Ballston

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Court Rules Against Doggie Daycare Mural — A federal appeals court has determined that Arlington County did not violate a business owner’s free speech by forcing her to cover up a mural that county code interpreted as a commercial sign. Wag More Dogs owner Kim Houghton had argued — unsuccessfully — that the mural was artwork and the county’s action violated her First Amendment rights. [Associated Press]

‘Leek American Bistro’ Coming to Ballston — A new American-style bistro is coming to Ballston. “Leek American Bistro” will feature “upscale” dishes in a casual atmosphere. Chef/owner Nathan Spittal says the new eatery, located in the former Thai Terrace space at 801 N. Quincy Street, will focus on locally-sourced ingredients and locally-sourced beer and wine. Spittal is the former owner of the BBQ Banditos food truck. [Washington Business Journal]

Board Approved Clarendon Metro Improvements — The Arlington County Board last night approved a $765,000 contract to transform the small park area around the Clarendon Metro station into a “more active, accessible, multi-use plaza.” Planned improvements include landscaping, paving, covered bike parking, seating walls and movable tables and chairs. [Arlington County]

Arlington Business Hall of Fame Inductees — Three men were inducted into the Arlington Business Hall of Fame during a ceremony yesterday morning, May 22. The ceremony also included the Arlington Chamber of Commerce’s annual ABBIEs business award presentation. [Sun Gazette, Arlington Mercury]

Flickr pool photo by Divaknevil

UPDATED: Suicidal Suspect at Ballston Parking Garage

By ARLnow.com

Update at 3:50 p.m. — The suspect has been safely taken into custody by police.

Earlier: Police and firefighters are on scene at the Ballston public parking garage, where a suicidal suspect is threatening to jump.

The suspect, described as a juvenile black male, is leaning against a railing at the top of the parking structure, near the intersection of Glebe Road and N. Randolph Street. Police have been keeping pedestrians away from the area below where the man is standing, although a small crowd has gathered across the street near the Mercedes-Benz dealership.

Police are now trying to talk to the man, who has been there since around 2:45 p.m. According to scanner traffic, the man threw his phone off the side of the parking structure.

“A negotiator is on scene making verbal contact with the suspect,” said Arlington County police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. Sternbeck said the man had left a behavioral and mental health facility on the 2100 block of Washington Boulevard earlier in the day.

Over the past two years, two people have died after falling from the Ballston public parking garage.

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, help is a phone call away. Call CrisisLink at 703-527-4077.

 

DARPA Opens New Headquarters in Ballston

By Katie Pyzyk

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) invited community leaders to be among the dozens to attend a ceremony marking the opening of its new headquarters today.

DARPA headquarters, which used to be at 3701 N. Fairfax Drive in Virginia Square, is now in the recently finished building at 675 N. Randolph Street in Ballston. The new development is being touted as more secure and environmentally sound than the previous location.

Congressman Jim Moran (D) and several Arlington County Board members, including Chair Mary Hynes, attended the event. Moran and Hynes spoke of how local officials spent years working to keep the defense contractor in Arlington.

“DARPA is the center of the wonderful knowledge economy that’s become part of our identity,” said Hynes.

Moran, who held a cybersecurity summit last month, noted that one of DARPA’s accomplishments is attracting top workers who can help prevent threats to the United States, particularly cyber threats. He also cited work on stealth technology and prosthetic limbs. He said all of the defense agency’s work helps Arlington’s economy.

“DARPA represents an enormous economic boost,” Moran said. “We’re extraordinarily proud that we have DARPA as part of this community.”

The new 13-story facility is considered one of largest secure conference centers in Northern Virginia, and more than 1,100 people work there. It’s expected to receive a LEED platinum designation for commercial interiors from the U.S. Green Building Council.

New Ballston-Area Apartment Building Approved

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Board voted unanimously over the weekend to approve a site plan for a new apartment building at 650 N. Glebe Road, across from Ballston Common Mall.

The six-story, 163-unit apartment building will replace a Goodyear tire store and service center. As part of the site plan, developer Crimson Partners agreed to build a 220-foot long extension of N. Tazewell Street to help break up what’s described as “one of the County’s largest blocks” — and to provide resident access to the building that doesn’t interfere with traffic on Glebe.

The new building will include 2,200 square feet of ground floor retail space along N. Glebe Road. County Board members said adding new residential and retail options will help add to the vibrancy of the area.

“This project continues the transformation of Glebe Road to a boulevard with a mix of retail, office and residential buildings that is a safer, more welcoming place for people to stroll, shop and dine,” County Board Chair Mary Hynes said in a statement. “This vision, now well on its way, is far cry from the funnel for fast-moving cars that we’ve experienced through the commercial heart of Arlington for many years.”

Originally proposed as a five-story building, Crimson was granted extra density in exchange for building to LEED Silver sustainability standards and for constructing the extension to N. Tazewell Street. Crimson also agreed to contribute nearly $500,000 to the county’s Affordable Housing Investment fund, $75,000 to the county’s public art fund, and $42,000 to the county’s utility fund.

Though the building will have 164 underground parking spaces, Crimson agreed to a number of “transportation management measures to encourage residents and retail tenants to live and work car-free.” It was previously reported that the developer was hoping to begin construction this year and wrap up by mid-2013.

Taste of Arlington May Expand Next Year

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10:55 a.m.) The 25th annual Taste of Arlington was held on Sunday afternoon.

Thousands came out to enjoy the nice weather and to sample a wide variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts from local restaurants. There was also beer and wine for the over-21 set.

Of the 35+ restaurants that participated in this year’s event, three captured top marks, as determined by a contingent of roaming judges. P.F. Chang’s (901 N. Glebe Road) won for Best Appetizer, brgr:shack (4215 Fairfax Drive) won for Best Entree, and Bayou Bakery (1515 N. Courthouse Road) won for Best Dessert.

As before, the event was held in front of the Ballston Common Mall along Wilson Boulevard. Even though the footprint of the event was expanded up N. Stuart Street and into Welburn Square this year, it was still difficult at times to get around, especially in places where long lines had formed. New Ballston Business Improvement District Executive Director Tina Leone says organizers are working to fix that.

“We have some pretty big plans for next year,” she told ARLnow.com. “We would like to further expand the footprint of the event. Of course we want more people to come every year, but we need to accommodate them. We really want to make next year’s event even easier for people to get there, get tickets, get around, and just enjoy themselves.”

Other plans in the works for next year include more entertainment — perhaps an additional stage — along with an expanded “kid zone” and a new “dog zone” for those who bring their pups to the event.

1/27

Sunday Road Closures Planned for Taste of Arlington

By ARLnow.com

The 25th annual Taste of Arlington will be held in Ballston this coming Sunday, May 20, from noon to 5:00 p.m.

Taste of Arlington is the county’s largest food festival, attracting some 15,000 attendees every year. More than 35 local restaurants — including newcomers — Memphis Barbeque, Zoe’s Kitchen, World of Beer and Cava Mezze — are expected to participate in this year’s event.

Taste of Arlington is held on Wilson Boulevard in front of Ballston Common Mall. Arlington County police will be closing some roads in the area to accommodate the event. The following streets are scheduled to be closed from 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Sunday.

  • Wilson Boulevard eastbound at Glebe Road
  • Wilson Boulevard westbound at N. Randolph Street
  • N. Stuart Street between N. 9th Street and Wilson Boulevard
  • N. 9th Street between N. Stafford Street and N. Stuart Street (open to Metrobus traffic only)

Disclosure: Ballston BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser

Four Arlington Stops for Bike to Work Day Tomorrow

By ARLnow.com

Tomorrow, May 18, is Bike to Work Day in the D.C. area. Arlington will be participating with four different “pit stops” for bike commuters around the county.

Bike to Work Day was created in 1956 to encourage commuters to try riding their bike to work as a healthy alternative to sitting in traffic. In metro D.C., participation has ballooned from a few hundred riders to 11,000 last year.

Arlington County is hosting three pit stops tomorrow: Rosslyn (Rosslyn Gateway Park, 1300 Lee Highway), Ballston (FreshBikes Bike Shop, 3924 Wilson Blvd) and Crystal City (Crystal City Water Park, 1750 Crystal Drive).

The Rosslyn and Ballston stops will open at 6:30 a.m. and will feature DJ entertainment and roving unicyclists. The Crystal City stop will open at 7:00 a.m. All three stops will remain open through 9:00 a.m. and will offer free food, beverages, prizes and giveaways.

A fourth pit stop will be held tomorrow afternoon from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. along the W&OD Trail at Washington Blvd & Lee Highway. The stop is sponsored by the new Tri360 bike shop in East Falls Church.

Tomorrow’s weather is predicted to be mostly sunny with a high of 76 degrees.

Bocce Courts Proposed for Tiny Ballston Park

By ARLnow.com

A pair of bocce courts may soon be coming to a small strip of green space near Ballston Common Mall.

Arlington County park planners have proposed a set of improvements to a barren, triangular park at the corner of N. Randolph Street and N. Glebe Road, adjacent to the Ballston public parking garage.

The proposal includes two side-by-side bocce courts, benches, a handicap-accessible walkway, bike parking, meadow plantings and a designated food truck/cart area. The cost of the improvements is estimated at $150,000. The park design is described as temporary, and is intended to be “easily… displaced if a long-term use is identified.”

Park planners met with community members on Tuesday to discuss the proposal. The final design for the park is expected to be firmed up by early summer, with construction beginning in late summer or early fall.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

New Long-Haul Service at DCA — JetBlue, Southwest, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines are adding new long haul service from Reagan National Airport to four cities, respectively: San Juan, Puerto Rico; Austin, Texas; San Francisco; and Porland, Ore. [CBS News]

Meeting Tonight About Ballston Park — Planners from the county parks department will be meeting with residents tonight to discuss options for the small triangular piece of land next to the Ballston public parking garage at the corner of N. Glebe Road and N. Randolph Street. At one point a mini golf course was proposed for the tiny park. [Arlington Mercury]

Bond Sale Expected Next Month — Arlington County is expected to issue up to $110 million in new bonds next month. The bonds will help pay for school projects, parks and recreation projects, and Metro improvements. [Sun Gazette]

Recap: Entrepreneurship Event at Artisphere — An tech-oriented entrepreneurship event at Artisphere over the weekend is being called a success after attracting more than 400 attendees for panel discussions and networking. [Bisnow]

Young Dems Date Auction Tonight — The annual Arlington Young Democrats date auction kicks off at 7:00 tonight at Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland Street). Disclosure: AYD is a current ARLnow.com advertiser.

Police: Man Sent Ex-Girlfriend Topless Photo of Herself

By ARLnow.com

Update on 10/11/12 — Frye has been convicted of unlawful filming but acquitted of unlawful entry.

An Arlington man has been arrested after police say he sent his ex-girlfriend an authorized photo he took of her topless.

In addition to sending the topless photo, police say the suspect made more than 50 attempts to contact the woman over the weekend, via both phone calls and text messages, and then broke into her Ballston apartment early Sunday morning and started banging on her bedroom door.

The woman called police and the man, identified as 27-year-old Trevor Frye, was later arrested at his residence, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck

Frye is also accused of “yelling inappropriate comments” outside the woman’s apartment. He was held without bond.

‘Protein Bar’ Coming Soon to Ballston

By Katie Pyzyk

A restaurant putting its attention on healthy food will be coming to Ballston. The Chicago chain Protein Bar is branching out and planning locations in Arlington and D.C.

Signs are up on the ground floor of the building under construction at 800 N. Glebe Road, but there’s not much visible progress on the site yet.

Protein Bar’s website says the mission is to “provide active, on-the-go people with healthy, flavorful choices while having a positive impact on everyone we meet and in everything we do.”

The strong focus on health comes through on the menu, where nutritional information for each dish is clearly listed. Everything on the menu is less than 600 calories.

Many of the dishes include quinoa instead of rice, such as the restaurant’s signature “Bar-ritos,” which are also made with low calorie wheat wraps. Protein Bar claims the quinoa makes their burritos have half the calories of most others. There are also salads, chilis and blended drinks.

On its website, Protein Bar says it expects to open in Ballston “later in the summer.”

View More Stories