Over the last 18 months, Arlington nonprofit Bridges to Independence has experienced a notable surge in children and families seeking shelter, resulting in a growing waiting list.
CEO Fraser Murdoch sat down with staff reporter James Jarvis to discuss what factors may be driving the youth homelessness crisis in Arlington and how the broader community can intervene.
Listen below or find the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn.
This month’s Mike Mount creation references a very specific driving experience that is unfortunately not uncommon in these parts.
“The constant nails in the tire, thanks to all of the construction and unpoliced construction dumpsters,” Mike said of the topic. “Seems to be a thing for a lot of people I talk to around here.”
See Mike’s local ‘toons in the ARLnow Press Club weekend edition newsletter.
Address: 6223 Langston Blvd
Neighborhood: Lee Ridge
Type: 3 BR, 2 BA single-family detached – 3300 sq. ft.
Listed: $1,299,000
Noteworthy: City living with tailored country surroundings/two-car garage
A timeless North Arlington Cape Cod, lovingly maintained and thoughtfully upgraded by the same owners since 1995.
This home features three upstairs bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Set behind a handsome stone retaining wall, the home enjoys wonderful privacy and quiet, thanks to its solid one-foot-thick stone construction. Large windows on every side invite natural light to spill across the high ceilings, solid wood floors, and custom built-ins found throughout both levels.
The kitchen is a chef’s delight, complete with a gas cooktop, granite countertops, and a suite of thoughtful additions including a microwave with convection capabilities. Surround sound enhances the first floor, ceiling and wall speakers in the sunroom, dining room, and living room, and SpeakerCraft ceiling speakers in the kitchen. Bright recessed lighting runs throughout the home, while the basement shines with upgraded fixtures that bring exceptional brightness to the space.
Outdoor living is equally as inviting with a rear stone patio and exterior lighting with carriage lamps and multiple spotlights that showcase the grounds beautifully. The primary suite is a true retreat with custom built-in cabinetry featuring granite countertops that flow seamlessly into the walk-in closet and bathroom.
Recent updates include exterior and interior painting (2024), a fully renovated lower-level bath (2024), and roof replacements over both the house and garage (2017). An oversized detached two-car garage with storage plus a driveway accommodating four or more cars provides exceptional convenience. This residence offers easy access to Georgetown, downtown DC, Airports, and Metro.
Listed by:
James Corry – James Corry Real Estate Services
[email protected]
(561) 389-3111
Arlington County has selected a contractor to oversee work to build a new second entrance to the Crystal City Metro station.
Over the weekend, the Arlington County Board approved a nearly $8 million contract, plus a contingency of $197,497, with Gannett Fleming, Inc. to provide construction management and quality assurance services for the project.
Viewed as a way to further revitalize Crystal City and improve access and accessibility to the station’s east end, the second entrance will be located at the northwest corner of 18th Street S. and Crystal Drive.
Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2024 and last about 2.5 years, according to the county. Previously approved state and local funding will pay for the project, which has a total budget of $146.1 million.
A long-standing goal of county transportation planners, the second entrance will include a direct route, accessible to people with disabilities, to connect users who access the station from the east. It is intended to improve connections for pedestrians and cyclists and to the nearby bus and Virginia Railway Express stations.
There will also be additional space inside the station to accommodate long-term passenger demand.
“The Crystal City Metrorail station is among the most heavily used in Arlington County and Northern Virginia,” per a report. “The Crystal City area is experiencing continued growth and will have significant redevelopment in the next few years.”
The station was also one of the five transportation projects associated with Amazon’s second headquarters, including a pedestrian bridge to Reagan National Airport and an at-grade Route 1.
The project will be delivered via a public-private partnership with developer JBG Smith, which owns a significant amount of property in the neighborhood. It approached the county with an unsolicited proposal to undertake the project and, in 2020, the county struck a deal with the developer to prepare 30% complete designs.
This project was included in the current 2023-2032 Capital Improvement Plan at an estimated cost of $94.9 million, based on conceptual planning work, but costs have increased since then, the county says.
The new $146 million budget is based on the 30% complete designs, a redesign of the station entrance and “upward cost pressures industry-wide,” according to the county.
JBG Smith has been working to finalize the station design since August, after the county approved a $117 million contract with JBG Smith and Clark Construction for final design and construction.
Gannett Fleming was selected from four contractors that bid this summer to help oversee the design and construction. The county says $8 million, plus contingency, is “fair and reasonable” because it is within 12% of an independent cost estimate for the project of around $7 million.
36TH FESTIVAL ARGENTINO
ARLINGTON JUNE 3RD, 2023
Outdoor Fire in Courthouse — “Traffic is closed on N Courthouse Rd from 12th Ct N to Fairfax dr… This is reportedly due to a sizable outdoor fire. ACFD on scene… A second fire along Langston Blvd at N. Adams Street was also reported. Per an ACFD spokesperson, investigators are trying to determine if the fires are related and/or intentionally set.” [Twitter]
N. Va.’s Economic Power — “Were Northern Virginia its own independent country – and let’s not give regional leaders any ideas – it would have the world’s 48th largest economy… That would rank Northern Virginia just below the Czech Republic and Finland and just above Iraq, Portugal and New Zealand.” [Gazette Leader]
New Operator for Food Hall — “The Assembly food hall in Rosslyn is being primed for a refresh. American Real Estate Partners has tapped Mothersauce Partners, the hospitality company behind The Eleanor, Thompson Italian and City-State Brewing Co., to oversee the roughly 27,000-square-foot space at Rosslyn City Center. AREP owns the building, 1700 N. Moore St., and opened the food hall in 2021. Mothersauce hopes to freshen up the design, branding and concept curation at the food hall.” [Washington Business Journal]
FCPS Keeps Kaiser — “Employees and retirees of the Arlington school system may be looking with envy at their counterparts one locality to the west. Because Fairfax County Public Schools staff and retirees get to keep their insurance provider for 2024 and beyond. Fairfax County School Board members on Dec. 14 approved a health-maintenance organization (HMO) and Medicare Advantage plan agreement with Kaiser Permanente to provide health services to about 5,550 FCPS employees and retirees and their 4,921 dependents.” [Gazette Leader]
Upcoming Holiday Closures — “Arlington County Government offices and services are operating on modified schedules for the Christmas holiday, Monday, Dec. 25, 2023, and the New Year’s Day holiday, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Trash/Recycling/Yard Waste Curbside Routes – No collection on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. Curbside collection will shift by one day for all routes (e.g., Monday routes will be serviced on Tuesday).” [Arlington County]
Some Restaurants Open on Xmas — “Many restaurants in Arlington and the D.C. area will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but some will remain open to serve people who don’t want to fuss with a big meal, are traveling or who don’t celebrate the holiday.” [Patch]
It’s Friday — Expect a gradual transition from mostly cloudy to sunny skies, with temperatures reaching a high of around 46 degrees. In the morning, the light and variable wind will shift to southeast at around 6 mph. Friday night will be partly cloudy, with lows around 33 degrees. [Weather.gov]
We have an exciting Juneteenth program with speakers sharing historic artifacts that tell the rich history of Arlington’s Black community builders.
Friday, June 16, 2023
