Author: Kalina Newman

Arlington’s Declining Oak Tree Population Alarming Advocacy Groups

By Kalina Newman

Across Northern Virginia, oak trees have started dying in significant numbers — including in Arlington.

The decline, formally called “oak dieback,” has been the subject of research and speculation for months by naturalists.

In a fact sheet produced in collaboration with groups including the Arlington Urban Forestry Commission and Arlington Regional Master Naturalists, experts cite the stress of recent droughts and extreme storms, along with construction damage, as potential causes for the dieback.

However, “oak decline is a complex disease with no single causal agent,” writes Lori Chamberlin of the Virginia Department of Forestry.

Currently, county officials are directing concerned residents to use prevention methods on their trees, and to be careful of how they treat trees without an accurate disease diagnosis.

Nora Palmatier of the Tree Stewards of Arlington and Alexandria offered the following advice for trying to fend off tree decline:

  • Avoiding damage to trees, caused by anything from landscaping to rebuilding a home
  • Water trees during dry spells
  • Revitalize the soil with wood chips

Some of the troubled oak trees are on Arlington’s list of “Champion Trees.” Elizabeth Grossman, a representative from the Arlington Tree Action Group, said the county should be held more accountable for its oak tree loss.

“I’ve lived in Arlington Forest almost 30 years, and the rate of tree decline is alarming — I’ve lost two mature oaks this summer and are the first two trees I have lost in all the years I’ve lived here,” Grossman said, pointing to the Arlington Forest neighborhood and the area around Lubber Run as two particularly damaged spots.

“Arlington County has done nothing more than put out the document you have identified, and it is not particularly useful,” Grossman said.

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

Ballston’s Tallest Tower Set to Open Soon

By Kalina Newman
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Ballston’s tallest building to-date is nearing completion.

After ten years of planning and construction — including two years on pause — the 22-story mixed-use building at 4040 Wilson Blvd is slated to open in February.

Per developer Shooshan Company, the complex — part of the larger Liberty Center development — will be home to 250 apartment units, 191,000 square feet of office space, a co-working space, a fitness center, showers and bike storage, a rooftop conference center, and ground floor retail.

Other residential amenities include an outdoor rooftop with resort-style hot tub, swimming pools, grills, outdoor fire pits, a reading nook and tenant coffee bar, and a rooftop clubroom with a catering kitchen. The apartments will start on the 11th floor and many will offer views of D.C.

In 2017, AvalonBay Communities, a publicly-traded apartment developer and real estate investment trust, announced it was relocating its headquarters to 4040 Wilson — in a three-floor, 73,00 square-feet space — from nearby 671 N. Glebe Road.

On the ground floor, restaurant The Salt Line will open with a large, 100-seat outdoor patio space featuring a fixed bar. High-end gym VIDA Fitness, which recently promoted itself with free classes in the neighborhood, is also opening its first non-D.C. location in the building.

Apartment pre-leasing is set to begin in January, according to Shooshan.

Keep 23rd Street Weird: Crystal City Restaurant Owners, Residents Sound Off On Parking Changes

By Kalina Newman
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Restaurant owners, residents, and advisory group members alike are demanding that an upcoming residential development in Crystal City includes more customer parking for the 23rd Street “Restaurant Row.”

At an unusually heated Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC) meeting Monday night, a representative from Crystal Houses developer Roseland Residential Trust outlined its plans for “Crystal House 5,” one of the new residential buildings proposed to be added to the existing apartment complex on the 1900 block of S. Eads Street.

The latest iteration of the development plan has been revised upward — with 819 new residential units planned, up from 798 previously. In addition to four new apartment buildings, Roseland is proposing three groups of townhouses.

Monday’s meeting, however, focused on the contentious issue of parking. Currently, Crystal House 5 is set to build over a Roseland-owned surface lot with 95 pay-to-park spaces.

Per use permit conditions, Roseland reserves 35 of those spaces exclusively for customers and employees of the businesses along 23rd Street S. — aka Restaurant Row.

Roseland plans to build a parking garage beneath the building, along with a small surface lot, with a total of 96 spaces. It is offering to reserve 35 of those spaces — 14 surface and 21 in the garage — for Restaurant Row owners and customers, with the remaining 60 for tenant use only.

However, because all 95 spaces in the current lot are open for public use, business owners argue this will result in a net loss of parking for them. Especially outspoken about this is Stratis Voutsas, who manages a trust that owns several of the buildings along 23rd Street.

Voutsas, along with a few other Restaurant Row business owners, wore matching shirts that said “Keep 23rd Street Weird, Eclectic & Uniquely Authentic, Support Parking For Your Local Business.” Voutsas has also started a petition, which he claims has over 3,000 signatures, emphasizing that the county’s Crystal City Sector Plan envisions the preservation of Restaurant Row.

“At Restaurant Row (500 block of 23rd Street), the plan visualizes preserving and retaining small, neighborhood oriented retailers,” the plan says. “Should redevelopment occur in this area, such retailers should be accommodated, to help support active streetscapes.”

Local restaurateur Freddie Lutz, who owns Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant and Federico Ristorante Italiano, told ARLnow he was promised by a county staff member 35 years ago that parking would be protected.

“When me and [business partner] Ted Sachs were standing on the surface parking lot 35 years ago, someone from the county said to us, if anyone builds on this parking lot they will have to provide parking for 23rd Street Restaurant Row,” Lutz said. “Live and learn, I should have stuck my hand up and asked, ‘Can we have that in writing?'”

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County Board Approves Changes Aimed at Creating More Affordable Housing

By Kalina Newman

The Arlington County Board has unanimously approved several zoning changes that could incentivize developers to build more affordable housing units.

The changes, approved at the Saturday (November 16) County Board meeting, modify “bonus density maximums” for site plan projects and alter how the county defines low or moderate income to “provide greater flexibility in facilitating affordable housing.”

Density bonuses are an incentive land use tool regulated in the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance. Currently, density bonus maximums are capped at 25 percent above what is allowed in the zoning district. This means if a developer promises to build affordable housing units, community facilities, open spaces, or environmental amenities with their project, they’ll get up to 25 percent more space to work with.

After much debate — “my head hurts,” commented board member Erik Gutshall — the County Board voted to give itself the flexibility, within the heights specified for each zoning district, to consider added density above the 25 percent maximum on a case-by-case basis.

“Bonus density has allowed us to build hundreds of units of affordable housing across Arlington, and particularly in the transit-rich Metro corridors, without relying on County funding,” said County Board chair Christian Dorsey in a press release. “We believe this new flexibility will encourage developers to add more affordable homes in their projects.”

The revisions have received mixed feedback from developers and civic groups. Jack Spilsbury, the co-chair of the Ashton Heights Civic Association, said the elimination of density caps could “create more boxy buildings, and raise concerns about the preservation of neighborhood characteristics.”

In addition, the Board voted to allow higher income levels for affordable housing when considering new site plans. The County Board currently defines low-or-moderate income for renters as at or below 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) — or about $51,000 per year — and at or below 80 percent AMI — or $68,000 per year — for home ownership.

In 2015, the county officials pledged to create 15,800 affordable housing units before 2040, but have since fallen short of the yearly creation benchmarks. By giving itself the option of considering higher income levels for affordable housing, the County Board hopes to allow the creation of more affordable housing, particularly for those at moderate income levels.

“There is no question that affordable housing is something we are going to work diligently to solve,” said Gutshall during Saturday’s meeting. “But I believe in the long run here, we are going to get to those solutions easier and better by demonstrating to the community that we rely on the planning that it takes.”

The last review of affordable housing bonus provisions occurred in 2001. Earlier this year, the County Board introduced “Housing Arlington,” an initiative for the county’s existing affordable housing program.

The full press release about the bonus density changes is below, after the jump.

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New Irish Pub Now Open in Crystal City

By Kalina Newman
1/2

Crystal City is no longer without an Irish pub.

McNamara’s Pub & Restaurant (567 23rd Street S.) opened two weeks ago in the former Fiona’s Irish Pub space, featuring plenty of Irish beer on tap including varieties of layered Guinness drinks.

“It’s been great,” said owner Danny McFadden, in his Irish brogue. “Lots of people have been raving about our Irish food, and we’re going to start trivia each Monday starting at 7 p.m.”

McFadden is a veteran of the local pub scene: he was the owner of the Kitty O’Shea’s in Courthouse and was an original owner of Celtic House on Columbia Pike, before selling his ownership share in the pub.

McNamara’s menu features traditional “Irish Fare Done Right,” such as potato and leek soup, beef stew, and corned beef and cabbage.

In addition, the restaurant does brunch on the weekends, with a combo of American and Irish classics. A “Traditional Irish Breakfast” comes served with grilled tomato, baked beans, and black and white pudding, while other dishes include a pancake platter and breakfast wrap.

McNamara’s Pub & Restaurant is open seven days a week, from 11-2 a.m. on the weekdays and 10-2 a.m. on the weekends.

Arlington Agenda: November 18-24

By Kalina Newman

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.

Monday, November 18

Bring a Book You Hate Swap
Columbia Pike Branch Library (816 S. Walter Reed Drive)
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m. 

Bring your unwanted books to this book swap, where others will bring their least favorite novels to trade. All leftover books will be donated to the library’s upcoming book sale.

Tuesday, November 19

Virginia Tech Executive MBA Online Info Session*
Virginia Tech Research Center (900 N. Glebe Road)
Time: 12-1 p.m.

Learn more about Virginia Tech’s Ballston-based Executive MBA program at this information session, where officials will discuss curriculum, tuition, financial aid, and more.

First Time Home Buyer Seminar*
Keri Shull Team (1600 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 6-7:30 p.m.

Learn about the possible mistakes that come with the first time you purchase a home at this seminar. Topics covered include how to avoid double-paying a rent and mortgage, and how to properly calculate a budget.

Thursday, November 21

Holiday Design Event
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (4301 Wilson Blvd) 
Time: 6:30-9 p.m.

Join guest floral designer Ami Wilber at this fundraising gala for the Rock Spring Garden Club. There will be a silent auction, delicious refreshments, holiday arrangements, and more. Tickets are $30 and available online.

Jennie Dean Park Renovation Design Reveal
Charles Drew Community Center (3500 23rd Street S.)
Time: 6:30-8 p.m.

The final design for the Jennie Dean Park renovation project, based on weeks of public input, will be revealed at this event. Continued feedback on the final design is welcome, as are children.

Saturday, November 23

Annual Jennifer Bush-Lawson 5K & Family Fun Day
Knights of Columbus (5115 Little Falls Road)
Time: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

This event carries on the legacy of Jenn Lawson, a local mother of three. There will be a morning of celebration and health-focused activities, followed by a certified 5K and a kid’s fun run.

Lyon Park Craft Show
Lyon Park Community Center (414 N. Fillmore Street)
Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The 29th annual “Not-Just-A-Crafts-Fair” will feature handmade crafts, prints, jewelry, ornaments, photo collages, and more, plus a bake sale. Restaurant quality Reggiano Parmesan will be available at a discount, with preorders available.

Cranksgiving – A Clothing Drive By Bike
Ireland’s Four Courts (2051 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. 

This choose-your-adventure bike ride gives participants a map of suggested stores or items to locate. All items collected will be donated to the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network.

The Enchanted Forest
Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel (900 S. Orme Street)
Time: 12-8 p.m. 

This weekend-long holiday festival includes a “forest” of theme-decorated holiday trees, along with live entertainment, a Santa, holiday crafts and a silent auction.

The Board Room 2nd Anniversary Party
The Board Room (925 N. Garfield Street)
Time: 2-7 p.m. 

The Board Room, Clarendon’s board game and bar, is celebrating its second year in operation. In addition, they will be honoring their first year as a brewing company with the release of a new beer.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

Officials Expect Arlington’s Office Vacancy Rate to Keep Dropping Next Year

By Kalina Newman

Arlington’s office vacancy rate could drop below 15% next year as business continue to move to the area, according to some local experts.

Leaders of commercial real estate Avison Young and Arlington Economic Development (AED) said there is likely to be continued progress in Arlington’s long-standing struggle with a high number of empty office spaces.

“There’s still a lot of work to do, and it’s going to be a steep hill to climb,” said AED Interim Director Alex Iams during a “Future of Arlington” panel organized by Bisnow yesterday (Thursday.)

However, Iams and Avison Young Principal Nick Gregorios both said they expect the office vacancy rate to drop again in 2020. If growth continues at its current rate in 2020, the vacancy rate could fall by up to 1.5 percentage points, Gregorios said.

As of Sept. 30, commercial real estate firm JLL reported an office vacancy rate of 16% in Arlington, down 5% from the county’s all-time high of 21% in 2015. This puts Arlington just below the current national average of 16.7%.

Iams said companies like Yext, PBS, and iTG coming to Arlington or renewing their leases have contributed to the vacancy rate drop.

There is still about 7 million square feet of empty office space across Arlington to fill, according to Iams. Seven building vacancies have over 125,000 square feet of space apiece, leaving room for large companies, according to Iams.

Thursday’s panel itself was held on an empty floor of the Ballston Exchange office space.

“Just look around you, we’re sitting in a building right now where the National Science Foundation vacated in one fell swoop,” Gregorios said, referring to the NSF’s departure from Ballston to a new space in Alexandria.

In 2015, now-former AED director Victor Hoskins pledged to bring Arlington’s office vacancy rate down to as low as 10 percent within the next six years. That goal is thus far unrealized, but Arlington might come close with Amazon’s arrival continuing to generate interest in Arlington office space.

Shortly after helping Arlington woo Amazon, Hoskins left his position to head the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. Since then, Iams has been left to continue Hoskins’ work, with HQ2 as a tailwind.

“[Heading into 2020] with Amazon and HQ2, we’re doing things a little differently,” Iams said, speaking to AED’s business recruitment strategy. “We’re approaching different markets with a list of 10-15 companies that we’ve identified in advance, knowing that we can get in front of them when they’re in the market for relocation and expansion.”

According to the 2019 Q2 earnings release from Amazon headquarters developer JBG Smith, since the HQ2 announcement one year ago the company has executed one million square feet of new leases in the National Landing area — Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard — plus 400,000 square feet of renewals.

“What we used to do is go to tech conferences to get out name out there in order differentiate ourselves, but that’s not the case anymore,” Iams said. “Northern Virginia put itself on the map during the HQ2 process, and we’ll continue to work closely together for out-of-market deals with our Northern Virginia partners.”

Incoming Coffee And Wine Bar in Clarendon Planning Outdoor Cafe

By Kalina Newman

A new cafe and bar opening soon in Clarendon will feature a 34-seat outdoor cafe.

East West Coffee and Wine is currently under construction at 3101 Wilson Blvd, in the former American Tap Room space.

“We’re hoping to be open by the end of the month,” said owner Mehmet Coskun.

East West Coffee and Wine will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, per a staff report to the Arlington County Board regarding the outdoor cafe reque. The cafe, which recently applied for a beer and wine license, plans on serving both coffee and alcohol.

“Plus, we’ll have a full kitchen that’ll be able to serve tapas-style dishes to pair with wine, and brunch on the weekends,” Coskun said.

Coskun previously told ARLnow he likes having late hours because “people want to hang out after work and socialize and get something to drink, and we really want to appeal to the locals.”

Coskun opened coffee-and-alcohol joint Central Coffee Bar in Rosslyn (1901 N. Moore Street) two years ago; two weeks ago the cafe rebranded to “East West Coffee and Wine” to match its upcoming location.

The County Board is set to consider the outdoor cafe use permit at its meeting this Saturday, November 16.

Clarendon Animal Care Expanding To Columbia Pike

By Kalina Newman
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A veterinary clinic is hoping to open soon along Columbia Pike.

Clarendon Animal Care is expanding and opening a second location in the newly-opened Centro Arlington development at 940 S. George Mason Drive. The clinic is anticipated to open at some point this spring, according to co-owner Kayleen Gloor, joining nearby Harris Teeter grocery store and Orangetheory Fitness exercise studio.

“[Our new location] will allow us to expand our ability to serve our existing clients and patients but also bring the Clarendon Animal Care culture and level of service to South Arlington and nearby locales,” said Gloor.

The County Board is set to consider a use permit for the 2,500 square-foot space at its meeting this Saturday, November 16. Per a staff report to the Arlington County Board, the new Clarendon Animal Care will have three to four exam rooms and employ two full-time veterinarians, along with a team of six to eight support staff.

The original Clarendon Animal Care is located at 3000 10th Street N., where it provides a wide range of veterinary services from emergency care to vaccinations.

Made in Arlington Shop Launches Holiday Pop-Up Series

By Kalina Newman
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The Made in Arlington store in Courthouse has begun its weekly holiday pop-up series.

The shop, which is open year-round in the Plaza Branch Library at county government headquarters (2100 Clarendon Blvd), features locally-made wares and Arlington-themed products.

Its holiday pop-ups will be held every Thursday through December 19, during lunchtime hours from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., save for Thanksgiving.

“The Made in Arlington pop-up shop is a great place to find those one-of-a-kind gifts for the holidays while supporting local businesses at the same time,” said Cara O’Donnell of Arlington Economic Development. “From ceramics to chocolates and much more, the artistry and craftsmanship demonstrated by these Arlington vendors is truly outstanding. This pop-up shop is a wonderful way to celebrate that artistry while finishing your holiday shopping list.”

The list of pop-up vendors includes:

Artisan Confections owner Jason Andelman, who has sold chocolates in the area for over 13 years, said the pop-up is a way “to showcase our products for the holidays to a local crowd.”

On Thursday, November 21, Andelman says he’ll be selling a collection of Thanksgiving pie-flavored chocolates, made exclusively for the pop-up, featuring flavors such as apple, cherry, pumpkin and blackberry.

Plans For Major Rosslyn Transportation Overhaul Finalized

By Kalina Newman

A ten-year plan for the future of transportation in Rosslyn has been finalized after county officials spent two years of gathering public feedback.

Major projects in the final proposed plan include incrementally converting Fort Myer Drive to a two-way street, removing the Fort Myer Drive tunnel, widening sidewalks and adding protected bike lanes.

In 2015, the Arlington County Board adopted the Rosslyn Sector Plan, which included a vision for what the neighborhood’s street networks could look like by 2030. Later in 2017, the Core of Rosslyn study was introduced as an effort from the County Board to analyze the feasibility and potential impacts of the Sector Plan’s proposed changes.

“With the understanding of all of the future developments coming to the area, we wanted to make sure private developments would not be affected by this plan,” county transportation spokesman Eric Balliet told ARLnow.

After two years working on the study, county staff have finalized their “Preferred Alternative Plan,” which outlines several substantial projects to be built by 2030.

Per the study’s website, these projects include:

  • Removal of the Fort Myer Drive tunnel under Wilson Blvd to improve pedestrian crossing options and access to Metro, and to help reduce vehicle speeds in the Rosslyn urban core.
  • Incremental conversion of Fort Myer Drive to a two-way street once the tunnel is closed.
  • Enhancing the bicycle network within the Rosslyn core by including continuous, protected bicycle and scooter lanes on Fort Myer Drive, N. Lynn Street, N. Nash Street, and Wilson Boulevard.
  • Enhancing the pedestrian experience through the removal of slip lanes, improvements to 18 existing or new crosswalks, and inclusion of wider sidewalks.
  • Reconfiguration and signalization of the intersection of westbound Route 50 and N. Meade Street “to allow for northbound traffic flow on Fort Myer Drive and to improve pedestrian and bicycle access.”

Funding for the projects will be determined when the County Manager Mark Schwartz updates Arlington’s Capital Improvement Plan in May, Balliet said. County Board adoption of the plan is expected later in the summer.

County staff will continue to engage with the community on each project and each new project will have its own webpage, according to Balliet.

The study itself cost about $1 million, Balliet said.

One project outlined in the “Alternative Plan” is already underway: the first stage of the Dark Star Park (1655 N. Fort Myer Drive) slip lane closure and park expansion occurred in July, funded through county operating funds and a partnership with the Rosslyn Business Improvement District.

Photo (top) via Arlington County, (below) via Google Maps

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