Clarendon

Construction Starts on ‘Clarendon Circle’ Intersection, Prompting Traffic Changes and Detours

By Catherine Douglas Moran
1/5

Crews have broken ground on the first phase of the “Clarendon Circle” project, bringing improvements to one of the county’s trickiest intersections for pedestrians and cyclists but creating some temporary traffic changes.

The County Board approved in June the contract for the overhaul of the “Clarendon Circle” — the area where Clarendon, Washington and Wilson boulevards all meet, just past the Metro station.

The first phase of the project involves concrete work along eastbound Washington Blvd — west of Wilson Blvd and Fairfax Drive — along with removal of the existing curb and gutter in the area.

Ardent Construction Company began in September Clarendon Circle’s reconstruction, which is anticipated to last one year, according to the county.

Signs will provide detour directions. Drivers and pedestrians have the following options to Clarendon Blvd from Washington Blvd:

  • Turn right on southbound N. Kirkwood Road, which turns into 10th Street N. Then turn left on Wilson Blvd and continue straight.
  • Stay on Washington Blvd, crossing Wilson and Clarendon boulevards, and then turn left on N. Highland Street. Then turn right.

Additionally, left turns will be restricted on eastbound Washington Blvd along with the left turn from eastbound Washington Blvd to Clarendon Blvd through next summer.

Traffic disruptions with lane and sidewalk closures during the 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. work hours on Mondays through Fridays are expected, the county said, adding that no weekend work is scheduled.

The planned improvements address planners’ desired changes to the intersection, like shortening the distances pedestrians have to walk across roads. The work will also include long-anticipated installation of additional bike lanes, the widening of Washington Blvd and the addition of upgraded traffic signals.

The project will also add a “green streets” element to N. Irving Street, next to the Silver Diner, which planners have said will help better manage stormwater.

Additional plans for the project include installing new Carlyle streetlights, adding curb extensions at the Liberty Tavern corner and planting more trees.

Maps via Arlington County

Clarendon’s Alto Fumo: Authentic House-Made Italian Fare With Flair (and a Great Bar)

Not every neighborhood is lucky enough to have a chef-owned, non-chain, full-service Italian restaurant with a lively bar, but Clarendon does. And oh look: Free parking in the rear.

Alto Fumo Pizza and Pasta Bar in the heart of Clarendon is a locally owned business that takes pride in offering fresh and wholesome authentic Italian dishes, created from the finest regionally sourced ingredients and prepared by chefs with more than 30 years of experience.

The pasta is made in the kitchen, nothing is ever frozen, and the pizza… well, one look at the Yelp! reviews and you will be curious about what the raving is about.

There are daily specials on the menu, including Monday evening’s 12-inch, two-topping pizza with two salads and two glasses of wine for a whopping $25. Happy hour Monday-Friday from 3-7 p.m. as well as Saturday and Sunday from 12-7 p.m. includes $4 drinks as well as a list of substantial small plates for $5 — among them, fried oysters in remoulade sauce, the popular crispy calamari and the killer meatball sliders.

You can do the traditional “prima piatto” method of Italian multi-course dining — and you should! — but for a simpler after-work weeknight dinner, Alto Fumo has you and your wallet covered. The pasta portions are generous, the salads ample and the “Old School Subs” (with fries) will easily get you to your next meal.

And if for some rare reason the pizzas and pastas on the menu are not striking your fancy, you can “build your own” from the kitchen’s house-made pastas, crusts, sauces and toppings. It’s your chance to get creative with capellini, gnocchi, ziti, tri-color fettuccine, basil pesto cream, Bolognese, marinara and vodka sauce.

Clarendon is lucky to have a locally owned, authentic Italian restaurant owned and operated by chefs who take deserving pride in their efforts.

Did we mention the free parking in the rear?

Alto Fumo–the name means “high-rising smoke,” as if from a fired pizza oven–is at 2909 Wilson Boulevard; the phone number for carry-out and reservations is 703-276-3099; the email address is [email protected]. Delivery and kids’ menu are available.

Arlington Startup Aims to Make Painting Personal

By Vernon Miles

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

Normally, when someone wants to paint their business or a room in their house, they go to a contractor, who in turns hires another subcontractor, and so on. But Harrison Edwards wanted to do things a little differently.

Edwards, the founder of My Painter, LLC, says the Arlington-based startup is intent on being a one-stop shop for painting needs.

“We are employee based,” said Edwards. “There’s no subcontractors. We’re the painters. We’re the employees.”

Edwards said being an employee-based, rather than subcontractor based, painting company has allowed the company to form close relationships with its clients. Often for subcontractors, Edwards said clients have experienced problems trying to get ahold of which painters were working in which location.

Edwards said he spends very little on marketing, preferring to work based on referrals. Edwards said the company works at about 30 t0 40 percent profits from their jobs.

“People know our painters and they see us, it’s how we get referred,” said Edwards. “We get callbacks a lot of time, which means each client could theoretically be worth $1,000 per year, although a lot of time these are one-time jobs.”

The company is small, with 13 employees currently, but is looking to expand with another seven employees in 2019. My Painter is based out of Clarendon and takes jobs throughout the Washington, D.C. region, but does 90 percent of its work around Arlington.

Edwards founded the company in 2016 and said he was inspired by his father, who is a general contractor. Edwards wanted to work in specialized contracts, which meant learning a lot about painting and learning a lot about business.

“There was a lot of trial and error at first,” said Edwards.

Edwards said one of the lessons was that for painters, one of the most important parts of the job happens before the brush ever touches the wall. The preparation for a painting job is all about finding a way to respect and protect property as painting is going on around the space and making the painting work as unintrusive on the client’s home or office life as possible.

Edwards said My Painter also sets itself apart by offering to bring on color consultants before the job starts to help the client identify what colors would work best for the space.

In the aftermath of a job, Edwards says he helps clients coordinate with the painters on areas that may need work or touching up.

“It’s all about taking the headache, heartache and hassle out of painting,” said Edwards.

Hanukkah Celebrations Planned Around Arlington Next Week

By Catherine Douglas Moran

Now that Thanksgiving is over, Hanukkah celebrations are right around the corner.

This year, the Jewish holiday begins at sunset on Sunday (Dec. 2) and ends the following Monday, Dec. 10.

Arlington is ready for the festivities to begin, with seven events planned in the area for locals to attend during Hanukkah.

  • Dec. 2: Chanukah at Kol Ami — The Northern Virginia affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Movement is set to sing and play dreidel at its potluck. Attendees are asked bring their menorahs, candles and pre-cooked food.
  • Dec. 2: Light Up Your Shabbanukkah Table — OneTable will be at the Crate & Barrel on Clarendon Blvd to learn how to get your table ready for the Festival of Lights.
  • Dec. 4: Chanukah in Clarendon — Spider Kelly’s will have a menorah lighting and dreidel tournament. The $18 admission includes a drink ticket, latkes and unlimited darts, pool and shuffleboard.
  • Dec. 5: Clarendon Chanukah Menorah Lighting — The free event at Clarendon Central Park will include the lighting of a six-foot menorah and hot potato latkes, chocolate gelt and dreidels.
  • Dec. 6: Chanukah on Ice — Head to the Pentagon Row Ice Rink for the lighting of a six-foot menorah, a free raffle, ice skating and kosher hot dogs. Tickets, which include the skate rental, bought before Monday (Dec. 3) are $10 and $13 after.
  • Dec. 6: Festival of Lasers — Compete in laser tag to celebrate Hanukkah at the Ultrazone Laser Tag in Falls Church. Tickets are $25.
  • Dec. 7: Shabbat-Hanukkah Party — The Congregation Etz Hayim’s monthly potluck will turn into a Hanukkah party after Shabbat services at 6:15 p.m. After kiddush and motzi, the group will serve latkes alongside the potluck, sing songs and play Hanukkah games.

File photo

County Plans ‘Short-Term’ Safety Improvements Along Fairfax Drive, 10th Street N. Corridor

By Alex Koma

County officials are planning some improvements along Fairfax Drive and 10th Street N. as the roads run from Ballston to Clarendon, with a special focus on ways to make the corridor safer for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike.

Arlington transportation planners are circulating a survey seeking feedback on how the roads should change, as the county weighs a series of modest improvements over the next few months. In all, the study area stretches from Fairfax Drive’s intersection with N. Glebe Road in Ballston to 10th Street N.’s intersection with N. Barton Street in Lyon Park.

The county is envisioning changes along the 1.5-mile-long stretch of road as “short-term, quick-build projects to enhance safety and mobility on the corridor.” Officials hope to eventually commission more expansive changes, after it took over management of the roads from the state this summer, but the county’s budget crunch means that options are limited, for now.

But, in the near term, the county plans to examine “multimodal traffic volume data, curbspace use, crash data, and transit service data” in addition to the community’s feedback to chart out small-scale changes, according to a project webpage.

The advocates with the group Sustainable Mobility for Arlington County certainly have some suggestions for the corridor. The group sent an email to its members urging them to advocate for the transformation of Fairfax Drive into a “low-stress biking corridor, even if it requires re-purposing space from motor vehicles,” in addition to other cycling improvements.

“The existing Fairfax Drive bike lanes are narrow, frequently blocked, and fail to be low-stress due to fast-moving traffic,” the advocates wrote. “The existing, short two-way protected bike lane should be extended all the way from Glebe Road to Clarendon Circle.”

The group also argues that 10th Street N. and Fairfax Drive both lack safe road crossings, particularly as the corridor runs from N. Barton Street in Lyon Park to N. Monroe Street in Virginia Square.

“This makes the corridor a barrier,” they wrote. “Additional safe crossings should be provided and these crossings must be simple and easy to use for cyclists as well as pedestrians.”

The county survey on road improvements will be open for submissions through Dec. 16. Officials hope to have short-term recommendations ready by sometime early next year, then install those by the spring or summer of 2019.

Photo via Arlington County

ACFD Ambulance Bus Deployed to Daycare Gas Leak Investigation

By ARLnow.com

Students at a Clarendon area daycare center are spending part of their morning on the Arlington County Fire Department’s mass casualty ambulance bus.

A fire department spokesman said the ambulance bus was dispatched to the 1200 block of N. Ivy Street, where firefighters are investigating a possible gas leak inside a building.

The block is home to NOVA KinderCare, a daycare center. The spokesman said the bus was deployed to keep children warm as firefighters investigate the reported leak and await the arrival of Washington Gas.

No injuries have been reported.

Update at 9:35 a.m. — The daycare building has been deemed safe to re-occupy, according to scanner traffic.

Photo via ACFD/Twitter

Crime Report: Man Arrested After Allegedly Exposing Himself, Fighting With Police in Clarendon

By Alex Koma

A man is now facing a slew of charges after he allegedly drunkenly exposed himself in Clarendon, then scuffled with police as they tried to arrest him.

Arlington Police say they received a call around 4 a.m. on Monday (Nov. 26) after someone saw a man “with his pants down exposing himself while walking” in the vicinity of the 3000 block of Washington Blvd. The area is home to several apartment buildings, a 7-Eleven convenience store and other shops and restaurants.

Officers then spotted a man “appearing disheveled and intoxicated” and arrested him. They subsequently identified him as 54-year-old Michael Tomlin, of no fixed address.

“The suspect actively resisted officers while they placed him in handcuffs,” police said. “Once in custody and while in booking, the suspect continued to resist, attempting to remove his hands from the handcuffs, and ignored the instructions of officers.”

Tomlin was subsequently charged with obstruction of justice, indecent exposure and public drunkenness.

More details from a county crime report:

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2018-11260035, 3000 block of Washington Boulevard. At approximately 3:55 a.m. on November 26, police were dispatched to the report of a male exposing himself. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim observed the male suspect allegedly with his pants down exposing himself while walking in the area. A lookout was broadcast and arriving officers located an individual matching the suspect description in the lookout still in the area, appearing disheveled and intoxicated. The suspect actively resisted officers while they placed him in handcuffs. Once in custody and while in booking, the suspect continued to resist, attempting to remove his hands from the handcuffs, and ignored the instructions of officers. Michael Tomlin, 54, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Obstruction of Justice, Indecent Exposure and Drunk in Public.

And here are other highlights from the past week of crime reports:

BURGLARY, 2018-11270233, 1000 block of N. Quincy Street. At approximately 9:26 p.m. on November 27, police were dispatched to the report of a possible burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 8:30 a.m. on November 18 and 8:20 p.m. on November 26, an unknown suspect(s) gained entry to the victim’s residence and stole items of value from the residence. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

RECOVERED STOLEN VEHICLE, 2018-11240168, Army Navy Drive at S. Hayes Street. At approximately 7:13 p.m. on November 24, a lookout was broadcast for a potentially stolen vehicle, driven by subject wanted out of Prince William County. At approximately 7:20 p.m. an officer on routine patrol observed a vehicle driven by a subject matching the descriptions in the lookout travelling Northbound on I-395 and effected a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle was confirmed to be wanted and taken into custody without incident. Brandon Williams, 25, of Spotsylvania, Va., was arrested, served with outstanding warrants out of Prince William County and held on no bond.

RECOVERED STOLEN VEHICLE, 2018-11210043, I-66 W.B. at N. Sycamore Street. At approximately 4:33 a.m. on November 21, officers on routine patrol were alerted to a License Plate Reader hit on a stolen vehicle. With the assistance of additional arriving officers, a traffic stop was conducted and the driver was taken into custody without incident. Terry Degeus, 33, of Fredericksburg, Va., was arrested and charged with Driving with a Suspended or Revoked License, and served with outstanding warrants out of Stafford County, Va.

BURGLARY, 2018-11250003, 2100 block of N. Quantico Street. At approximately 12:06 a.m. on November 25, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary just discovered. Upon arrival, it was determined that between November 23 at 9:30 a.m. and November 24 at 11:50 p.m., an unknown suspect(s) forced entry to a residence, causing damage, and stole items of value. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.

ROBBERY, 2018-11200269, 700 block of S. Ode Street. At approximately 9:10 p.m. on November 20, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim met the known suspect to purchase goods for sale. The victim paid the suspect in cash for the goods, however, when the victim reached for the goods, the suspect pulled them away forcefully and fled in his vehicle with the goods and cash. The victim attempted to stop the vehicle, but was dragged a short distance,  causing the victim to suffer minor injuries, which did not require medical treatment. The victim then returned to his vehicle, where he was approached by three individuals, allegedly known to the suspect, who attempted to climb on his car, before hearing a loud noise and fleeing on foot. The suspects are described as black males. The investigation is ongoing.

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Reminder: Yellow Line Shutdown Starts Today — There will be no Yellow Line service today through Sunday, Dec. 9 as Metro works to repair the Yellow Line bridge over the Potomac. Yellow Line riders can instead take the Blue Line and/or free shuttle service. [ARLnow, Twitter]

New ‘Clarendon Circle’ Traffic Restriction — Work on improvements to the busy “Clarendon Circle” intersection are underway and have resulted in at least one traffic pattern change. During construction, drivers will not be allowed to make the “tricky” left from eastbound Washington Blvd to Clarendon Blvd, and will instead have to follow a detour via N. Kirkwood Road. [Twitter, Arlington County]

Civ Fed Prepares Tree Canopy Resolution — “The Arlington County Civic Federation in December will weigh in on the development plan of Upton Hill Regional Park and, more broadly, on Arlington government policies on retaining or removing trees during redevelopment on public land. A resolution demanding a temporary halt to current development plans at Upton Hill was introduced at the Civic Federation’s Nov. 13 meeting and will be debated and voted on Dec. 4.” [InsideNova]

Minor Bluemont House Fire — Firefighters extinguished an out-of-control fire in the fireplace of a Bluemont house Saturday night. No injuries were reported but the home, on the 900 block of N. Frederick Street, suffered some smoke damage. [Twitter, Twitter]

Another Traffic Nightmare at DCA — As if the gridlock caused by the Veterans Day shutdown of the National Airport Metro station wasn’t bad enough, the traffic nightmare repeated itself Sunday evening, during one of the busiest travel days of the year. Some drivers reported spending hours trying to get to and from the airport. [NBC Washington, Twitter]

CBS Looks at Clarendon’s Vpoint Apartments — On Saturday morning, CBS News took a close look at the vPoint affordable housing project in Clarendon. The project, which converted a stand-alone church to a combination worship space and apartment building, is potentially a model for other communities struggling with affordable housing. At the time, however, the redevelopment faced lawsuits and other community opposition. [YouTube]

Amazon News Roundup — Arlington saw only modest successes in its quest to pitch itself as a tech hub over the past few years, but Amazon’s arrival changes that narrative in a big way. That said, half of the jobs Amazon brings to Arlington will be non-technical. Meanwhile, Amazon may benefit lower-income residents in New York City more than in Arlington, as subcontractors in New York will be subject to the state’s $15 per hour minimum wage; Virginia’s minimum wage is currently the federal $7.25 per hour minimum. And Nashville, some say, will be the biggest winner in terms of Amazon’s new presence boosting the local commercial real estate market.

County Inspectors Issue Goody’s A Warning for Painting Unapproved Mural on Storefront

By Alex Koma
1/3

Arlington officials say Goody’s pizzeria in Clarendon didn’t earn the county approval it needed before painting a new mural on its storefront — but the county won’t be taking drastic action against the restaurant just yet.

Helen Duong, a spokeswoman for the county’s Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development, told ARLnow that zoning inspectors visited the restaurant and “concluded that the artwork is considered a sign under Arlington County’s zoning ordinance because the artwork relates to the advertisement of a business and its services.”

That means Goody’s needed a permit before adding the painting earlier this month, but Duong says the eatery “did not receive prior approvals from the county.”

She added that inspectors delivered a “courtesy notice” to the restaurant last Thursday (Nov. 15), laying out steps for how the business can remedy that issue, but has not forced Goody’s to cover up the new artwork or taken any other punitive measures against the restaurant. The county has taken such steps against other businesses in the past, including when it briefly tangled with Wag More Dogs on S. Four Mile Run Drive over similar murals.

Glenda Alvarez, the restaurant’s owner, says she has yet to seek any county approval for the mural, a fact Duong confirmed. She was unaware of any need for a permit before commissioning the artwork, which she says she hoped to add because the building “was not attractive enough.”

“We just wanted to get a little more attention from people walking by,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez took over ownership of the restaurant earlier this spring, after its previous owners sold her the business. Goody’s closed briefly in April to account for the changeover before reopening in May.

Artists Paint New Murals on Exterior of Goody’s in Clarendon

By Alex Koma
1/5

Update, Friday at 8:30 a.m. — After this article was published, a county spokeswoman told ARLnow that zoning officials were “not aware of the mural at Goody’s.”

“A zoning enforcement inspector will be visiting the site to further investigate this matter,” spokeswoman Helen Duong wrote in an email.

Earlier: Artists are currently hard at work adorning the exterior of longtime Clarendon pizzeria Goody’s with some new murals.

The artwork depicts all manner of ingredients and menu offerings. Mushrooms, tomatoes and basil are all prominently featured, as are gyros and hamburgers.

Goody’s is adding the new exterior artwork roughly six months after new ownership took over the Clarendon institution and fully renovated its interior.

Its previous owners, Nick and Vanessa Reisis, sold the business back in April, leading to a brief closure for the pizzeria. The Reisis’s were long fans of seasonal drawings on the restaurant’s windows, though that artwork generally didn’t include the pizzeria’s walls as well.

Similar murals on Arlington businesses have attracted scrutiny from county zoning officials in the past. The county once tangled with Wag More Dogs on S. Four Mile Run Drive over a mural on its walls, which was deemed to be “advertising” that was therefore not allowed under local sign regulations.

There’s no word yet from a county spokeswoman on whether Goody’s might be subject to similar permitting requirements for its new artwork.

Coffee and Juice Bar Serving Up Smoothies, ‘Superfood’ Debuts in Clarendon

By Catherine Douglas Moran
1/4

A new shop serving up smoothies, coffee and “superfood” recently opened in the lobby of an office building in Clarendon.

The Waterhouse Coffee and Juice Bar debuted last Tuesday (Oct. 30) with a soft opening for the office building tenants to sample the food and drink, Connie Kim, the owner and manager, told ARLnow.

Located at 3033 Wilson Blvd, customers use the street entrances on Wilson Blvd and N. Garfield Street or the sliding doors in the lobby of the office building to reach Waterhouse.

The tenants have come back since the soft opening, Kim said. While Kim said she is familiar with tenant customers from her first and, now-closed, business in the building shared by CNN and the U.S. Department of Education, these customers surprised her.

“I never knew tenants could be this intimate and regular,” she said.

The menu spans hot and cold coffee and teas to smoothies and freshly squeezed juice for drinks. The “natural fruit smoothies” are made from ice and fruit juice, while the “power boost smoothies” pack in about seven different ingredients, Kim said. Food options include toasts, salads, sandwiches, acai bowls and all-day breakfast.

“I wanted to do really good coffee, really good juice and smoothie bars, where it’s a very comfortable place,” Kim said.

The name “Waterhouse” popped into her head while sitting in an airport about four years ago, Kim said. Initially, she wanted to open a taco place, but then decided a coffee shop would be a better fit for the space by the Clarendon Metro station. Previous establishments at the space include a cafe and deli known for its vegan sandwiches and an Italian hoagie and Mediterranean food shop.

Waterhouse seats about 15 people inside the shop, with an additional 15 seats in the lobby. Kim plans to have four tables outside in the spring.

The shop is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day.

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