Clarendon

UPDATED: Suspect in custody after bank robbery and standoff in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
1/14

(Updated at 9:20 p.m.) Roads have reopened around a bank in Clarendon after a reported robbery and possible hostage situation.

The Wells Fargo at 3140 Washington Blvd was robbed shortly after 3 p.m. and the suspect — reported to be a man in his 20s — was still in the bank when officers arrived. Police surrounded the bank and shut down traffic in the area.

Five employees and customers, including a small child, were held in the bank with the suspect during the hour-long incident, according to an update from police.

The suspect implied that he had a weapon, according to police, but it’s unclear whether he was actually armed. A negotiator and SWAT team members responded to the scene, while firefighters and medics staged nearby.

Witness video published by WUSA 9 showed people lying face down on the bank floor during the incident.

Shortly after 4 p.m., a group of heavily armed officers could be seen approaching the bank and, in English and Spanish, commanding those inside to come out with their hands up. The scene was captured on video by ARLnow staff photographer Jay Westcott.

Shortly after that, a man could be seen being led out with handcuffs. The people being held then came out and were asked to provide statements to police.

Police confirmed shortly after 4:30 p.m. that the suspect was in custody and an investigation is underway. No injuries were reported.

Several drivers who were caught up in the robbery response and had to abandon their vehicles on Washington Blvd, in front of the bank, were allowed to return to their vehicles and drive off around 5 p.m.

Later Tuesday night, Arlington County police released the following press release about the robbery and arrest, identifying the suspect as a 30-year-old North Carolina man. No gun was found at the scene.

The Arlington County Police Department has arrested a suspect following a bank robbery in the Clarendon neighborhood. Oscar Gonzalez Allarenja, 30, of Durham, NC, has been charged with Bank Robbery and Abduction. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

At approximately 3:09 p.m. on April 11, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery in the 3100 block of Washington Boulevard. The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect entered the bank, grabbed an employee, indicated he had a firearm and demanded cash before walking behind the counter. Responding officers established a perimeter and worked to safely resolve the incident as the suspect remained barricaded inside the bank with employees and patrons. During the course of the incident, members of the Emergency Response Team approached the bank, gave the suspect commands which he complied with and took him into custody without incident. The patrons and employees, four adults and one child, then safely exited the bank. All were evaluated on scene by medics as a precaution and no injuries were reported.

No cash was reported stolen and no weapon was located on scene. This incident remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact police at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS.

A new park with an enclosed play area for kids has opened in Clarendon

By Matt Blitz
1/4

(Updated at 3:25 p.m.) A public green space with a play area for kids is now open at Clarendon’s outdoor shopping center.

The Loop, a central green space in the middle of the Crossing Clarendon, officially opened on Friday, a spokesperson confirmed to ARLnow. Several readers sent tips and photos of locals enjoying themselves in the new public park at 2800 Clarendon Blvd late last week.

The new park includes walkways, Adirondack chairs, new landscaping and artificial turf, a pipe-like tunnel, small bronze-colored statues of hopping rabbits, and an enclosed play area for kids. It was become known as the Loop due to the quarter-mile piece of roadway that loops around the plaza and through the shopping center.

The almost cage-like play area extends vertically with red metal wavy structures for kids to climb as well as several exit and entrance points.

Dogs are allowed in the park, but “they are required to relieve themselves only in the designated areas, highlighted by the on-site signage,” the spokesperson said.

The park has been in the making for a while now.

It was first announced in early 2021 that property owner Regency Centers was looking into building a pedestrian-friendly plaza in the middle of the shopping center, which has an Apple Store, Pottery Barn, and Crate & Barrel. That spring, the entire mixed-use development was rebranded as The Crossing Clarendon.

Then, a year ago, plans were unveiled that showed some of what is now there. While the mock-ups and initial plans show that the end of the U-shaped road would be cut off from vehicular traffic to create a pedestrian-only area, that isn’t yet the case. Construction does appear to be continuing on the roadway, though.

“This area within The Crossing, known as The Loop, is a fresh look at how the community interacts with the center,” Regency Centers’ Vice President Andrew Kabat wrote in a statement. “The amenities, design, and layout were intentionally and considerately implemented to highlight what a unique location this is within the corridor, and a place for neighbors, shoppers, and friends to gather for a long time. This property was deserving of an updated face-lift, and we’re excited to provide more updates for The Crossing in the future.”

Hat tip to George Brazier

Coco B’s, Carbonara, and Tawle looking to open in coming months

By Matt Blitz
1/3

As we slide into brown flip flop season, some hotly-anticipated Arlington restaurants and bars are set to open in the coming months.

Below is a list of the latest updates, compiled by ARLnow.

  • “Tropical glam” bar Coco B’s in Clarendon hopes to start serving drinks with little umbrellas in May, co-owner Mike Bramson told ARLnow. It was about a year ago when the owners behind the Lot and Pamplona announced they were opening a rooftop bar on top of another one of their ventures, B Live. The two bars were filling a space that was once occupied by legendary Whitlow’s, which moved to the District. Coco B’s was supposed to open this past fall, but construction work and the winter delayed it to spring 2023.
  • Shirlington’s Astro Beer Hall and its donut robot is also looking at starting up in May, as the owners told ARLnow in February. The beer hall has been in the working since at least December 2021 and is moving into the space formerly occupied by Capital City Brewing Co.
  • Wagamama in Clarendon is looking at potentially late spring serving date. The British chain focused on Japanese cuisine is taking over Oz’s former home.
  • Carbonara: Old School Italian & Wine Bar from local chef Mike Cordero, is expecting to get cooking later this summer. It will be located at 3865 Wilson Blvd, near the Ballston/Virginia Square border. The menu, as first announced back in August 2022, is expected to include a veritable tour of Italy and its expected opening date of late summer remains pretty much in line with what was first announced last summer.
  • Forest Inn fill-in Westover Taco is aiming for tacos to be served by late summer, co-owner Scott Parker said earlier this week. The margarita and taco spot is taking over what was once one of Arlington’s last dive bars.
  • Kebab-centric Tawle is now aiming for a fall opening in Clarendon. The buzzy eatery from the owners of two of D.C.’s hottest restaurants first announced back in May 2022 that was it was making a new home at the former address of beloved live music venue IOTA Club. The plan was to initially to open Tawle this spring, but the opening has been pushed back to the fall, a restaurant spokesperson tells ARLnow.

Axios HQ raises $20M to expand AI software taming the ‘Wild West’ of internal corporate communications

By Jo DeVoe

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow, Startup Monday is a weekly column that highlights Arlington-based startups, founders, and local tech news. Monday Properties is proudly featuring 1515 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn. 

Corporations are increasingly turning to a new type of worker for simplified, elevated internal communications: artificial intelligence.

One local company championing this new teammate is Clarendon-based Axios HQ (3100 Clarendon Blvd). The startup was spun out as a separate company in late 2022 after its parent company, Axios, was bought by Cox Enterprises for $525 million, according to the Washington Business Journal.

The startup uses AI to apply the signature “Smart Brevity” style developed by Axios to internal corporate communications. Some 500 clients use it to improve formatting, wording and readability.

Now, the Wall Street Journal first reported, it has raised $20 million in a Series A funding round, which it will use to hire more data scientists and continue developing its software to do more advanced writing work.

In an interview with ARLnow on Friday, Axios HQ CEO and Axios co-founder and president Roy Schwartz shared more details about what the startup plans to do with the money. Schwartz was a former star of Rosslyn-based Politico.

“We’ve been working on it for 2.5 years and it’s been, at the moment, a fully fledged product and has a ton of capabilities that companies need and utilize right now,” he said. “We help you write, compose, format, review your analytics, but in two years from now, I really think we will have drafted your update for you and you will be editing that update, most will be written by the computer.”

Axios HQ in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

In short, he says, the investment over the next two years will take the AI from providing “augmented writing” to “auto-drafting.” The startup aims to net another 500 clients, which would set it up for another fundraising round in a few years. That will require hiring 20-30 more data scientists and account managers, adding to the more than 100 employees Axios HQ currently has.

“The idea is to go from being a very, very fast-growing startup to being a very successful [software as a service] company with a large client base and a large recurring revenue stream,” he said.

When asked if Axios the media outlet uses the software, Schwartz said it does not. In addition, he stressed the separation between the two companies, noting that they use entirely different systems so clients are not concerned about data being accessed by reporters.

There has been some angst about what AI will mean for writing and, ultimately, journalism as an industry. (ARLnow, for example, uses AI to stay on top of new press releases, summarize stories, automatically evaluate event calendar submissions, and occasionally, make edits.) Schwartz, however, wants to put aside the implications for media and keep the focus of Axios HQ on internal corporate communications.

“A lot of people using the tool are not professional writers,” he said. “What I like to say is that internal communications has been the Wild, Wild West — anyone can send an email to entire company, staff or department and really, hardly anyone is looking at it. The formats are all over the place. What that has meant is inefficient communication at nearly every organization in the world… Things can be shorter, formated much better and understood at a much higher level. That’s what we’re focused on.”

AI would help subject-matter experts who “have a lot of knowledge in their minds but don’t know how to write or format” as well as employees who have “writing that has to be done” — repetitive, weekly sales or marketing updates providing week-over-week changes.

“In that situation, the better use of the human brain is to provide the insight — the why, the trends, explaining the differences versus just taking the data and giving a relatively straightforward update,” Schwartz said. “I would much rather use my brain power to provide insight than write the update… In that situation, you want the computer to be the writer and the human to be the editor.”

UPDATED: Police investigating apparent self-inflicted shooting during traffic stop

By ARLnow.com
1/8

(Updated at 3 p.m.) The passenger in a car that was pulled over for a traffic stop apparently shot himself, prompting a large police presence in the Clarendon area.

The shooting happened just after 9:20 p.m.

According to initial reports, police pulled over the car near 10th Street N. and N. Edgewood Street and, after it stopped, an officer told dispatchers that the passenger shot himself in the head. The driver then exited the vehicle, per scanner traffic.

The passenger was rushed to the hospital after police safely retrieved the gun. All lanes of 10th Street N. are currently closed due to the investigation into what happened

Arlington County police said later Wednesday night that the person who shot himself had earlier fled from Virginia State Police and was in a rideshare vehicle at the time of the shooting.

“Just after 8 p.m., Arlington County Police were notified of a Virginia State Police pursuit into Arlington County,” ACPD said in a statement. “An individual ran from the pursued vehicle on foot and a lookout was broadcast. An Arlington County Police officer observed the individual enter a rideshare vehicle and officers conducted a traffic stop at 10th Street N. and N. Edgewood Street.”

“The individual discharged a firearm inside the vehicle, resulting in a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the police statement continued. “He has been transported to an area hospital. Arlington County Police and Virginia State Police remain on scene investigating. Arlington County Police were not involved in the pursuit.”

As of Thursday afternoon, ACPD announced in a press release (below) that the man had died.

The Arlington County Police Department is conducting a death investigation following a shooting that took place on the evening of March 22, 2023.

Just after 8 p.m., Arlington County Police were notified of a Virginia State Police pursuit into Arlington County. A lookout was broadcast after a passenger ran from the suspect vehicle into the Clarendon neighborhood. An Arlington County Police officer patrolling the area observed the individual enter the backseat of a rideshare vehicle. Officers conducted a traffic stop at 10th Street N. and N. Edgewood Street during which the individual discharged a firearm inside the vehicle, resulting in a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officers immediately began performing emergency medical assistance before the individual, an adult male in his 20’s, was transported to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased. The driver of the vehicle was not injured.

Arlington County Police were not involved in the pursuit. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine cause and manner of death.

This remains an active death investigation. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Tip Line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected] or anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of self-harm, call 911. You can also call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, Arlington Dept. of Human Services’ emergency services line at 703-228-5160, or CrisisLink at 703-527-4077.

Hat tip to Alan Henney

Wagamama in Clarendon could open before summer

By Vernon Miles
1/2

Work is underway on the new Wagamama in Clarendon, which is currently expected to open around mid-year.

The opening estimate was reported last month by Restaurant Business, an industry publication.

One year after the British restaurant chain focusing on Japanese cuisine first announced it would be coming to Clarendon, to the former Oz location at 2950 Clarendon Blvd, the exterior of the building still seems in virtually the same condition it was after the Australian restaurant closed in 2019. That is, except for the removal of the signs and most of the loud yellow paint.

Brown paper now covers the windows, however, hiding the interior construction that’s well underway inside, according to a tipster.

Restaurant Business reported that the Arlington location and a new location in Dallas are expected to open “before summer.” Overall, the chain has over 200 locations across 27 countries. It is in the midst of a renewed U.S. expansion push, focused primarily on the Southeast.

The restaurant features dishes like ramen and donburi — a bowl of steamed rice with stir-fried protein and mixed vegetables — along with more pan-Asian dishes like curry. Plans for the Clarendon location include “an expansive patio,” according to a press release.

Loyal Companion in Lee Harrison Shopping Center is now Wag N’ Wash

By Vernon Miles
1/3

Just one month after both Loyal Companion stores in Arlington closed amid the chain’s bankruptcy, both locations are back as new pet stores.

In the Lee Harrison Shopping Center, Loyal Companion is still the sign above the storefront, but inside it has been converted into Wag N’ Wash, a pet store with a focus on pet hygiene.

Wag N’ Wash is a national chain with a few locations in the region, including one in Vienna.

As far as conversions go, the changes inside are fairly minor. Staff at the store, located at 2501A N. Harrison Street, said “it’s mostly the same stuff” with the same dog washing services Loyal Companion offered, just under a new name.

One of the few notable changes, staff said, is that eventually Wags N’ Wash will have a self-serve dog wash.

Meanwhile, a store manager at Dogma Bakery & Boutique said the new location near Clarendon — at 2509 Franklin Road — will have a soft opening later this week, perhaps on Wednesday, March 15, depending on when the shelves get set up. The store expects to be fully open next week.

Oby Lee closes in Clarendon, Vietnamese restaurant expected to take its place

By ARLnow.com
1/2

After more than 10 years in business, Oby Lee Winery and Coffee Shop has closed in Clarendon.

When it opened in 2012, we described the eatery at 3000 Washington Blvd as the “inland version of the small chain of eponymous coffee shops owner Oby Lee once ran along the Delaware Shore.” Its website says it specializes in crepes, wine, coffee and Polish food.

A sign on the door suggests that the business was purchased — it appeared to be for sale this past fall — and that a Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon Bistro, will be taking its place.

This will be a bit of a trend reversal from previous decades. Clarendon was once known as Little Saigon for all of the Vietnamese restaurants and businesses that opened after mass migration during the Vietnam war. Many of those eateries and shops closed after Metro opened in 1979 and the neighborhood redeveloped.

Asked about the closure, Oby Lee sent the following statement to ARLnow.

Our Clarendon location is our 7th successful business location of our small chain which commenced in 1989, and like the others, we have been so fortunate to garner a loyal community following over our eleven years at The Reserve At Clarendon Centre.

For as much as we have loved this space, we were approached with an offer that we simply could not refuse, to sell this location!

We wish to thank the wonderful community for welcoming us into their lives. We’re really going to miss seeing everyone each week, or everyday for many! It’s not going to be the same for awhile, without the daily Gluten Free crepes for Michael, the Matt & Ilona signature Latte’, Chai Tea for Lee, seeing John reading his books, enjoying long conversations with Sandy & Douglas, and preparing VeryBerry for Lauren & Ed,  jokes with Gearred and Pietro, Alan never missing a Wednesday Prix Fixe, Brunch with the McCabe family and solving all the worlds problems with Ginny & Ted, in addition to the many, many honored patrons we will always keep close to heart. Over the years we’ve witnessed many of you getting married, sending your kids to college, getting a new puppy, buying a house, or moving across the states. We feel we have become much more than just a restaurant, but a part of the Arlington family. We thank our committed staff, namely our manager Mr. Bo Smulskyi, from Ukraine, who opts to stick with us as forever family to follow his dreams and build his life in the USA.

The next chapter begins…

We don’t say goodbye~ but see you later friends!

The Oby Lee Team

Hat tip to Ray Caputo

JUST IN: Smoke at Clarendon Metro station prompts large emergency response

By ARLnow.com
Emergency response to smoke at the Clarendon Metro station

(Updated at 8:45 a.m.) The Clarendon Metro station filled with smoke during this morning’s commute, prompting a large fire department and police response.

The initial dispatch went out around 8:15 a.m., for smoke in the station. The station was evacuated and trains were halted in the area.

Metro described the issue as “a track problem.” As of 8:30 a.m., reports suggest that the smoke is dissipating, no fire has been found so far, and the response is about to be scaled back.

Metro riders were told to expect significant delays in both directions of the Orange and Silver lines. As of 8:45 a.m., nothing hazardous had been found and trains were starting to resume normal operations. It’s still unclear what caused the smoke.

NEW: Gun store robbed in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
An Arlington County police car in Clarendon (file photo)

A man has been arrested after allegedly robbing a gun store in Clarendon.

Police say the 22-year-old man, of an unknown address, stole a gun and ammunition from the store on the 2600 block of Wilson Blvd, which corresponds with the address of Nova Armory.

From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

ROBBERY, 2023-03020128, 2600 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 1:34 p.m. on March 2, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect entered the business wearing a ski mask and was asked by store employees to remove it but did not comply with their requests. The suspect then allegedly selected a firearm and ammunition and began to exit the store. Employees tried to stop him, during which the suspect attempted to strike one of the employees before fleeing the scene with the stolen items. The suspect boarded a Metro Transit bus and responding officers stopped the bus, located the suspect on board and took him into custody. During a search of his belongings, officers recovered the stolen firearm and ammunition. [The suspect], 22, of an unknown address was arrested and charged with Robbery and Prohibition of Wearing of Masks in Certain Places. He has held without bond.

The robbery suspect has the same name as a man who charged the suspect in the shooting death of his twin brother in a Pittsburgh courtroom last year.

In December, a man in his early 20s tried unsuccessfully to steal a gun from Nova Armory. The gun was recovered after the store manager chased him down, but the suspect managed to get away.

The Lot in Clarendon begins its long goodbye with big events before redevelopment begins

By Jo DeVoe
1/11

The Lot is here for a good time, not a long time — and now it’s time to begin saying farewell to the beer garden in Clarendon.

The last season for the outdoor space at 3217 10th Street N. is set to begin next Friday, March 10, weather pending. Before the drinking establishment’s namesake vacant lot is redeveloped in the near future, The Lot will be going out with a bang, with lower prices, more games and events all season long.

“The Lot will always hold a special place in our hearts,” owner Mike Bramson tells ARLnow. “We’ve met a lot of great staff and guests, some of whom have become our closest friends.”

The first major event, the ShamRock n Roll Fest, is set for Saturday, March 25. Bramson is also throwing a St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl on Saturday, March 11.

The Lot’s long goodbye will continue with the return of other events Bramson said were favorites over the years. This includes the Memorial Weekend Jam Session, The Lot Luau and “Lotoberfest,” to name a few, all without cover charges.

“We only expected The Lot to be open for two years, but we ended up with four fun years,” said Bramson, who operates a number of nightlife ventures in Arlington.

It opened in 2019, a few years behind schedule due to permitting issues. The spot remained popular throughout the pandemic, with people flocking there to drink outside as trepidation over indoor gatherings persisted.

Now, in honor of the last season, there will be no cover charges, drink prices are being lowered, and there will be a new lineup of beer and frozen drinks. The Lot is adding more games, as well, and hosting what Bramson calls the “happiest of hours” during the week. Pets will be welcome at all times now.

Food truck Rebel Taco, meanwhile, will return to serve tacos, quesadillas and nachos to the gathered crowds.

“Our goal this year is simple: for our guests and friends to reminisce on the good times at the Lot and create new memories,” Bramson said.

The Lot is part of a property cluster comprised of two small office buildings, the now-closed Silver Diner restaurant, an auto repair facility and surface parking, bordered by 10th Street N., Wilson Blvd and N. Irving Street.

This whole site, dubbed the Bingham Center site, is set to be razed and redeveloped. Applicants The Donohoe Cos. and TCS Realty Associates propose constructing an 11-story, 290-unit apartment building with 16,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and a 10-story, 229-room hotel.

Their proposal is winding through the county’s site plan process. The Site Plan Review Committee is set to review it for the second time on Thursday, March 16. Initial comments thus far include some concerns from neighbors about the height and setbacks for the buildings, as well as the amount of parking.

Arlington County anticipates the project will be reviewed by the Transportation and Planning Commissions, followed by a vote by the Arlington County Board, in the spring.

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