Around Town

Jos A. Bank is second retail store to close in Clarendon in two months

By James Jarvis
1/2

Jos. A. Bank in Clarendon has shuttered, adding to the recent string of business closures in the area.

Located at 2800 Clarendon Blvd in The Crossing Clarendon shopping center, the well-known men’s clothing brand — one of two Jos. A Bank stores in Arlington — officially closed its doors on Saturday, Jan. 6.

The ghost of an outline of the Jos. A. Bank sign still lingers above the storefront, which opened in 2001, per county records. A notice also hangs in the window announcing the store is “permanently closed” and directs customers to visit its remaining Arlington outpost in the Pentagon City mall.

EJ Enciso, the General Manager of The Clarendon Crossing, told ARLnow the property owner, Florida-based Regency Centers, decided against renewing the company’s lease as part of its strategy to “modernize” the business mix in the shopping center.

“We’re bringing in new and exciting concepts,” Enciso said.

He mentioned that Regency Centers is considering various tenants to replace Jos. A. Bank but declined to provide more details.

Within the last few months, the area has seen several closures, including Mediterranean restaurant Cava Mezze, the international bakery Le Pain Quotidien and outdoor goods store Orvis.

Additionally, the D.C.-based South American rotisserie chicken and whiskey bar Chicken + Whiskey temporarily closed earlier this month, reportedly due to poor sales.

Despite these closures, The Clarendon Crossing has seen some new arrivals, such as the fashion, home goods, and accessories boutique Golden Fox, and the cookie shop Chip City.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Snow-covered benches at The Lot near Clarendon (photo courtesy George Brazier)

New Field Check-in Process — “The Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) this spring will begin a pilot program using an phone-app-based check-in procedure at fields that have been reserved for group use… The process is expected to be simple – ‘you scan a QR code,’ Anselene said.” [Gazette Leader]

Wounded Duck Rescued — From the Animal Welfare League of Arlington: “Thank you Officer Votroubek & Blue Ridge Wildlife Ctr for saving this long-tailed duck! He had a bad wound on his wing but is on the mend. Long-tailed ducks breed in the Arctic & migrate along our northern coasts. We think was blown inland during last week’s storm!” [Twitter]

Another Water Main Break — From the Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services yesterday: “Emergency Water Main Repairs: Crew working on broken main at 1800 S Glebe. SB traffic detoured around work site. Use alternative routes.” [Twitter]

School Board Photo Update Needed — “Few Arlington School Board members have made it two full terms of late, and one apparently continues to hang around even after his term has expired, at least on the school system’s Website. As of Jan. 22, the group photo of School Board members on the Arlington Public Schools Website continues to be one from 2022, taken when Reid Goldstein was serving as chair.” [Gazette Leader]

Award Nods for Local Theater — “Productions at the Signature Theatre in Arlington over the past year received a total of 20 nominations for the 40th Helen Hayes Awards, second only to Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. Nominations in the 41 award categories were announced on Monday. The Helen Hayes Awards ceremony will take place on May 20 at The Anthem in D.C.” [Patch]

It’s Wednesday — Expect cloudy conditions with a high near 46 and a 40% chance of rain, as calm winds become southerly at 6 mph in the afternoon. Rain is likely on Wednesday night, mainly after 1am, as temperatures rise to around 52 by 4am with south winds at 6-11 mph. There’s a 70% chance of precipitation, with 0.1 to 0.25 inches of new rainfall possible. [Weather.gov]

Sponsored

Listing of the Day: 1404 N Herndon Street

By ARLnow.com

Address: 1404 N Herndon Street
Neighborhood: Lyon Village
Type: 4 BR, 4 (+1 half) BA single-family detached – 3991 sq. ft.
Listed: $2,575,000

Noteworthy: Stunning Lyon Village Modern Masterpiece.

Stunning modern masterpiece designed and renovated in 2016 by acclaimed Moser Architects, seamlessly blending cutting-edge design with refined comfort. Nestled in sought-after Lyon Village, this home offers a light-filled, open layout that exudes sophistication and warmth. Every detail reflects the vision of the current owner, a talented interior designer who curated the interiors with an elevated sense of style. Upon entry, soaring ceilings, white oak flooring, and Italian lighting by Artemide set the tone for contemporary elegance. The striking dining room features Schumacher wallpaper, custom cabinetry, and Scandinavian lighting by Louis Poulsen, while a stylish home office with built-ins complements the design. Along the hall, a custom mural by NYC’s Calico Wallpaper leads to the mudroom and powder room, accented by Kelly Wearstler Visual Comfort lighting and Scalamandre wallcoverings. The open-concept living area, wrapped in walls of windows, centers around state-of-the-art kitchen by Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens with Canadian Elmwood cabinetry, Dekton countertops, walk-in pantry, butler’s pantry with beverage center, and custom banquette upholstered in Christopher Farr Cloth. Upstairs, the primary suite includes two custom-designed walk-in closets and a luxurious spa-inspired bath with an oversized shower and bench seating. Three additional bedrooms, two full baths—one showcasing a Scandinavian light fixture by &Tradition—and a convenient laundry room complete the upper level. The lower level includes a recreation room with 9-foot ceilings, guest suite, full bath, second laundry, and garage access. Outside, professional landscaping and a private flagstone patio provide a serene retreat just two blocks from Clarendon Metro, shops, and dining.

https://listings.blueskyemedia.com/videos/0199cef4-7c51-7244-a953-e84ce3580c1c

Listed by:
Sheri Grant – TTR Sotheby’s International Realty
[email protected]
(703) 405-1016

Around Town

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jan 23, 2024

By ARLnow.com

Good Tuesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jan 23, 2024.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

🌧️ Wednesday’s forecast

Sprinkles may occur before 3pm, followed by a slight chance of rain and patchy fog after 3pm and 9am respectively. Expect a cloudy day with a high near 47°F and a southeast wind of 3-5 mph; there’s a 20% chance of precipitation. For Wednesday night, rain is likely after 1am, with patchy fog and a cloudy sky. The temperature will rise to around 52°F by 3am, accompanied by a south wind of 6-9 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%, with possible new precipitation amounts under a tenth of an inch. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Another belief of mine: that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise.”
– Margaret Atwood

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

News

BREAKING: Police charge fmr. W-L girls basketball coach with sex crimes involving players

By Jo DeVoe
George Porcha (courtesy ACPD)

Arlington police have charged a former Washington-Liberty High School basketball coach with sexual offenses and are seeking possible additional victims.

George Porcha, 53, of Winterville, North Carolina, is charged with carnal knowledge of a minor and taking indecent liberties with children, per an Arlington County Police Department press release sent out this evening (Tuesday).

ACPD started its investigation in October 2022 after receiving information about possible offenses Porcha committed, involving minors, between 2000 and 2003, when he coached girls basketball coach at Washington-Liberty, then named Washington-Lee.

As a result of the investigation, warrants were issued this month for offenses involving two female victims who were juveniles and students at W-L at the time of the incidents, per the press release, which noted additional information is restricted following Virginia code.

During his tenure at W-L, he was the 2001 National District Coach of the Year, according to InsideNova. Porcha went on to be the head girls basketball coach at T.C. Williams High School, now Alexandria City High School, from 2004-07.

About a decade later, he coached the boys basketball team at Woodbridge High School from 2014-16 before leaving for Ole Miss, InsideNova reported at the time.

Porcha has also made the rounds coaching at colleges and universities, including Virginia Tech, West Virginia University, Ole Miss and Boston College. He was let go from Virginia Tech in the fall of 2022, per the Roanoke Times.

This remains an active criminal investigation, ACPD says. Anyone who has additional information related to this investigation or has had past inappropriate encounters with this suspect is asked to contact Detective P. Pena at 703-228-4183 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Announcement

Embrace Your Inner Artist: Art House 7’s Exciting Fall 2 Session Begins on October 30!

By Art House 7

Art House 7 warmly welcomes you to our upcoming Fall 2 session of classes starting on October 30th. We’re thrilled to offer a diverse range of mediums and flexible class lengths, catering to a wide age range, starting from as young as 2, and, of course, providing a multitude of engaging options for adults!

Our classes cover an exciting spectrum of creative mediums, including fiber arts such as knitting, modern embroidery, crochet, and sewing. We also offer classes in ceramics on the wheel, drawing, watercolor, gouache, oil, acrylic, still-life painting, and captivating Japanese Suminagashi and printmaking. One of the highlights of this session is the highly anticipated 5-week “Painting the Portrait and Figure” workshop, led by the renowned local artist, Danni Dawson.

Go to Embrace Your Inner Artist: Art House 7’s Exciting Fall 2 Session Begins on October 30! Read more
View More Stories