News

Your next doctor’s appointment could be in Ballston Quarter

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

Ballston Quarter has a 50,000-square-foot vacancy problem.

The redeveloped mall at 4238 Wilson Blvd is home to a rotating roster of restaurants, as well as clothing stores, pet facilities, eye doctors, gaming experiences and other retail businesses, as well as an attached office building and the MedStar Capitals Iceplex.

But filling the retail roster has not been smooth sailing, writes land use attorney Kedrick Whitmore in a letter to the county on behalf of Brookfield Properties, which owns the mall.

Reading the changing economic winds, Brookfield Properties is looking to tack.

During the Arlington County Board meeting this weekend, the Board is slated to review the property owner’s request to lease about 28,000 square feet of second-floor retail space to a medical tenant. This tenant — which was not named — would provide primary care, ear, nose, and throat and eyes and vision specialists, speech therapy and other medical care, according to a staff report.

“Approving this application would help resolve the Project’s significant, systemic leasing challenges and creatively reposition the Mall,” Whitmore writes in the letter, filed last month. “The Applicant envisions a holistic and mutually beneficial relationship between potential medical offices and the local retail and entertainment market.”

New medical offices benefit those living and working in the heart of Ballston, and would result in more patients patronizing local businesses, Whitmore said.

Although current zoning permits office conversions by-right, the mall is governed by a retail plan that requires Brookfield to file a site plan amendment to make the change.

The mall had struggled for years, due to its large size and age, before its redevelopment was approved, with the goal of improving its performance against newer counterparts in the region. The work wrapped up at the end of 2018.

Around the same time, a county retail plan from 2015 recommended pulling storefronts to the street, creating outdoor activity and attractions, and making interior renovations to encourage activity there. The plan also called for “flexibility and creativity” to encourage these changes.

Per the county report, county staff looked over the retail plan and “understand[s] the challenges in leasing second floor internal spaces in a shifting retail market and that these spaces require greater flexibility in terms of permitted uses.”

This request is not out of the blue, either. The report adds that “even at project inception, office tenancy was viewed as a likely leasing option.”

Not everyone agrees with this assessment. The Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association said it does not believe the change aligns with the retail plan, but should it pass anyway, it suggested the medical provider “target underserved, lower income communities which would benefit most from the easy access to public transportation.”

The mall recently approved another non-retail tenant, which agreed to lease a large space inside the mall: Grace Community Church. Still, tenants are cycling in and out, as there are fewer office workers from the nearby buildings visiting due to the rise of remote work, not to mention the convenience of online shopping.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Apparent reference to Crystal City’s Kabob Palace restaurant on the long-running CBS series NCIS (photo courtesy Scott Cota)

Arrest in Arlington Man’s Murder — Updated at 10 a.m. — “Police in the Turks and Caicos Islands have made an arrest in last week’s shooting death of an Arlington, Virginia, man killed while on vacation. Kent Carter, a vice president of the Arlington branch of the NAACP, was killed Oct. 2, when suspected drug gangs opened fire on a car returning him and others to their hotel after a jet-skiing outing… ‘In the last seven days an arrest has been made of a person of interest who remains in custody,’ said Trevor Botting, police commissioner.” [WTOP]

District Taco’s Expansion Plans — “District Taco aims to add 20 to 25 franchises a year for the next five years, Ganz said. The company has units in the Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland region, with some corporate locations in the Philadelphia suburbs. But the company would like to expand as far north as New York, as far south as South Carolina and as far west as Tennessee, Ganz said. District Taco is also attracting operator interest from Florida.” [Restaurant Dive]

WHS Seeks Female Wrestlers — “Since the Virginia High School League last month officially sanctioned girls wrestling as a separate varsity sport, Wakefield Warriors’ first-year head coach John Leinberger has been busy promoting the opportunity in his school and throughout Northern Virginia. He is trying to organize girls-only dual matches and possibly an all-female tournament.” [Sun Gazette]

It’s Wednesday — Increasing clouds during the day, then possible light rain overnight. High of 69 and low of 49. Sunrise at 7:16 am and sunset at 6:36 pm. [Weather.gov]

Arlington could scrub ‘dance halls’ from its county code books

By Jo DeVoe
The revamped and reopened Clarendon Ballroom (photo courtesy of Albert Ting/B Social Hospitality)

Arlington County code could soon no longer reference “public dance halls” and the dizzying disco the term evokes.

That would mean live entertainment venue operators would be cut loose from paying for a $600 permit annually.

This weekend, the Arlington County Board is slated to hear a request to advertise a public hearing on whether to repeal a section of the county code governing dance halls. If a hearing is approved, the Board could authorize the change next month.

The section of code in question was adopted in 1969, when people were doing the “Funky Chicken.” That year, a state law allowed localities to issue licenses for public dance halls to “regulate and mitigate the land use impacts associated with establishments where dancing occurred,” per a county report.

A Northern Virginia Sun article from the time notes that the first dancing allowed by the permit took place at the Windjammer Lounge of the Twin Bridges Marriott Motor Hotel, the first lodging establishment opened by the now-international hotel chain.

Northern Virginia Sun article on first dance hall permit (via Library of Virginia)

But Arlington County says this regulation is redundant and burdensome for today’s venues hosting DJs remixing Bad Bunny beats.

That’s because four years after the 1969 code was adopted, the county began requiring business owners to obtain a County Board-approved special exception use permit to provide “live entertainment” — a broad category that includes dancing. Anyone looking to allow dancing specifically still needed the dance hall permit.

“These parallel processes effectively result in the Zoning Ordinance being the primary regulatory mechanism for public dance halls with the County Code assuming an administrative function,” according to a county report.

To ease up on live entertainment venues, the county is looking to simplify permitting processes.

Repealing the code, per the report, “both reduces regulatory burdens for small businesses and eliminates unnecessary regulatory processes without adverse impacts to standing policies and practices related to the regulation of live entertainment and public dance halls.”

The county will still regulate live entertainment venues, given the “land use impacts” associated with live venues, such as noise, disorderly guests or frequent police visits. That means there will still be public hearings, when the community can seek redress for potential impacts a venue may have, such as modified hours of operation.

“It is not just that they may be upsetting to neighbors; they are considered impacts because they are potentially ordinance violations,” said Erika Moore, a spokeswoman with the Department of Community, Planning and Development. “For example, music being played would have to violate the Noise Ordinance for it to be considered a land use impact.”

For instance, Arlington had to revoke the live entertainment permits of Pines of Italy and the Purple Lounge, both of which operated from the same building on Columbia Pike, over health and Alcoholic Beverage Control Board violations.

In proposing the change, county staff noted the dwindling number of places seeking dancing permits. For instance, the Salsa Room moved from Columbia Pike to the current Palladium space at 1524 Spring Hill Road in Tysons in March 2020.

“The current number of public dance hall permits represents a reduction of 60% in the total number of public dance halls over the past 5 years,” the report said.

The Zoning Division issued 10 public dance hall permits in the past 12 months, per the county. They were for:

  • Darna (946 N. Jackson Street)
  • Pike Bolivian Pizza (4111 Columbia Pike)
  • O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub (3207 Washington Blvd.)
  • Restaurante El Salvador (4805 Columbia Pike)
  • Spider Kelly’s (3181 Wilson Blvd)
  • DoubleTree Crystal City Skydome (300 Army Navy Drive)
  • Clarendon Pop-Up (3185 Wilson Blvd)
  • Sushi Rock (1900 Clarendon Blvd)
  • Top of the Town (1400 14th Street N.)
  • Renegade Coffee & Kitchen (3100 Clarendon Blvd)

But that doesn’t mean live entertainment died during the pandemic. Two shuttered venues in Clarendon — Whitlow’s on Wilson and Clarendon Ballroom — have since reopened under new ownership.

In the Whitlow’s space, local restaurateurs Christal and Mike Bramson, who are behind The Lot beer garden, opened B Live and are working to open Coco B’s this fall.

After being home to a series of pop-up bars by the Bramsons, Clarendon Ballroom, was revamped and opened by Michael Darby, a local developer, reality star and former restaurant owner.

How a Penske truck rental lot along Columbia Pike could figure into the Barcroft redevelopment

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

(Updated at 4 p.m. on 12/15/22) The Penske truck rental location on Columbia Pike — which once had an ART bus crash into it and stay there for a month — has closed.

And the replacement for the storefront and expansive parking lot, at the Pike’s intersection with S. George Mason Drive, may be something completely different.

The site is expected to figure into plans from Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners to revamp the neighboring Barcroft Apartments over the next decade. It sits at one edge of the sprawling garden apartment complex, next to a 7-Eleven store, and was purchased by the developer around the time of the buzzy housing acquisition.

Jair Lynch also purchased the small strip mall with the South and Central American eatery Cafe Sazón and a Goodwill location at 4704 and 4714 Columbia Pike, respectively.

“The Penske Truck Rental Mart location at 4110 Columbia Pike in Arlington has permanently closed as of Sept. 30,” Alen Beljin, a Penske Truck Leasing spokesperson, told ARLnow. “Our company had leased the building, so we did not have the opportunity to renew when the property was sold.”

While Penske packed up, the local nonprofit Arlington Community Foundation (ACF) wrote a report that shows how Jair Lynch could set aside some units for residents making less than 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI), using the commercial site and county development tools. Jair Lynch has pledged to set side 1,344 apartments for people making 60% or less of AMI for the next 99 years, supported by loans from Amazon and Arlington County.

“Our vision is that in perpetuity, 30% AMI households can live there,” said Michael Spotts, an Arlington resident who runs the consulting firm Neighborhood Fundamentals, and a co-author of the ACF report. “Barcroft has been a place where people at those income levels can call home. As this neighborhood redevelops, we want to ensure people can continue to call that neighborhood home.”

ACF published the analysis ahead of the Master Financing and Development Plan Jair Lynch is expected to file with Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz at the end of October. This plan will spell out how the developer plans to renovate existing apartments, build new housing and keep down rent for lower-income residents.

“The plan is part of the financing agreement with Amazon and Arlington County,” David Hilde, Vice-President of development for Jair Lynch, told Arlington’s Tenant-Landlord Commission last month. “It goes through how to maximize the investments Arlington and Amazon made, whether that’s baseline preserving affordability, or exploring options to deepen affordability.”

The developer did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story.

What ACF recommends

Jair Lynch could build a standard market-rate, mixed-use apartment building on the Penske lot, per the ACF report, as developers who follow the Columbia Pike Commercial Centers Form-Based Code are not required to provide affordable units.

But, using the commercial sites, the tools ACF laid out and another $20-30 million, the developer could set aside 255 units for low-income households earning 30% AMI or less for the next 30 years, ACF says.

“We think this is going to be challenging to accomplish and it’s going to require a lot of commitment from stakeholders,” Spotts said. “We’re optimistic, based on conversations we’ve had, that this can be pulled off.” (more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
“A fox in his new residence on the roof of a waiting for tear-down house in the Tara Leeway Heights neighborhood” (photo courtesy anonymous)

TV Tackles ‘Missing Middle’ — “A debate over housing has sparked an intense debate in Arlington County that involves possible zoning changes to what types of houses can be built in certain neighborhoods. It’s called missing middle housing, and while supporters say it will allow more affordable housing, opponents say it would ruin single-family neighborhoods.” [Fox 5]

It’s Fire Prevention Week — “Fire Station 10 in Rosslyn is the Arlington County Fire Department’s newest fire station, and it’s needed because the community is growing so quickly. This Fire Prevention Week, firefighters want to make sure that the public knows to make an escape plan so they can be safe inside their home.” [WUSA 9]

Arlington Ridge Store Robbery — “At approximately 5:19 p.m. on October 7, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force. After further investigation, it was determined the male suspect allegedly entered the business and began concealing merchandise in his backpack. When the loss prevention officer confronted the suspect, a verbal dispute ensued, during which the suspect struck the loss prevention officer before fleeing the scene on foot.” [ACPD]

Young Dems Pounce in PA Race — “It could be the race that determines control of the U.S. Senate and, by extension, what transpires in the next two years of the Biden presidency. And members of Arlington Young Democrats are aiming to have an impact on the Pennsylvania showdown between Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Mehmet Oz.” [Sun Gazette]

Well Paid Maids Growing — “With the arrival of vaccines, Well-Paid Maids,” an ARLnow advertiser noted for engaging in the comments section of its sponsored posts, “established a vaccine mandate for its staff, which now totals 33, including 28 home cleaners. The out-of-the-house rule has been replaced by masking, and revenue has returned, even improved — from $350,000 with PPP in 2020 to $800,000 with the second PPP loan in 2021 and already $1 million in 2022.” [Washington Business Journal]

F.C. Really Wants a Movie Theater — “This tiny Northern Virginia suburb could be sealing the deal on that cinema with an unusual shot in the arm: Its own tax dollars. City lawmakers are set to vote Tuesday on a deal that could grant as much as half a million dollars every year for the next three decades to the developer behind the Founders Row project.” [Washington Post]

It’s Tuesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 70 and low of 48. Sunrise at 7:15 am and sunset at 6:37 pm. [Weather.gov]

Local arts nonprofit develops plans for a new performance venue

By Jo DeVoe
Encore Stage & Studio’s 2019 production of ‘Newsies’ (courtesy of Cindy Kane Photography)

Embracing Arlington Arts has put forward a business plan for a future “Arlington Performing Arts Center.”

And it is taking great pains to prove it will survive on private financial support, and won’t take county funds or fizzle out like the county-run Artisphere in Rosslyn, which suffered from ineffective marketing and a relative lack of engagement from Arlington residents and artists.

The arts nonprofit proposes a roughly 14,300-square-foot performing arts space, with a black box main stage theater seating up to 150 people. The center would have four rehearsal studios, dressing rooms, a lobby with a box office, a concession stand, storage, offices and an art gallery wall.

“We are very excited to publish this business plan for a new venue in the County,” Embracing Arlington Arts (EAA) President Janet Kopenhaver said in a statement. “We know this is a challenge, but we also recognize that Arlington is a great County that can be made better with the addition of a performing arts/live music venue.”

Now, the organization said it is looking for the right site, and will announce its pick after consulting with the county. If the Arlington Performing Arts Center (APAC) is built as planned, the facility could cost $8 to $10 million to build, costs the nonprofit aims to cover with corporate and individual donations.

The proposed layout for an ‘Arlington Performing Arts Center’ (via Embracing Arlington Arts)

“This plan assumes that EAA will raise funds to support the new venue from investors, corporations, the developer, private individuals, foundations and other entities to cover the capital costs of the building,” the organization’s treasurer, Robert Goler, said in a statement. “Furthermore, this plan assumes no management requirement by the County, no County staff expenses, and all operating expenses being paid by the APAC operating entity.”

EAA already has some support from Amazon, which Kopenhaver thanked for “underwriting the consultant’s fees to research and draft this important document.”

“Our work with Embracing Arlington Arts is a part of our broader support of arts-focused nonprofits across the DMV,” Amazon spokeswoman Hayley Richard tells ARLnow, listing nearly a dozen other arts groups it has supported, including Signature Theatre, Arlington Arts Center and Synetic Theater.

According to the business plan, rent from theater companies and others will not fully cover the APAC’s operating expenses, and the arts booster group will have to raise about $25,000 a year to break even.

Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol has expressed excitement for the proposal.

“The opportunities that a professional mid-size venue will offer in Arlington are tremendous: It will bring high-quality arts experiences to residents and give local arts groups access to professional rehearsals and performances in Arlington,” she said in a statement included in the plan. “It’s exciting to see multiple sectors come together to support this vision, particularly in our current moment, where the arts are essential to help our community make meaning of and heal from the pandemic.”

The nonprofit surveyed residents as part of its research. While much of the feedback was positive, some predicted, according to the business plan, the APAC wouldn’t succeed because the Kennedy Center in D.C. is close by and Arlington already has too many venues.

EAA said APAC would host performances by local groups that would not be able to afford or sell out the Kennedy Center. A more modest theater would keep ticket prices down, expanding the scope of who could attend performances.

As for making do with what’s around, EAA says none of the nearly two dozen venues across the county meet the needs of several professional, local theater organizations.

Schools are too small and lack the ambiance guests expect when going to the theater, per the business plan. Meanwhile, existing privately run spaces like Synetic Theater and county-run spaces like Theatre on the Run wouldn’t be able to provide the flexibility EAA is seeking to host live music, readings, plays, receptions, artist exhibitions, camps and improv nights throughout the week.

Meanwhile, an earlier county plan that would have seen a developer build a Metro-accessible black box theater in the Virginia Square area fell through, leaving it up to private organizations like EAA to envision ways to fill the void.

“Our goal is to have a lively and vibrant facility that also serves as a community partner and good neighbor,” Kopenhaver said.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Ballston at twilight (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

County Offices Open — “Arlington County Government offices and facilities are closed on all federal holidays except Columbus Day.” [Arlington County]

Metro Service Plan Today — “In observance of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Monday, Oct. 10, Metrorail will operate normal weekday service and Metrobus will operate on a Saturday supplemental schedule. MetroAccess customers may make reservations to travel on the holiday; however, subscription trips will be canceled.” [WMATA]

WHS Counselor Controversy — A conservative news site says a Wakefield High School counselor is “part of [a] group offering to resettle gay kids with new parents,” while a liberal news site says the report constitutes “a massive right-wing freakout” about what is actually an as-yet unused offer of “emergency housing.” [Daily Wire, Salon, Fairfax Times]

Local Author’s New Book — “My Gap Year — Reinterpreted is an experimental rewrite of a diary that journalist-author Charlie Clark produced at age 18 during a nine-month hitchhiking tour of nine countries of Europe and North Africa. More than a travelogue, the essay is personal and reflective, taking advantage of a 68-year-old’s wisdom (ha!) and insight into his younger self during a time of change.” [Politics and Prose]

Fairfax Chafes at Dillon Rule — “Fairfax County deserves more local authority, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay says, calling Virginia’s Dillon Rule “increasingly more intrusive” in day-to-day operations. The Dillon Rule dictates that localities only have the authority to create laws, set guidelines, and wield power if the state expressly grants it to them.” [FFXnow]

It’s Monday — Clear throughout the day. High of 66 and low of 44. Sunrise at 7:14 am and sunset at 6:39 pm. [Weather.gov]

BREAKING: Woman fatally struck by SUV driver along Little Falls Road

By ARLnow.com
1/5

(Updated at 12:35 a.m.) A pedestrian has died after being struck in the Williamsburg neighborhood this morning.

The crash happened around 9 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Little Falls Road and John Marshall Drive. Initial reports suggest that that an older woman was struck by the driver of an SUV in or near a crosswalk, and that the woman was in cardiac arrest when she was rushed to a local trauma center.

We’re told that the victim was familiar to local residents and is often seen walking in the area.

Police were still on site investigating the crash well into the morning, with the scene surrounded by police tape. The driver of the SUV remained on scene.

At 11 a.m., a police spokeswoman told ARLnow that the victim, who was in her 80s, has died.

“She was pronounced deceased at the hospital and police remain on scene investigating the fatal crash,” said Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “Her identity is being withheld pending proper notification.”

This is the third fatal pedestrian crash along a two-block stretch of Little Falls Road near Nottingham Elementary School over the past eight years.

In 2014 a local mother unloading a minivan near the school was fatally struck by a passing dump truck, the driver of which was later charged with a traffic infraction. In September 2019, a 55-year-old Arlington woman was struck while walking her dogs in a crosswalk at the intersection of Little Falls Road and N. Ohio Street; she later succumbed to her injuries in the hospital..

ACPD issued the following about the crash Saturday night, with the victim’s name plus a bit more information on the crash and how it happened.

The Arlington County Police Department is investigating a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred in the Williamsburg neighborhood on the morning of Saturday, October 8.

At approximately 9:01 a.m., police were dispatched to the report of a crash with injuries involving a pedestrian in the 5800 block of Little Falls Road. Upon arrival, officers located the pedestrian in the roadway suffering from serious injuries. She was transported by medics to the hospital where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased. She has been identified as Gwendolyn Hayes, 85, of Arlington, VA.

The preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the striking vehicle turned left from John Marshall Drive onto Little Falls Road and struck the pedestrian as she was crossing the roadway in the crosswalk. The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene.

This remains an active criminal investigation. Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Detective D. Galiatsos at [email protected] or 703-228-4163. Information may also be reported anonymously to Arlington County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.

Hat tip to Charlie Clark

Army Ten-Miler to prompt road closures near Rosslyn and Pentagon City this weekend

By ARLnow.com
Runners in the 2014 Army Ten-Miler Race in Arlington (Photo via Flickr Pool/Rob Cannon)

The annual Army Ten-Miler race will prompt numerous road closures in Arlington this weekend.

Runners will zip through parts of Rosslyn, D.C. and Pentagon City, starting and finishing the race near the Pentagon.

“The 38th annual Army Ten-Miler race will occur on Sunday, October 9,” Arlington County police noted last week in a press release. “The race begins at 7:50 a.m. on Route 110, crosses the Key Bridge into the District of Columbia, returns to Virginia via the 14th Street Bridge in the northbound I-395 HOV, and ends in the Pentagon reservation.”

“The Arlington County Police Department, Virginia State Police, United States Park Police, Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Pentagon Force Protection Agency will conduct road closures to accommodate the race,” ACPD said.

Planned road closures include parts of Army Navy Drive, S. Eads Street, Route 110, northbound I-395, and N. Lynn Street and Long Bridge Drive.

Metro plans to operate on a normal Sunday schedule while opening the Pentagon station after the start of the race, directing participants to use the Pentagon City station instead.

The planned Arlington road closures, from the ACPD press release, are below.

(more…)

Arlington civil rights activist Kent Carter remembered for his leadership, love of family

By Jo DeVoe
Arlington Branch NAACP First Vice President Kent Carter at a Black Lives Matter rally in June 2020 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

On Saturday afternoon, Kent Carter left Arlington to celebrate his 40th birthday on Turks and Caicos, the Caribbean islands southeast of the Bahamas, with his long-time girlfriend.

He was supposed to fly back on Tuesday.

Instead, while riding in a shuttle back from a jet-skiing excursion on Sunday evening, an alleged gang member opened fire on the vehicle. The gunman shot and killed Carter and an employee of a local business and wounded three others. The shooting has been covered by both local and national media outlets, including The New York Times.

His last act was to protect his girlfriend of eight years, who survived with minor injuries.

“He shielded me from being shot,” his girlfriend, who requested we not use her name, tells ARLnow.

Now, Arlington is mourning Carter’s death and paying tribute to his legacy as a local civil rights leader, loving father and caring partner. His story has attracted national attention and an outpouring of support from community members and local realtors with whom he worked, elected officials and regional and national leaders of the NAACP.

“We are devastated to learn of Kent’s loss and will be keeping his family in our prayers,” Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol said in a statement to ARLnow. “Kent was a true leader in the Arlington community: knowledgeable and determined on civil rights issues and gifted at building relationships and coalitions.”

Carter, an Army veteran and a real estate agent by trade, was serving his second term as the First Vice-President of the Arlington branch of the NAACP, and the chair of the Criminal Justice Committee. He represented the NAACP on Arlington’s Police Practices Group, which came up with more than 100 ways to change policing in the county, and advocated for a Community Oversight Board with subpoena power, which was officially established last summer.

“Kent led that charge,” Julius “JD” Spain, president of the Arlington branch of the NAACP, told ARLnow. “Many citizens in Arlington will benefit from the hard work that Kent put in. Words alone aren’t enough to express the level of gratitude for someone who not just wore the nation’s cloth, but one who’s a servant leader.”

The NAACP Arlington branch president said his First Vice-President was reserved but could command a room. He was duty-bound to his advocacy work and didn’t care about the accolades.

Arlington’s elected officials are now working to recognize Carter’s efforts, including his work with lawmakers on a criminal justice reform package several years ago, through a memorial resolution led by Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30). It is expected to go before the Virginia legislature in January.

The memorial resolution recognizes “the esteem we in the Arlington delegation held Mr. Carter in,” Ebbin told ARLnow. “It is also in recognition of the impact of Kent’s work for social justice and in service to our country, which extended far beyond the borders of Arlington.”

Carter was born Sept. 28, 1982, and grew up outside Knoxville, Tennessee. He joined the military in 2000 and was first deployed to the Pentagon just after 9/11 to provide security. In 2002, he deployed to Afghanistan for six months as a member of a U.S. Army Personal Security Detail. While in Afghanistan, he met his ex-wife, Melanie Bell-Carter, to whom he was married for 11 years.

Carter also served as an airborne Army police officer and later, as a special agent in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the U.S. Department of Commerce. Concurrent with his military career, he pursued his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice.

His lived experience as a Black man in the South, combined with his law enforcement experience, compelled him to tackle criminal justice reform where he could feel the impact directly: in his backyard in Arlington.

“He was one to stand up for those who couldn’t stand for themselves,” Bell-Carter told ARLnow in an email. “He frowned upon injustice and wanted to be a leader in changing how the country and the world treated people. Always one to look after those less fortunate.”

(more…)

Advocates renew call for safer conditions on S. Carlin Springs Road after teen on bike struck

By Jo DeVoe
A utility pole blocks a narrow sidewalk, bordering four lanes of traffic on S. Carlin Springs Road (via Google Maps)

After a driver collided with a child on a bicycle on S. Carlin Springs Road this week, neighbors and advocates are calling for street safety upgrades.

For its part, Arlington County says it has already been working on safety measures for the area, which has narrow sidewalks, little or no pedestrian buffer and a history of crashes. Upcoming steps include reducing speeds near the schools in the area: Kenmore Middle School and Carlin Springs Elementary.

“We are looking into the details from police regarding the crash and will identify next steps based on the report,” Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien said.

And Arlington County Board member Matt de Ferranti has recently gotten involved, too. He tells ARLnow he has walked the area with advocates and will be meeting with staff next week.

“First and foremost, I understand that the young man is okay and the safety of our kids and our residents is highest on my mind,” de Ferranti said. “Second, the accident raises important and urgent questions about safety in that whole corridor… We need to do better to address them.”

How the crash happened

Just before 7 p.m. on Monday, a driver traveling south on S. Carlin Springs Road proceeded through a green light and struck a juvenile riding a bicycle in the crosswalk, Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said.

The driver remained on scene. The child, who did not require a trip to the hospital for treatment, was tended to on scene by medics, Savage said. No citations were issued.

While ACPD does not provide identifying information, she did say the child involved was older than first reported on social media.

A history of unsafe sidewalks 

Community advocate Janeth Valenzuela tells ARLnow that she passed by the crash around 6:45 p.m. and saw emergency responders. She says she’s been working on safety along S. Carlin Springs Road for many years now, and has suggested everything from building a bridge for kids crossing the road to erecting a fence to prevent kids from getting pushed into the street.

“I’ve been proposing a lot of things, but they don’t take it into consideration,” she said. “The solution is hard.”

S. Carlin Springs Road is an important walking route for Kenmore students, but she and other residents say the pedestrian amenities are poor. Sidewalks are narrow and not well maintained and often do not have any landscaping separating pedestrians from traffic.

Narrow sidewalks provide no separation between pedestrians and drivers on S. Carlin Springs Road (via Google Maps)

And people have been telling the county the same thing for nearly a decade, according to a 2014 report by the APS Multimodal Transportation and Student Safety Committee and Advisory Committee on Transportation Choices meeting minutes from 2017.

During one ACTC meeting in 2017, a father said moms with strollers pass kids playfully shoving each other on the sidewalk as cars whiz right next to them. In the winter, if the sidewalks aren’t plowed, kids walk in the road, he added.

(more…)

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