News

County Board Approves Two Multi-Million Dollar Contracts

By ARLnow.com

N. Nash Street is closed to traffic due to pavingUpdated on 3/16/16 — The Trades Center parking garage addition was approved unanimously by the County Board at its Tuesday meeting after a brief discussion.

Earlier: The Arlington County Board approved a trio of two multi-million dollar contracts at its meeting on Saturday.

First, the Board was to consider a $4.85 million contract, with a $0.73 million contingency, to add a third level to the existing two-level parking garage at the Arlington Trades Center near Shirlington.

The Trades Center houses much of Arlington’s maintenance and vehicle fleet operations. According to a staff report, employment at the center has increased to 288 from 174 in 2010. The new garage level would add 155 parking spaces and will follow the increasingly in-vogue “build up, not out” philosophy.

Correction from earlier report: This contract was pulled from the Board’s consent agenda and will be considered at its Tuesday meeting.

Also on Saturday, however, the Board did approve two road paving contracts, together worth nearly $12 million. From a county press release:

“Road maintenance may not be exciting, but it affects everyone in the County,” said Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey. “The County is committed to investing in our roads — so that all drivers, walkers and cyclists can travel safely and comfortably.”

The Board voted 5-0 (part of Consent Agenda) to approve the asphalt contracts totaling just under $11.6 million to Finley Asphalt & Sealing and Fort Myer Construction Corporation.

It takes constant effort to maintain Arlington’s 974 lane miles of streets. Each year, the County identifies streets for paving based on pavement conditions, traffic volumes and planned construction by either the County or private developer. Since 2013, the County has averaged the paving of 75 lane miles per year.

Funding for the contracts comes from bonds approved by voters in 2014 and current year Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG), and was included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 – FY 2024 Capital Improvement Plan.

Clarendon Restaurant Robbed at Gunpoint Saturday Night

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)A restaurant in Clarendon was robbed at gunpoint Saturday as crowds of bar-goers flocked to the neighborhood.

Police say the Jimmy John’s sandwich shop at 1138 N. Irving Street was robbed just after 9 p.m.

“A male subject entered a restaurant and robbed the employee at gunpoint,” police said. “The suspect entered, displayed a firearm and instructed the employee to open the register. He fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.”

The investigation is continuing, although as of this afternoon no arrests had been made in the case.

Photos: Runaway Bus Smashes into Parked Cars Near Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com
1/6

A runaway Arlington Transit bus rolled downhill and smashed into at least four parked cars and a motorcycle early this afternoon.

The crash happened around 12:30 p.m. on the 800 block of S. Greenbrier Street, in the Arlington Mill neighborhood near Columbia Pike.

A preliminary report suggests the bus’ brakes failed, leading to the big crash, but that has not been confirmed yet, said Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage. Investigators remain on scene and the road is closed.

The force of the collision flipped one car on its side and pushed another across the adjacent sidewalk. Luckily, no injuries were reported and no passengers were on the bus at the time of the crash, Savage said.

Photos courtesy @themusiking, Arlington County Police Department

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Gray skies over Rosslyn and the Potomac (Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman)

Major Rosslyn Development Approved — A sweeping five-phase redevelopment of 7.65 acres of prime Rosslyn real estate was approved unanimously by the Arlington County Board on Saturday. The Board approved the framework for the development, though final approval will be necessary for each phase. Developers Vornado and Gould Property Company expect to complete the project over the course of 25 years. [Arlington County]

Gun Store Saga Continues — Who owns NOVA Armory, the gun store that’s planning to open in Lyon Park despite community opposition? The man who speaks on behalf of the business and holds its federal firearms sales license isn’t saying, exactly. Dennis Pratte declined further questions after describing it as “a female, minority-owned business” and stating “I may or may not be the owner.” Meanwhile, county leaders say there’s nothing they can legally do to prevent the store from opening. NOVA Armory is planning to a grand opening on March 26. [Washington Post, InsideNova]

Teen Tourist Scammed at Pentagon City Mall — A California teenager on a school trip to Washington was reportedly scammed out of $97 by an armed man at the Pentagon City mall. The man compelled the teen to give him $97 in exchange for what turned out to be a counterfeit $100 bill. [NBC Washington]

Arlington Natives Live Blog Day at Ballston Common Mall — Two friends who grew up in Arlington’s Bluemont neighborhood decided to spend all of Saturday at Ballston Common Mall, ahead of its imminent demise, and live-blog their experience. The blog mixes nostalgia for time spent shopping and working at the mall with observations about the current mix of largely chain restaurants and small, quirky stores. [Things Remembered: A Day at Ballston]

Other County Board Action — On Saturday, the Arlington County Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding to partner with Virginia Tech and join the national MetroLab Network, and voted to accept $731,813 in state funding to support the county’s permanent supportive housing program. [Arlington County, Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

UPDATED: Major Metro Delays This Morning, More Expected This Evening

By ARLnow.com

Update at 2:20 p.m. — Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld has written a letter to customers in which he warns of more single-tracking delays during the evening rush hour and a total shut down of a portion of the Silver, Orange and Blue lines in D.C. starting at 9 p.m.

Dear Metrorail Customer,

I know that it was a tough commute this morning for our Blue, Orange and Silver line customers. I want to provide you with an update so that you can plan for the commute home.

About 4:30 a.m., the Rail Operations Control Center received a report of a fire in the tunnel outside McPherson Square Station. Buses were called in to substitute for trains through downtown until the fire department cleared in the 6 a.m. hour. Metro restored limited rail service using a single track between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle stations.

I know that many of you experienced delays of 30 to 60 minutes on Blue and Orange line trains this morning. Silver Line trains were turned back at Ballston Station to reduce congestion downtown, and some trains bypassed stations to ease delays for the greatest number of customers.

Hopefully you received timely notification of the disruption through our communication channels: wmata.com, MetroAlerts email and text messages or the news media. (If you are not signed up for MetroAlerts, please take a moment to sign up at wmata.com/metroalerts.)

Unfortunately, the fire damaged several cables that will need to be replaced tonight in order to restore full service for tomorrow. Single tracking will continue throughout the day and will affect the evening commute. If you have the ability to consider alternate travel options today, I encourage you to do so.

I have directed that repairs start at 9 p.m. tonight when ridership is lower. At that time, rail service will be suspended on both tracks between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle.

Rail service plans for the rest of today are as follows:

  • Blue and Orange line trains will continue to share a single track between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle during the afternoon and evening hours. This will result in delays in both directions. You should consider travel alternates if possible, such as the Yellow Line between DC and Virginia or Metrobus options if available.
  • Silver Line trains will continue operating between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston only. Customers should use Orange Line trains to complete their trip between Virginia and DC.
  • During the evening rush hour, Blue and Orange eastbound trains will skip Farragut West and McPherson Square to reduce delays. Listen for station announcements, check platform signs or sign up for MetroAlerts for details.
  • Starting at 9 p.m., all rail service will be suspended in both directions between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle to allow for repairs. Metro will provide shuttle bus service between the affected stations. Please allow additional travel time.

We are working closely and cooperatively with the NTSB, FTA and DC Fire Department to determine the cause of this incident, and I will remain personally engaged in our response.

I apologize for the delay, inconvenience and crowding you experienced this morning — and that you may experience again later today. Be assured that as we respond to these matters as they arise, we continue to advance plans to improve safety and service reliability to reduce recurrences in the future.

Sincerely,

Paul J. Wiedefeld
General Manager and Chief Executive Officer

Earlier: There are major delays on the Blue and Orange lines today due to the closure of one of the two tracks near the McPherson Square station in D.C.

An earlier cable fire caused damage to the track. Repairs are underway.

As a result of the single-tracking in D.C., there are major delays on the Blue and Orange Lines in Arlington. The inbound Silver Line, meanwhile, is turning around at Ballston.

(more…)

Bishop O’Connell Grad Dies in Ski Accident

By ARLnow.com

Nathan Rom (photo via Facebook)Nathan Rom, 19-year-old Arlington resident, has died in a ski accident in Colorado.

The Denver Post and other local media reports that Rom lost control on an intermediate trail at Copper Mountain Resort and crashed into a tree. Rom was wearing a helmet but died of blunt force trauma.

The incident happened Wednesday and was the second skiing death in Colorado that day.

Rom was a recent graduate of Bishop O’Connell High School, where he rowed crew and was recognized for academic achievement.

Photo via Facebook

Construction Accident Shuts Down Lynn Street Friday Morning

By ARLnow.com

An accident at the Central Place construction site in Rosslyn shut down N. Lynn Street earlier this morning.

The accident happened around 6:45 a.m. Lynn Street was closed at Wilson Blvd due to the emergency response.

“A construction worker was unloading material from a crane when the material fell on top of him,” said Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “Other construction workers on scene were able to [free] him.”

A construction crane was used to bring the injured worker down from the fifth level of the under-construction building, said a fire department spokesman.

The worker was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

https://twitter.com/thechrisroth/status/708260842597433344

Driver Whacked With Bat in Road Rage Incident

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsA road rage dispute between two drivers led to one hitting the other with a baseball bat.

The incident happened Wednesday around 1:30 p.m., at the intersection of S. Glebe Road and West Glebe Road, on the Arlington-Alexandria border near I-395.

Police say a verbal dispute turned violent when one of the drivers — both drivers were men — got out of his car and smashed the other’s car window with the bat, striking him with the bat and broken glass in the process.

From an Arlington County Police crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 160309023, 1200 block of West Glebe Road. At approximately 1:36 p.m. on March 9, following a verbal altercation between two drivers, a male subject pulled out a wooden bat and swung at the victim’s car. The victim’s vehicle was damaged and he was struck with the bat. The suspect is described as a black male in his fifties, approximately 5’11” tall and weighed 125 lbs. He was wearing a short sleeved cream colored button-up shirt and green pants.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Tree blossoms in Lyon Park

Police Seek Witness in Pentagon City Investigation — Arlington County Police are trying to find a witness who rendered aid to an injured man found face down in the street in Pentagon City. The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. on February 25, on the 1200 block of S. Eads Street. The 65-year-old man remains in critical but stable condition. [Arlington County]

Group Forms to Oppose Gun Store — Updated at 11:05 a.m. — A group called Act4LyonPark has formed to oppose NOVA Armory, the gun store that’s planning to open on March 26 at 2300 N. Pershing Drive. So far, Act4LyonPark has raised $6,300 to support its activities. The group says that in a recent vote, 88 percent of residents who responded voted for the Lyon Park Citizens Association to take an official stance against the gun shop.

Board to Consider Relaxed Historic Rules for Schools — The Arlington County Board is expected to vote Saturday on a proposal to make it easier for Arlington Public Schools to make changes to schools within local historic districts. The proposal would remove schools from the oversight of the county’s rigid Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board. Facing a school capacity crunch, APS says going through HALRB adds unnecessary delays and costs to projects. [InsideNova]

One Person Filed 6,500 Noise Complaints Against DCA — A single individual is responsible for 6,500 of the 8,670 noise complaints filed against Reagan National Airport last year, according to the airports authority. [WTOP]

Chamber Savors Hotel Tax Victory — With Arlington’s 0.25 percent hotel tax surcharge reinstated, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce is celebrating a long-awaited legislative victory. “Reinstating Arlington’s [Transient Occupancy Tax] was the Chamber’s top priority for the 2016 legislative session, with the funds generated by the additional TOT providing much needed support to ensure that Arlington remains competitive in attracting leisure and business travel,” said Chamber president and CEO Kate Roche. [Arlington Chamber of Commerce]

Local Musician Wins Songwriting Award — Arlington’s Justin Jones has won the $10,000 grand prize from a local songwriting competition in Bethesda. [Instagram]

County Board to Consider Massive Rosslyn Redevelopment This Weekend

By ARLnow.com
1/11

The Arlington County Board this weekend is scheduled to consider a massive 7.65 acre redevelopment project that would reshape the Rosslyn skyline.

Developers Vornado and Gould Property Company are proposing a five-phase project that would eventually replace seven existing buildings — the Rosslyn Spectrum Theater, the London Apartments, the Normandy Apartments and four office buildings.

In its place would be 2.5 million square feet of space across five buildings, including 1.8 million square feet of office, 550 residential units, 200 hotel rooms and 45,000 square feet of retail space. Also planned area new, nearly one acre Rosslyn Plaza Park, an Esplanade and two new east-west streets breaking up the super block between N. Kent Street and N. Arlington Ridge Road.

County staff is recommending approval of a Phased Development Site Plan and a rezoning for the project. Each of the five phases will still need its own final site plan approved by the Board.

“The applicant’s proposed redevelopment of the Rosslyn Plaza property will permit the redevelopment of a critical site in
Rosslyn and introduce new elements of public infrastructure identified in the Rosslyn Sector Plan,” wrote county staff, “including the construction of improvements to Wilson Boulevard and N. Kent Street along with two new streets to break up the superblock, creation of the Rosslyn Plaza Park and other public open space improvements, a reconfigured N. Arlington Ridge Road, and bicycle trail improvements including portions of the Esplanade.”

The developers are also proposing a public pedestrian and bicycle bridge over I-66 and the GW Parkway, connecting one of the new roads with the Mt. Vernon Trail.

“The Mount Vernon Trail is used by over 3,000 cyclists on an average day, and provides a trail exit and connection to Rosslyn at Lee Highway near North Lynn Street,” county staff wrote. “The PDSP envisions a pedestrian and bicycle connection to the Mount Vernon Trail, via a bridge at the end of 18th or 19th Street over Interstate 66 and the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Its feasibility has not been determined and will be discussed during future final site plan applications.”

Currently, the apartments in the Rosslyn Plaza site supply fewer than 10 students to Arlington Public Schools. County staff estimate that once completed, the new development will generate a total of 42 APS students — attending Key Elementary School or Arlington Science Focus Elementary School, Williamsburg Middle School and Yorktown High School.

The first phase of the project would demolish the London Apartments, the Spectrum Theater and one of the office buildings. County commissions and the Rosslyn Business Improvement District have been supportive of the project, although some local neighborhood groups have expressed concerns about the height of the proposed buildings and the impact on traffic.

The Board is set to consider the development plan at its meeting on Saturday.

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