Columbia Pike

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A rainbow in the sky without the rain (photo courtesy Leslie Koch)

Saturday Afternoon’s Painted Sky — From the Capital Weather Gang: “A couple more nice examples of this circumhorizon arc being see all over the DMV. We wrote about these a few years ago… not uncommon high in the sky around midday during summer.” [Twitter]

Local Woman Harassed in Metro Station — “A 21-year-old woman is sharing the frightening experience she had when a stranger yelled at and harassed her for 10-straight minutes at a Metro station this week in Washington, D.C. Helen Molteni, of Arlington, Virginia, said she was on the platform at the Foggy Bottom station when a man came up to her and started harassing her.” [NBC 4]

Va. Attorney General Visits — “Virginia’s attorney general met with local nonprofit groups in Arlington, Virginia, on Friday for a roundtable listening session about addressing poverty and community needs… Miyares was joined by representatives from the Office of the Attorney General and the Arlington County police in sitting down with members of various faith organizations and nonprofit programs, including Arlington Bridge Builders, a local community coalition with the mission of helping people in need.” [WTOP]

APS Students Top National Competition — “Lina Barclay and Ellie Nix, two Arlington Tech graduates from the Arlington Career Center, won the first-place gold medal in the Television (Video) Production contest at the annual National Leadership and Skills Conference and SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta. Barclay and Nix represented Virginia in this contest and competed against 37 other teams across the United States.” [Arlington Public Schools]

Are These Pike Apartments Historic? — “Members of the Arlington Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) have opted against moving forward, for now, on a proposal to confer historic-district status on a 70-year-old apartment compound in the Arlington Mill neighborhood. But the buildings may end up preserved, nonetheless.” [Sun Gazette]

Rents Keep Rising Rapidly — “The median rental price for an Arlington apartment grew 2.8 percent from June to July, according to new data, ranking the county third nationally among the 100 largest urban areas in terms of price growth. With the increase, Arlington’s median rent now stands at $2,121 for a one-bedroom unit and $2,538 for two bedrooms.” [Sun Gazette]

Crash at Infamous I-395 Exit — From Dave Statter: “Another considerate driver signals before making a left turn across 4 lanes of I-395S. But their #8CDash came to an abrupt halt when the driver in the last lane somehow didn’t see that signal — or just didn’t believe what they were seeing.” [Twitter]

Office to Apartment Conversions Ramp Up — “‘There really hasn’t been a time like right now, where office is on the decline to the point that [an empty building] is basically the same value as just the land,’ says Lindsay Stroud, a structured-finance broker with the commercial real-estate firm Savills. One possible solution: more office-to-residential conversions like Park & Ford.” [Washingtonian]

It’s August 1 — Partly cloudy throughout the day, with spotty rain possible later. High of 86 and low of 72. Sunrise at 6:11 am and sunset at 8:21 pm. [Weather.gov]

Photo courtesy Leslie Koch

A South American eatery appears to be coming to Penrose Square

By Matt Blitz
Taqueria el Poblano at Penrose Square (staff photo by Matt Blitz)

It appears there’s already a new tenant set to move into the Penrose Square space that Taqueria el Poblano will be vacating.

A digital brochure recently disseminated by the commercial real estate agency KLNB advertises Sabores, a South American restaurant, as a new edition to Penrose Square. This new eatery looks to be the one moving into the space that will be vacated by Taqueria el Poblano when it closes down its Columbia Pike location at the end of August.

The brochure features two illustrated maps that both show Sabores occupying the space at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Adams Street.

Map showing Sabores moving into Penrose Square (image via screenshot/KLNB)

Beyond that, not much else is known. ARLnow has reached out to both KLNB and BM Smith, which owns the space, for more information about when Sabores could open and who the new restaurant’s ownership might be.

A KLNB representative declined to provide further details and BM Smith has yet to respond to multiple inquiries.

A Google search for Sabores, which translates to “flavors” in English, did not turn up any additional information about the opening.

Taqueria el Poblano announced in March it was closing its Columbia Pike location. After agreeing to a couple of lease extensions, the Southern California-inspired Mexican restaurant is now expected to serve its last margarita at the end of August.

Co-owner Thomas Stevens told ARLnow at the time the reason ownership was closing the Pike location was because of decreasing revenue and increasing rent. When the restaurant opened a decade ago, it was one of the first tenants at the then-newly-revitalized Penrose Square.

The other two Taqueria el Poblano locations, at Lee-Harrison Shopping Center and the original in Del Ray, are both remaining open.

Currently, Penrose Square has eleven businesses. The last change at the development was earlier this year when Takohachi Japanese Restaurant moved into a space which was formerly occupied by Josephine’s Italian Kitchen.

Man arrested for randomly pepper spraying people on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com
File photo

(Updated at 12:05 p.m.) A local man is in jail after police say he sprayed four people with pepper spray along Columbia Pike for no apparent reason.

The incident happened around 11:30 a.m. yesterday (Wednesday) near the Bob & Edith’s diner at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Wayne Street.

According to police, the man first struck the driver of a car that was waiting at the intersection, then sprayed the driver and another occupant “with what was believed to be pepper spray.”

The 38-year-old suspect then assaulted a woman who was walking in the area and sprayed her and another woman with the chemical irritant, according to police.

Three of the victims were taken to a local hospital, while the suspect was taken into custody “without incident,” police said.

More from today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2022-07270109, Columbia Pike and S. Wayne Street. At approximately 11:35 a.m. on July 27, police were dispatched to the report of an assault that had just occurred. The investigation determined the male suspect allegedly approached a vehicle at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Veitch Street, struck the driver and sprayed both of the vehicle’s occupants with what was believed to be pepper spray. The suspect continued along Columbia Pike where he approached two female victims walking in the area, assaulted one and sprayed both with what was believed to be pepper spray. A lookout was broadcast and officers located the suspect and took him into custody without incident. Medics responded to the scene and evaluated the four victims with three being transported to an area hospital for treatment of injuries considered non-life threatening. Wade Westmoreland, 38, of No Fixed Address was charged with Malicious Wounding by Caustic Agent (x4) and Assault and Battery (x2). He was held without bond.

Court records show the suspect, Wade Westmoreland, was previously released on his own recognizance after an arrest in May 2021.

He was charged with destruction of property and multiple counts of assaulting police and obstructing justice after police say he jumped on the hood of a stopped car in the Ballston area, smashed the windshield, and later “became physically combative with officers.”

Westmoreland was charged with failure to appear in court in May of this year, in connection with the case.

He’s due back in court for the latest and the previous in September and October, respectively. He was previously charged in Arlington with vehicle theft in 2017 and public intoxication in 2021, according to court records.

New transit stations coming to Columbia Pike starting this summer

By Mavis Chan
Rendering of one of the new transit stations to be constructed on Columbia Pike this summer (via Arlington County)

New shelters are expected this summer at eight bus stops on Columbia Pike.

The project was delayed last year because of structural problems with the original shelter design, but the delay presented an opportunity to increase the original contract and complete more stations at one time.

At its meeting on Saturday (July 16), the Arlington County Board approved giving Sagres Construction Corporation another $1 million to up the number of shelters it is installing from 4 to 8.

The contractor will also modify the signage and electrical systems at the stations.

The new transit stations will be equipped with glass roofs and side windscreens, real-time bus arrival displays, lighting and seats. Each station platform is also set to be between 90 and 120 feet long to accommodate two buses, according to the project’s website.

The transit stations will be located between the intersection at Columbia Pike and S. Greenbrier Street, and S. Dinwiddie Street, according to a report to the Board.

Anticipating the installation of these new transit stations, multiple bus stops in both directions of Columbia Pike are set to be relocated starting Sunday (July 24). The westbound stops are at S. Dinwiddie Street, S. Greenbrier Street, S. Buchanan Street, S. Oakland Street and S. Glebe Street; the eastbound ones are at S. Greenbrier Street and S. Columbus Street, according to the county website.

The construction of these new stations is part of the Columbia Pike Transit Stations project. The eight stations are expected to be built this summer. Another 15 are set to be constructed between 2023 and 2025, according to the project’s website.

The new transit stations aim to provide better accommodation for bus riders and transform Columbia Pike to a “more transit-oriented, pedestrian-friendly ‘Main Street,'” according to the report.

New Ethiopian cafe on the Pike to hold grand opening this weekend

By Mavis Chan
The interior of Meda Coffee & Kitchen (courtesy of Meda Coffee & Kitchen)

Ethiopian cafe Meda Coffee & Kitchen has opened on Columbia Pike.

Visitors to the new restaurant, at 5037 Columbia Pike, can dine on traditional Ethiopian fare during its grand opening weekend, set to begin this Friday (July 15).

The cafe, which opened late last month, is open every day at 9 a.m., serving coffee, tea and espresso drinks, in addition to specialty food and baked goods.

A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at 1:30 p.m., during which several guests are set to speak. The cafe plans to play music and serve the traditional Ethiopian dish kitfo, a signature offering of the cafe that is made with beef, chili powder and sometimes with cottage cheese and collard green. It will also serve a vegetarian option.

During the event, owner Yohannes Getachew said he plans to serve the dish in a cone made of banana leaves, a way of serving typically for holidays like Meskel, a Christian holiday that is usually celebrated in late September in Ethiopia.

A flyer advertising the grand opening (courtesy of Meda Coffee & Kitchen)

The Columbia Pike Partnership helped set up the ribbon cutting ceremony, invite guest speakers and promote the event, Getachew said.

The cafe is the second Ethiopian restaurant Getachew has run. He used to co-own a similar restaurant in Alexandria, ZeMeda Market and Restaurant.

He chose Arlington as the new location for his cafe because of his familiarity with the place.

“I know Arlington, I used to work here,” Getachew said, adding he loves the environment and the people in the county.

The Pike has several new restaurants and gathering spots on the way, including a new empanada restaurant and “Nightbird Restaurant and Lounge” in the former P. Brennan’s Irish Pub space.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A flying porta-potty over a construction site in Clarendon (photo courtesy Peter Golkin)

More New Transit Stations Along the Pike — “Arlington County Board members on July 16 are expected to approve a contract revision that will allow for installation of eight transit stations along Columbia Pike, rather than the four originally envisioned when the contract was first consummated. The proposal calls for upping the contract total from $1.65 million to $2.72 million to accommodate the doubling of pre-fabricated transit stations to be installed at various spots along the route.” [Sun Gazette]

Missing Middle Form Closes Today — A feedback form for Arlington’s Missing Middle Housing Study is closing today, as the County Board is set to hold a work session on the draft proposal to allow relatively small-scale multifamily housing where only single-family homes can currently be built. The work session, which comes amid both vocal opposition to and support for the proposal among dueling groups of residents, starts at 3 p.m. today. [Arlington County, Arlington County]

Local Credit Union Merger — “Arlington Community Federal Credit Union (FCU) has announced plans to seek regulatory approval to merge with Alexandria-based InFirst Federal Credit Union, resulting in an organization with combined assets of more than $700 million. As part of the merger process, Arlington Community FCU will determine and announce a name for the combined credit union before merger completion.” [Sun Gazette]

It’s Tuesday — Humid throughout the day with storms possible in the afternoon and evening. High of 90 and low of 70. Sunrise at 5:55 am and sunset at 8:36 pm. [Weather.gov]

New empanada restaurant coming to Columbia Pike

By Mavis Chan
A new empanada restaurant appears to be coming to Columbia Pike (courtesy of FrenchyB)

An empanada eatery appears to be setting up shop on Columbia Pike.

The location at 2602-B Columbia Pike, next to the Domino’s and a laundromat, has a sign with the name Mpanadas.

As of late last week the windows were covered and a sign advertising the space as available for lease was in a heap on the ground nearby.

Although it is unclear who the business owner is, a permit application for 2602 Columbia Pike was submitted in June for a tenant buildout, according to the county’s permit search website.

The storefront used to house Boost Mobile, which has moved to 4103 Columbia Pike.

“It would appear that the space formerly occupied by a cell service store is being converted to a restaurant/carryout under the name Mpanada, which one would assume will be a Peruvian restaurant specializing in empanadas,” Amy McWilliams, deputy director of local business booster and community group Columbia Pike Partnership, tells ARLnow.

The retail manager for the storefront is KLNB, a real estate firm managing properties in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. The store is 724 square feet in size, according to a KLNB leasing brochure. Representatives from KLNB did not have further information on the business.

Hat tip to “FrenchyB”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Amazon HQ2 reflected in a puddle in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

New Way to Complain About Helo Noise –Those with concerns about helicopter noise in the local area now have a new outlet to provide feedback. A new helicopter-complaint pilot program was announced June 24 by U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8th) in collaboration with the Helicopter Association International and Eastern Regional Helicopter Council. Residents will be able to submit noise concerns online at https://www.planenoise.com/dcmetro/, or by voicemail at (877) 209-3200.” [Sun Gazette, Press Release]

Arrest After Crash on the Pike — From ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage, responding to an ARLnow inquiry about this crash: “At approximately 12:10 p.m. on June 27, police were dispatched to the report of a crash with injuries at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Quincy Street. The preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the striking vehicle hit two vehicles and a tree before fleeing the scene on foot. Responding officers canvassed the area, located the driver and took her into custody. One patient was transported to an area hospital with injuries considered non-life threatening. The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending.”

Amazon Eyes Greenhouse for HQ2 — “The greenery proposed for Amazon’s second headquarters in Arlington is so extensive that the company needs a greenhouse to keep it going. According to plans submitted to the county, Amazon hopes to convert Meadow Farms Nurseries and Landscapes (10618 Leesburg Pike) in Great Falls into a greenhouse to provide a ‘permanent operation to provide for the continuous maintenance of the extensive landscaping elements’ at HQ2.” [FFXnow]

APS Website Redesign Coming — “We are in the early stages of redesigning our website. Can you spare 15 minutes to help make sure the new Arlington Public Schools website will be easy for everyone to use? We’ve set up an online exercise to gather feedback, and we’d love for you to participate.” [Arlington Public Schools]

It’s Tuesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 79 and low of 61. Sunrise at 5:47 am and sunset at 8:39 pm. [Weather.gov]

Sneaker shop Legend Kicks finds a new home on the Pike

By Matt Blitz
Legend Kicks has moved across the Pike (staff photo by Matt Blitz)

Legend Kicks has found a new home across the Pike, after moving because of Fillmore Gardens Shopping Center’s pending redevelopment.

The sneaker reseller and clothing store has moved from its home for the past four years at 2609 Columbia Pike to a storefront about a half block away at 2514 Columbia Pike, a few doors down from the Celtic House.

The shop opened its doors at its new location this past weekend, according to an Instagram post.

The step was necessitated by imminent demolition and redevelopment of Fillmore Gardens Shopping Center. In March, the Arlington County Board approved replacing the one-story, aging retail strip with “The Elliott,” which will feature 247 market-rate apartments, a renovated CVS, a relocated Burrito Bros, and a new grocery store that could end up being an Amazon Fresh.

Legend Kicks first opened on Columbia Pike in 2017, but in April 2018 the store fell victim to arson. It reopened four months later a few doors down. Now, four years later, Legend Kicks is on the move again, but this time it’s because of redevelopment.

In an Instagram video from late last week, owner Layth Mansour claimed he was only given a few days to move.

“The first Legends got burned down. The second Legends I put so much money into, but then I got a letter saying that someone bought the whole building and I got three or four days to move,” Mansour says in the video. “Literally, I got a new place in, like, two days.”

Legend Kicks owner Layth Mansour on Instagram talking about Legend Kicks’ move (image via @legends_va/Instagram)

That timeline may not be totally accurate. ARLnow reported in January that all tenants received a notice that told them they needed to vacate by May 31. In those preceding six months, a number of businesses have since closed or moved including the Columbia Pike Partnership, the Black Heritage Museum, and Atilla’s Restaurant.

ARLnow has reached out to Mansour and Legend Kicks several times but has yet to hear back.

Mansour also owns the alcohol-free restaurant Eska on Columbia Pike. In April 2021, he took over the troubled, former location of Purple Lounge with the pledge to make it “family-friendly.” However, more than a year later, that restaurant has yet to open despite hopes it would be in business by February 1.

With Legend Kicks moving out, the only remaining tenant remaining in Fillmore Gardens Shopping Center is CVS. It’s not immediately clear when the store will make the planned shift to a trailer in the parking lot next door.

Though no demolition permit application has been filed for the now-mostly abandoned building, a county spokesperson says that work should begin late this year after all the needed permits are obtained.

If that timeline is followed, The Elliott could be completed and be move-in ready by early 2025.

ACPD to close several roads Saturday for 5K and Pike Blues Festival

By Mavis Chan
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The annual Columbia Pike Blues Festival and Zero Prostate Cancer 5k Run/Walk are set to take place this Saturday, prompting some road closures in Arlington.

For the Blues Festival, Arlington County police are set to close off parts of S. Walter Reed Drive and two other roads for the day. For the 5K, the police will close a substantial stretch of Army Navy Drive, as well as parts of S. Joyce Street in the morning, according to a traffic alert from the county.

S. Walter Reed Drive is scheduled to be closed 9th Street S. to Columbia Pike, while 9th Street S. will close from S. Highland Street to Walter Reed Drive and 9th Road S. will closed from S. Garfield Street to Walter Reed. The roads are expected to be closed between approximately 7 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.

Expected road closures for the 2022 Columbia Pike Blues Festival (map via Arlington County)

The Blues Festival is set to return fully in-person after three years, as we previously reported. The festival is scheduled to take place between 1-8:30 p.m.

Contemporary Americana roots and soul singer Shemekia Copeland is set to headline the festival, followed by other blues, R&B and funk performers such as Eric Scott, Robbin Kapsalis & Vintage #18, Shakin’ Woods and Anthony “Swamp Dog” Clark, according to the event’s website.

Interactive art exhibits and activities, a children play area and artisan vendors are expected during the festival as well.

Other than the music festival on Saturday, other events are planned over the weekend to celebrate the Blues Festival’s 25th anniversary, according to the event’s website.

Live music shows are scheduled at different locations, such as the Columbia Pike Farmers Market and local restaurants, on Friday and Sunday. A heritage walk celebrating Black history is also scheduled on Sunday. And the Arlington Cinema Drafthouse is hosting a free screening of The Blues Brothers on Sunday afternoon.

Road closures for the Zero Prostate Cancer 5k Run/Walk (map via Arlington County)

For the 5K, Army Navy Drive is set to be closed between S. Joyce Street and 25th Street S. from 7:30-11 a.m. S. Joyce Street is set to be closed from 15th Street S. to Army Navy Drive between 6-11 a.m.

The event is a fundraiser to support the nonprofit ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer. Participants are to meet at the Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row) courtyard at 1101 S. Joyce Street.

Columbia Pike summer movies to start next month

By Mavis Chan
1/3

The 12th annual Columbia Pike Movie Nights is set to begin on Friday, July 8.

The free summer outdoor movie series will run run through Saturday, August 27, according to its website. Similar to previous years, a film is scheduled to be shown on Friday and another on Saturday each week. All screenings are set to begin at sunset between 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., according to the Columbia Pike Partnership, formerly CPRO, which organizes the series.

The movies scheduled for Fridays are expected to be shown at next to Arlington Mill Community Center (909 S. Dinwiddie Street). Those set for Saturdays are expected to be shown at Penrose Square (2503 9th Road S.).

The movies scheduled are set to be shown in English with Spanish subtitles, according to a press release. All are rated at or below PG-13 and come from genres such as animation, musicals, documentary and others.

The full list of movie screenings is listed below.

  • Friday, July 8: Soul
  • Saturday, July 9: Ghostbusters: Afterlife
  • Friday, July 15: Mulan
  • Saturday, July 16: Summer of Soul
  • Friday, July 22: Jungle Cruise
  • Saturday, July 23: The Way I See It
  • Friday, July 29: The Secret Life of Pets
  • Saturday, July 30: Respect
  • Friday, August 5: In The Heights
  • Saturday, August 6: Spiderman: No Way Home
  • Friday, August 12: Encanto
  • Saturday, August 13: Minari
  • Friday, August 19: The Princess & The Frog
  • Saturday, August 20: Hercules
  • Friday, August 26: West Side Story
  • Saturday, August 27: Cruella

Amazon and the Washington Forrest Foundation are underwriting the series. The Columbia Pike Partnership is still looking for local businesses to sponsor individual movie screenings, according to its website.

Parking is free at both locations and audience members are welcome to bring their own chairs or blankets for seating. Leashed pets are also allowed, according to the event’s website. However, alcohol is prohibited.

In case of bad weather, the partnership is expected to post updates on its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages, as well as the event’s website. Such updates are set to be posted at 3:30 p.m. on the day of each screening.

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