Pedestrian lying in the roadway after being struck by driver in front of Ballston Quarter
Pedestrian lying in the roadway after being struck by driver in front of Ballston Quarter
Pedestrian lying in the roadway after being struck by driver in front of Ballston Quarter
(Updated at 10:40 a.m.) A pedestrian was struck by a driver in front of Ballston Quarter mall this morning.
The victim, said to be a man in his 50s, could be seen lying motionless in the roadway while bystanders directed traffic around the crash scene, prior to the arrival of police and fire personnel. A fire department dispatch noted that the 911 call center received multiple calls about the crash, which happened around 10 a.m., directly in front of Ted’s Bulletin restaurant.
After a few minutes of being tended to by medics, the victim was placed on a stretcher, brought to a waiting ambulance and transported to the hospital.
“The pedestrian, an adult male, was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The driver of the striking vehicle [remained] on scene. Police remain on scene investigating.”
Grace Community Church in Ballston Quarter (staff photo)
Grace Community Church in Ballston Quarter (staff photo)
Grace Community Church in Ballston Quarter (staff photo)
A church featuring a 500-person capacity auditorium is about to open at Ballston Quarter mall.
Grace Community Church, which had previously been holding services at Arlington’s Thomas Jefferson Middle School, is planning a grand opening at Ballston Quarter this coming Sunday, March 19.
The new space is located on the second floor of the mall, near Macy’s, and will also soon include a childcare center, the church said in a press release.
Grace’s Pastor John Slye, Jr. called the new space — which ARLnow first reported on last January — “a safe place to explore faith and to ask questions.”
“We have been able to design a space that is unique and fits perfectly with the unique calling that God gave us,” Slye said in a video message.
As of this (Friday) morning, work was still underway on the church’s expansive, window-lined lobby. The overall space, across from WHINO restaurant, is 23,280 square feet.
More, below, from the church’s press release.
Grace Community Church has moved from Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Arlington, VA to Ballston Quarter. A newly customized space on the second level near Macy’s contains an auditorium that seats 500 people and a children’s ministry for ages 0-6th grade. Grace also has youth groups for middle and high school students and space for community classes.
Grace Community Church has been serving the Arlington community for over 20 years. This move brings Grace right to the heart of the city. Grace has a strong focus on compassion and justice initiatives, creating an engaging Sunday environment that is welcoming to all, and providing opportunities to connect and engage with others. The new space will also become home to a childcare center and many concerts, events and service opportunities for the community.
Services are held on Sundays at 9:00, 10:15 and 11:30am. Grace is celebrating its grand opening on Sunday, March 19 by giving away Ted’s Tarts from Ted’s Bulletin.
Police investigating at the Ballston mall parking garage after near-fatal overdose (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police and medics at the Ballston mall parking garage after near-fatal overdose (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police on scene outside of Ballston Quarter mall after near-fatal overdose (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington County police and medics responded to a near-fatal opioid overdose in the Ballston mall parking garage this afternoon.
The initial dispatch went out shortly before 1:30 p.m. for a possible cardiac arrest with CPR in progress after an overdose, inside the county-owned public parking garage. A group of teens was found near the mall elevators on the 6th floor of the garage.
First responders administered the overdose reversal medication Narcan to two people with suspected overdoses and reported that the person initially said to be in cardiac arrest had a pulse but was unconscious, according to scanner traffic.
The fire department established an incident command at the garage and ended up transporting three people to a local hospital via ambulance.
Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage confirmed to ARLnow that those involved were juveniles.
“At approximately 1:24 p.m., police were dispatched to the report of possible overdose in the 4200 block of Wilson Boulevard involving three juveniles,” Savage said. “First responders administered NARCAN on two of the juveniles which resulted in positive responses. The three juveniles were transported to an area hospital. The investigation is ongoing.”
A similar incident was reported at the parking garage last week, on a Tuesdy morning.
A group of highly intoxicated teens required medical attention in a stairwell, not far from the entrance to the Kettler Capitals Iceplex.
“At approximately 9:33 a.m., police were dispatched to the 600 block of N. Glebe Road for the report of a Drunk in Public,” Savage said at the time. “Upon arrival, six juveniles showing signs of intoxication were located inside a stairwell of a commercial building. Out of an abundance of caution, they were transported to an area hospital for evaluation. The investigation is ongoing.”
ARLnow did not previously report on the alcohol incident. Between then and now, a police source confirmed to an ARLnow reporter that the juveniles were students at nearby Washington-Liberty High School and were skipping class.
Savage said it was not immediately clear whether today’s incident involved the same group.
“As part of the ongoing investigation, detectives will work to determine if this incident is related to any other reported incidents,” she said.
Today’s overdoses follow several involving students on and off school grounds since the start of December’s holiday break, part of an ongoing opioid epidemic at Arlington’s public schools.
Rahman “Rock” Harper of Queen Mother’s Fried Chicken (photo courtesy of Mark Jones)
Kevin Tien of Hot Lola’s (photo courtesy of Scott Suchman)
(Updated at 5:20 p.m.) Two local chefs have been named semifinalists for a prestigious James Beard award.
Rahman “Rock” Harper of Queen Mother’s Fried Chicken on Columbia Pike and Kevin Tien, owner of Hot Lola’s in Rosslyn and Ballston, were both recognized as semifinalists for “Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic” in this year’s James Beard awards. The nominations were announced last week.
Named after the famed American chef, the national award recognizes “exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system.”
The Alexandria native Harper is the owner and head chef at Queen Mother’s Fried Chicken, located inside the local incubator Kitchen of Purpose at 918 S. Lincoln Street, just off of Columbia Pike, in the Alcova Heights neighborhood.
It opened in late 2020 with a menu, as might be expected considering the name, focused on fried chicken sandwiches.
Harper is also an author and winner of the third season of the cooking reality show “Hell’s Kitchen.” He told ARLnow that being named a James Beard semifinalist was a “pleasant surprise” and that the response from critics and diners alike has been “surreal.”
“They remind me that while pursuing my passion for telling Black stories through food, we will be rewarded with positive feedback along the journey,” Harper said via email. “Columbia Pike and Arlington have been incredibly supportive and welcoming to Queen Mother’s and I look forward to being here for many years! I hope this can serve as an example to customers, restaurateurs, elected officials, and developers that the future of Arlington and Northern Virginia dining is pretty bright.”
While Tien was actually nominated for his cooking at D.C.’s Moon Rabbit, he’s also known for Hot Lola’s and its two Arlington locations. The fast-casual restaurant also serves fried chicken sandwiches, but Tien’s blends Sichuan spices with the traditional Nashville recipe, creating his own brand of hot chicken.
Tien told ARLnow that being nominated for a James Beard award is an “amazing accomplishment” and represents “more than just good food and service.“
“It represents the commitment we make to our team, our community, our purveyors that we are cooking with purpose and for a cause,” he said via email. “To have a restaurant in Virginia with two other amazing Virginia chefs, Rock Harper and Joy Crump whom I love so much is incredible. The Arlington and NoVa dining scene is amazing and I am happy to be a small part of it.”
Ballston Service Station is now closed at Ballston Quarter (photo courtesy of Ray Caputo)
Bar and snack spot Ballston Service Station located inside of Ballston Quarter Market is now closed
The bar at the center of the food hall shuttered several weeks ago, Ballston Quarter Market’s general manager tells ARLnow, confirming several reader tips received by ARLnow.
Ballston Service Station was one of the first businesses to commit to the newly-revamped Ballston Quarter in late 2018.
The low-key watering hole was designed to look like “your hometown gas station.” It had a bar, a tap, and several televisions. Now, there’s only plywood and paneling covering the bar.
ARLnow reached out to the owners of Ballston Service Station about why it closed but has not heard back. Ballston Quarter management also declined to comment on if another tenant is lined up to replace it.
Recent months have seen several comings and goings at the food hall inside the Ballston mall. In August, British-inspired Salt Pop Kitchen closed while, in September, Kung Fu Tea opened on the other side of Ballston Service Station.
Ballston Quarter’s outdoor Christmas tree (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
It’s holiday time and the lights are coming on in Arlington.
Over the next several weeks, a slew of tree lightings, Santa visits, markets, and holiday celebrations are happening around the county. That’s in addition to last night’s Shirlington tree lighting and the Santa photo shoots already underway at the Pentagon City mall.
Next week, the Rosslyn Business Improvement District is set to turn on the lights at its annual tree lighting ceremony, which now takes place at Central Place Plaza near the Metro station. It’s happening on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 5 p.m. and will be aired on ABC 7 with a countdown from local reporter Kidd O’Shea.
There will be musical performances from Cherry Blossom Organ Trio and HB Woodlawn’s Choir, as well as raffle prizes, holiday cocktails, free photos, and a coat drive benefiting PathForward.
Other upcoming Rosslyn holiday activities include:
Dec. 7 at 6 p.m.: Rosslyn Cinema featuring”Elf” at Bennet Park Atrium
Dec. 10 & 11 at 11 a.m.: Holiday Market at Central Place Plaza
Santa is making his way to Ballston, meanwhile, and will be taking holiday photos with well-behaved children every weekend until Christmas starting this Saturday, Dec. 3, as well as the entire week between Dec. 19 and Dec. 23.
Santa will be stationed on the first floor of the mall near the Wilson Blvd street entrance.
On Saturday, Dec. 3 starting at 11 a.m., three local businesses — The Freshman, Commonwealth Joe, and Beauty Champagne & Sugar Boutique — will compete to see which has the best peppermint mocha.
Other holiday activities in Crystal City and Pentagon City include:
Santa Claus awaiting visits at the Pentagon City mall in 2016
Starbucks holiday cup (Photo by Jasmin Schuler on Unsplash)
Tis the season for peppermint mochas and Santa photos.
Starbucks, famous for its ubiquity in Arlington, is bringing back its festive cups and holiday season beverages tomorrow (Thursday, Nov. 3), the company announced today.
The 2022 Starbucks offerings include Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Irish Cream Cold Brew and Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte, in addition to bakery items like Reindeer Cake Pop, Sugar Plum Cheese Danish, Cranberry Bliss Bar and Snowman Cookie.
Meanwhile, Santa Claus is coming to town — sooner than you might expect.
Santa is set to start snapping photos with children at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City on Friday, Nov. 18, according to the mall’s website. Santa will be stationed on the first level of the mall near Nordstrom.
In addition to the daily photo ops, a special “Caring Santa” session for children with special needs is scheduled for Dec. 4 and pet photos with Santa is set for Dec. 11. Santa will also be hosting two breakfasts with kids at the adjacent Ritz-Carlton hotel on Dec. 3 and 17.
Reservations for the Pentagon City mall photo sessions can be made online.
Jolly Ol’ St. Nick will be arriving at the Ballston Quarter mall a bit later than his Pentagon City counterpart. Ballston’s Santa is set to start taking photos with kids on Dec. 3 and reservations can also be made online.
If you’re really jonesing for Father Christmas, there’s an even earlier option than the two in Arlington. Tysons Corner Center mall announced yesterday that Santa will be returning there next week, on Friday, Nov. 11.
Once you pick up your seasonal Starbucks tomorrow, to get in the holiday spirit — despite this week’s relatively warm weather — you might head over to the Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row) ice skating rink. The rink officially opened to the public yesterday. As of early this afternoon, no skaters could be seen on the ice.
The redeveloped mall at 4238 Wilson Blvd is home to a rotatingroster 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.
The “upscale British street food” eatery closed down its Quarter Market stall back in early August, co-owner Wendy Salt confirmed to ARLnow. Salt Pot first opened there in May, making its run rather short.
“Our contract was only ever for 3 months as a trial run/pop-up. There was always going to be an option to extend, which we would have been happy to consider but it just never got busy enough,” she wrote ARLnow. “Other opportunities came our way, and we have been busy exploring those since August.”
Salt also noted that they are not completely gone from Ballston, keeping a presence at the weekly farmers market on Thursday evenings until mid-November.
“This has been very successful, and we have many repeat customers every week,” Salt said.
Salt Pot Kitchen is from the Loudoun County-based mother-son team of Wendy and Charlie Salt and the mall stall was their first brick-and-mortar location. It served traditional English fare, like sausage rolls, meat pies, soups, and Wiltshire plaits.
The stall where Salt Pot Kitchen was, near the escalator and across from Bollywood Bistro, is currently dark, as it’s been since August. There’s no word as of yet on what new tenant might move in.
Prior to the British eatery, the stall was the home of Rogi. That pierogi pop-up, which replaced Italian spot Cucina al Volo, closed early this year, making way for Salt Pot Kitchen in the spring.
Bubble tea spot Kung Fu Tea has opened a new location in Ballston.
The New York City-based bubble tea chain opened earlier this week inside of the Ballston Quarter Market food hall, a mall spokesperson confirmed to ARLnow. It has moved into the stall that previously hosted Sloppy Mama’s BBQ, on the other side of Ballston Service Station and across from Go Poke.
This is Kung Fu Tea’s second Arlington location, with the other located in Clarendon at 3018 Wilson Blvd, about a mile from its new outpost.
The chain has more than 350 locations nationwide, with more on the way including one on Richmond Highway in Fairfax County.
Kung Fu Tea is known for its boba (or bubble) tea and other drinks. First opening in Queens, New York in 2010, the company claims to be “America’s largest bubble tea brand.”
Along with Kung Fu Tea, there have been several comings and goings at Ballston Quarter in recent months. Both All About Burger and Local Oyster closed over the summer, while immersive group gaming experience Immersive Gamebox opened earlier in the spring.
This week, Immersive Gamebox is debuting its latest offering: a full-scale immersive game based on Netflix’s Emmy-nominated dystopian series “Squid Game.”
A full-scale immersive “Squid Game” experience is coming to Immersive Gamebox in Ballston (photo courtesy of Immersive Gamebox)
A full-scale immersive “Squid Game” experience is coming to Immersive Gamebox in Ballston (photo courtesy of Immersive Gamebox)
A full-scale immersive “Squid Game” experience is coming to Immersive Gamebox in Ballston (photo courtesy of Immersive Gamebox)
A full-scale immersive “Squid Game” experience is coming to Immersive Gamebox in Ballston (photo courtesy of Immersive Gamebox)
If you want to be transported into the dystopian, violent world featured in Netflix’s “Squid Game,” head to Ballston starting next month.
The “immersive group gaming” experience Immersive Gamebox (formerly Electric Gamebox) at Ballston Quarter is set to debut its newest game on September 21 and it’s one based on Netflix’s popular streaming series.
“Groups of two to six players will navigate challenges inspired by the series including Red Light Green Light, Marbles, and the ‘Squid Game’ itself, among others,” reads a press release. “Players will use the company’s proprietary motion-sensing technology and touch screens surrounding the interactive digital smart rooms, or Gameboxes, where players must test their reflexes and skills to advance — all without the need for headsets.”
The full-scale game is only for players 16 years and older and will become part of Immersive Gamebox’s permanent collection, a company spokesperson told ARLnow.
“Squid Game” is a fictional South Korean show about hundreds of vulnerable people manipulated into playing deadly children’s games to win cash. The series on Netflix premiered last year and is nominated for an Emmy.
“People are constantly seeking new and different ways to remain invested in their favorite content,” Immersive Gambox CEO Will Dean said in a press release. “To reimagine Netflix’s most popular show in an entirely new format offers customers more ways to stay connected to Squid Game.”
The London-based Immersive Gamebox opened its 2,217 square-foot space in Suite 2233 of Ballston Quarter (4238 Wilson Blvd) back in March. There are now 13 locations in both the U.K. and the United States, including the recently-opened one in New York City.
Dean told ARLnow earlier this year that the company chose Arlington as a spot of one of its locations because of “its reputation as a young, vibrant, family friendly community.”
Inside the facility, players will find a series of rooms that can host two to six players for games that last 30 minutes or an hour. Players don motion-tracking visors to play games projected onto the four walls of their “gamebox” room.
Besides Squid Game starting in September, players can also choose games involving aliens, a trip to Mars, and Angry Birds. Ticket prices range from $20 to $40, depending on age and game. The Ballston location is open until 9 p.m. every night.
