News

Local leaders hope second Crystal City Metro entrance can help further revitalize and connect neighborhood

By Jo DeVoe
1/10

(Updated at 9:40 a.m. on 8/1/23) If you build it, they will come.

That is the philosophy guiding the planned construction of the east entrance to the Crystal City Metro station, for which Arlington County inked a contract earlier this month.

First floated in 2002, the idea of a second Crystal City Metro entrance remained on the local radar before becoming one of the suite of transportation projects the county and state agreed to deliver in order to secure Amazon’s (recently opened) second headquarters in Arlington.

This month, Arlington approved a contract with JBG Smith and Clark Construction, which together agreed to build the second entrance for no more than $117 million. Design work is not yet complete, however, and the new entrance may not be ready until 2027.

The new entrance will be located at the northwest corner of Crystal Drive and 18th Street S., a couple of blocks from the current entrance.

Although a few years away, project proponents say the project will bring visitors closer to Crystal Drive, a part of Crystal City undergoing significant change, and will create a “transit hub” connecting people to rail (VRE and Amtrak), buses and the airport. Doing so, they say, will make using Metro more convenient and, thus, encourage additional ridership, which remains below pre-pandemic levels.

“This east entrance really brings transit where it belongs, into the heart of a commercial district,” says Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, the president and executive director of the National Landing Business Improvement District.

“Crystal Drive is a commercial spine and there are many enhancements and new destinations that will deliver soon and will seamlessly connect to the entrance,” she continued. “In 2024, we will realize a truly reinvisioned Crystal Drive.”

The Crystal City Water Park, set to reopen this September with a number of food vendor stalls, would be across the street from the new entrance. A retail strip with Mah-Ze-Dahr, Tacombi, and the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is steps away, while two dozen other retailers are set to move into Crystal Drive over the next year, including a new restaurant called Surreal.

Construction upgrades at the Crystal City Water Park are nearly complete (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Proponents say the second entrance will facilitate connections to other transit modes. Getting between VRE and Metro, for instance, can be a confusing hassle, says local civic association president Eric Cassel.

“Everybody who is a tourist or something like that, they have a hard time finding it currently, it’s kind of hidden away,” he said. “People don’t take transit as much because it’s difficult to transfer between that and buses and everything else. One of the reasons to make a focal point of a transit hub is to get people who would otherwise drive to take transit.”

The new station will also make hopping on the Metro a bit less of a slog for people who live or work in the neighborhood.

“This new entrance would save me and others 5 minutes of walking up the hill to get to the current entrance,” says Jay Corbalis, public affairs vice president for JBG Smith.

“That doesn’t sound like a lot to some people, but when you think about that every day, twice a day, for thousands of people, it starts to add up why it’s an important project,” he continued. “It changes the geography of National Landing. It brings that many people closer to the rest of the region.”

(more…)

Rehab work starts on 21st Street N. bridge over I-66

By ARLnow.com
1/3

VDOT has started planned rehabilitation work on a bridge over I-66.

The state transportation department says the 21st Street N. bridge, built in 1980, is “deteriorating” and needs concrete repairs and other TLC. The bridge is located near the Mom’s Organic Market along Langston Blvd; it connects drivers going between Courthouse, the North Highlands neighborhood, and Rosslyn.

The $4.1 million project will prompt some temporary lane closures on I-66 during construction, as well as temporary closures of a sidewalk along the bridge.

More, below, from a VDOT press release.

Work is underway to rehabilitate the 21st Street North bridge over I-66 to improve driver, bicyclist and pedestrian safety and extend the overall life of the bridge, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The bridge, located between the Spout Run Parkway (Exit 72) and eastbound I-66 Route 29 Rosslyn/Key Bridge (Exit 73) interchanges, was built in 1980.

The project includes:

  • Resurfacing the concrete bridge deck
  • Closing deck joints
  • Repairing concrete piers and abutments
  • Replacing bearings
  • The width of the existing lanes and sidewalks on the bridge will remain the same.

During construction:

  • Daytime lane closures may be scheduled along I-66 and 21st Street North
  • Overnight lane closures may be scheduled on I-66
  • When one sidewalk along the bridge is closed, pedestrians will be detoured to the sidewalk on the opposite side
  • The Custis Trail under the bridge will remain open to bicyclists and pedestrians
  • Parking will not be allowed on the bridge or approaches

Starting in mid-2024, 21st Street North will be temporarily reduced to one lane on the bridge and open to northbound traffic only. Further information will be provided closer to the start of the partial bridge closure, which will be in place for several months while work occurs on the bridge deck.

The $4.1 million 21st Street North over I-66 Bridge Rehabilitation Project is financed with federal and state funding, including State of Good Repair funds used for bridges. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2024.

Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.

GMU acquires office building across from Mason Square campus amid expansion project

By Hallie LeTendre
1/3

George Mason University is mulling a future expansion of its Arlington campus.

To realize that long-term goal, this April the university purchased an $8.25 million piece of property across the street from the its Mason Square campus in Virginia Square, according to county property records.

The acquisition is located at 3300 Fairfax Drive, in a 1960s-era office building that currently has some law and insurance agent offices, as well as a pilates and yoga studio.

In the immediate future, the university does not have plans for the site.

“These properties are strategic investments that provide security and flexibility for the future of the Mason Square Campus,” GMU media relations manager John Hollis told ARLnow.

“In the near term, Mason expects to continue current or similar operations to the existing tenants, while longer term opportunities include potential developments in support of Mason’s faculty, students, and mission,” he continued.

Although the statement alluded to more than one property, Hollis did not specify any other properties recently acquired by the school.

The Arlington campus of the Fairfax County-based university holds the university’s School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, economics, business and arts departments, the Antonin Scalia Law School and the Schar School of Policy and Government.

Mason Square is currently in the midst of a major expansion, with the under-construction Fuse building set to host labs, classrooms, an innovation center and retail spaces, among other uses. The university estimates the building will be substantially complete in May 2025.

Should the newly-acquired building be redeveloped in the future, it would join a bevy of other projects in the area, including the redevelopment of the nearby YMCA, St. Charles Catholic Church, the Joyce Motors site and the former Silver Diner location.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Ice skating at the Kettler Iceplex in Ballston is a way to keep cool in the summer heat (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington Gets Another Tree Group — “The new Arlington Consortium for Tree Sustainability is designed ‘to bring together and enable residents, businesses, organizations and advocates to pursue actions to enhance the tree canopy in all their neighborhoods and varied urban settings within our reach,’ organizers say.” [Gazette Leader]

Local Man Arrested for Stolen Car — “An Arlington man faces multiple charges after allegedly selling a stolen car to a man on Facebook Marketplace. The 21-year-old suspect was arrested May 17 at Alexandria Police Department Headquarters (3600 Wheeler Avenue), where he agreed to meet the victim to discuss the sale of a stolen 2006 Honda Civic for $2,800, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.” [ALXnow]

Mulling Metro Funding Shortfall — “Quick quiz: What did the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s all have in common? Not a lot, perhaps, but in each of those decades, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority always seemed just one or two steps away from fiscal disaster… Arlington’s share of addressing a $750 million regional shortfall would be about $60 million on top of what the community already provides in transit subsidies.” [Gazette Leader]

Locally-Based Investment Fund — “An Arlington asset management firm is aiming to raise $250 million to drive investment in community-based financial institutions across the country. West Potomac Capital LLC said Thursday that it’s planning to launch the social impact private investment fund, dubbed WPC Financials Impact Fund I LP, in the second half of the year.” [Washington Business Journal]

It’s Friday — There is a 40% chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms with mostly sunny and hot conditions, reaching a high of 98°F and a heat index of 109. The west wind will be between 3-8 mph. For Friday night, there is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, with partly cloudy skies and a low of around 76°F accompanied by southwest winds at 7 mph. [Weather.gov]

Arlington advises residents to avoid Four Mile Run after ‘dumping incident’

By ARLnow.com
Along Four Mile Run near Shirlington (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 4:25 p.m.) People and pets should avoid much of Four Mile Run for the next 2-3 days as a precaution, Arlington County says.

The advisory comes amid a scorching heatwave. The county says it’s due to a “dumping incident” near N. Ohio Street.

The affected portion of the stream runs along popular parks like Bluemont Park, Barcroft Park and the Shirlington dog park.

Arlington firefighters responded to the stream earlier today for a report of a milky substance — possibly paint — in the water.

“The matter is still under investigation but paint or something similar went into a storm drain from a roll-off dumpster being swapped out at a home where work is taking place,” Peter Golkin, spokesman for Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services, tells ARLnow.

“The spill was called in by neighbors,” Golkin added. “As we point out often, there are no filters on Arlington’s storm drains and whatever goes in comes out in our streams and the watershed. People need to be careful.”

Police investigating series of car thefts in N. Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

Two cars were stolen and eight were rummaged through at some point overnight, according to Arlington County police.

The theft series happened in neighborhoods north of Langston Blvd, including the Old Dominion and Donaldson Run communities, between last night and early this morning.

Police have no description of the suspect or suspects.

More, below, from an ACPD crime report.

GRAND LARCENY AUTO, LARCENY FROM AUTO, VEHICLE TAMPERING (Series)(Late), 2023-07260060/2023-07260067/2023-07260075/2023-07260089/2023-07260092/2023-07260145, 2300 block of N. Columbus Street/2400 block of N. Utah Street/4800 block of 24th Road N./4800 block of 24th Street N./4600 block of 23rd Road N./2300 block of N. Stafford Street. The investigation determined between approximately 7:00 p.m. on July 26 and 6:30 a.m. on July 27, the unknown suspects entered approximately eight vehicles, rummaged through the inside and stole items of value. Additionally, two vehicles were stolen from the area. The stolen vehicles are described as a blue 2013 Lexus ES 300 with Virginia license plate… and a white Toyota Rav4 with Virginia license plate… There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.

ACFD on scene of small fire at Lost Dog Cafe in Westover

By ARLnow.com
Fire response at Lost Dog Cafe in Westover

Arlington firefighters are investigating a reported fire in the ceiling at Lost Dog Cafe in Westover.

The fire started in the kitchen area and is said to be out, but firefighters are removing ceiling tiles to make sure there are no remaining hotspots, according to scanner traffic.

It’s unclear what sparked the fire, but accumulated grease in the kitchen ductwork is a common cause of fires at restaurants.

The local staple at 5876 Washington Blvd is best known for its wide selection of beer and sandwiches. There are other Lost Dog Cafe locations on Columbia Pike and in McLean, Dunn Loring and Alexandria.

At least one lane of Washington Blvd is currently blocked by the fire activity.

County solicits feedback on 10-year plan to improve ART bus service

By Jo DeVoe
Passengers board an ART bus on Columbia Pike (file photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington is looking to operate buses more frequently and expand service with more off-peak and weekend service.

These are just some of the recommendations that could be implemented as part of an overhaul of the municipal bus service, called Arlington Transit, over the next decade. The changes are part of an update to Arlington’s Transit Strategic Plan, which it is required to have by state law and update every six years.

As part of the update, Arlington County will be redesigning service in North Arlington and enhancing service along Columbia Pike, in Pentagon City and Crystal City, and around the under-construction Shirlington Transit Center. The proposed changes also include closing down some underutilized routes, adding service to community destinations such as Long Bridge Park, and ensuring schedules use easy-to-remember time intervals.

This update comes as ridership continues to recover from being slashed in half by the pandemic.

From July 2022 to this March, the most recent ART Bus ridership report available, monthly ridership increased from 130,299 to 164,516. Today, the highest concentration of riders is taking the bus north-south between Columbia Pike or Shirlington and the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor or east-west along Langston Blvd.

Still, there are gaps in service and barriers to bus use that this update is intended to address. In preparation for the strategic plan update, the county says it heard from users that their biggest asks are reliability, frequency and efficiency, as well as a better user experience.

“People want more direct routes with fewer transfers, taking less time to make their trips… [as well as] a better user experience (clean buses, safe and accessible waiting areas, and high levels of customer service and transparency) overall,” the county said.

Right now, reliability can depend on which route users take. ART bus data from March, for instance, shows that on-time performance is higher from Rosslyn to East Falls Church and from Crystal City to Courthouse but lower from Columbia Pike to Rosslyn and Courthouse. The Columbia Pike routes, however, see four to six times the number of riders.

https://twitter.com/TheoForARL/status/1651339785984720896

The county tracked where bus service and demand are mismatched, plus researched popular places people congregate and want to go to — but currently cannot get to easily by bus. County staff specifically looked at places with higher concentrations of people without cars, seniors and people with disabilities or limited English proficiency, among other socioeconomic factors.

It found the following communities, circled in the graphic, could benefit from expanded service.

Areas where service could be improved (via Arlington County) 

New routes serving these identified neighborhoods include a new ART 43 providing a “one-seat ride” between Clarendon, Courthouse, Rosslyn and Crystal City — a potential time and cost-saver compared to Metrorail — and a new ART 85, linking Shirlington, Long Branch Creek, Aurora Highlands, Crystal City and Potomac Yard.

These have the support of transit advocacy group Sustainable Mobility for Arlington County (SusMo), which evaluated each of the proposed route changes on its website.

“We’ve looked at the proposed route changes in detail and have a bunch of recommendations, both for routes that need improved frequencies, as well as for routes that are overly meandering, duplicative and should not be a priority in this constrained fiscal environment where both buses and bus drivers are at a premium,” SusMo said.

(more…)

YMCA may ditch tennis courts in Virginia Square redevelopment project

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

The YMCA may be ditching tennis courts when it redevelops its property in Virginia Square.

The organization plans to tear down its facility at 3400 13th Street N. and build a new recreational facility with an aquatics center, a multi-purpose gym with workout rooms, and a “diversity and inclusion center.”

There will also be a seven-story apartment building with 374 units, as well as open spaces and footpaths through the site.

Tennis players, however, have watched the eight existing courts get cut in half in the plans — and now axed — just ahead of the next project planning meeting set for today (Thursday). After this meeting, the project will head to the Arlington Planning Commission and County Board later this year.

In a letter to members sent last week, and in comments to ARLnow on Tuesday, the organization says it must change course because planning guidance prevents it from building a structure tall enough to accommodate courts.

Without support for the taller heights from Arlington County and neighbors, it says the courts will be scrapped and it plans to work with Arlington to contribute to tennis amenities elsewhere.

“Over the course of multiple reviews of the site plan with the county and the community, the Y and our development partner came to the conclusion we had to reduce the overall footprint of the building,” said Alison Risso, the communications director of YMCA of Metropolitan Washington. “Tennis courts require a substantial amount of horizontal and vertical space while only typically serving two to four players at a time on a court.”

The decision shocked some tennis players, including Janet Barsy.

“The eight Y indoor courts are the last public indoor tennis courts in Arlington,” she said. “They are well used by Arlington and other Northern [Virginia] residents for personal and organized tennis and provide a venue for many popular adult and children’s clinics.”

Barsy says she is dismayed by what she feels is a lack of meaningful engagement with players, who were not pleased by the initial plans, which proposed a reduction in courts. Early public feedback included comments from several tennis players advocating for more courts and fewer bells and whistles.

“Early and honest engagement would have been in keeping with the Y’s four stated core values: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility,” she said.

Risso, however, notes tennis membership “has continued to decline over the last decade,” perhaps replaced by pickleball fever. The proposed facility’s multi-purpose gym includes three indoor pickleball courts and convertible courts for squash, handball and racquetball.

For the county’s part, communications and engagement specialist Elise Cleva says staff flagged that the proposed site layout was “inconsistent with what was envisioned” in a planning document guiding redevelopment along Washington Blvd and N. Kirkwood Road.

The document was precipitated by plans to redevelop the YMCA facility as well as the American Legion and Mill Creek Residential sites to its south.

(more…)

Report: Arlington has tenth-highest rent in the U.S.

By ARLnow.com
The RiverHouse apartments in Pentagon City (staff photo)

Arlington has the tenth-highest rent in the United States, according to a new report.

Rental website Zumper compiled median one-bedroom rents in localities across the U.S. and Arlington is No. 10 on the list. The good news, though, is that the county moved down a spot, after neighboring D.C. moved up to No. 9.

New York City is No. 1 on the list, meanwhile, followed by Jersey City — a frequent ranking rival (and doppelganger?) of Arlington — and San Francisco.

Arlington’s drop in the rankings may be a sign that the creation of new rental units is keeping pace with demand for housing in the area, we’re told.

“The price of one bedroom units in Arlington remained flat at $2,390 last month, while two bedroom units increased 0.3% to $3,130,” Zumper PR manager Crystal Chen noted to ARLnow.

“Arlington did drop a spot in our rankings to become 10th. However, that seems more to do with D.C.’s rent on the rise since Arlington had a stable month for both one and two-bedroom rents,” Chen continued. “Arlington overall seems to have a fairly balanced market as the year-over-year changes for both bedroom types are within 3%. This should signal that the available stock is meeting the current demand there.”

Nationally, Zumper says it is unlikely that rents will fall anytime soon.

“Though price increases have slowed dramatically, we don’t expect to see rents decrease anytime soon. In reality, prices are still correcting after astronomical pandemic-era rent hikes,” Zumper CEO Anthemos Georgiades said. “Renters hate uncertainty, and many are putting off moves until they’re more confident in the economy.”

July 2023 rental rankings (via Zumper)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Fiery sunset over Westover (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Flyover Planned This Morning — From AlertDC: “The US Military will conduct a fly over in the National Capitol Region, at the Arlington National Cemetery, on Thursday, July 27, 2023 at 9:10 AM.”

N. Va. Young Dems Blast Board — “The Northern Virginia Young Democrats organization is not happy with the somewhat more seasoned Democrats on the Arlington County Board. ‘Disappointing to see our leaders flip-flop on much-needed reforms like RCV [ranked-choice voting],’ the organization – the local affiliate of Virginia Young Democrats – said in a July 24 tweet.” [Gazette Leader]

Dunkin Awards Local Scholarships — “Dunkin’ held its second annual Dunkin’ Regional Scholarship this past spring, which awarded $125,000 in academic scholarships to high school and college students across the Washington, D.C., area. Three students from Arlington were among 50 students in the region who received a $2,500 academic scholarship to an accredited two- or four-year college or vocational technical school of their choice for the upcoming fall semester.” [Patch]

DCA Expansion Backers Not Done Yet — “Efforts to amend a pair of obscure aviation rules capping flights at Northern Virginia’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport foundered last week in the U.S. House of Representatives, although a group backing the change says ‘the fight is far from over.’ On Thursday, the U.S. House rejected an amendment to a bill… that would have allowed seven new round-trip flights to Reagan National every hour.” [Virginia Mercury]

Arlington Man Arrested for Bar Gunfire — “An Arlington man was arrested in Alexandria… Tuesday for a shooting incident that occurred in Bailey’s Crossroads earlier this month. Fairfax County police officers were called to the Lion’s Den Lounge at 5820 Seminary Road around 4 a.m. on July 16 after getting a report of gunshots being fired.” [FFXnow]

It’s Thursday — There is a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm today, with sunny and hot conditions and a high near 98°F, feeling like 105°F. Southwest winds will blow at 11-15 mph, gusting up to 22 mph. Tonight, expect a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms mainly between 8pm and 2am, with mostly cloudy skies and a low around 75°F. South winds will be at 6-10 mph; new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half-inch are possible. [Weather.gov]

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