Ballston

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Spring Cleaning For Bikes — Forecasts suggest we’re in for two very nice days to end the work week. It’s going to be warm enough that many seasonal cyclists may be thinking about dusting off their bike for a spin. Local cycling advocate Mark Blacknell has advice for getting your bike into proper riding condition after a winter in storage. [Patch]

Gas Company Urges Residents to Report Leaks — A public forum about gas leaks didn’t attract a large crowd, but it did feature officials from Washington Gas who asked residents to report leaks as soon as they smell them. [Sun Gazette]

Construction on Ballston Development Moving Along — Work is well underway on a new 10-story, 316,000 square foot office building at 800 North Glebe Road in Ballston, the former site of Bob Peck Chevrolet. Tenants are expected to start moving in next March. [CityBiz]

Arlington Wins Transparency Award — Arlington County has received a 2011 “Sunny Award” from the nonprofit Sunshine Review. The honor is bestowed on dozens of local governments each year for transparency on the web. Arlington’s web site earned a “perfect website transparency score” from the organization, which is dedicated to state and local government transparency. [Sunshine Review]

Flickr photo by Cobalt123

Arrest Made in Ballston Hit-and-Run

By ARLnow.com

A Fairfax man has been arrested and charged in a hit-and-run accident that seriously injured a 22-year-old woman in Ballston.

The accident happened just after midnight on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010. Police said the woman was trying to cross Fairfax Drive near the Ballston Metro station when she was struck by a dark-colored vehicle that then sped away. The woman was taken to the local hospital in serious condition.

Police say they used debris left at the scene to charge 24-year-old John Christopher Reynolds of Fairfax with Felony Hit and Run.

Reynolds’ Facebook page says he studied psychology and criminal justice at Old Dominion University and has been working as a “leadership consultant” for the Kappa Delta Rho national fraternity.

He is currently being held at the Arlington County Detention Center.

Photo courtesy Arlington County Police Department

Truck Accident Blocks Glebe Road in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Update at 10:40 a.m. — The accident has been moved out of the middle of the intersection. One righthand lane of Glebe Road remains blocked.

An accident between two large trucks is partially blocking the busy intersection of Glebe Road and Fairfax Drive.

One of the trucks involved is a large car carrier. One minor injury has been reported.

Police and paramedics are on the scene. Expect traffic issues in the area.

“National Pancake Day” at IHOP

By ARLnow.com

IHOP restaurants nationwide are celebrating “National Pancake Day” by giving away free short stacks of pancakes in exchange for charitable donations.

Like last year, when the chain raised $76,000, IHOP is collecting money on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Local IHOPs participating in the promotion include the Ballston location at 935 North Stafford Street and the Potomac Yard location at 3425 Jefferson Davis Highway.

Flickr pool photo by Tim Kelley

Authorities Warn of Car Break-Ins

By ARLnow.com

Officials are warning residents about a rash of car break-ins in Arlington.

Last week, according to the Ode Street Tribune, police told members of the Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights Civic Association that thieves have been smashing car windows in the Rosslyn area to steal GPS devices.

Yesterday, management of the Archstone Ballston Square apartments sent the following email to residents, suggesting that the number of break-ins is on the rise.

Dear Residents,

Within the past week, there has been an increase in reported thefts from cars garaged in the Ballston/Arlington area.  Recently, we have experienced several incidents where items have been reported taken from automobiles garaged at our community.  While we do not wish to alarm you, we did want to make you aware of the situation.  We share your concern regarding these incidents and are fully cooperating with local authorities.

We take great pride in providing you with a great living environment. To that end, it is important that we all understand that the protection of person and property is the sole responsibility of each resident.  As a reminder, and as specified in your Lease Agreement we encourage you to report any illegal or suspicious behavior. Please take a second look if something or someone appears out of place, or seems odd or curious. If you suspect troubling activity or suspicious individuals, call the concierge desk immediately or the Arlington County Police nonemergency number at 703.598.2222 703.558.2222. If there is clear and present danger, call 911. In addition, we ask you to be mindful of the following:

Please use safety measures when parking your car – lock all car doors and activate your car alarm if you have one

Do not allow unknown individuals to follow you into the community

Do not leave valuables such as laptops, GPS systems, cell phones, iPods, tools, etc in plain sight in your car

Report any suspicious or criminal activity immediately to the Arlington County Police Department (call 911)

Again, we certainly do not want to alarm you, but felt it was important to let you know of this activity.

There were 11 break-ins listed in the latest Arlington County crime report. The crime report typically only lists incidents in which more than one car was broken into.

Taste of Arlington Tickets Go on Sale Today

By ARLnow.com

Tickets go on sale today for the 24th annual Taste of Arlington.

The ever-popular event will be little-changed from years prior. It will be held on Wilson Boulevard, in front of Ballston Common Mall. There will be food from 40 Arlington restaurants, beer and wine, arts and crafts, children’s activities and live entertainment.

About 12,000 people are expected to attend.

The event will be held from noon to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 22. Admission is free but tickets are required to sample the food and drinks.

Eight advance tickets purchased online cost $20, versus $25 on the day of the event. Food samples cost one ticket, while beer and wine cost two.

Proceeds from the event will benefit several local charities and non-profits.

Brgr:Shack Opens in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Arlington’s latest burger joint has opened for business.

Brgr:Shack serves 100% natural grass fed beef burgers in a light-filled, modernist setting across from the Ballston Metro at 4215 Fairfax Drive.

In addition to nine types of burgers, the restaurant serves fresh cut french fries, sweet potato fries, two types of salads, seven types of beer, shakes, ice cream and — coming soon — cupcakes.

(For those keeping score, burgers, salads, beer and cupcakes make up four of the six Arlington food groups. Only froyo and pizza are missing.)

Come spring, the restaurant is expected to start opening the garage door shown in the photos.

Ballston Development Grows, Mosaic Park to Get Major Upgrade

By ARLnow.com

Ballston’s 1.68 acre Mosaic Park will get a $6.6 million upgrade, paid for by the company behind the nearby Founders Square development.

On Saturday the county board approved a transfer of development rights from the park to the new development, adjacent to Ballston Common Mall.

As a result, Founders Square will now be taller and denser than before. A 15-story office building will become a 20-story office building, a 198-unit residential building will become a 257-unit residential building, and a 164-unit residential building will become a 183-unit hotel.

In exchange, the Shooshan Company, which is developing Founders Square at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and North Randolph Street, will pay $6.6 million for improvements to Mosaic Park, which is now a mostly empty field with some playground equipment.

“Our action today will help realize a long term County goal to provide a high-quality neighborhood park in Ballston,” County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman said in a statement. “By trading density from the park to Founders Square, the County has secured more than $6 million from the developer that will be used for improvements to Mosaic Park that will benefit the community.”

Abandoned Newspaper Boxes in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

A reader emailed us with the following question about two abandoned newspaper boxes on the 4000 block of Wilson Boulevard, near Ballston Common Mall.

Any suggestions on how to get abandoned newsracks removed?  The county says they cannot remove them, that the owners have to do so, but the owners do not respond to calls or emails about this. This has been an eyesore for a year now.

Do you have any ideas? Or do you know of anywhere else where this is a problem?

Photo courtesy Marshall L.

Workers Injured from Fall at Ballston Construction Site

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 12:40 p.m.) Two workers have been injured after reportedly falling 10-15 feet at the Founders Square construction site in Ballston.

Initial reports suggested the workers were conscious and responsive, suffering from shoulder, neck and back injuries. They were transported via ambulance to a local hospital. The injuries are said to be non-life threatening.

Representatives from Virginia’s occupational safety agency are on the way to the scene to investigate the incident.

The construction site is located on the 600 block of North Randolph Street, across from Ballston Common Mall.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Westover Beer Garden Saga Continues — Several months into the battle between the county zoning office and the Westover Market beer garden, a final resolution still has not been reached. Tens of thousands of dollars have been allocated to building new code-compliant restrooms, but more must now be spent constructing a restaurant separate from the grocery section. County regulators “are doing their best to make me a Republican,” market manager Devin Hicks told the Falls Church News-Press.

Fun and Games at the Library — The Westover Library will host a game-playing get-together for all ages this afternoon. From 2:30 to 5:00 p.m., players will face off in board games, card games and Nintendo Wii. More from the Arlington Public Library blog.

Brgr:Shack Wants to Open This Month — A new “better burger” joint is hoping to open soon in Ballston. The efficiently-named Brgr:Shack, located across from the Ballston Metro, was originally slated to open in the fall. They’re now eying a January opening, according to TBD.

Flickr pool photo by Team Rank

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