A leasing sign for a retail space on Columbia Pike slated for redevelopment (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A scraped-off retail sign after a cabinetry store moved from Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Rappahannock Coffee and the vacant storefront next door on Columbia Pike (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Rappahannock redevelopment site (via Arlington County)
Rendering of Rappahannock development (via Arlington County)
Rappahannock development location at 2400 Columbia Pike (via Arlington County)
Construction of an approved residential development at the Rappahannock Coffee site on Columbia Pike is on hold for now.
The approved six-story, 120-unit building with ground-floor retail and underground parking would replace three one-story retail buildings and a surface parking lot on the southeast corner of the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Barton Street, at 2400 Columbia Pike.
Yao Yao, with YW Development, told ARLnow that his firm isn’t going to pursue redevelopment at this time, citing high and climbing interest rates and a generally poor economic outlook — including mixedsignals of a loomingrecession.
Instead, he is looking for a new tenant to fill the vacant retail space next to Rappahannock Coffee and Roasting and generate some income before moving forward with the project. It used to be occupied by Cabinet Era before the business moved to Falls Church.
Leasing agent Erik Ulsaker says the space will work as-is for a temporary retail concept. Any tenant would have to be okay with a termination option if, in three to four years, economic conditions improve and it comes time to build.
“This is a good space for startups, and people who want to get going on their business plans,” he said, adding that he and his business partner “welcome creative ideas,” like pop-ups.
“If it goes over well, it could be put into the development, as we’ve got 16,000 square feet of retail on the back end,” he said. “It’s a good way to test the market.”
YW Development’s proposal went before the Arlington County Board last year. It modified an existing, already-approved proposal for the site by adding 6,500 square feet, 15 residential units and 36 parking spaces while preserving existing building facades.
A representative tells ARLnow that residents may be able to start moving in this April, with interior finishing touches occurring through the summer.
“We’re in the home stretch,” says Joe Muffler, the Mid-Atlantic senior managing director of development for Mill Creek Residential. “We’re on schedule if not even slightly ahead.”
External construction will be done in the first three months of 2023 and internal finishes will be done in late summer.
Those who have driven on N. Kirkwood Road recently may have noticed people in orange vests conducting traffic and replacing asphalt, known as mill and overlay.
“We did the mill and overlay last week, and we’re working with utilities and utility connections, doing streetscape elements,” Muffler said. “That’s the big stuff right now.”
“The puzzle is not complete until YMCA advances. We’ve constructed an alley on the north side and a pedestrian alley on the west side,” Muffler said. “Eventually those will connect… those are streets the county will have for pedestrian and vehicular traffic.”
The multimodal path through the developments in the block bounded by Washington Blvd and N. Kirkwood Road (via Arlington County, edited by ARLnow)
After dealing with the “continuous challenge” of supply chain and labor shortage issues, Mill Creek Residential is “excited to bring more people to the neighborhood starting early next year,” Muffler said.
Heaters in front of the Rosslyn Christmas tree (Flickr pool photo by Jeff Vincent)
Closed Cafe’s Investment Intrigue — “Former Rāko Coffee partners and even the co-founders are owed significant sums of money by the investors, who are based in Dubai… Murtha and Jain had a national vision for Rāko and wanted to aggressively expand the business, according to former leaders of the company who spoke with Huddle. They ousted Gerban, who co-founded the brand with her sister, from leadership and cut her out of discussions of the business expansion.” [Politico]
Copious Christmas Decor No More — “Calvin and Elinor Marcey have been decorating their home at 1610 North Abingdon Street, in Arlington, Virginia, since 1969. It’s one of those houses that people talk about and want to see every Christmas… Visitors learned things were changing from a framed letter the Marcey couple left on a table on their porch next to a train set and a red stocking. In it, Calvin Marcey explains this will be the last year for their renowned display because he needs to focus his attention on his wife’s care.” [WTOP]
Remembering the Westover Star — “Then in 1957 church member Henry McCloud, who owned a construction company, upped the ante to make the star more impressively visible. At a sheet metal shop in Franconia, he fabricated a 60-foot steel tower. It was trucked over on a double trailer with cranes to be installed on Trinity’s six-acre, 100 feet-high hill, lifted, via a winch and cable, onto a poured concrete foundation. From then on, the annual installation of the star could be accomplished in just three hours.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Beer Truck Crash Last Week — “A box truck from beer and wine distributor… hopped a Jersey wall on the outbound 14th Street Bridge in D.C. just before 3 a.m. Friday. The crash comes on a day that is heavily traveled as people make their way in and out of town for the Christmas holiday.” [WTOP]
Wild Windy DCA Landings — From WJLA’s Steve Rudin: “Landing was a bit of an adventure @Reagan_Airport Friday.” [Twitter]
It’s Tuesday — Sunny throughout the day. High of 39 and low of 23. Sunrise at 7:27 am and sunset at 4:54 pm. [Weather.gov]
Serious crash near Langston Blvd and N. Harrison Street (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Serious crash near Langston Blvd and N. Harrison Street (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Serious crash near Langston Blvd and N. Harrison Street (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Aftermath of serious crash near Langston Blvd and N. Harrison Street (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated on 12/24/22) A serious crash blocked Langston Blvd at the intersection with N. Harrison Street.
Dispatchers received numerous calls about a head-on crash at the intersection around 2:15 p.m., according to scanner traffic. One driver was reported to be unconscious and in critical condition, though it was not immediately clear whether that was from the crash itself or a medical emergency.
The intersection, adjacent to the busy Lee-Harrison Shopping Center, was closed while police investigate and document the scene. It reopened around 4 p.m.
On Saturday, Arlington County police confirmed that a driver, age 84, suffered a medical emergency and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. From ACPD:
The Arlington County Police Department is conducting a death investigation after a driver suffered an apparent medical emergency on Friday, December 23.
At approximately 2:12 p.m. on December 23, police were dispatched to the report of a crash with unknown conditions at the intersection of Langston Boulevard and N. Harrison Street. Upon arrival, officers located the two-involved vehicles in the westbound lanes of Langston Boulevard.
The preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the striking vehicle was traveling eastbound on Langston Boulevard when he suffered an apparent medical emergency before continuing into the westbound lanes of traffic and striking the other vehicle. Medics performed lifesaving measures before transporting the driver of the striking vehicle, an 84-year-old male, to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. No other injuries were reported. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine cause and manner of death.
This remains an active investigation. Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Tip Line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously to Arlington County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
Power outage in Arlington as of 10 a.m. (via Dominion)
Update at 3:05 p.m. — Numerous small, scattered outages have been reported around Arlington. The number of Dominion customers in the dark is now down to just over 800, with the larger earlier outage since largely resolved.
Earlier: Today’s frigid wind storm is just getting underway — complete with a recent bout of snow flurries — but many are already without power in Arlington.
As of 10 a.m., more than 1,500 Dominion customers are in the cold, according to the power company’s website.
The following outages were reported on Dominion’s map.
718 customers, in Penrose and Lyon Park
715 customers, between Ballston and Westover
114 customers, in Glebewood
At least two smaller outages in Bellevue Forest and Ashton Heights
The Penrose outage has closed Arlington’s Dept. of Human Services offices at Sequoia Plaza, the county announced this morning.
DHS is closed today. Due to a power outage at Sequoia Plaza, Dept. of Human Services offices are closed today. Client appts will be rescheduled. Sorry for the inconvenience. @ArlingtonVA
— Arlington County Department of Human Services (@ArlingtonDHS) December 23, 2022
“Dominion Energy continues to closely monitor the extremely cold, windy weather and its potential to impact our Virginia and North Carolina service territory,” the company said in a statement today. “Our crews are positioned and ready to respond to any damage or power outages that may be caused as a result of the ice storm.”
“If you experience a power outage, please make sure you report it to Dominion Energy immediately,” the company added. “Please stay at least 30 feet away from all downed wires and damaged equipment. If you need to report an emergency or a downed wire, please call us at 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357)… We appreciate your patience.”
Rain and umbrellas in Shirlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Car Thefts in East Falls Church — “The reporting party had returned to their vehicle and found the door ajar, the vehicle rummaged through and personal items stolen. During the course of the investigation, it was discovered eight additional vehicles had been rummaged through with no items reported stolen, one vehicle had a window damaged and one vehicle was reported stolen.” [ACPD]
Reflecting on Arlington’s HQ Wins — “Both moves have a symbolic feel given no large staff changes or office expansions coincided with either, but the cachet it delivers for the region as the premier place for contractors can have a ‘broader multiplier effect,’ luring more employers in the defense industry supply chain, according to Jack McDougle, CEO of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. McDougle said at the time he sees the Raytheon and Boeing moves as a sign the D.C. region is ‘starting to really come into our own’ as a tech startup region.” [Washington Business Journal]
Med Device Startup Growing — “Arlington’s OxiWear Inc. is shipping the first batches of its wearable oxygen-monitoring product to consumers and fitness-related companies, and raising millions in new funding — all with an eye toward achieving its ultimate goal: a go-ahead from regulators to market the product as a medical device. The med-tech startup, whose earpiece monitors blood-oxygen levels and alerts the wearer when they drop, expects to generate $3.5 million in revenue in 2023.” [Washington Business Journal]
Incident Outside of Hospital — From Dave Statter: “A rush hour drama for commuters at 8:30 am on N. George Mason at Virginia Hospital Center. Initial reports a man made threats & claimed to be armed. He tripped running from @ArlingtonVaPD & was detained.” [Twitter]
How to Get Rid of a VCR — From Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: “‘I’m sorry I ruined your lives and crammed 11 cookies into the VCR.’ How to dispose of a VCR properly in Arlington.” [Twitter]
Drive Sober, Stay Safe — From Arlington County: “1 in 5 fatal or severe crashes in Arlington involve alcohol. Make plans to get home safely after celebrating the holidays. Learn more about the County’s Vision Zero Program…” [Twitter]
It’s Friday — Rain in the morning, then windy and turning bitterly cold. High of 51 and low of 15. Sunrise at 7:26 am and sunset at 4:52 pm. [Weather.gov]
Protesters at 2100 Clarendon Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The Arlington County Sheriff’s Office, which runs the county jail, will be ending voluntary cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In a letter to local activists and lawyers, Sheriff Beth Arthur said she will be updating ASCO policy regarding undocumented people after consulting with her attorney.
“The ASCO will no longer recognize any ‘voluntary action’ requests from ICE nor place the information in our records management system,” she said. “The sheriff’s office will no longer contact ICE for any releases from our facility, to include felony charges.”
The Sheriff’s Office will however “continue to follow state code and submit any required information to ICE and the Virginia State Compensation Board” and “continue to honor any judicially signed warrants from ICE, which will be treated like any other detainer,” the letter says.
“While there is more work to do to achieve all possible protections for people at risk of criminalization at the county level, this is a major win for Arlington County migrant communities,” they said. “We hope that this ongoing community effort will be a model for an ‘Arlington way’ where the people, particularly those who are most harmed by state violence in its different forms, are part of decision-making and leading changes toward truly just, safe and strong communities.”
The move comes after the Arlington County Board approved a “Trust Policy” limiting police cooperation with ICE this summer.
As part of the policy, the County Attorney will review relevant warrants, court orders and subpoenas received by county government offices, other than the police department, to determine if compliance with the federal immigration agency is required.
Officers can only notify ICE with approval from an on-duty watch commander or a supervisor ranked lieutenant or above. Cases must involve an undocumented immigrant who has committed a felony or has been deported before, or someone who was arrested on a violent felony, street gang offenses or a non-violent felony with a community safety, terrorism or human trafficking threat.
Violations of the policy will be investigated by the county or in the case of police, by the Community Oversight Board. Findings will go to the County Board.
At the time, activists criticized the policy for not requiring ASCO to stop notifying ICE when undocumented immigrants are released from jail, which they said led to “a breakdown of trust” in the migrant community.
Well look what we have here—the Arlington Sheriff ends its voluntary cooperation with ICE, which led to so many unjust detentions and deportations. Big ups to @LaColectiVA703@LegalAidJustice@NLGnews and all the other advocates who made this happen. Incredible! pic.twitter.com/PZX5Aw6pUT
Now, Arthur says the forthcoming changes respond to the “impactful experiences that individuals and families in the community have had to face regarding ICE interactions.”
“I am extremely passionate about my role as Sheriff which includes ensuring the safety and security of the individuals in our custody as well as the citizens of Arlington County,” she said. “I pride myself on making informed decisions that benefit the communities I represent, which has led me to making the changes noted above.”
On Monday, a day before the date on Arthur’s letter, emails between members of the Arlington County Board and Legal Aid Policy regarding the decision to end ICE collaboration were reprinted in the conservative news site Breitbart.
Per the site, the emails — obtained by the conservative nonprofit Immigration Reform Law Institute — reveal “the extent to which Arlington County Board members are working hand-in-hand with activists from the Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC) to protect illegal aliens arrested for crimes from being turned over to [ICE] agents.”
Per the county’s 2022 budget, $25,000 would go to LAJC for offer legal aid and information to “help low-income immigrant workers and their families build assets and increase self-sufficiency.”
A wet and gray morning in Shirlington, with the Christmas tree up (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police Recruits Graduate — “The Arlington County Police Department is committed to recruiting individuals from all backgrounds who possess the necessary qualifications to serve our diverse and inclusive community. Session 147 reflects this commitment and consists of nine men and five women. They hail from six different states, Costa Rica, Nepal and England. Thirteen of the officers hold higher education degrees, including two with advanced degrees. Two officers are military veterans, having served in the United States Army. Session 147 includes officers fluent in Spanish, Nepali and American Sign Language.” [ACPD]
Vacuum Leaf Collection Ends — From Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: “Crews have wrapped up scheduled leaf vacuuming across Arlington. Still raking? Use the green cart (also for food scraps) and paper bags for year-round weekly curbside pick-up. Plastic bags can’t be composted/collected.” [Twitter]
Large Water Main Break — Also from DES: “Emergency Water Main Repairs: Crew working on 12-inch main at 1301 South Arlington Ridge Road. Some 300 customers could be affected. Estimated time for completion: 12/22/2022 12:30 AM. Traffic diverted around work site.” [Twitter]
County Releases Annual Report — “Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz today announced the publication of the 2022 Annual Report. This report highlights the accomplishments of the County, and its personnel, throughout the year in support of our key initiatives including COVID-19 response, equity in Arlington, housing and more.” [Arlington County]
Refinancing for Local Apartments — ‘Eastern Union, one of the country’s largest commercial real estate finance companies, has arranged the $39,723,000 refinancing of Washington & Lee Apartments, a 369-unit multifamily complex in Arlington, VA… Washington & Lee Apartments comprise 61 three-story, garden-style apartment buildings representing 313,578 rentable square feet. Built in 1948, it is located at 2200 North 2nd Street.” [Yahoo]
It’s Wednesday — Rain throughout the day. High of 57 and low of 35. Sunrise at 7:25 am and sunset at 4:51 pm. [Weather.gov]
Cherry blossoms near the Memorial Bridge and the Rosslyn skyline in March 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington is the second-happiest place in the U.S., according to a new study.
The website SmartAsset ranked Arlington No. 2 on its new list of “Where Americans Are Happiest.” The county is second only to the Bay Area city of Sunnyvale, California, and ranks just ahead of Bellevue, Washington, which also happens to have a major Amazon office presence.
Arlington received high marks for its affluence, health and general quality of live.
While Arlington, Virginia ranks in the top seven across all three categories measured (personal finances, well-being and quality of life), the city ranks highest in the former. Specifically, roughly 48% of Arlington’s residents earn $100,000 or more (No. 5). Additionally, living costs make up less than 35% of the median household income (No. 6). The county in which Arlington is located also has the lowest amount of personal bankruptcy filings.
SmartAsset notes that the county stands out from other places in the top 10 in one notable way.
“Residents who’ve said ‘I do’ make up the majority of the population in all but one city: Arlington, Virginia, where the marriage rate is 44.0%,” the financial site wrote. “Frisco, Texas, which ranks No. 5 overall, has the highest marriage rate study-wide (62.6%).”
The top 10 happiest places in the country, according to SmartAsset, are listed below.
Sunnyvale, CA
Arlington, VA
Bellevue, WA
Fremont, CA
Frisco, TX
Plano, TX
Roseville, CA
San Jose, CA
Santa Clarita, CA
Irvine, CA
Location of happiest U.S. cities, according to new rankings (image via SmartAsset)
Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington County Board vice-chair Christian Dorsey says he will not seek reelection next year.
He released the following statement to ARLnow this morning.
Now that the County Board has concluded its meetings for 2022, I am ready to turn my attention to 2023 and have decided that I will not seek re-election to the County Board.
It has been my distinct honor to have represented and served this community as a Board Member since 2016. Together, we have navigated tough times and advanced key priorities and initiatives that have made Arlington stronger, and I look forward to continuing that work in the year ahead while welcoming new leaders for 2024 and beyond.
Dorsey, the Board’s lone Black member, declined to answer additional questions about his decision “at this time.”
“We can wait a bit on the reflections,” he said. “Much work still to do.”
His official county biography lists some of his accomplishments during his time on the Board.
During his tenure as Chair, Mr. Dorsey guided the Board’s adoption of: the Vision Zero transportation safety plan, the update to the Public Spaces Master Plan, the update to the Community Energy Plan, the renaming of Route 1 to Richmond Highway, the economic performance agreement and land use entitlements for Amazon’s headquarters in Arlington, principles of collaboration with the City of Alexandria on joint efforts to ensure inclusive growth with expected economic development, and an Equity Resolution that detailed the scope of work in Arlington’s mission to realize racial and social equity.
Christian is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), where he has represented Arlington since 2016. Previously, Mr. Dorsey served as Arlington’s Member on the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) in 2019 and 2021. Additionally, Christian served as a Principal Member of the Board of Directors for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, aka Metro, and as a Commissioner on the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission from 2016-2020.
In 2022, Christian is serving as the County Board liaison to the Civilian Oversight Board, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Human Rights Commission, the Neighborhood Complete Streets Commission, the Sports Commission and Aquatics Committee, the Emergency Preparedness Advisory Commission, the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission, the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center, the Clarendon Alliance, the Arlington County Fair Board, and the Rosslyn BID. Christian is also Co-Chair of the County Board’s Audit Committee.
Outside of public service, Mr. Dorsey engages as a policy and communications consultant supporting progressive organizations in realizing their missions. Prior to joining the Board, Christian was a senior leader at the Economic Policy Institute, a think tank that promotes economic policies that foster broadly shared prosperity.
Dorsey’s decision sets up a Democratic primary in June for two open Board seats. The primary will, for the first time in an Arlington County-run election, feature ranked choice voting.
A colorful, holiday-themed wiener dog along Columbia Pike (photo courtesy John Antonelli)
Long Bridge Pool Closed — “Due to an unanticipated maintenance issue and, out of an abundance of caution, Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation has temporarily closed the 50-meter competition pool at Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience as we work to re-open the 50-meter pool as soon as possible. The leisure pool and all other amenities at the center are available.” [Arlington County]
New Historic Preservation Fund — “It’s full steam ahead for the Arlington County government’s efforts to establish a new funding pot for community-based historic-preservation projects. County Board members on Dec. 17 formalized guidelines and other paperwork related to the new Historic Preservation Fund, which was created last spring with a $150,000 infusion of taxpayer cash.” [Sun Gazette]
Ranked Choice Approved — “The Arlington County Board has officially approved a trial run of ranked choice voting in a local primary election next year, becoming the first locality in Virginia to adopt the voting method… The Board approved the measure unanimously on Saturday, following a public hearing in November where members indicated that they would endorse the plan.” [DCist]
It’s Wednesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 41 and low of 28. Sunrise at 7:25 am and sunset at 4:51 pm. [Weather.gov]
