Clarendon

Phase Two of Construction on Red Top Cab Site Set for Fall Pending More Approvals

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

(Updated on 10/21/21) Construction on the final phase of a long-awaited residential redevelopment in Clarendon could begin in the fall if the county approves new changes from the developer.

Five-and-a-half years ago, the Arlington County Board approved a three-building mixed-use development called Clarendon West from Arlington-based developer Shooshan Company. It will replace the old Red Top Cab headquarters and dispatch center, and two small commercial buildings.

The developer tells ARLnow there is a timeline for construction for what Shooshan calls “Building 1,” the second phase of the project. Shooshan and co-owner Trammell Crow Residential completed the first phase — the second and third buildings with a total of 333 units — in the spring, and the pair of buildings were sold in July. (An earlier version of this article incorrectly flipped the order of the two phases.)

“We expect to start construction this fall and anticipate the project to deliver in 2023,” CEO Kelly Shooshan said.

The timing emerged after the County Board approved public hearings that could allow Shooshan to change the appearance of the last of the three apartment buildings. The Planning Commission and the County Board are slated to hold the hearings during their respective meetings in June.

Shooshan’s revised building is shorter but it now exceeds tapering requirements for the Clarendon Revitalization District, according to a county report. The developer is requesting the map of the area be modified to fit the new specifications of the building.

The approved building height was set to start at 55 feet, stepping up to 75 feet and ending at 103 feet. Now, Shooshan is proposing a maximum height of 94 feet with a step down to 74 feet and then 55 feet. The length of the two steps has also been adjusted.

“These proposed changes create more gradual height transitions with the surrounding neighborhood and do not increase the total gross floor area” of one of the buildings, the report said. “Staff generally supports the proposed reduction in height and modified taper.”

The changes will also result in more units being added to the building, according to a staff memo. Filings indicate the number of units would increase from 247 to 269, DC Urban Turf previously reported.

When asked why the company is making the changes, Shooshan said “we are simply adjusting the height as part of our design development now that we are focused on the final phase of the Clarendon West project.”

Members of the Long Range Planning Committee expressed support for the proposed amendment, according to another report.

Shooshan also returned to the County Board in 2018 to request a decrease to the proposed parking ratio. At the time, the Lyon Village Civic Association expressed concern about how spillover parking would be mitigated.

The May report summarizing the Long Range Planning Committee meeting indicates the civic association maintains those concerns.

Images (1, 4-5) via Arlington County

Stephen A. Inge, Son of Iota Club Co-Owner, Remembered for “Grit, Smarts, and Wits”

By Matt Blitz

Stephen A. Inge, employee and son of the co-owner of the now-shuttered Iota Club, died earlier this month at the age of 41. He battled for decades a very rare condition known as Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome, which causes tumors to grow throughout the body.

In his memory, there will be an outdoor gathering at Knights of Columbus on Little Falls Road this Saturday, May 15 at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the VHL Alliance.

Inge was the son of Jane Negrey Inge, who co-owned (with her brother) the well-known Arlington music and arts performance venue Iota Club. The club closed in 2017 after more than two decades at 2832 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon.

Stephen worked there for a number of years, as an administrative assistant and with musicians on their pre-show arrangements.

“He was always very proud of Iota and its contribution to Arlington,” Jane Negrey Inge tells ARLnow. “He would always tell me that.”

Stephen attended Yorktown High School and was a pitcher on the baseball team. Soon after high school graduation, he had his first medical event and was diagnosed with VHL, needing to go through a series of surgeries, scans, and recoveries.

VHL is a rare disease with only about 10,000 cases in the United States. It causes tumors to grow throughout the body, including ones that are both benign and malignant. More often, the disease is transmitted genetically. But, in Stephen’s case, it was a de novo case, meaning it was related to spontaneous genetic mutation and not inherited from a parent.

“Stephen had a big job with VHL and dealing with the effects of it,” says Jane. “After five brain surgeries, two spinal cord surgeries, partial nephrectomy, and other events… he would just want to be as happy as he could and see his friends.”

“His legacy is loving people in the community, loving his friends,” she says.

He loved to make people laugh, especially his doctors, says his mom, and had the same group of friends from his days at Arlington public schools. More recently, he became enamored with horticulture and could often be found potting plants on Franklin Road near Clarendon. He thought of it as the “best occupational therapy ever,” Jane notes.

Stephen also spent a considerable amount of time in Richmond with his father Barclay Inge and his family.

Prior to working at Iota Club, he was a teacher’s assistant for special needs students at Swanson Middle School in Westover. He was a natural at this, says his mother, because he understood the students.

“Stephen was very intuitive… and very sensitive to the needs of the kids,” says Jane. “And he loved the work.”

However, when another spinal cord surgery limited his mobility, he turned to helping his mom and uncle at the Iota Club.

Stephen worked there for about six years, under his good-natured alias “Burns,” befriending other staff there.

“It was family,” says Jane. “Without [Iota’s staff] support, I wouldn’t have been able to be so involved in Stephen’s medical issues. Like a family, they all helped my brother and I keep Iota going… people take care of people and, I’m telling you, I’ve seen so much of that. It’s beautiful.”

It was about 13 months ago, right at the beginning of the pandemic, that Stephen started to live independently for the first time. His mom says it was an incredible achievement for him and the family. Though, of course, the pandemic complicated it.

“It forced us to really be seperate, which was beneficial in a lot of ways,” Jane says. “But it prevented us from having contact that I would have liked to have.”

Jane knows she’s not the only one whose heart is now broken with the death of her son. That’s why she’s looking forward to tomorrow afternoon’s gathering to hear everyone’s memories and to celebrate Stephen’s life.

When asked what she’ll remember most about her son, Jane said “everything.”

“I’ll remember everything about him. His grit, smarts, wits,” she says. “I’ll think about him every day forever… He’s my heart.”

Photo courtesy of Jane Negrey Inge

Framebridge Now Open in Clarendon, With Free Flowers For Mother’s Day

By Matt Blitz
1/3

Framebridge in Clarendon is now open with the store also giving away free flowers for Mother’s Day.

The D.C.-based custom framing company, owned by Rosslyn-based Graham Holdings, opened its newest location at 2839 Clarendon Blvd on Thursday. The store is offering free flowers from local florist Holley Simmons, while supplies last, with any in-store purchase throughout the weekend.

In a statement to ARLnow, Framebridge CEO Susan Tynan said she always wanted to bring a store to Clarendon.

We’re so excited to finally have a store in Clarendon — we’ve actually had our eye on this center since we opened our first retail location on 14th Street in 2019. We took a tour then and have been waiting for the perfect spot to open ever since!

We have so many great customers in the Arlington area, and we hope to be introduced to many new customers who are visiting the great shops and restaurants nearby. This is a well-trafficked, central location and it’s an easy place for people to visit. We are thrilled to be part of this community we already love and can’t wait to see everything customers choose to Framebridge on Clarendon Boulevard!

Framebridge initially began as an e-commerce, online-only company, but started expanding to brick and mortar locations in 2019.

This is the company’s fifth physical location in the region and second in Virginia. It has also recently opened retail shops at Union Market in D.C. and in the Mosaic District. Non-D.C.-area locations include Brooklyn and Atlanta.

The store is opening in the newly-renamed The Crossing Clarendon, a stretch of interconnected stores, restaurants, offices and residential space formerly known as Market Common Clarendon. The Crossing has had several notable comings and goings in recent months.

Boston-based Tatte Bakery and Cafe is set to open in July in the former spot of Baja Fresh. Connecticut-based pizza chain Colony Grill also opened in October and has already garnered a good deal of love.

Framebridge is in the former Lou Lou Boutiques location, after that store shuttered this past summer.

The Crossing Clarendon Has a New Name and May Be Getting a New Pedestrian Plaza

By Vernon Miles
1/6

Big things are afoot at The Crossing Clarendon (2800 Clarendon Blvd) — a stretch of interconnected stores, restaurants, offices and residential space formerly known as Market Common Clarendon — as the center starts to brush off the dust from the past year.

As an overview: The Crossing refers to a multi-block stretch of mixed-use development that includes the Whole Foods, the Cheesecake Factory and the Apple Store. With some recent rebranding, the collection of retail on the opposite side of Clarendon Blvd from the Whole Foods is now known as The Loop.

Also new is the recently expanded and upgraded office space in the center of the development, now dubbed The Loft Office at The Crossing Clarendon. Construction on the project wrapped up last year, bringing with it a floral public art installation.

Jason Yanushonis, manager of investments for The Crossing owner Regency Centers, said retail leasing interest for the shopping center is picking up again as the end of the pandemic seems hopefully in sight.

“The interest has been solid and picking up exponentially,” said Yanushonis. “Tenants are starting to seriously consider the next few years of their operation and what that’s going to look like.”

Soon-to-open Framebridge and Tatte Bakery and Cafe are the most recently announced additions, but Yanushonis said there’s been some interest in the Iota Club space.

“We took the roof off and created a two-level space,” Yanushonis said. “We don’t have anything we’re ready to announce yet, but interest for that office and retail space has been going up.”

“As people are starting to have more visibility for when things open up, they’re getting more comfortable with signing deals,” he continued. “Recently, the retail has really picked up, because there’s more visibility for openings. We’ve been happy with the level of activity for both, but the retail is making us specifically excited.”

For The Loop, Regency Centers is aiming to turn the area near the Barnes and Noble into a pedestrian-friendly walking plaza, closing a portion of the existing loop road, Washington Business Journal reported.

“We’re planning to go in front of the [County] Board this summer and start construction in early 2022,” Yanushonis said.

Map via Regency Centers

Local Dog Celebrity Holding Birthday Fundraiser in Clarendon

By Hannah Foley
1/3

What’s better than celebrating a birthday? Celebrating a dog’s birthday, of course.

Walter the Bernese Mountain Dog is turning 4 and his parents are inviting all dogs and their humans (and pet-less people) to celebrate with them.

Walter has lived in Arlington since the fall of 2019 with his dog parents, Nick and Kayti Goebel. Now “135 pounds of pure muscle” as Nick likes to say, Walter has become a local celebrity. While walking around Clarendon and going to local restaurants with his parents, Walter attracts lots of attention.

“It’s amazing how people stop us to meet and pet Walter,” said Nick. “He gets a lot of attention and love.”

One day while they were sitting at one of their favorite local restaurants, the staff persuaded Nick and Kayti to make Walter an Instagram account. After leaving the restaurant, they met a writer from The Dogist, a website and social media account dedicated to pictures and stories of dogs around the world. The writer asked to take some photos of Walter and posted them to their 3.9 million followers on Instagram, tagging Walter’s new account.

In the first 24 hours of Walter’s account, he had 2,000 followers.

Now his account is up to nearly 4,800 followers. Nick and Kayti asked his Instagram followers if anyone in Arlington would want to celebrate Walter’s 4th birthday with them and they got lots of interest.

This Sunday, April 25, from 3-5 p.m. at The The Pinemoor in Clarendon (1101 N. Highland Street), the couple will be celebrating on the back deck and welcoming any humans and dogs to come party with them.

There will be Walter-inspired cocktails and a raffle items, the proceeds of which will go to the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation.

“With so many people wanting to attend, we saw an opportunity to do some good,” said Kayti. “So we reached out to the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation to see if they would like us to turn the party into a fundraiser.”

There is a sizable crowd expected, but the back patio is limited to 50 people so the couple encourages people to come early in order to celebrate and see Walter on his big day.

Photos via @this.is.walters.world/Instagram

Colony Grill Gains Fan Base, Pins Hopes on Looser Dining Restrictions

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

In the short time that Colony Grill has been in Clarendon, the pizza place has garnered a lot of love.

The spot opened last October at 2800 Clarendon Blvd in The Crossing Clarendon (formerly known as Market Common). Colony Grill, a small Connecticut-based chain, is known for its short menu featuring one innovation to pizza: the thin-crust, hot-oil bar pie. On weekends, it becomes a breakfast pizza best served with a mimosa or Bloody Mary.

Co-owner Ken Martin tells ARLnow that the company is as excited to be in Arlington now as it was a month before the opening.

“I think we’ve been well-received by local guests and the community, which has been great,” he said.

Small, out-of-town restaurant chains setting up shop in Arlington have not always found the county to be a fruitful place to pursue an expansion. What worked in one place often does not work here, for one reason or another.

But reviewers on Google and Yelp seem to agree with Martin that Colony Grill has found a good fit: “Finally a solid pizza place right in the heart of Clarendon! Place looks amazing on the inside,” said one.

A Stamford native who now lives in Arlington said she “had high expectations for this location,” given its Connecticut provenance, and was not disappointed, praising the service and the local addition of “a down-to-earth, inexpensive, quality pizza joint.”

But business could be better, Martin said. Back in the Constitution State, most sales are inside rather than take-out. In Clarendon, most sales are inside too, but Colony Grill is limited by booth spacing. Restrictions have been lifted faster in New York and Connecticut, allowing customers to be seated back-to-back in booths so long as a barrier is in place, he said.

“We certainly need more capacity,” Martin said.

Martin observed that people in Virginia seem more reluctant to dine out than those in Connecticut and New York, where the original restaurant and its four outposts are located.

“It seems like some of our guests in Virginia, they just want to be given permission to leave their house — they’ve tried to follow the rules and do their best,” he said. “We want to get through this. We’ve been fairly healthy because of the type of restaurant we are, but we’re so desperate to get more bodies into the restaurant.”

He said he hopes to see some additional restrictions lifted in the coming weeks and months, which Colony Grill will need “to remain healthy as a business.”

“Our dine-in business has been very strong but within a context that’s a bit limited,” he said. “Takeout has been okay, but typically, takeout business lags for a year or two until we establish ourselves.”

The pizza joint is still working to establish itself as a member of the community. A “Wall of Heroes” features photos of those who have served in uniform as first responders or members of the military. For Veteran’s Day, Colony Grill offered free pizza to current and former military members.

This year, Colony Grill is sponsoring the Armed Forces Cycling Classic, which was canceled last year. The races through Crystal City and Clarendon are set to take place on Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6, respectively — pending final permit approval and an easing of restrictions on outdoor gatherings.

“We’ve tried to be a good partner for our size of business,” he said of the sponsorship.

Although uncertainty exists, Martin said his restaurant will continue its focus on its thin-crust pizza, hospitality and a wecoming atmosphere.

“That’s going to get us returning customers over the long haul,” he said.

Remember the Stamford native? She later updated her review to say she’s “been going consistently once a week.” Her one pro-tip: “Ask for your pizza on the well-done side, it’s my favorite.”

Liberty Tavern in Clarendon Vandalized

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Clarendon mainstay The Liberty Tavern was vandalized overnight.

Someone apparently fired a BB gun at the front door and windows of the restaurant, on both the Wilson Blvd and N. Irving Street sides, cracking the glass. Police are investigating.

“At approximately 1:22 a.m. on April 15, police were dispatched to the report of a destruction of property,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, it was determined that the front door and windows of a restaurant were cracked with what appeared consistent with damage from a BB gun. There is no suspect description(s). The investigation is ongoing.”

It’s unclear why Liberty Tavern was singled out by the vandal or vandals. Savage noted that “no similar incidents have been reported” today.

Liberty Tavern was famously visited by President Obama in 2011, and by now-President Biden in 2013 for a taping of MSNBC’s Morning Joe. It was among the top vote-getters for Best Restaurant for Takeout and Delivery in the winter 2021 edition of ARLnow’s Arlies awards.

County Board to Consider Set of Sidewalk, Park Improvements

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

The County Board is set to consider a set of projects that would upgrade sidewalks and improve a small park.

Of the four, three focus on pedestrian improvements with an eye toward walkability for Arlington Public Schools students in the Bluemont, Columbia Heights and Fairlington neighborhoods. The fourth would fund improvements to 11th Street Park in Clarendon.

These upgrades, at a cost of roughly $2 million in total, were given a thumbs up last December by Arlington’s Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee. This group identifies needed improvements such as sidewalks, street beautification, street lights and parks and recommends them to the County Board.

At the intersection of 6th Street N. and N. Edison Street in Bluemont, the committee proposes to widen some corners and build out the sidewalks as well as upgrade landscaping and accessible ramps.

“It’ll be very visible to cars that people are crossing,” project representative Nick Pastore said during the December meeting. “That will help slow the rate of speed of cars going around those corners.”

Drivers take these residential roads “at a pretty decent speed” to avoid N. George Mason Drive between N. Carlin Springs Road and Wilson Blvd, he said.

At the intersection of 12th Street S. and S. Scott Street in Columbia Heights, nearu Columbia Pike, NCAC is requesting $500,000 to conduct a feasibility study for improving the intersection by extending the street corners, and making improvements to the crosswalks, landscaping and accessible ramps.

“This improved crossing will help students walking from nearby S. Courthouse Road to Hoffman-Boston [Elementary School] safely cross a busy road,” said Kristin Haldeman, director of multimodal transportation planning for Arlington Public School, in a letter to the county.

She added that the extra curb space “will provide more room for students in the area who attend Gunston Middle School and Wakefield High School to wait for their bus at the intersection.”

Columbia Heights Civic Association member Sarah McKinley welcomed the project for the neighborhood of apartment buildings and condos, saying the committee has been criticized over the years for mostly benefitting single-family neighborhoods.

“Here’s an example of an NC project that can benefit both types of neighborhoods,” she said.

In Fairlington, the committee proposes a sidewalk, curb, and gutter along the north side of S. Abingdon Street between 31st Street S. and 31st Road S. — near the STEM Preschool and the former Fire Station 7.

Fairlington representative Ed Hilz said these changes would improve walking paths for students getting to Abingdon Elementary School.

“Currently, there’s a staircase that is not very convenient to negotiate for children,” he said.

Finally, a green space at 11th Street N. and N. Danville Street in Clarendon would get new furnishings, park signage and path lighting. Additionally, the lawn will be aerated.

“I think this park is heavily used so all these upgrades will be a tremendous benefit for the community,” project representative Alyssa Cannon said.

Money for the projects will come from the 2016 and 2018 Community Conservation bonds.

Images via Google Maps

NEW: First Lady Jill Biden is Visiting Arlington

By ARLnow.com
1/3

First Lady Jill Biden is in Clarendon this afternoon, visiting a call center for military members and their families.

The First Lady is visiting the offices of Military OneSource, described as “a Department of Defense resource providing 24/7 support to service members, their families, and survivors.” The visit follows an earlier event at the White House in which Biden spoke of her Joining Forces initiative to support military and veteran families, as well as caregivers and survivors.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) is among the local officials expected to be in attendance as Biden tours the call center and speaks with employees. Also greeting the First Lady are Charlene Austin and Hollyanne Milley, the wives of the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, respectively.

Locals should expect a security presence in the area.

Nam-Viet Restaurant’s Door Shattered During Break-In

By ARLnow.com
1/10

Long-time Clarendon restaurant Nam-Viet was the victim of a break-in over the weekend.

Someone shattered the glass front doors of the restaurant, located at 1127 N. Hudson Street, just off Clarendon’s main nightlife district. The break-in happened early in the morning, police said.

“At approximately 2:22 a.m. police were dispatched to the report of a burglary in progress,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, officers observed the suspect sitting at a table inside a closed restaurant and gave him commands to exit, which he complied with. The investigation determined the suspect forced entry into the restaurant by breaking two glass doors.”

A 21-year-old man from Milton, Massachusetts was arrested and charged with Unlawful Entry and felony Destruction of Property.

The break-in happened amid a national focus on hate-motivated crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Savage said anti-Asian bias did not appear to be a factor in this crime, however.

“The suspect was intoxicated at the time of arrest,” she said. “The preliminary investigation has not revealed a bias-based motive nor a connection to any other criminal incidents.”

On Instagram, Nam-Viet thanked customers for their support while the business cleaned up, noting that the pandemic has hit it and other Asian-owned businesses in the area hard.

We want to take a minute to thank everyone who has reached out to us today to show their love and support. We were fortunate enough to only have cosmetic damage to the doors. Nothing was taken and both our family and business are doing well. In the meantime, if you would like to help us out, we urge everyone to please support any and all Asian owned businesses in the area. They have been some of the hardest hit businesses during this pandemic.

We will continue to remain optimistic during these times and we will allow the proper authorities to do their work in remedying justice to those who caused this damage today. We wish for everyone to have nothing but respect for one another. And please know that Nam-Viet Restaurant is so blessed and thankful for the love, support and kindness shared in the Arlington community and beyond.

The broken doors were boarded up as of Saturday evening, as an anti-hate vigil was held nearby.

The Stop Asian American and Pacific Islander Hate Vigil, held from 6-6:30 p.m., was coincidentally organized a week prior in response to “events that have been occurring nationally,” said co-organizer Allyson Dieck.

“The backdrop of Arlington’s historical Little Saigon on Clarendon Blvd was the perfect site for an opportunity to honor and show our support for our own AAPI community,” Dieck told ARLnow. “We really felt that our AAPI community is in deep pain — currently from the national trend of violence being shown towards them, but also from more general bias shown on a regular basis. There were some moving accounts expressed during the vigil.”

About two dozen people attended the event, which was promoted on social media. Gathered at the Clarendon Metro plaza, they lit luminaries and held a moment of silence for the victims of the recent mass shooting in Atlanta. A number of those in attendance also spoke of their experiences with anti-Asian bias.

Jay Westcott contributed to this report

ACPD: Knife-Wielding Man Lands in Jail After Bar Fight in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

A 39-year-old man from Hyattsville is facing charges after police say he threw a beer bottle, brandished a knife and harassed a group of people in Clarendon.

Police were called to the 3100 block of Wilson Blvd, in the heart of Clarendon’s bar district, just after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a man threatening people with a knife.

From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect was inside a restaurant when he became involved in a verbal altercation with a group of individuals. The suspect then allegedly followed the group to different restaurants while making verbally harassing statements. The verbal altercation continued to escalate, during which a member of the group grabbed the suspect’s cell phone and smashed it on the ground. The suspect then produced a knife.

The alleged drunken fracas continued inside a restaurant, where an innocent bystander was struck and injured by a flying beer bottle.

As bystanders attempted to separate the parties and escort the suspect out of the restaurant, he grabbed a beer bottle and threw it in the direction of the group. The bottle struck a bystander causing a laceration to the head. The bystander was transported to an area hospital for treatment. The suspect then left the scene and entered a separate restaurant where officers located him and took him into custody without incident.

Police say they found ID cards with someone else’s information while searching the suspect. The 39-year-old from Hyattsville, Maryland is now facing charges of Assault and Battery, Simple Assault, Drunk in Public, Identity Theft and Possession of Fictitious ID.

Separately, a 36-year-old Arlington man was charged with Destruction of Property for smashing the suspect’s phone. He was released on a summons.

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