply of bottled water, plenty of nonperishable food, extra batteries and either a battery-powered or hand crank radio to listen to emergency broadcasts.

The complete press release from the governor’s office, after the jump. (more…)

Vets Running 684 Miles from Atlanta to Arlington

By Ethan Rothstein

Shepherd's Men (photo via Facebook)(Updated at 4:00 p.m.) Seven U.S. Marines, one member of the U.S. Navy and one civilian are in the middle of running the 684 miles from Atlanta to Arlington to raise awareness for traumatic brain injuries among veterans.

The crew left Atlanta Monday morning, according to organizer and the lone civilian runner, Travis Ellis. They plan to conclude their journey at the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial near Rosslyn Sunday at noon.

The group calls themselves “Shepherd’s Men,” after the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Ga., which houses the SHARE Military Initiative, a privately owned facility that treats veterans for traumatic brain injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Ellis said it’s the only private facility in the country focused on veterans’ brain injuries, a status quo he hopes to change.

“It’s estimated that approximately 300,000 of those deployed in the last 13 years have been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury,” Ellis told ARLnow.com while taking a break from running to Lynchburg, Va., this afternoon. “Every 65 minutes, a veteran or active duty member takes his or her own life. More needs to be done to help serve them and lift them up when they return home.”

While the Shepherd’s Men are running, they hope to raise $100,000, which would fund the SHARE program for a full month, he said. His hope is that more private programs serving veterans will arise as a result of increased awaress; the SHARE program only has capacity to serve 40 patients a year.

Each of the nine runners is covering about 13 miles per day, Ellis said, with each runner covering four miles on Sunday for their final leg from Manassas to the Iwo Jima memorial.

The seven-day endurance challenge has been in planning since January, Ellis said, with all the runners undergoing rigorous training programs to prepare them (although that didn’t prevent some nasty blisters).  That their cause aligns with the growing scandal surrounding patient care at VA hospitals is coincidental.

“It’s purely coincidence,” Ellis said. “Everything related to that just serves as example for the need for private institutions with the ability and capacity for these services.”

Photo via Facebook

Arlington ‘Spraygrounds’ to Open This Weekend

By Ethan Rothstein

Spraygrounds at Drew Model School (photo via Parks and Recreation)The four “spraygrounds” — play areas for children where water shoots up out of the ground — will open for the summer this weekend, in time for Memorial Day.

The facilities are located at Drew Park (3500 23rd Street S.), Virginia Highlands Park (1600 S. Hayes Street), Lyon Village Park (1800 N. Highland Street) and Hayes Park (1516 N. Lincoln Street).

The spraygrounds will be open most days between this weekend and Labor Day. You can see the schedule, which may vary on holidays, for each individual park at the county Parks and Recreation website.

Arlington’s Department of Parks and Recreation has ground rules for using the spraygrounds, including asking users to “interact with the spray ONLY if free of diarrhea for the past two weeks,” and “diaper-age children or incontinent persons must wear a ‘swim diaper.'”

Photo via Parks and Recreation

Police: Bike Thefts Down From Last Year

By Ethan Rothstein

Bicycles at the Bike to Work Day pit stop in RosslynBicycle thefts in Arlington this are down about 40 percent so far this year.

The Arlington County Police Department announced yesterday that 74 bicycles have been reported stolen this year, compared with 124 at this same point last year.

The report comes less than a year after ACPD declared bike thefts to be at an “all-time high,” and just seven months after one bike thief was sentenced to 12 years in prison in the middle of a bicycle thief crackdown.

Despite the drop in reported thefts, ACPD says it still is “aggressively working to reduce the number of incidents,” but offered some tips on ways to avoid getting your bike stolen.

From Arlington County police:

  • Do NOT leave bikes unsecured on your lawn, porch or driveway.
  • Always lock your bike’s frame and wheels with a high quality U-Lock to a solid, fixed object. Cables don’t provide sufficient security to protect your bike.
  • If stored in a storage locker, secure your bike to an immovable object.
  • Take photos of your bike and any distinguishing features, to include the serial number and keep them on file.
  • Work with your Homeowner’s Association or property management to improve security for your bike storage area by adding locked cages and cameras.
  • If you are a victim of bicycle theft, file a police report.
  • If you notice suspicious behavior, call the police immediately.
  • Register your bike for FREE with the Arlington County Police Department. Visit www.police.arlingtonva.us and go to Online Services and click on Register Your Bike. Within approximately seven days you will receive an ACPD decal which, when visible, may be a deterrent to theft.

We strongly encourage residents to register the serial number of their bicycles for free as this is used for identification purposes if stolen and increases the chances it will be returned. If you cannot read your serial number and wish to register your bike, the Arlington County Police Department Crime Prevention Unit will assist you with engraving a number on the frame. Call 703-228-4057 to make arrangements.

File photo

Artisanal Pickle Makers Flourish in Lyon Park Basement

By Ethan Rothstein
1/9

There are barrels, buckets, plastic bags and containers all over the Lyon Park headquarters of No. 1 Sons, a company that sells fermented pickles, kimchi and other products at farmer’s markets and stores around the D.C. area.

No. 1 One Sons has occupied a tiny space underneath the 2720 Washington Blvd shopping center — which houses the new Mocha Cafe & Pastry — since 2012. That’s when No. 1 Sons was founded after owner Yi Wah Roberts, drinking with a friend, decided to make pickles on a whim. Later, he built the “factory” himself with a group of friends.

Roberts decided to ferment the pickles rather than soak them in vinegar, the common method for mass-produced pickles. The result was so good, Roberts said, that he decided to try selling them at a farmer’s market.

“I did it kind of on a lark,” Roberts told ARLnow.com yesterday. “People really liked it, so I rented a kitchen in Alexandria and started making them. When the winter rolled around, I decided I’d give [the company] a shot.”

By last summer, No. 1 Sons was in more than half a dozen farmer’s markets in the D.C. area and, Roberts said, they made a profit by the end of the year. He roped in his sister, Caitlin, to be co-owner and they’ve grown steadily since.

The company expanded its product line, and it now makes four different kinds of pickles — dill, half-sour, super sour and “Kicky Kosher” a spicy pickle that’s the company’s best-seller — as well as four types of sauerkraut, kimchi, “kale-chi,” fermented beets, onions, salsa verde and a ginger and cauliflower concoction called Ginger Giardiniera.

“The common thread of everything is fermentation,” Roberts said. “There are microbes everywhere, and they make things delicious.”

Roberts gets cucumbers and other produce from local farmers and this season will be selling his products at the Crystal City Tuesday markets and the Westover, Courthouse and Columbia Pike farmer’s markets on the weekends. No. 1 Sons is also selling pickles at the Clarendon Whole Foods and some “mom and pop” grocery stores in the area.

No. 1 Sons produces about five, roughly 2,000-pickle barrels per week, and its small space is bursting both in and out of the hand-built refrigeration system with bright blue barrels sealed with garbage bags.

Roberts has a small full-time team but hires lots of part-time help on the weekends — “and I’m always looking,” he adds . The former food-service industry worker said he likes “to keep quiet,” not seeking too much attention for his homemade pickle factory. He was characteristically understated when talking about niche company’s growth.

“We have a bunch of crappy minivans,” he said, looking over his fleet of a handful of beat-up vehicles. “I guess we’ve made it.”

Problems Persist at Pricey Clarendon Dog Park

By Ethan Rothstein
1/6

Maintenance issues continue to irk some patrons of James Hunter Park, the $1.6 million dog park at the corner of N. Herndon and 13th Streets in Clarendon.

A number of residents have complained to ARLnow.com about problems at the park since it opened last fall after a series of delays.

Most recently, the gate at the front of the park on N. Herndon Street was vandalized and had to be removed, according to Arlington Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Roberta Korzen. Parks staff hopes to have a new door in place by early next week.

In addition, the artificial turf in front of the park’s water feature is currently roped off because it had to be replaced. Korzen said the sand base underneath the turf “hadn’t been compacted to the degree it should have been.” The manufacturer is replacing the turf under warranty, which she said also should be done by the end of the week.

Many residents have complained that the large stone water feature hasn’t been working for months; Korzen said it simply hasn’t been turned on yet, and, like many other water facilities in Arlington parks, it will be turned on for the summer this weekend. The water fountains to fill up dog bowls work, but the ones intended for human water consumption were both not functioning early Wednesday afternoon.

These issues add to complaints of some residents when the park opened in October. Among those complaints were the dust raised by the “crushed stone” surface that comprises a majority of the surface area in the canine community area.

One park visitor ARLnow.com spoke to today said the lack of shade is her biggest issue. Her dog was huddled under a table, the only place for shade in the dog area. Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Susan Kalish told ARLnow.com when the park opened that “shade was quite a challenge for our design team.” Parks staff installed trees around the park with the hope that, “in time,” they will grow to provide shade.

Jimmy John’s Coming to Clarendon, Wine Bar Next?

By Ethan Rothstein

Beacon at Clarendon West constructionNational sandwich chain Jimmy John’s is planning on opening another Arlington location in Clarendon in the coming months.

Jimmy John’s, which has locations in Rosslyn, Ballston and Crystal City, has signed a lease to move into the Beacon at Clarendon West apartment project, at the corner of Washington Blvd, Wilson Blvd and N. Irving Street, according to Asadoorian Retail Solutions, which is managing the retail leasing for the development.

Asadoorian’s Jeff Handler told ARLnow.com that the company is also looking to fill the apartment building’s ground floor with a fitness business and a wine bar, among other retail options. Handler also said he’s “in conversation with a number of restaurants.”

The building’s ground floor is planned to open in June and the two-tower, 187-unit facility is on track for completion this fall.

New Clarendon Apartments Could Open This Fall

By Ethan Rothstein
1/6

The apartment construction at the intersection of Washington Blvd, Wilson Blvd and N. Irving Street is expected to be complete this fall, bringing 187 new apartments to the market.

The Beacon at Clarendon West will have two towers — one with 10 stories, one with six stories — and retail frontage on Washington Blvd. Construction on the ground floor and leasing center, according to contractor Donohoe Construction Company, will be complete by the end of June. The six-story tower is expected to be completed by the end of summer and the 10-story tower — and the complete project — should come on line this fall.

The retail spaces at the bottom of the building, where the signs for the closed Madhu Ban and Taste of Morocco restaurants are still up, will be renovated and redeveloped, Donohoe spokeswoman Megan Vallach told ARLnow.com in an email today.

The units — “luxury apartments,” according to Donohoe’s website — will be one- and two-bedroom rentals, some with dens and some without. Donohoe could not provide estimates on how much the units will cost or when they will be available to lease.

As part of the construction, a segment of N. Irving Street between Wilson Blvd and 13th Street N. is closed while construction crews build a new through street. The road work is also expected to be completed by the end of June.

Taxi Drivers Want More Regulation, Protest With Traffic Slowdown

By Ethan Rothstein
1/4

Dozens of Arlington taxi drivers drove around Arlington this morning with their flashers on and horns honking, protesting county policies that they say do not adequately protect them from cab companies and competitors.

This is at least the fourth taxi driver protest directed at the Arlington County Board since last September. The drivers, organized by Arlington United Taxi Operators, Tenants & Workers United and Virginia New Majority, are asking the Board to impose new regulations on taxi companies that would protect drivers from termination. They are also asking for increased regulation of UberX, which they say is “decimating the taxi industry.”

Protest organizers said about 75 taxi drivers met in Pentagon City this morning and decided to ride around the county during the morning rush hour, slowing down traffic in hopes of raising awareness to their cause. They drove from Pentagon City to Ballston, where they handed out flyers at the Ballston Metro Station, before driving down Fairfax Drive and Clarendon Blvd. They distributed more flyers at the Clarendon and Rosslyn Metro stations.

“Unregulated companies, such as UberX, are allowed to work in Arlington while ignoring insurance, safety, background checks and pricing rules and regulations,” the flyers state. “This is decimating the taxi industry and putting the public at risk. It’s UberDangerous!”

Jon Liss, who heads both Virginia New Majority and Tenants and Workers United, said the drivers are pushing the County Board to adopt “a ‘dispute resolution’ process so that drivers are not subject to arbitrary firing or discipline.” Liss said there were no incidents of note during the traffic slowdown.

Earlier this month, the same groups organized a rally at the County Board’s offices in Courthouse in protest of UberX, which launched in the D.C. area last summer under the slogan “Better, Faster, Cheaper… than a taxi.” Red Top Cab reported that dispatched rides had decreased 5-10 percent since 2012, a drop they attribute in part to on-demand ridesharing services like UberX, Sidecar and Lyft.

Last fall, cab drivers asked the Board for a “drivers bill of rights, protections against being fired without cause and the right to purchase their taxi license directly from the county.” The county only issues cab licenses to cab companies, not to individual drivers, an arrangement drivers feel puts them at a disadvantage.

The taxi drivers’ flyer asks individuals to contact County Board Chairman Jay Fisette, giving the chairman’s county phone and email address. In the fall, Board member Mary Hynes told ARLnow.com, “the system exists for a reason… the majority of the Board has not been in favor of many of [the drivers’] proposals in the past.”

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