Local Restaurant Group Gets Juiced — “The Arlington hospitality group behind Copperwood Tavern and The Pinemoor is getting into the juice business… An affiliate of Wooden Nickel Bar Co. recently acquired Greenheart Juice Shop for an undisclosed price, Wooden Nickel plans to focus first on the company’s home delivery business, and to make Greenheart products available at its various restaurants. With the aid of Asadoorian Retail Solutions, it’s also planning to open new physical Greenheart locations, including one in the works in Ballston.” [Washington Business Journal]
Pedestrian Struck Last Night — “Police and medics on scene of a pedestrian struck at or near the intersection of Route 1 and 23rd Street S. in Crystal City. The pedestrian is reportedly being evaluated for a head injury.” [Twitter]
Lopez Newspaper Bill Stalls — “With newspapers facing staffing cuts and closures, due to buyouts, technology, and lack of funding, [Del. Alfonso] Lopez has introduced House Bill 2061, which would create a nonrefundable income tax credit for eligible local newspaper publishers, for compensation paid to local news journalists.” The bill, however, failed a subcommittee vote yesterday. [WTOP]
APAH Co-Founder Dies — “Dolores Regina Conklin Leckey, born on April 12, 1933, in the borough of Queens, New York City, New York, to Joseph and Florence (Kelly) Conklin, died peacefully of natural causes on January 17, 2023, in her home in Arlington, Virginia. [She] authored eight books, and was one of the founders of the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing.” [Legacy]
It’s Tuesday — Partly cloudy throughout much of the day. High of 47 and low of 30. Sunrise at 7:22 am and sunset at 5:21 pm. [Weather.gov]
A bus parked at a new bus bay outside of the Ballston Metro station (file photo)
Update at 5:25 p.m. — Metrorail service has been restored on the Orange and Silver lines after a power outage in Ballston that lasted around half an hour. Riders should expect residual delays, Metro said.
Earlier: Metrorail service on the Orange and Silver lines has been suspended due to a power outage.
WMATA said shortly before 5 p.m. that “a power outage at Ballston” has prompted a suspension of train service between Clarendon and West Falls Church/McLean.
So far there is no word on when service might resume. Shuttle buses have been requested to the affected stations, the transit agency said.
Dominion’s website currently lists an outage in Ballston with an estimated restoration time of 8-11 p.m.
Orange/Silver Line Delay: Train service suspended between Clarendon & West Falls Church/McLean due to a power outage at Ballston. Buses requested.
UPDATED: Orange/Silver Line Delay: Train service restored btwn Clarendon & West Falls Church/McLean following earlier power outage at Ballston. Expect delays.
Updated renderings of the “East Tower” at 2250 Crystal Drive in Crystal City (via Arlington County)
Updated renderings of the “West Tower” at 223 23rd Street S. in Crystal City (via Arlington County)
Updated renderings of the “East Tower” at 2250 Crystal Drive in Crystal City (via Arlington County)
Demolition began on the former Jaleo building in Crystal City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A rendering of pedestrian and vehicle connector, as well as the public open spaces, planned for the 223 23rd Street S./2250 Crystal Drive development (via Arlington County)
A rendering of the new 23rd Street S. as proposed by JBG Smith (via Arlington County)
A rendering of the new Crystal Drive as proposed by JBG Smith (via Arlington County)
The east-west pedestrian connection to the Crystal City Shops, a network of underground shops (via Arlington County)
The proposal from JBG Smith will redevelop a block at the intersection of 23rd Street S. and Crystal Drive that is currently home to a vacant office building from the 1960s and, until demolition started earlier this year, a strip of one-story retail that included the restaurant Jaleo.
The west tower (223 23rd Street S.) will have 613 units and 8,000 square feet of retail. The east tower (2250 Crystal Drive) will have 826 units and 14,929 square feet of retail. A north-south vehicular access will run between the two towers and is intended to take parking and retail loading off the nearby streets.
This project also includes an approximately 8,025-square-foot interim public green space, which the Crystal City Sector Plan envisions becoming a 13,000-square-foot open space.
A 5,574-square-foot walkway lined with planters and seating will run east to west and connect pedestrians to a relocated entrance to the Crystal City Shops, an underground mall, as well as retail at the base of the 2250 Crystal Drive building.
JBG Smith will rebuild 23rd Street S. from Crystal Drive to Richmond Highway, adding 1,600 new linear feet of protected bike lanes across Crystal Drive and 23rd Street S. The developer will also add a mid-block crossing where the north-south connector intersects with 23rd Street S. and floating bus stops on either side of the street.
The project is set to achieve LEED Gold certification. JBG Smith will contribute more than $8 million to affordable housing and set aside 34 off-site affordable units at one of its existing Riverhouse apartment buildings in Pentagon City. Open space in the development is set to be redeveloped in the near future.
References to Missing Middle — which was the next item for discussion — broke into comments from County Board members.
“The big picture here is 1,400 additional units that are in one of our transit corridors. This is an example of the type of project that across perspectives, most everyone supports,” said Board member Matt de Ferranti. “This is part of smart policy to prevent further ex-urban development. It’s part of good policy for our community.”
Board member Takis Karantonis hailed it as “a very good project.”
“This is between one of the nation’s most vibrant innovation districts, [Amazon’s] HQ2, the anchor, and everything that comes around it, and the Virginia Tech campus a few blocks down the street,” he said.
He went on to connect the project to the Missing Middle housing proposal, which was discussed in public comments for more than five hours after Board members voted on JBG Smith’s redevelopment plans.
“These people will live there and after a while, we would like them to have more opportunities to stay in Arlington and continue to be productive residents at the core of our economic growth machine,” he said.
Board members and Planning Commission representative Jim Lantelme applauded JBG Smith’s plans to reuse unoccupied parking garage spaces for residents.
“That’s something we encourage and would like to see more of,” Lantelme said.
Staff and Lantelme mentioned changes JBG Smith made in response to comments from advisory commissions and staff. They said these changes improved the pedestrian experience by setting the height of the towers farther back from the street and redesigning the larger public plazas to include more plantings and a pet relief area.
Board Vice-Chair Libby Garvey thanked JBG Smith the changes made.
“The fact that we don’t have a lot of speakers here to tell us how bad the plan is shows that the work has really been well done, ” he said. “Arlingtonians are not shy about letting us know if there’s something they don’t like.”
Arlington police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)
A man was stabbed inside his apartment in the Arlington Mill neighborhood early this morning.
The stabbing happened after what police described as a dispute between two people who knew each other. A 24-year-old Arlington man was subsequently arrested, charged with Malicious Wounding and held without bond.
More from the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report:
MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-01230015, 5000 block of 8th Road S. At approximately 1:28 a.m. on January 23, police were dispatched to the report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, officers located the victim who had sustained serious, non-life threatening injuries and rendered aid until the arrival of medics, during which he was transported to an area hospital for treatment. Additionally, responding officers located the suspect on scene and took him into custody without incident. The investigation determined the victim and known suspect were inside the victim’s residence when they became involved in a dispute, during which the suspect allegedly struck him with a knife.
Also in today’s crime report, police detailed two alleged assaults on police officers. One happened early Saturday morning along I-395 while the other happened in the Rosslyn area Sunday evening.
From ACPD:
ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2023-01210052, I-395 South at S. Glebe Road. At approximately 3:24 a.m. on January 21, a patrol officer observed a traffic violation and conducted a traffic stop. During the course of the stop, the suspect exited the vehicle, refused to comply with the commands of officers and continued to approach the suspect vehicle and cruisers. As a result of the investigation, it was determined the suspect would be placed under arrest for Drunk in Public. As the officers attempted to take the suspect into custody, he resisted arrest and assaulted an officer. A struggle ensued and the suspect was subsequently taken into custody with the assistance of additional officers. The officer and suspect sustained minor injuries, the suspect as transported to an area hospital. [The suspect], 43, of Fort Washington, Md. was arrested and charged with Assault and Battery on Police, Obstruction of Justice and Drunk in Public.
ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2023-01220177, 1500 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 5:24 p.m. on January 22, police were in the area on a separate call for service when a lookout was broadcast for a suspect in a larceny in progress. The officers observed the suspect walking in the area and took him into custody. The investigation determined the suspect entered a business, allegedly concealed merchandise in his bag and left without paying. During a search of his person and property incident to arrest, the suspect kicked an officer. [The suspect], 34, of Washington, DC, was arrested and charged with Assault and Battery on Police and Petit Larceny. He was held without bond.
Rainy day traffic on I-395 near Shirlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Missing Middle Debate at Board Meeting — “More than 150 residents spoke Saturday at an Arlington County Board meeting on the Missing Middle housing zoning proposal… Several hours later, after hearing comments from the long list of speakers, Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey announced that further consideration of the proposal would be held Tuesday night.” [Patch, WJLA]
More on Missing Middle — “Will missing middle housing units be affordable? It depends on what you mean by ‘affordable.’ When housing policy experts refer to ‘affordable housing’ or ‘committed affordable housing,’ they usually mean housing units that have received some kind of government subsidy in the development process to keep prices down… Missing middle units, in contrast, would be market-rate.” [DCist]
Arlington’s Traffic ‘Miracle’ — ‘The ‘Arlington Miracle’ is stunning: Traffic counts in Arlington, VA fell to 1980s levels, after peaking in 2000, as the city added walkable neighborhood retail shops + tens of thousands of residents in Orange Line skyscrapers” [Twitter]
Intersection Improvements Imminent — “Arlington County Board members on Jan. 21 are expected to approve a contract worth just over $900,000 to provide improved signalization and streetscape upgrades at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and North Sycamore Street” in East Falls Church. [Sun Gazette]
Amazon Expanding Va. Investments — “Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced that Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company, plans to invest $35 billion by 2040 to establish multiple data center campuses across Virginia. Numerous localities in the Commonwealth are under consideration and will be decided at a later date.” [Press Release]
It’s Monday — Light rain in the morning, then breezy later. High of 46 and low of 38. Sunrise at 7:23 am and sunset at 5:20 pm. [Weather.gov]
Photos of cars blocking a protected bike lane outside a Starbucks in Clarendon (courtesy photo)
Photos of cars blocking a protected bike lane outside a Starbucks in Clarendon (courtesy photo)
Photos of cars blocking a protected bike lane outside a Starbucks in Clarendon (courtesy photo)
Drivers have been blocking a new PBL in search of the perfect PSL.
Last November, as part of a 2022 Complete Streets project, Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services replaced two parking spots with a protected bike lane, or “PBL,” on the east side of Clarendon Blvd. It also added new free, 15-minute parking spots at N. Danville Street, to accommodate those who would have used the two former spots when picking up their coffee order from the nearby Starbucks.
“All those legally parked automobiles are actually protecting bikers who are using the bike lane to the right,” noted DES spokesman Peter Golkin.
But illegally parked vehicles caused a different problem. Flouting a no-parking sign, cars — and even a county pickup truck — parked where the spots used to be, partially or completely blocking the bike lane. Local cyclist Jeff Hopp said he saw cars blocking the bike lane “all day, every day,” to access the Starbucks location across the street from the Whole Foods.
“In the area near Starbucks, [the county] created a hazard to cyclists instead of a safe PBL,” he said. “The county removed two parking spaces in the area when creating the PBL but the design of the PBL at this spot allows for drivers to drive into and park in the PBL while they ‘run in’ to Starbucks to grab their drinks.”
Public feedback helped guide the designs, Golkin says, but in response to the reality on the ground, the county recently made it harder to park there.
“Extra bollards were added this month to make such an abuse less tempting and to encourage drivers to look for the free and pay spaces just a few feet down the road,” Golkin said.
Several free 15-minute parking spots can be found on Clarendon Blvd at Danville along the new protected bike lane. A few more PBL bollards can be found just to the west. https://t.co/WBOtOpfRPhpic.twitter.com/wEz2z32F8n
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) January 17, 2023
Hopp, who had notified the county about the issue, says he appreciates the changes.
“I feel the county was responsive to a conversation about a solution and, in the end, I feel they made the right decision to install additional bollards around the edges,” he said. “With these additional bollards, vehicles will not have enough room to pull into the PBL in this area — unless drivers just mow them down, which I’ll bet has happened before.”
Vacant TSA headquarters at 601 and 701 12th Street S. in Pentagon City (via Google Maps)
The old Transportation Security Administration buildings in Pentagon City, vacant and awaiting redevelopment, could get put to a new, temporary use.
Avis Car Rental is looking to add rental operations to the pair of offices and their underground garages at 601 and 701 12th Street S. The business, which currently has a location at 2600 Richmond Hwy, has filed two applications, one for each building, with the county.
The TSA announced in 2015 that it would be leaving its headquarters for offices in Alexandria after the expiration of the five-year lease it signed in 2013. That stalled and amid the pandemic, the agency switched course and instead moved to Springfield, opening its headquarters in 2021.
At the time of the announcement, Arlington was coping with relatively high office vacancy rates driven in part by the departure of major tenants — including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Science Foundation — in search of cheaper leases.
Avis proposes an alternative use until the owner of the office buildings, Brookfield Properties, razes these towers and builds four new towers with a mix of residential, office and retail uses. Brookfield’s redevelopment plans, first filed in 2019, are currently on hold.
“The proposed Vehicle Rental Use will further Arlington County’s goals and aims for a resilient commercial market,” attorney Matthew Weinstein, representing the car rental company, wrote in an application. “The Property is currently operating as a vacant office building until future redevelopment. The Vehicle Rental Use will improve existing conditions by activating space that would otherwise remain vacant for the short to mid-term. Moreover, the Vehicle Rental use will benefit the National Landing area by allowing customers arriving at National Airport to have a reliable and efficient option for renting vehicles during their visit to the Washington, D.C. area.”
Avis plans plans on using 50-250 spaces daily per garage, but is leasing some 922 parking spaces between the two TSA buildings to have extra space “depending on the operational needs,” such as handling overflow from other facilities, Weinstein writes.
Customers will access the facility from the lobbies of both buildings, where there will also be service counters. Avis plans to serve customers and rideshare drivers and rent an estimated 40-50 vehicles per day. The proposed hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.
“The Applicant’s vehicle rental facility network works cohesively to ensure each rental facility is meeting customer demands and the Applicant’s operational needs. This means that at certain times each vehicle rental facility in the Applicant’s network will back up and supplement each other depending on demand and operational requirements.”
Meanwhile, plans to redevelop the TSA buildings have been on hold since 2020, at the request of Arlington County planners, Brookfield previously told the Washington Business Journal. At the time, they were working on a new sector plan to guide future development in Pentagon City.
The plan that was in place when Brookfield filed preliminary redevelopment plans reached the end of its useful life in light of Amazon’s second headquarters. Despite some vocal opposition, the Arlington County Board approved a new plan that focuses on residential infill development and “ribbons” of tree- and plant-lined walking paths.
Brookfield did not return a request for comment about an updated timeline for redevelopment.
Construction crane and contrails over Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Long Wait for Prince Harry’s Book — “I’m sure it’s the same with other public-library systems across the region, but I checked in with Arlington and found, as of yesterday, 502 people on the waiting list for the 81 hardcover copies; 464 on the waiting list for the 60 e-audiobook options; 378 on the waiting list for the 75 e-book options; and 129 on the waiting list for the 12 large-type books, which are on order but have not yet arrived.” [Sun Gazette]
Anniversary of Sudden Death on Dais — “The January meeting of the Arlington County Board marks the 20th anniversary of one of the sadder moments in local governance. It was at the County Board’s January meeting in 2003 that Democratic board member Charles Monroe, who was slated to serve as chair for the year, collapsed and died early in the meeting. A massive stroke was the cause of death of the 46-year-old at the meeting, which was being held on Jan. 11, 2003.” [Sun Gazette]
Horticultural Honor for Cemetery — “Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) is proud to announce the renewal of its Level III Arboretum accreditation, initially designated in June 2018. Only 45 renowned institutions worldwide, including five cemeteries, maintain this prestigious accreditation.” [Arlington National Cemetery]
New Closure for I-395 Project — “Construction activity related to the Boundary Channel Drive at I-395 Interchange Project will close a portion of the existing unpaved social path near the Pentagon Lagoon beginning on 1/25/2023. The point of closure will be approximately 1000 feet south of where the Mt. Vernon Trail passes underneath the George Washington Memorial Parkway.” [Friends of the MVT]
Ballston Convenience Store Robbery — “The female suspect entered the business, concealed merchandise and attempted to exit without payment. An employee confronted the female suspect during which the suspect physically assaulted the employee. The male suspect then approached and physically assaulted the employee before fleeing the scene on foot with the female suspect. Responding officers located the suspects in the area and took them into custody.” [ACPD]
Another Pet Urgent Care Option — “Heart + Paw, a full-service veterinary clinic, is now accepting walk-in veterinary visits for more urgent needs at its Ballston Quarter location in Arlington.” [Patch]
It’s Friday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 54 and low of 41. Sunrise at 7:24 am and sunset at 5:17 pm. [Weather.gov]
The Barcroft Apartments entrance (via Arlington County)
Crystal House (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Amazon announced yesterday (Wednesday) that it is shutting down its charitable e-commerce platform AmazonSmile, which lets customers support their favorite nonprofits while shopping.
Instead, the tech company says it will focus on areas of more “meaningful change,” chiefly, investments in affordable housing. One of the first examples it highlighted was its contributions in Arlington County, the home of its forthcoming second headquarters.
“In one year alone, our investments have been able to increase the affordable housing stock in communities like Bellevue, Washington and Arlington, Virginia by at least 20%,” it said.
That’s a fair statement, according to Arlington County.
Per a 2022 annual report on affordable housing, Arlington County had 8,650 total committed affordable units (CAFs) in the 2020 fiscal year.
“With Amazon’s support, we added 619 CAFs via Crystal House in FY21 and 1,334 CAFs via [Barcroft Apartments] in FY22, which is 1,953 total CAFs added between those two projects and a more than 20% increase over the FY20 CAF total,” says Erika Moore, a spokeswoman for the Dept. of Community Planning, Housing and Development.
In December 2021, Amazon loaned $160 million — on top of a $150 million from Arlington County — to real estate developer Jair Lynch to facilitate the purchase of the Barcroft Apartments on the condition that Jair Lynch preserve 1,334 units for affordable housing.
In January 2021, Amazon issued another loan to help the Washington Housing Conservancy purchase the Crystal House apartment complex (1900 S. Eads St) and stabilize rent at the complex, one block from Amazon’s future HQ2.
Arlington County has selected a developer to oversee the construction of 655 CAFs of infill development within the site, which would further increase the number of affordable units with ties to Amazon donations.
“We’re investing $2 billion to build and preserve affordable housing in our hometown communities,” the company said. “In just two years, we’ve provided funding to create more than 14,000 affordable homes — and we expect to build at least 6,000 more in the coming months. These units will host more than 18,000 moderate- to low-income families, many of them with children.”
The end of AmazonSmile, which the company says has not created “the impact we had originally hoped,” comes just a few days after the tech company announced it will lay off 18,000 employees. The company maintains it will still bring 25,000 jobs to its second headquarters, despite slowing growth.
Should it hit that mark, the tech and retail giant will be able to claim $550 million in state grants through 2042, and another $200 million should it hire 37,850 full-time HQ2 employees by 2035. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has proposed setting aside $78 million in the new two-year state budget to help fund the grants, the Washington Business Journal reports.
The Altaire and the Sage Modern Apartments and the ‘Teardrop Parcel’ nearby in Pentagon City (via Google Maps)
People and a dog use the green space in front of The Altaire, half of the ‘Teardrop Parcel’ set to become ‘Arlington Junction Park’ (via Google Maps)
The Sage Modern Apartments and half of the ‘Teardrop Parcel’ slated to become ‘Arlington Junction Park’ (via Google Maps)
The Sage Modern Apartments and half of the ‘Teardrop Parcel’ slated to become ‘Arlington Junction Park’ (via Google Maps)
After a few years of planning, a new public park in Pentagon City is headed to the Arlington County Board for approval.
On Saturday, the Arlington County Board is set to consider adopting some changes to land use and zoning and property lines for two patches of land known as the “Teardrop Parcel,” once intended to be used as a maintenance facility for the streetcar that never was.
The report says these changes will allow the county build the new 0.7-acre park “efficiently and as anticipated in 2023.” The planned park, to be named “Arlington Junction Park, will be located the intersection of S. Eads Street and Army Navy Drive.
“The long-term vision of the proposed park is as a green, public casual use space in a densely developed urban context, to support a welcoming, biophilic community and establish a new public space connection in Crystal City,” according to a county report.
To get started, county staff are requesting the County Board rezone the property, as the parcel’s current designation would hamper plans to install environmentally friendly 15-foot-tall “Dark Sky” pylon lights. The report suggests not moving forward with this lighting would be a nuisance and hazard to park users and nearby residents.
“Lighting designs that are Dark Sky compliant may minimize urban glare and are more environmentally sensitive. As referenced as an urban safety principle in the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), clear sightlines, landscaping and sufficient lighting can enhance park visibility and reduce crime opportunities,” the report says.
The park’s other features will include a boardwalk as well as central promenade, to be bordered by berms planted with pollinator meadows, a rain garden and trees to provide a buffer between the park and Army Navy Drive. There will be an outdoor fitness area with exercise stations, built-in benches, a “dog spot” and two lawns for gatherings.
Renderings of the new park along S. Eads Street in Crystal City (via Arlington County)
The green space is located near the Verizon telecommunications facility at 400 11th Street S. and across the street from the planned second phase of Amazon’s permanent HQ2. Two high-end apartment buildings, both constructed by developer LCOR, are close by as well: Sage Modern Apartments (480 11th Street S.), where leasing began last October, and The Altaire (400 Army Navy Drive).
Developer contributions from these two projects are funding the park’s $3 million budget.
The lighting issue is the most recent example of ways the zoning code can make it harder to develop parks, the report says. In the last few months, county staff started studying a longer-term way of simplifying this process, but are asking the County Board to approve the rezoning work-around to get started on Arlington Junction Park in the short term.
Over the course of this year, staff will explore giving the County Board authority to modify building height, setback and parking standards through use permits for county parks, per the report.
Overturned vehicle at Langston Blvd gas station (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Overturned vehicle at Langston Blvd gas station (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Overturned vehicle at Langston Blvd gas station (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Overturned vehicle at Langston Blvd gas station (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Overturned vehicle at Langston Blvd gas station (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated at 1:30 p.m.) A driver was pulled from their overturned vehicle after reportedly running into a gas pump.
The unusual incident happened shortly before 11 a.m. at the Sunoco station at 5501 Langston Blvd, across from the Lee-Harrison Shopping Center. Employees hit the emergency gas shut off after the crash, per scanner traffic.
The driver, an elderly woman, was extricated from the Chrysler coupe by firefighters after they stabilized the vehicle. She and a second vehicle occupant were transported to a local hospital via ambulance with unspecified injuries.
“At approx. 10:54am the Arlington County Fire Department was dispatched for a report of a single vehicle crash in the 5500 block of Langston Blvd,” Capt. Nate Hiner told ARLnow. “Crews arrived on scene and found a single vehicle crash with 1 occupant trapped inside. The vehicle was stabilized and the individual was extricated. Two adults were transported from the scene with non-life threatening injuries.”
There were no reports of the crash sparking a fire nor causing a significant fuel spill.
