The owners of the recently shuttered A-Town Bar and Grill in Ballston now say they’re transforming the restaurant into a German food hall.
The space at 4100 Fairfax Drive will soon become “Bronson,” offering up craft beer and traditional German fare, co-owner and chef Mike Cordero announced in a news release today (Wednesday).
Cordero and his partners opted to shut down A-Town late last year, after opening its doors back in 2012. Co-owner Scott Parker chalked the change up to the fact that the bar’s lease was set to expire when 2019 rolled around and the building’s landlord was interested in giving the location a bit of a refresh.
The swap will involve the full renovation of the space, including the addition of “large communal tables” and expansion of its seating capacity to hold about 250 people in all.
“We’ve had seven great years at A-Town Bar and Grill but it’s time for a change,” Cordero said in a statement. “We look forward to the new year with introducing the new Bronson business model, innovative design and fun atmosphere and serving the Arlington community.”
Bronson “will offer German-American casual cuisine, specialty cocktails and craft draft beer, which can be served at the restaurant or for sale as a take away in traditional German growlers,” the release said. The bar will also include “popular taproom games, including foosball, cornhole, darts, bocce and shuffleboard.”
Cordero said that construction on the new eatery is kicking off right away, and he hopes to have it open by “early April.”
Parker and Cordero are partners on a whole host of other popular Arlington night life spots, from The GOAT and Don Tito in Clarendon to Barley Mac in Rosslyn.
After 31 years, Ballston’s annual “Taste of Arlington” street fair will be replaced by a new event focusing on the neighborhood’s largest development: “QuarterFest.”
The Ballston Business Improvement District announced the swap today (Thursday), sketching out plans for a similar spring festival geared around Ballston Quarter, the newly revamped Ballston Common mall.
QuarterFest is slated to be held on May 18-19, 2019, and will be managed by “BallstonGives,” the BID’s charitable arm. Though the event will be more focused on Ballston Quarter, it will still be held in the same general area as Taste of Arlington, largely centered on Wilson Blvd near the mall.
BID CEO Tina Leone told ARLnow that her group decided to make the switch because “we really accomplished what we wanted to do” with Taste of Arlington over the years.
“The goal was always to put the spotlight on Ballston, and now with Ballston Quarter, we have this big draw,” Leone said. “We really wanted to move [the event’s] focus to center more on Ballston and now we have Ballston Quarter, which is a great way to do that.”
By the time QuarterFest rolls around, Leone expects that the new development will be about “80 percent open.” Shops and restaurants in the overhauled mall have been slowly opening for business over the course of the last month, and Leone believes a “big bunch” are hoping to open up by early January or February.
“By May, it’s going to be very active and vibrant around there,” Leone said. “By the time it’s fully open, Ballston will have 90 restaurants in all, so this will just be a great way to get people into the physical space, get them to visit and bring them into all those restaurants.”
Leone said that the change doesn’t mark the end of Taste of Arlington, necessarily. She points out that the BID could always “bring it back or partner with other organizations,” so she views it as being on more of an indefinite “hiatus.”
So while she hopes the new event is “the same amount of fun with the same amount of activity,” she also believes it will mark a new chapter in the county’s evolution.
“To us, this is a whole new festival,” Leone said. “Ballston is going through so many changes right now, and that really represents what’s going on Arlington-wide.”
Industrious, the largest premium coworking and flexible workspace provider in the U.S., will officially open its Ballston location on January 7, growing its presence in the D.C. Metro area.
Industrious is known for its beautiful and professional workspaces which are customized for entrepreneurs and mature startups through Fortune 500 companies. Its flexible workspaces are designed for optimal productivity and happiness — with everything from natural light and greenery to a mix of spaces that cater to all types of work and personalities.
The new office will be located in the heart of Ballston — on the third floor of 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Ballston Exchange’s 4201 tower. Within the space, members will find single desks, large conference rooms, luxurious common areas meant for building a strong community, a private nursing room and a kitchen filled with locally sourced coffee and snacks. The property also offers a direct connection to the Ballston Metro Station for seamless commutes and is located right across from Ballston Quarter, a new place for folks to gather, dine and shop.
Industrious offers workspace consultations and virtual tours for those interested in learning more about the different workspace solutions Industrious offers. Industrious will also host a Select Preview week from January 7-11, where members of the community can test out the space and join us for a week of networking, office tours and events to introduce and celebrate the new space. And if you refer a friend, Industrious will say thanks with up to $2,000 and also give new members a discount credit of equal value.
Check out the Industrious website for more information on the company that brings you a great day at work, everyday.
Three Ballston restaurants owned by chef Mike Isabella have now shuttered, marking the latest fallout from a scandal that has helped sink Isabella’s once-expansive network of D.C. restaurants.
Signs posted at Kapnos Taverna, Pepita Cantina and Yona inform would-be diners that all three eateries have closed, as of this morning (Monday). Eater first reported that the restaurants, all located in the base of an apartment building at 4000 Wilson Blvd, shut down this weekend.
“We are closed,” a sign on Kapnos’ door reads. “Thank you for the love and support. We will miss you all.”
The Arlington eateries have faced an uncertain future ever since Isabella’s company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September, after one of the “Top Chef” star’s former managers filed a sexual harassment suit against his company.
Though Isabella settled the suit this spring, revelations about the company’s business practices damaged Isabella’s reputation tremendously. He decided to shutter some of his restaurants in D.C. and Tysons alike in the aftermath, including Graffiato, Isabella’s first restaurant in the District.
Last week, Isabella revealed in court filings that he’d shutting down his entire company, suggesting that most of his remaining restaurants would close up shop by Dec. 27. But within days of the news breaking, people living nearby told ARLnow that they heard rumors that the Ballston restaurants would be closing much sooner than that.
Allthreerestaurants in the building, known as The View at Liberty Center, opened back in 2015. Kapnos offered Greek fare, Pepita served up Mexican food and Yona cooked up ramen and Asian small plates.
At least one eatery with a location nearby is already offering to help out employees displaced by the closures.
Attn: Employees of Mike Isabella Restaurant Concepts We will have a walk in Hiring Open House Monday December 17 at all four of our locations : (Cleveland Park, Barracks Row, Bethesda and Arlington ) 1pm-4pm. Management , FOH and BOH employees #makingtheholidaysgreatagain
It’s been a difficult year for retailers operating in the base of the high-rise — Taylor Gourmet also shut down its location in the building back in September.
Shoppers can also munch on holiday cookies with a cup of hot chocolate.
The first 300 people outside The View on the corner of N. Quincy Street and Wilson Blvd will get to take home a wreath from Merrifield Garden Center, which is located in Falls Church.
The View is encouraging visitors to bring new, unwrapped toys to support local Toys for Tots efforts by the U.S. Marine Corps. The apartment building also plans to raffle off holiday pies from D.C.-based bakery Whisked! to benefit Toys for Tots.
Starting today (Thursday), Chick-fil-A is back open in Ballston.
The fast food restaurant is welcoming hungry diners once more as part of the new Ballston Quarter development. The new outpost of the chain is located at 671 N. Glebe Road, on the development’s ground level and accessible via both its Glebe and Wilson Blvd entrances.
Chick-fil-A was long one of the most popular spots in the former Ballston Common mall, opening there more than 27 years ago, according to a press release.
Unlike the old location, however, the new space has a 50-seat dining area as well. The restaurant also includes a designated pickup counter for mobile orders.
Anyone swinging by the chain today can expect “a day of Chick–fil-A surprises,” the release said, including giveaways.
The restaurant will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day, except Sundays, and serve breakfast until 10 p.m.
Chick-fil-A joins Punch Bowl Social among the first eateries to open in the new development, with businesses slowly starting to open to customers over the course of the last month. Ballston Quarter’s full “food hall,” an upscale food court, isn’t set to open until February.
Arrest Made in Rosslyn Stabbing — “Police identified the [stabbing] suspect as Isiah Hill, 61, of Washington D.C. and obtained warrants for Aggravated Malicious Wounding and Abduction. At approximately 2:15 p.m. on December 12, the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Arlington County Police Department, took the suspect into custody in Washington, D.C.” [Arlington County]
Isabella Restaurants File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy — Embattled chef Mike Isabella’s restaurant group has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation. Barring a last-minute rescue, most of his restaurants, including Pepita, Yona, and Kapnos Taverna in Ballston, are likely to close by Dec. 27. [Washingtonian]
Home Sales Still Down in Arlington — “A total of 198 properties went to closing across the county in November… That’s down nearly 22 percent from a year before, coming on top of a 13-percent year-over-year drop in October sales. But year-over-year average sales prices were stable in two of the three segments of the market.” [InsideNova]
Another Big Metro Shutdown Planned — “Next summer’s shutdown of the Blue and Yellow lines south of Reagan National Airport will run from May 25 through Sept. 2, 2019. Additional Blue Line single-tracking between Van Dorn Street and Franconia-Springfield is planned from Sept. 3 through Sept. 29.” [WTOP]
Video: Dogs and Santa in Shirlington — “About 100 dogs got their pictures taken with Santa Claus by a professional pet photographer at Dogma Gourmet Dog Bakery and Boutique in Arlington, Virginia. From large Golden Retrievers to pint-sized Chihuahuas, the pups were dressed for the holidays.” [Voice of America]
A Fairfax woman is now behind bars after police say she injured someone during a fight in Ballston this past weekend.
Arlington County Police say 46-year-old Huafang Cui started scuffling with someone around noon last Saturday (Dec. 8) along the 800 block of N. Randolph Street.
When officers arrived at the scene, they determined that Cui “threw an object at the victim, causing a laceration.” The victim was treated for minor injuries at the scene.
Police then arrested Cui and charged her with malicious wounding. She now faces a hearing in Arlington General District Court on Jan. 19.
More details from a county crime report:
MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2018-12080128, 800 block of N. Randolph Street. At approximately 12:20 p.m. on December 8, police were dispatched to the report of a fight in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that a verbal dispute between known individuals escalated and became physical when the suspect allegedly threw an object at the victim, causing a laceration. The victim was treated by medics on-scene for minor injuries. Huafang Cui, 46, of Fairfax, Va., was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding. She was held on no bond.
ATTEMPTED BURGLARY, 2018-12110240, 4100 block of 3rd Road N. At approximately 8:37 p.m. on December 11, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victims were inside their residence when they observed an unknown suspect allegedly attempting to force entry to their residence, causing damage. Upon being noticed by the victims, the suspect fled prior to police arrival. The suspect is described as a male wearing a baseball hat. The investigation is ongoing.
ROBBERY, 2018-12100085, 3100 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 10:45 a.m. on December 10, an officer on routine patrol was flagged down by a citizen requesting assistance. Upon arrival, it was determined that an unknown male suspect entered a business and began selecting merchandise. When an employee noticed the suspect, she approached him and said she was calling 911. The suspect yelled at the employee and grabbed her cell phone out of her hand. The suspect dropped the merchandise outside the business before fleeing on foot with the victim’s cell phone. Warrants for Robbery and Preventing an Emergency Call are pending for the suspect.
ATTEMPTED BURGLARY (late), 2018-12100145, 1400 block of 12th Street N. At approximately 3:14 p.m. on December 9, police responded to the late report of breaking and entering. Upon arrival it was determined that between December 8 at 12:00 a.m. and December 10 at 2:56 p.m., an unknown suspect attempted to force entry to a building, causing damage. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.
ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2018-12090212, 3600 block of 12th Street S. At approximately 8:53 p.m. on December 9, police were dispatched to the report of a highly intoxicated male with a child allegedly stumbling in the road. Witnesses directed arriving officers to a residence, where they located the male suspect inside. The male suspect disobeyed lawful commands to open the door. Officers forced entry to the residence and took the suspect into custody. While attempting to escort the suspect out of the residence, he actively resisted and refused to walk. As the officers carried him out, he kicked one officer multiple time. The officers regained control and secured the suspect in the cruiser successfully. Stuart Behrens, 45, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Abuse and Neglect of a Child, Assault on Police, and Obstruction of Justice.
RECOVERED STOLEN VEHICLE, 2018-12070299, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 9:06 p.m. on December 7, an officer on routine patrol was alerted to a License Plate Reader hit on a stolen vehicle parked in the area. Officers located the unoccupied vehicle and took two suspects into custody without incident as they returned to the vehicle. Jamall Walker, 31, of Washington D.C. was arrested and charged with Credit Card Theft and Buying or Receiving Stolen Goods. Anthony Campos, 29, of McKinleysville, Ca., was arrested and charged with Identity Theft and Possession of Marijuana.
BURGLARY, 2018-12060068, 5000 block of Lee Highway. At approximately 7:47 a.m. on December 6, police responded to the report of a burglary just discovered. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 7:00 p.m. on December 5 and 7:47 a.m. on December 6, an unknown suspect forced entry into a business and stole cash. The investigation is ongoing. There is no suspect(s) description.
BURGLARY, 2018-12060099, 5100 block of Lee Highway. At approximately 7:47 a.m. on December 6, while investigating the above listed burglary (2018-12060068), police located another business with damage to the front door. Upon investigation, it was determined that the suspect forced entry into the business and rummaged through items but nothing was reported stolen. The investigation is ongoing. There is no suspect(s) description.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT (Significant), 2018-12050138, 2900 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 12:30 p.m. on December 5, an officer investigating traffic hazards in the area determined they were related to a promotion at the Cheesecake Factory. While managing traffic, a call was dispatched for a fight in progress inside the restaurant. No active fight was located by arriving officers, however, they encountered a large crowd related to the promotion. The officers addressed the crowd and deescalated the tension related to the wait time. One subject amidst the crowd was allegedly disorderly and restaurant management requested he leave the premises. The subject refused to leave, did not comply with the lawful commands of officers, and actively resisted arrest. Following a brief struggle, the subject was successful taken into police custody. The subject was transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation. Prabhjot Singh, 19, of Burke, VA was charged with Disorderly Conduct and released on a Virginia Uniform Summons.
Workers assemble the Ballston Quarter pedestrian bridge in Mosaic Park in December, 2018 (Staff Photo)
Workers assemble the Ballston Quarter pedestrian bridge in Mosaic Park in December, 2018 (Staff Photo)
Construction on supports for the Ballston Quarter pedestrian bridge on Wilson Blvd (Staff photo)
Construction on supports for the Ballston Quarter pedestrian bridge on Wilson Blvd.
A rendering of the new Ballston pedestrian bridge (via Forest City)
Workers assemble the Ballston Quarter pedestrian bridge in Mosaic Park in December, 2018 (Staff Photo)
The construction of a new pedestrian bridge linking Ballston Quarter to the area’s Metro station is picking up steam.
Workers recently began installing supports for the bridge near the development’s entrances along Wilson Blvd, as well as near the “Ballston Exchange” development at 4201 Wilson Blvd, where the walkway will ultimately connect.
The frame for a new bridge is also taking shape in nearby Mosaic Park, where Ballston Quarter developer Forest City secured permission to start assembling the structure through a deal with county officials.
After tearing down the old bridge over Wilson Blvd last May, Forest City originally planned to have the new walkway ready by the time shops first started opening in the newly renovated Ballston Common mall.
But they reported to the county this summer that construction delays were hampering the process, targeting sometime in 2019 instead. As the new year approaches, a spokeswoman for Forest City says that the bridge is “still slated to deliver in the spring of 2019.”
Forest City has until the end of the month to wrap up work in Mosaic Park under the terms of its current deal with the county. However, the company does have the chance to secure a two-month extension for additional work through the end of February, though that’s contingent on the construction not disrupting the long-awaited overhaul of the park set to start this coming spring.
When the bridge is finished, it’s designed to connect the Ballston Metro station seamlessly to the Ballston Quarter development, helping pedestrians avoid crossing a bevy of busy streets.
WhyHotel rooms in Ballston Quarter’s residential development (courtesy of WhyHotel)
WhyHotel rooms in Ballston Quarter’s residential development (courtesy of WhyHotel)
WhyHotel rooms in Ballston Quarter’s residential development (courtesy of WhyHotel)
WhyHotel rooms in Ballston Quarter’s residential development (courtesy of WhyHotel)
A startup offering temporary hotel rooms in new apartment complexes is now planning to expand to two Arlington developments.
WhyHotel announced today (Tuesday) that it will soon offer 175 rooms for rent in the residential tower attached to the Ballston Quarter development, and another 150 rooms in the “Centro Arlington” project, which is taking the place of the Food Star grocery store off Columbia Pike. The company recently scored $10 million in venture funding to power the new projects, in addition to a similar “pop up” hotel in “The Boro” development in Tysons.
Unlike a home-sharing service like Airbnb, WhyHotel strikes agreements directly with the owners of large residential properties to rent out blocks of furnished apartments, bringing along an on-call staff to handle cleaning and other guest needs. The company is hoping to provide a happy medium for customers between staying at a friend’s place and shelling out for a hotel room, while helping developers fill space in new buildings as they lease them out.
Jason Fudin, WhyHotel’s co-founder and CEO, told ARLnow that he was interested in opening up shop more properties around Arlington because of the area’s potent mix of tourism and booming residential development. WhyHotel is aiming to open its first “pop up” in D.C., but Fudin says he never lost sight of the county as a “great place to be.”
“We do expect to be in Arlington in perpetuity,” Fudin said. “And as there’s more and more development, we’re hoping to be the solution people look to as they activate their developments.”
Fudin noted that the company has its roots in Arlington. The concept began as an initiative by developer Vornado Realty Trust at “The Bartlett” complex in Pentagon City, but its backers then struck out on their own, initially joining up with Crystal City startup incubator 1776.
Considering that Fudin viewed the company’s work in Pentagon City as a clear success for all involved, driving plenty of business to retailers near the building in the process, he’s hoping to replicate the same formula in Ballston and along the Pike.
Fudin expects that WhyHotel will have its Ballston Quarter rooms ready by April 1, slightly after the residential section of the development (located at 700 N. Randolph Street) is slated to open up. Some stores in the newly renovated Ballston Common mall have already started opening for business, and Fudin expects that will make the rooms immediately above the development plenty desirable.
Beyond the location’s proximity to D.C., he added that the large number of corporate headquarters in the neighborhood (not to mention federal tenants like DARPA) should bring plenty of travelers to the area.
Fudin conceded that the location on the Pike (950 S. George Mason Drive) is a “less dense urban area” than either D.C. or Ballston, but he said the company was still interested in moving in because of how close it is to the Pentagon.
“You have a tremendous number of people that work in defense or in the federal government who call that area home, so we natural customers in that space,” Fudin said. “It’s a great spot for families who are relocating. When you relocate to city, you don’t instantly have housing, whether you’re military or otherwise, and we see this as a great option for them… The ability to stay in a ‘like-home’ experience rather than a small hotel room is better for everybody.”
The Centro Arlington development, which will be anchored by a Harris Teeter grocery store, is to set to open in earnest midway through 2019, so Fudin expects WhyHotel’s rooms will be available there in “late summer or early fall.”
The County Board is set to sign off on allowing WhyHotel to offer some of its new rooms next week. County staff is recommending the Board’s approval for the temporary hotel use at Ballston Quarter for the next two years or so at a Dec. 15 meeting.
A new bar and restaurant could be on the way for Ballston Quarter, as businesses in the development slowly start to open to customers.
An establishment dubbing itself the “Ballston Service Station” is planning to move into the newly converted Ballston Common mall, according to a permit application.
The restaurant is seeking to serve both wine and beer “on and off premises,” records show, but there aren’t many other details available about the company. However, it does seem to have ties to Andrew Dana, the co-owner of D.C.’s Timber Pizza Company and Call Your Mother Deli — Dana’s phone number is listed as the contact on the Ballston Service Station permit application.
Dana is already planning on bringing a Timber Pizza location to Ballston Quarter, which will be located in the development’s “Quarter Market,” an upscale food court.
It’s unclear if the two restaurants will be connected, however — neither Dana nor a spokeswoman for Forest City, the company backing Ballston Quarter, responded to requests for comment.
Some stores and restaurants in Ballston Quarter have started welcoming their first customers in recent weeks, though the exact timeframe for the rest of the development to open for business remains murky.
The Quarter Market is currently slated to open in February, and Forest City hopes to have everything open by this coming spring.
