Columbia Heights

New deli set to replace Rappahannock Coffee on Columbia Pike

By James Jarvis
A ‘Coming Soon’ banner displayed at the site of future deli on Columbia Pike on Jan. 10, 2024 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A new delicatessen is slated to take over the space formerly occupied by Rappahannock Coffee on Columbia Pike.

Gi Lee, the longstanding owner of the coffee shop, announced his retirement last month, marking the end of a two-decade run.

Previously, ARLnow reported that another café was expected to succeed Rappahannock, with the building’s landlord predicting a December opening.

But in a surprising twist, Jose Lopez, the new tenant, revealed that the former coffee shop, located at 2406 Columbia Pike, will instead be serving up deli fare, from Philly cheesesteaks to club sandwiches. There will still be coffee, however.

Barring any delays in receiving his permits from the county, Lopez, a Maryland resident and co-owner of the Honduran restaurant El Catrachito in Olney, says he plans to open the deli around the end of the month. Its official name will be “Columbia Pike Deli.”

The former Rappahannock Coffee signage has been taken down, and in its place, a “Coming Soon” banner now adorns the entrance. While the space will look largely the same as it had under Lee, Lopez said he plans to give the walls a fresh coat of paint and install new flooring.

When asked about his decision to open a deli, Lopez, who immigrated to the U.S. from Honduras in 1999, shared that he previously spent 16 years working at a deli in Maryland before opening his own restaurant.

“It’s my passion,” he said. “I enjoy working with the customers, working with a co-workers and I like to to cook.”

The new deli will join several other restaurants that have opened within a half-mile stretch of Columbia Pike over the last year, including Mpanadas, the Spanish tapas restaurant Sabores and Japanese restaurant Ryu Izakaya.

Another, 2910 Kitchen & Bar, is expected to open sometime this month.

Rappahannock Coffee to close this month as another café prepares to move in

By James Jarvis
Rappahannock Coffee along Columbia Pike (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Rappahannock Coffee is set to close at the end of November, making way for a new café with a different name.

Located at 2406 Columbia Pike, the independent coffee shop first opened in May 2001, according to its website. Owner Gi Lee said that after two decades of brewing coffee, he is ready to retire.

“I’m too old,” Lee told ARLnow as he served a line of caffeine-deprived customers Tuesday morning.

While ARLnow could not confirm the exact last day of operation, Lee’s landlord, Yao Yao, said it would likely be in the final week of November.

The same week Rappahannock Coffee closes its doors, a new café plans to open under a different name, according to Yao.

“He’s gonna sell coffee and sandwiches… his plan is to start his business here as soon as possible,” Yao said.

Jose Lopez, the owner of the upcoming café, did not respond to requests for comment before our publication deadline.

A handful of other retail stores along Columbia Pike surround Rappahannock Coffee, including vape shop Thicker Cloudz and electronic repair shop Wireless Rxx.

At one point, the commercial strip that houses the businesses was slated to become a mixed-use development. Local developer B.M. Smith submitted plans to Arlington’s Historic Affairs and Landmark Review Board in 2013 and in 2020 the County Board approved a special use permit.

B.M. Smith sold the properties to Yao in 2020, he said. The new owner put the plans on hold in 2022, citing economic conditions.

Yao maintains that he has no plans to revive the mixed-use development proposal any time soon, citing high interest and construction costs.

“The business environment and the economy are not very conducive for to the new development at this time,” he said.

The new café will operate in the interim and will have big shoes to fill. Over its nearly two decades in business, Rappahannock Coffee built a loyal following that has kept it afloat despite competition from the Starbucks that opened in the Penrose Square development across the street in 2015.

For Rappahannock, its following comes down to its in-house roasts.

“Big corporate coffee shops can’t control the time between roasting and brewing, giving up on achieving true coffee flavor,” the website reads.

Group from Chicago arrested after catalytic converter thefts

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

A trio of catalytic converter theft suspects, all from Chicago, were arrested early this morning.

Arlington police say they were able to track down all three suspects after they tried to speed off in a car, which they then crashed in the Penrose neighborhood. They were later arrested in the northern portion of the neighborhood, near Sequoia Plaza and Butler Holmes Park.

The arrests, which come amid a rash of thefts of the valuable car part across Arlington, ultimately happened thanks to an alert resident who reported a vehicle break-in along 13th Road S., near the Arlington Village condos, around 2 a.m.

More from an Arlington County police crime report:

VEHICLE TAMPERING, 2022-08310022, 2700 block of 13th Road S. At approximately 1:55 a.m. on August 31, police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tapering in progress. Responding officers located a parked vehicle on Walter Reed Drive at S. Randolph Street matching the description provided by the reporting party and observed three male suspects enter the vehicle. Officers activated their emergency equipment and attempted a traffic stop but the driver fled from the scene at a high rate of speed. Additional officers responded to the scene and located the unoccupied suspect vehicle crashed in the 2600 block of 2nd Street S. Officers established a perimeter and located one suspect at 1st Place S. and S. Barton and the other two suspects were located in the 100 block of S. Wise Street and taken into custody. A search of the suspect vehicle resulted in the recovery of two catalytic converters and power tools.

The three suspects, who range in age from 29 to 34, are facing a number of charges, including Eluding, Tampering with Auto, Larceny with Intent to Sell, Possession of Burglarious Tools and, in the case of one suspect, Hit and Run.

Asked by ARLnow about whether the suspects were previously known to ACPD or suspected in other catalytic converter thefts, police spokeswoman Ashley Savage said the investigation is still underway.

“Detectives will continue to investigate to determine if the suspects are linked to any other reported thefts,” she said, adding that “Virginia law prohibits the disclosure of someone’s prior criminal history.”

New equity program taking root to plant trees in ten Arlington neighborhoods

By Matt Blitz
Trees in Arlington (staff photo)

A new program seeks to increase equity in Arlington by planting more trees in certain neighborhoods.

The local non-profit EcoAction Arlington announced that it’s starting the “Tree Canopy Equity Program” with the goal of raising $1.5 million to fund planting at least 2,500 trees over the next five years in local neighborhoods that have too few.

Insufficient tree canopy is closely tied to heat and temperature increases. The reason certain areas of Arlington are hotter than others, like the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, is due in part to lack of trees, recent data shows.

“The neighborhoods most impacted by insufficient tree cover are communities with higher-than-average minority populations and communities with people living in poverty,” EcoAction Arlington said a press release. “The lack of trees has a real-world impact that can lead to poor physical and mental health outcomes, higher utility costs, and a lower quality of life.”

The ten civic associations and neighborhoods that the program will work with are below.

  • Arlington View
  • Aurora Highlands
  • Buckingham
  • Columbia Heights
  • Glebewood
  • Green Valley
  • John M. Langston Citizens Association (Halls Hill/High View Park)
  • Long Branch Creek
  • Penrose
  • Radnor/Fort Myer Heights

The current levels of tree cover in those neighborhoods is between 17% and 33%, according to EcoAction Arlington.

“The goal is to radically increase tree planting in the neighborhoods with the lowest tree cover to align with the average for other Arlington communities of approximately 40 percent,” the press release says.

EcoAction Arlington executive director Elenor Hodges tells ARLnow that that the group has already begun to plant more trees. That includes American hornbeams, pin oaks, river birch, sugarberry, American sycamore, swamp white oak, and American linden.

The program needs about $150,000 a year to cover operations, marketing, staffing, and the actual planting of trees, Hodges says, with each tree costing about $500 to plant.

Amazon, an inaugural sponsor, has already contributed $50,000. The goal is to raise $1.5 million from other corporate and individual donors, while also obtaining funding from Arlington’s existing Tree Canopy Fund Program. This initiative allows neighborhood groups, owners of private property and developments, and places of worship to apply to have native plants or trees planted on their property.

Residents in neighborhoods lacking sufficient tree canopy note that the the problem is often tied to the construction of large, new homes and not prioritizing trees while building.

“As we lose trees due to infill development of large homes on lots in our neighborhood, they need to be replaced and even expanded,” John M. Langston Citizens Association president Wilma Jones tells ARLnow. “We all know that trees give off oxygen and they reduce stormwater runoff.

Natasha Atkins has been a resident of Aurora Highlands for nearly four decades and has “watched with alarm” the number of trees lost to homebuilding projects.

“With the County’s zoning code, requiring only very small setbacks for residential housing, it is questionable whether there will be much of a tree canopy in the future in the single-family neighborhoods that are being redeveloped,” she says. “Trees are an afterthought in planning and zoning. They should really be a driver.”

Hodges concedes that planting 2,500 more trees over the next five years will only “make a dent” and it will take tens of thousands of trees for all these neighborhoods to reach the 40% tree canopy threshold.

But the Tree Canopy Equity Program is just as much about what one can do today as what one can do tomorrow, says Hodges.

“It’s about behavioral change and teaching people about the importance of having a sufficient tree canopy in Arlington,” she said.

Police investigating another series of catalytic converter thefts

By ARLnow.com
Police cars (file photo)

Arlington County police are investigating a series of several catalytic converter thefts.

The three vehicle break-ins and thefts were reported early Wednesday morning in three south Arlington neighborhoods: Pentagon City, Long Branch Creek and Columbia Heights.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

GRAND LARCENY AUTO/LARCENY FROM AUTO (Late) (Series), 2022-04200038/04200039/04200069, 1400 block of S. Walter Reed Drive/1500 block of 28th Street S./Army Navy Drive at S. Lynn Street. At approximately 5:45 a.m. on April 20, police were dispatched to the late report of a grand larceny auto in the 1400 block of S. Walter Reed Drive. Upon arrival, it was determined that between approximately 7:00 p.m. on April 19 and 5:45 a.m. on April 20, the unknown suspect(s) stole the victim’s vehicle, which was later recovered in the 1600 block of S. Edgewood Street, broke the front passenger window and stole the catalytic converter. During the course of the investigation, it was determined two additional vehicles had front windows broken and the catalytic converter stolen. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.

A series of eight catalytic converter thefts was reported last month in the Fairlington neighborhood.

There have been numerous reports over the past few months of a rise in catalytic converter thefts in the D.C. area. The exhaust emission control devices are a popular target for thieves because they contain several valuable precious metals.

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

Crime Report: Man Arrested After Threatening Neighbor with Gun for Making Too Much Noise

By Alex Koma

(Updated on 8/30/19 following dismissal of charges against suspect mentioned below)

An Arlington man is now facing charges after police say he threatened one of his neighbors with a gun in the midst of an argument over noise.

County police say they were called to a Columbia Heights apartment complex along the 1200 block of S. Courthouse Road to respond to the dispute around 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 22.

When officers arrived, they heard that 26-year-old Jason [Redacted] walked over to one of his neighbors’ apartments and was “irate that the victim was making noise inside his residence,” police said.

[Redacted] continued yelling for a while, but eventually returned to his own home. A short time later, “when the victim went to the suspect’s residence to apologize, the suspect opened the door and allegedly brandished a firearm at the victim.”

Police subsequently arrested [Redacted] and charged him with one count of brandishing a firearm. He’ll face a hearing on that charge on Feb. 19 in Arlington General District Court.

Full details from a county crime report:

BRANDISHING, 2018-12220100, 1200 block of S. Courthouse Road. At approximately 10:23 a.m. on December 22, police responded to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was inside of his residence when he heard someone knocking on the door. The victim opened the door and encountered the suspect, who was irate that the victim was making noise inside his residence. The suspect continued to yell at the victim, but eventually returned to his residence. Shortly later, when the victim went to the suspect’s residence to apologize, the suspect opened the door and allegedly brandished a firearm at the victim. Jason [Redacted], 26, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Brandishing a Firearm.

And here are other highlights from the past two weeks of crime reports, including some we’ve already reported:

ROBBERY,  2018-12210017, 3000 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 1:31 a.m. on December 21, police were dispatched to the report of two shoplifters in custody. Upon arrival, it was determined that two males entered a business and began selecting merchandise. One male allegedly exited the store in possession of merchandise without paying. An employee then challenged the second suspect and became engaged in a physical altercation. The second suspect returned to the business and became engaged in the struggle, in which the employee was assaulted, resulting in minor injury. A bystander intervened and assisted with controlling the suspects until police arrival. Bernart Rivas, 19, of Alexandria, Va., was arrested and charged with Robbery. Petitions for Robbery were sought for the juvenile suspect.

ROBBERY, 2018-12210291, 300 block of S. Taylor Street. At approximately 9:49 p.m. on December 21, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim, who was working as a delivery driver at the time of the incident, exited his vehicle to make a delivery and was approached by a male suspect who brandished a firearm and demanded cash. The victim gave him an undisclosed amount of cash and the suspect fled the scene prior to police arrival. The victim was not injured. A K9 track was initiated, but yielded negative results. The suspect is described as a black male wearing dark clothing.

CARJACKING, 2018-12220035, 2600 block of Crystal Drive. At approximately 2:19 a.m. on December 22, police responded to the report of an armed carjacking just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was idling in his vehicle when a vehicle occupied four times pulled up behind him. Two male suspects exited the vehicle and approached the victim. One suspect brandished a firearm and one suspect brandished a knife and ordered the victim out of his car. The suspects fled in the victim’s vehicle prior to police arrival. Suspect One is described as a black male, approximately 5’5″-5’7″, with a thin build and short, black hair, wearing all black clothing. Suspect Two is described as a black male, approximately 5’5″-5’7″ and slightly taller than Suspect One, with a thin build and short, black hair, wearing all black clothing.

ROBBERY (late), 2018-12210224, 2100 block of 15th Street N. At approximately 5:45 p.m. on December 21, police were dispatched to the late report of a robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 5:00 p.m., an unknown male suspect entered a business and began to select merchandise and conceal it in a backpack. The employee confronted the suspect and instructed him to pay for the merchandise. The suspect attempted to force his way past the employee and a brief struggle ensued over the suspect’s backpack. The suspect brandished a knife and fled the store with the backpack of merchandise prior to police arrival. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 22-25 years old, wearing a gray hat, a black jacket with a gray hood, a blue shirt, black shoes and black pants, carrying a black backpack. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY (late), 2018-12210044, 900 block of N. Kenmore Street. At approximately 4:50 a.m. on December 21, police were dispatched to the late report of a burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 12:15 a.m. and 2:50 a.m., an unknown suspect(s) forced entry to a business, causing damage, and stole an undisclosed amount of cash. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.

ROBBERY, 2018-12230139, 1600 block of Crystal Drive. At approximately 5:02 p.m. on December 23, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect entered a business and opened the cash register, taking an undisclosed amount of cash. An employee attempted to stop the suspect, but was pushed out of the way. The suspect fled on foot, prior to police arrival. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5’10”-6’0″, 220-230 lbs., with short curly red or orange hair, wearing white earbuds, light colored ripped jeans, and brown and white shoes. The investigation is ongoing.

BURGLARY, 2018-12230212, 4700 block of Dittmar Road. At approximately 9:59 p.m. on December 23, police were dispatched to the report of a possible trespasser. Upon arrival, it was determined that friends of the victim arrived at the victim’s residence while the victim was out of town and allegedly observed a large number of people inside the residence. A known suspect then exited the residence and left the scene, along with numerous other unknown subjects, prior to police arrival. Upon entry to the residence and further investigation, trash and a large mess inside were located inside, items of value were determined to be missing, numerous items were tampered with and the victim’s vehicles had been removed from the garage. With the assistance of the victim, officers on scene were able to make contact with the known suspect and he later returned to the residence. One of the victim’s vehicles was subsequently located nearby and a second vehicle was determined to be stolen. Devonta Corbet, 19, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Burglary, Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle and Grand Larceny: Motor Vehicle Theft.

BURGLARY, 2018-12260012, 1300 block of S. Joyce Street. At approximately 5:30 a.m. on December 26, police were dispatched to the report of a burglary just discovered. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 3:31 a.m. and 4:45 a.m., an unknown suspect forced entry to a business, causing damage and stole an undisclosed amount of cash and items of value. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

ASSAULT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT 2018-12200073, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 10:13 a.m. on December 20, police were dispatched to the report of a disorderly female. Upon arrival, it was determined that the female suspect was yelling and acting disorderly inside the mall. As the officer approached the suspect, she grabbed the officer by the arm to pull him towards her, punched him with a closed fist and kicked him multiple times before she was taken into custody. The officer was not injured. The suspect refused to provide her personal information on-scene and while in booking. She was booked under the assumed name Jane Doe and charged with Assault & Battery on Police, and Failure to ID. She was held on no bond.

ROBBERY, 2018-12170009, 900 block of S. Buchanan Street. At approximately 1:05 a.m. on December 17, police were dispatched to the report of trouble unknown. Upon arrival, it was determined that the two victims were walking in the area when a known male suspect began following them. When the victims arrived at their destination, they asked the suspect to leave, however, the suspect threatened the victims and stole one victim’s cell phone before fleeing on foot prior to police arrival. A warrant for robbery was obtained for the suspect.

New Study Suggests People in Arlington’s Poorest Neighborhoods Are Less Able to Lead Healthy Lives

By Alex Koma
1/3

New research suggests that people living in Arlington’s poorest neighborhoods also have the fewest opportunities to lead healthy lives when compared to other communities throughout the entire D.C. region.

A study commissioned by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and conducted by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University show that many of Arlington’s most diverse neighborhoods with the lowest median incomes, such Columbia Heights, Nauck, Douglas Park and Buckingham, also scored the lowest in their measure of “health opportunities” across metropolitan Washington. The results closely mirror a previous study’s findings that people living in many of the same neighborhoods lack economic opportunities as well.

The researchers developed a “Healthy Places Index,” known as HPI, to evaluate not only health outcomes (like life expectancy) in each community, but also to understand whether people have the opportunity to be healthy based on where they live. That includes evaluations of factors like air quality, access to healthcare, housing affordability, the availability of public transportation and education levels.

The study applies that index to neighborhoods across the D.C. area, examining communities using granular Census tract designations to detect patterns within counties and cities in the region. Though the group found that the overall health of the 4.5 million people living in the District and its suburbs is “excellent” and “well above the national average,” they also uncovered “islands of disadvantage” within even wealthy localities like Arlington.

Even though some of the more affluent, higher educated areas of the county rate quite highly in the study’s measure of health opportunities, others rank among the lowest in all of Northern Virginia. The researchers identified the Columbia Heights neighborhood, just off Columbia Pike, as having one of the “the lowest HPI scores in the region,” noting that about 23 percent of adult residents there live in poverty. Buckingham, located along Route 50, also posted poor HPI scores, and the study noted that its residents have a median income of about $38,125 annually.

“The researchers found stark contrasts in socioeconomic and environmental conditions in Northern Virginia, often between neighborhoods separated by only a few miles or blocks,” the VCU academics wrote. “As was observed elsewhere in the region, people of color were disproportionately exposed to adverse living conditions.”

To illustrate those points, the study compared McLean — one of the wealthiest and whitest communities in the area — to Columbia Heights. The former ranked among the top-scoring neighborhoods in the region on the HPI, a far cry from Columbia Heights’ own performance.

“The population in the McLean tract was predominately white (70 percent) and Asian (19 percent), the population in Columbia Heights was largely Hispanic (51 percent) and black (19 percent),” the researchers wrote. “More than half was foreign-born, and most immigrated during 2000-2009.”

While the researchers identify a whole host of factors that could be contributing to such a split, they also stress that it is impossible to ignore the impact of “institutional racism” in understanding why such a divide exists between the races when it comes to health opportunities. They note that discriminatory housing and economic policies mean that people of color are “more likely to live in racially and ethnically segregated neighborhoods that suffer from decades of disinvestment,” which can have a whole host of negative consequences for their health.

“As a result, neighborhoods of color often lack access to affordable high-quality housing, stores that sell healthy foods, green space, clean air and clean water,” the researchers wrote. “These communities are often targets for fast food outlets, tobacco and alcohol marketing and liquor stores. These conditions affect not only the health, economic opportunity, and social mobility of people of color, but they also weaken the health and economy of the entire region.”

Accordingly, the study recommends approaches recognizing that history to officials sitting on the Council of Governments, as they try to craft a response across the region.

“Real solutions require targeted investments in marginalized neighborhoods to improve access to affordable, healthy housing as well as affordable transportation, child care, and health care (e.g., primary care, dental care, behavioral health services),” they wrote. “Everyone benefits from this approach, not only the residents in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, but also the entire regional economy. Economic and racial inequity saps the strength of the economy. Everyone pays a price for inaction: persistent poverty and social isolation fuel discontent, unhealthy behaviors (e.g., drug addiction), crime, and violence.”

Crime Report: Peeper Peeps Through Cracked Door

By ARLnow.com

Police were called to a residence near the Walter Reed Community Center last week for a report of a man peeping through an slightly ajar door.

Officers were dispatched shortly before 1:30 a.m. on Friday, July 25 for a report of a hoodie-wearing man staring in at the female resident. When she closed the door, he fled.

More from this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

PEEPING, 2018-07250019, 2900 block of 16th Road S. At approximately 1:23 a.m. on July 25, police were dispatched to the report of a peeping just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim awoke to an unknown male suspect looking into her residence through a slightly ajar door. When the victim noticed the suspect and shut the door fully, the suspect fled.  The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 6’3″, with a slim build, with brown eyebrows, wearing dark framed glasses and a dark gray hoodie with the hood up. The investigation is ongoing.

More highlights from this week’s crime report, including some that we’ve already reported, are below.

(more…)

Residents Steaming About Air Conditioning Problems at Dominion Towers Apartments

By Alex Koma

As temperatures have climbed past the 90s over the past few days, one apartment complex just off Columbia Pike hasn’t been able to turn on the air — and that has some residents steamed.

Staff at the Dominion Towers Apartments (1201 S. Courthouse Road) were hoping to switch on the air conditioning system this past Thursday (May 3), giving people living in the building’s 330 units their first chance to cool down their homes for the year.

But senior property manager Christle Tate told ARLnow that the system experienced some sort of malfunction, and now she’s waiting on a contractor to work with the A/C’s manufacturer to find a fix for her overheated residents.

“We’re sitting in limbo, just like they are,” Tate said. “I’d never want anybody to sit through this… but, truth be told, we don’t have an answer right now.”

Tate suspects that the problem stems from the system’s “chiller board,” but she says has no idea when the contractor working on the A/C might be able to get it fixed.

“It’s not anything we’re doing on our end to hold up the process,” Tate said.

She says that even executives with the company that owns and manages the building — Alexandria-based Capital Investment Advisors — are in the dark about when the system might work again. Officials at the company did not immediately return requests for comment.

That sort of uncertainty is quite troubling for people living in Dominion Towers, like Jim Eisele, a resident since 2011.

He says the past weekend’s at-times sweltering temperatures made his apartment unbearable without any air conditioning, but he’s even more frustrated with the way the building’s management has responded to the incident.

“The communication has been terrible from when they took over managing the building,” Eisele said. “But obviously that’s more severe when it affects the air conditioning.”

Tate stressed that management has sent out several emails updating residents on the status of the system, and she emphasized that’s as dismayed as anyone about the outage, particularly because she’s concerned about the heat’s impact on many of the building’s older occupants.

But she also conceded that there’s little she can tell Dominion Towers residents except: “Be patient.”

“My residents here are not used to me not having an answer to something,” Tate said. “This is the first time I truly don’t know.”

Photo via Google Maps

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Robbery Foiled By Lack of Cash — An attempted armed robbery in Arlington’s Columbia Heights neighborhood was foiled when the would-be victims told the knife-wielding robber that they did not have any money. “When the victims advised they did not have any cash, the suspect fled the scene,” said a crime report. [Arlington County]

Average Home Price Exceeds $1 Million — The average sale price of a single-family home in Arlington in June rose 2.7 percent to $1,007,044. Condo and townhouse prices, however, fell. [InsideNova]

Texas Lawmaker Wants Flight from DCA — A Texas Congressman has proposed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would permit direct flights from Reagan National Airport to San Antonio, which is outside DCA’s federally-set perimeter. [Washington Post]

Arlington Hosting Youth Baseball Tourney — Arlington will host the Babe Ruth state baseball tournament for 13-year-olds this weekend, at Barcroft Park and Wakefield High School, and a local team is in the tournament. Reports the Sun Gazette: “The opening ceremony will take place just before the host Arlington All-Stars take the field against Augusta at 7 p.m. on July 13 at Barcroft Park.” [InsideNova]

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