News

An Ohio museum wants to give away spare pieces of a house it owns, but needs Arlington’s permission

By Jo DeVoe
1/6

A museum in Columbus, Ohio has a piece of post-World War II Arlington history.

Technically, more than one piece — almost an entire enameled steel, prefabricated two-bedroom, one-bathroom house that originally stood in the Columbia Forest neighborhood. In 2011, Arlington County donated the home, a prefabricated steel Lustron house, to the Ohio History Connection (OHC).

Eight years after the museum rebuilt the house and put it on public display, it is looking to get rid of some parts it did not end up incorporating, like a bathroom vanity, trusses and a heating unit, per a county report. It’s offering first dibs to the Arlington County Board, which it has to do, per the terms of the donation a decade ago.

County staff recommend the Board refuse the offer, arguing that the museum is in a better position to place these pieces with other Lustron homeowners, who are mostly in the Midwest. Plus, staff say, the county already has some panelling salvaged from other Lustron homes.

“The proximity of the OHC to a robust network of Lustron Homes and owners in Ohio and beyond provides a better-suited opportunity for these historic items to be feasibly reused,” per a county report.

Arlington County had struggled for years to figure out what to do with this home, which came into its possession about 15 years ago.

Advertised as “the house America is talking about,” several thousand Lustron houses were produced between 1948-1950. Eleven were built in Arlington, giving the county the distinction of having the largest quantity in the D.C. area, per a 2006 board report.

Due to their small size and unusual construction, they “are are at great risk for demolition and are becoming increasingly rare,” according to the report.

By 2005, only six remained in Arlington — and the one in the best condition was Clifford Krowne’s 1,805-square-foot “Westchester Deluxe 02” model in “dove gray.” That year, he told the county he intended to raze the home and redevelop his property, but he offered to delay those plans if the county wanted to preserve the house but put it somewhere else.

The county agreed to pay $18,500 to have a contractor disassemble it. Plans to reassemble it in the Arlington Heights neighborhood never transpired, so it sat in storage in Chantilly, costing the county $4,800 a year, for five years, save for a brief moment of celebrity in New York City’s Museum of Modern Art.

Then, staff found a recipient: the Ohio history society.

“Though the OHC maintains the official Lustron corporate archives in its collection, the organization did not yet own an actual Lustron Home,” according to the 2022 board report. “The OHC agreed to assume all associated costs for shipping the house from Chantilly to Columbus and was eager to use the home for educational and interpretive purposes.”

If the County Board approves the refusal, the last pieces of Arlington’s post-World War II history will go to Lustron homeowners whose homes remain a testament to everything prefabricated homes represented.

“The design and manufacture of Lustrons aimed not just to satisfy an overwhelming and immediate need for affordable housing, but to raise the quality of living for middle-class Americans,” according to the county report. “Lustrons were ingenious not only in their materials, but also for their open floor plan, space-saving built-in cabinetry, and maintenance-free and fireproof all steel construction.”

The Arlington Historical Society is separately in talks with the Ohio museum about taking some pieces, the County Board report notes.

NEW: Firefighters battle overnight fire at church near Ballston

By ARLnow.com
1/3

There was a fire early this morning at Mt. Olivet Methodist Church, the oldest church site in continuous use in Arlington.

The fire broke out at the church, located at 1500 N. Glebe Road near Ballston, before 3 a.m. and prompted a two-alarm response. Flames could be seen coming from the roof of the building, according to scanner traffic.

“The fire began in the attic above the music and education wing. Thankfully no one was in the building and there are no injuries,” the church said in an update posted by its pastor this morning. “There is likely extensive smoke and water damage to that part of the building. The sanctuary and preschool wings were not harmed.”

Sunday morning worship will not be held in the building but the church says it is working on an alternate plan.

The Arlington County Fire Department is currently investigating the cause of the blaze, which was extinguished by firefighters before it could spread to other parts of the building.

The full update from the church is below.

Dear Mount Olivet Family,

You have likely heard the news of a fire at Mount Olivet early this morning, Friday, October 14.

The fire began in the attic above the music and education wing. Thankfully no one was in the building and there are no injuries.

Thanks to many fire fighters and first responders from Arlington, Fairfax, and Falls Church, the fire has been extinguished.

There is likely extensive smoke and water damage to that part of the building. The sanctuary and preschool wings were not harmed.

Due to the ongoing nature of this situation, we will not be able to hold worship in our building this Sunday morning. Once we know what our plan will be for Sunday morning worship and beyond, we will let you know!

Currently, the building is not secure and the fire investigation is on going. Please do not enter the building until further notice.

We are beyond grateful that no one was injured and this was no worse than it is, but we still ask that you be in prayer for our community, clergy, and staff as we navigate the following days and weeks.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Sara

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A crew boat passes by Rosslyn along the Potomac River (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Bus Stop Crowding Concerns — “Dozens of parents in Arlington County, Virginia, are worried their children’s bus stop is an accident waiting to happen. Nearly 100 elementary-age students converge on a single bus stop each day along Columbia Pike, many guided by parents who are worried about their young kids near the busy road.” [NBC 4]

New Boosters Available for Kids — From Arlington County: “Updated bivalent COVID-19 boosters are now available for 5-11 year-olds — find a location near you at http://vaccines.gov. Check back next week for availability at the Arlington County Public Health clinic.” [Twitter]

Another Gun Nabbed at DCA — “On Wednesday, a Fauquier County man was prevented by TSA officers from bringing a 9mm gun loaded with eight bullets, including one in the chamber, onto a flight at Reagan National Airport. The loaded gun was detected among the man’s carry-on items.” [Patch]

Realtors Predict Softer Market — “We won’t have the same wild bidding wars as before and there won’t be those huge price surges of homes we had in 2020 and 2021. We will have a typical winter slowdown with fewer homes on the market and fewer buyers. Higher interest rates will dampen the chance for people to buy.” [Sun Gazette]

Pentagon Row Night Market — “A night market featuring some of DC’s top Asian and Asian-American chefs is coming to Arlington on Saturday, October 15. Chefs Kevin Tien (Hot Lola’s, Moon Rabbit) and Tim Ma (Lucky Danger) have assembled a lineup of industry friends and peers for the mini-food festival at Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row). Partial proceeds will benefit their anti-Asian racism organization, Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate.” [Washingtonian]

Scholarship for MU Student — “When Marymount University senior Emma Naing was selected in July to receive a $10,000 scholarship from the Network of Executive Women In Hospitality’s Washington, D.C., Metropolitan chapter, she felt both excitement and relief… Naing grew up in Myanmar, and originally studied interior design at LaSalle College of the Arts in Singapore before furthering her education in the U.S.” [Marymount University]

When Happiness Peaks in Va. — “Mixbook… took a deeper look to understand better when the average American believed they had attained peak life satisfaction — happiness with the trajectory of their lives, jobs, friends, family, and relationships. They surveyed 3,442 respondents aged 65 and over, discovering that the average Virginian finds their peak life satisfaction at the age of 43. This is compared to a national average of age 44.” [Mixbook]

It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 65 and low of 48. Sunrise at 7:18 am and sunset at 6:33 pm. [Weather.gov]

Arlington asks: should Covid-era outdoor dining be a permanent fixture?

By Jo DeVoe

Arlington County is asking locals if they like Covid-era outdoor dining and want it to stay post-pandemic.

One central question in a recently-posted survey is where permanent outdoor dining areas would go. Top contenders appear to be streets, parking spaces and parking lots, according to the survey, which asks respondents if they’re comfortable ceding some parking to outdoor dining experiences.

This feedback form, available online through Friday, Oct. 28, is part of Arlington’s Future of Outdoor Dining Study — appropriately dubbed the “FOOD Study.” The study, first discussed last fall, is the latest step forward for the open-air eating movement, which gained traction during the pandemic.

“The FOOD Study will look at lessons learned from [temporary outdoor restaurant seating areas] and identify recommended amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Outdoor Café Guidelines to strike an appropriate balance between commercial resiliency and public and community interest,” the webpage said.

In 2020, the Arlington County Board approved a temporary way for restaurants to circumvent the normally lengthy bureaucratic process for getting an outdoor dining permit. Many restaurants debuted these Temporary Outdoor Seating Areas (TOSAs) to make up for lost revenue due to social distancing requirements and diners skittish of indoor spaces, giving guests an arguably safer dining experience in the process.

Since then, the County Board has expanded and molded the ordinance to changing circumstances.

In December, the Board granted restaurant and bar owners the ability to set up TOSAs in common areas, such as plazas. When capacity restrictions were lifted in the spring of 2021, the County Board gave restaurants a way to request temporary certificates of occupancy for their TOSAs so they could operate the seating areas while operating at full capacity indoors.

Now, the county is examining whether it should allow local restaurants to expand their outdoor dining areas on both private and public property permanently, according to the county website.

For instance, the study will look at how much private parking space and public right-of-way cafés should take up, and whether those on private property could continue operating with administrative approval, while those operating in public spaces would need County Board approval.

“Given the public interest, outdoor cafés in public rights-of-way generally face stricter requirements,” the website says. “This approach helps ensure sidewalks continue to serve mobility needs of the public or recreation needs of those enjoying public spaces and aims to protect other community interests and avoid adverse impacts.”

Permanent outdoor dining areas may end up in competition with another in-demand amenity: private parking provided by the restaurant. Currently, county zoning ordinances require one parking space for every six seats in restaurants that are more than 1,000 feet from a Metro station.

A dent in parking might not impact the majority of TOSAs, many of which are concentrated in Metro-accessible areas, such as the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and in Crystal City and Pentagon City, per a map of existing TOSA locations.

A map of temporary outdoor seating areas (TOSAs) (via Arlington County)

But parking spaces have enough potential that the survey asks respondents what safety features would encourage them to eat in street parking zones or in a parking lot, such as traffic barriers, planters, reflective features and tents.

(more…)

After crash, neighbors again concerned about intersection near Lubber Run Community Center

By Matt Blitz
N. Park Drive and N. George Mason Drive intersection near Lubber Run Community Center (image via Google Maps)

(Updated, 4:55 p.m.) A recent crash has renewed concerns about an intersection near the year-old Lubber Run Community Center.

For years, the intersection of N. Park Drive and N. George Mason Drive in the Arlington Forest neighborhood has been a source of worry for neighbors. The mix of speeding, four lanes, and a lack of a traffic signal have resulted in too many vehicle crashes, residents told ARLnow.

There have been 19 crashes at the intersection dating back to 2017, per data provided to ARLnow by the county’s Department of Environmental Services (DES). That includes one pedestrian-involved crash in 2018. None of the crashes resulted “in severe injury,” DES said.

A crash near the intersection of N. Park Drive and N. George Mason Drive (photo courtesy of David Hartogs)

But since the new Lubber Run Community Center opened in July 2021, the problem has only gotten worse. Nearly half of those crashes have happened in just the past 19 months, statistics from the Arlington County Police Department show.

That includes another crash earlier this week.

The county did add Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at the intersection in late 2020 as part of a transportation study related to the community center project.

“The intersection so far has not been identified as part of the Vision Zero High-Injury Network corridor or Hot Spot program,” DES said.

But this has not alleviated neighbors’ concerns. There’s a considerable worry that with increased pedestrian traffic, plus with Barrett Elementary School also nearby, it’s just a matter of time before a driver hits another pedestrian.

In other parts of the county, preventing pedestrian and bicyclists-involved crashes has been a significant ongoing concern amid a continued series of tragedies.

David Hartogs, who has lived in the townhomes across the street since 2005, told ARLnow he’s witnessed a “handful of crashes” and has heard at least another dozen at the intersection just over the last few years.

He recounted several of the crashes that stick in his mind most to ARLnow, including a car jumping a curb last spring, two accidents that resulted in vehicles ending up in the woods, and even a school bus “brushing” a motorcycle last November.

A school bus “brushing” a motorcycle at the intersection of N. Park Drive and N. George Mason Drive (photo courtesy of David Hartogs)

Earlier this week, Hartogs saw another crash and tweeted about his concern. As he noted on social media, he believes that there needs to be a traffic signal at that intersection and not just an RRFB.

He walks his kids to school and often thinks about their safety crossing that intersection.

(more…)

NEW: Huge Hilton hotel coming to new Rosslyn development

By ARLnow.com
Ground floor of the planned Hilton hotel in Rosslyn (courtesy Hilton)

A 36-story, 331-room “state of the art” Hilton hotel is coming to Rosslyn.

The hospitality giant this morning announced the signing of an agreement to operate the high-rise hotel on the former Holiday Inn site. With rooms overlooking D.C. and the Potomac River, the hotel will also feature a rooftop event space and 28,000 square feet of meeting space.

More from a press release:

Today, Hilton announces the signing of Hilton at The Key, Arlington-Rosslyn, providing even more options to travelers looking for a state of the art, full-service hotel just minutes from Washington, D.C. Located at the foot of the Potomac River’s historic Francis Scott Key Bridge in Arlington, Virginia, the 36-story, 331-room property is surrounded by numerous corporate headquarters based in Rosslyn’s business district and minutes from the 11-acre riverfront Fort Bennett Park and Palisades Trail.

The modern hotel is under development as part of The Key, a project that includes a destination restaurant, street-level retail, and 517 luxury apartments with panoramas of the water and the nation’s capital. Once completed, Hilton at The Key will feature approximately 28,000 square feet of flexible and modern meeting spaces, including an event space on the 36th floor with sweeping 360-degree views of the Washington, D.C., skyline, the Potomac River and Arlington, Virginia.

“Dittmar Company is proud to partner with Hilton as we bring a true destination meeting and event facility to Arlington, Virginia, and the surrounding DMV area,” said Greg Raines, an executive at Dittmar Company.

The 18-story, 50-year-old Holiday Inn was imploded two years ago to make way for the massive new development, which has since been dubbed The Key. A construction update last month noted that crews were preparing to pour concrete for the tenth floor of the building.

Implosion of the Rosslyn Holiday Inn hotel in Dec. 2020

The development’s 500+ unit rental apartment building has been christened “Rosslyn Towers.”

“Rosslyn Towers is the latest in the Dittmar Company portfolio of Arlington Luxury Multi-Family deliveries,” says The Key’s website. “The residences will have first class finishes to rival the unmatched location and views present at this iconic location.”

The apartment’s “uplifting live/work/play environment” will feature “an amenity package that is second to none.”

(more…)

Covid still on the decline in Arlington, for now

By ARLnow.com
Covid cases in Arlington as of 10/13/22 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

Arlington’s Covid test positivity rate dipped below 10% earlier this month, for the first time since April.

That’s according to the latest data from the Virginia Dept. of Health, which is currently reporting a seven-day moving average of about 30 cases per day in the county, down from 200 daily cases in late May.

Arlington remains roughly in the middle of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s case range for a “low” Covid rate, at just over 100 cases per week per 100,000 in population. The CDC is reporting about five Covid-related hospital admissions per week per 100,000 people in the county.

Covid test positivity rate in Arlington as of 10/13/22 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

The relative lull in cases comes as the U.S. healthcare system braces for a sharp rise in Covid and flu cases this winter.

From NPR earlier this morning:

The U.S. should prepare for a spike in COVID cases this winter as more people gather indoors and infections already begin to rise in Europe, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha says.

The warning echoes that of some other experts who anticipate a rise in cases in the coming months, while other modelling suggests that infections will recede in the near future.

“We are seeing this increase in Europe, and Europe tends to precede us by about four to six weeks,” Jha told NPR. “And so it stands to reason that as we get into November, December, maybe January, we are going to see an increase in infections across much of the country.”

“I’m pretty worried about what the ER will look like this winter,” Virginia Hospital Center emergency department chair Mike Silverman wrote in his latest weekly Facebook post. “It’s always busier in the winter than the summer. Our weekly volume is currently higher than our pre-pandemic volume and we’re starting to see an increase in the [number of] patients presenting with respiratory illnesses.”

Some experts are predicting a more modest Covid surge this winter, owing in part to greater natural immunity in the population in addition to the new bivalent vaccine booster shots that are intended to better target the Omicron variant.

But even if Covid does not spike to the levels of past winters, the flu and other respiratory viruses are likely to keep hospitals and other healthcare providers busy.

“If you go around the nation and ask hospitals how busy they are, every single one of them will tell you: They’re busy,” Dr. Carlos del Rio of Atlanta’s Emory University School of Medicine told NBC News.

JBG Smith asks for more time to negotiate lease for Crystal City library

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

JBG Smith is asking the Arlington County Board for more time to negotiate a lease with the county for a library inside one of its new buildings.

In May 2021, the Arlington County Board approved JBG Smith’s plans to replace Crystal Plaza One (2050 and 2051 S. Bell Street) with two multifamily towers, an “East” and “West” tower, and shift S. Clark Street to the east to create a new S. Clark-Bell Street.

As part of a residential redevelopment project, JBG Smith agreed to financially support a new 7,200-square-foot library branch located in an existing building at 1901 S. Bell Street.

As of now, the developer is predicting it will not make a deadline set as part of conditions for its redevelopment, according to a county report. The conditions require the lease for the library space to be executed when a specific building permit, known as a footing-to-grade permit, is issued as construction progresses at the Crystal Plaza One site.

According to the report, JBG Smith and the county “have been diligently working to complete the lease agreement,” but they won’t be ready before construction reaches the footing-to-grade milestone.

“The result would potentially cause a work stoppage and prolong the construction timeline,” the report says. “To prevent construction delays and allow more time to complete the lease agreement, the applicant proposes to move the deadline for lease execution back to the final building permit for the second building (West Tower). This would provide approximately five months of additional time to complete the lease execution.”

County staff recommend requiring the lease to be executed when the final building permit for the second building is issued, or by April 1, 2023, whichever occurs first.

Additionally, JBG Smith has agreed to revised conditions ensuring it will begin contributing payments for the library’s operations before the footing-to-grade permit is issued.

JBG Smith previously agreed to contribute $250,000 per year, for five years, for a total of $1.25 million, beginning concurrent with the lease execution, per the report. These revisions will allow the payments to begin while the lease is being finalized.

Currently, people who live and work in the area have to cross busy Route 1 to reach the nearest library, the Aurora Hills branch located a few blocks from the Pentagon City mall. Previously, Crystal City residents also had access to a temporary, “pop-up” library.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rainy day in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

New Amazon Skills Center — “Amazon’s cloud computing arm will open a training facility in Arlington’s Crystal City neighborhood this month, the company said, part of its effort to engage with area residents and expand the local tech workforce as it builds a new headquarters nearby.” [Washington Post, Amazon, WJLA]

Deputy Mayor Out After Alleged Assault — “Chris Geldart is out as D.C.’s deputy mayor for public safety and justice after a personal trainer alleged in a criminal complaint that the city official assaulted him and questions emerged over whether he was violating the requirement that cabinet members reside within city limits.” [Washington Post]

Weak Earthquake Shakes Region — “A tiny earthquake struck near the town of Sykesville, in northern Maryland, on Tuesday night. The tremor was centered about 20 miles west of Baltimore and 30 miles north of Washington. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the weak quake was rated magnitude 2, and that it occurred at a depth of 3.1 miles. Hundreds of people reported feeling the earthquake, which struck at 11:49 p.m.” [Capital Weather Gang]

Real Estate Appeal ‘Deluge’ –“A deluge of appeals and a county-staffing shortage will require the Arlington County Board to extend the term of the Board of Equalization of Real Estate Appeals by two weeks. Under a county ordinance, the panel can hear appeals of real-estate assessments through Oct. 31, when its authority ceases. But county officials acknowledge there is little chance the body will be able to work its way through remaining cases by then.” [Sun Gazette]

GW Parkway Crash — “ACFD responding to a three vehicle crash on the GW Parkway near the exit to the airport. Reports of one vehicle overturned but everyone out of the vehicle and only minor injuries.” The crash appears to have taken place in a work zone. [Twitter]

Office Tenant Moving to Shirlington — “Federal Realty Investment Trust announces newly signed Washington Workplace to its recently renovated The Offices at The Village at Shirlington (The Offices), located at 2700 South Quincy Street in Arlington, Virginia. Washington Workplace will relocate from 2300 South Ninth Street in the Penrose community of Arlington into a 2,200-square-foot space on December 1.” [Press Release]

County Combating Opioid Crisis — “It may be a case of swimming upstream against a national tsunami, but Arlington officials said collaborative efforts are paying dividends in trying to stem the impact of opioid addiction in the community. ‘This is in fact a crisis, but we as a community are addressing it,’ said Suzanne Somerville of the county government’s Department of Human Services, who spoke at the annual meeting of Arlington County Crime Solvers, held Oct. 6 in Shirlington.” [InsideNova]

F.C. OKs Tax Dollars for Movie Theater — “Lawmakers in Falls Church voted Tuesday night to approve a deal that would grant up to half a million dollars in tax revenue each year for a long-awaited movie theater in this tiny Northern Virginia suburb. The unusual economic-incentives deal had been subject to criticism from some residents and city leaders who questioned whether funding a movie theater was an appropriate use of city money.” [Washington Post]

Cider Fest Moved Indoors — “Join us at tomorrow’s Rosslyn Cider Fest! The event has been moved to @TheViewofDC, entrance right at Central Place Plaza, due to weather forecast.” [Twitter]

It’s Thursday — Rain until evening. High of 66 and low of 60. Sunrise at 7:17 am and sunset at 6:34 pm. [Weather.gov]

Arlington CivFed’s Missing Middle discussion last night required rules of engagement

By Jo DeVoe
CivFed’s panel on Missing Middle on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022 (via Facebook)

Before four panelists could jump into discussing Missing Middle housing, moderators of Arlington County Civic Federation‘s forum last night (Tuesday) did something unusual.

They laid out ground rules for civil discourse, as other community discussions of the county’s proposed zoning changes have gotten loud, and even rowdy.

Arlington County is gearing up to make a decision on whether to allow low-rise, multifamily dwellings to be built on lots currently zoned exclusively for single-family homes. Leading up to the decision, the county and local organizations have been holding many discussions about the potential impacts of these changes.

Panelists, who spoke for themselves, couldn’t discuss their “feelings” and would instead have to provide a citation for every fact or projected outcome, co-moderator Nadia Conyers said. Speakers needed to seek common ground and respect areas of disagreement, and could not attribute motives to what other speakers were saying.

The panelists reviewed each other’s presentations to ensure facts were not misrepresented, co-moderator Jackie Snelling said.

“We spent a lot of time planning this discussion, which is a little different from how our normal discussions go,” she said.

Those in favor of Missing Middle said Arlington’s housing shortage requires the county to do something.

Michael Spotts, the founder of Neighborhood Fundamentals, who has researched housing for the last 15 years, said Arlington as it is currently zoned is running out of developable space. Meanwhile, developers are tearing down starter homes to build so-called McMansions, while certain neighborhoods north of Route 50 are essentially off-limits to renters, he said.

“I believe Arlington does need to grow and continue to add new housing,” Spotts said. “Aside from the economics, I don’t believe it’s fair to say certain neighborhoods shouldn’t have to contribute to meeting the growing need for housing.”

Concentration of home ownership in Arlington County (courtesy of Michael Spotts)

While not a panacea for all of the county’s housing concerns, he says the zoning changes would add units, increase ownership opportunities and marginally cut down on sprawl development in Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William counties, which in turn has environmental impacts in Arlington.

Affordability matrix for potential homebuyers in Arlington (courtesy of Michael Spotts)

He and Eric Berkey, who chairs Arlington’s Housing Commission, said the changes would help undo the lasting effects of last century’s exclusionary and racist zoning policies. After racially restrictive covenants became illegal, Arlington County used economics to segregate Black people by banning the construction of row houses and creating zones for exclusively single-family detached houses.

“Missing Middle can provide opportunities for more families to live in not just the three or four neighborhoods where we have duplexes, but the entirety of the county in the long term,” Berkey said. “Characters make the neighborhood. It’s important for the county to get rid of these exclusionary housing policies and make sure folks can live in the entirety of our community.”

Single-family detached home occupancy rate by race and ethnicity (via Arlington County)

Opponents Anne Bodine, a member of Arlingtonians for Our Sustainable Future, an advocacy group concerned about rapid growth, and Julie Lee, a member of a coalition of 15 civic association presidents opposed to the framework, said more housing is needed, but Arlington does not need to pick up the slack for a region-wide shortage.

“We cannot solve all of the region’s housing issues, but we should set lofty goals, and we must implement a plan that would achieve our desired objective,” Lee said. “The Missing Middle plan does not do that.”

They argued that the zoning changes won’t make it easier for people of color and low- and middle-income earners to buy here, despite assertions to the contrary by the local chapter of the NAACP and others.

“The county says offering a diversity of housing types is a key Missing Middle goal. Why do we need diverse housing types that don’t promote racial and economic diversity?” Bodine said. “A household needs to earn 118% of the area median income to afford the cheapest Missing Middle unit of $416,000. Looking at current Arlington populations, senior, Hispanic and Black median household incomes fall short. It doesn’t mean none of these groups can afford Missing Middle units, but it shows how slim the chances are.”

(more…)

Power out in part of Ballston after possible transformer explosion

By ARLnow.com
Fire engine in front of the AVA Ballston Square building in Ballston after power outage (staff photo by Lene Query)

(Updated at 1:55 p.m.) At least a couple of large buildings in Ballston are without power after reports of a possible transformer explosion.

Firefighters were initially dispatched to the area shortly before 1 p.m. after a caller reported a loud explosion-like sound and some smoke believed to be coming from a power transformer.

They were subsequently also dispatched to the AVA Ballston Square apartment building at 850 N. Randolph Street for a report of an elevator that was stuck with people inside after the power went out.

An office building across the street, which houses ARLnow’s offices, is also without power.

The outage appears to be relatively isolated, according to Dominion’s outage map, with just under 400 homes and businesses affected. Restoration of power is currently estimated between 5-8 p.m.

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