Columbia Pike

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

WhyHotel Coming to Columbia Pike — “WhyHotel has just signed a deal for its second project in Arlington.  WhyHotel signed on with Orr Partners to operate temporary hotel rooms in 150 of the 366 units in the Centro Arlington development… [which] is replacing the former Food Star grocery store at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. George Mason Drive.” [Bisnow]

New Scalia Statue at GMU Law School — “As debate raged on Capitol Hill over a Supreme Court nomination that could shape the court’s future for decades, five justices gathered Thursday at a law school just across the Potomac River for the unveiling of a statue honoring an icon from its recent past — the late justice Antonin Scalia.” [Washington Post]

Arlington Living Wage Calculator — According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology living wage calculator, the income required to raise three kids in a household with two working adults in Arlington County is $92,480. [MIT]

Arlington Flyover Today — There is a flyover scheduled around 1:15 p.m. today in support of a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. [Twitter]

Where to Find Singing WBJ Staffers — The Continental Beer Garden in Rosslyn and Westover Beer Garden in Westover are among the 15 best beer gardens in the D.C. area, according to the Washington Business Journal. The former is “a popular happy hour spot for WBJ staffers, who are known to sing along to the tunes playing on the outdoor speakers and share an order of pretzels and beer cheese dip.” [Washington Business Journal]

Arlington Pet Adoptions Up — “In 2017, we did a record number of adoptions for [the Animal Welfare League of Arlington], with 1,366 pets adopted. So far this year, we have already beaten that number, with 1,450 pets adopted.” [Twitter]

Halloween Stores Now Open — If you’re looking for a Halloween costume, there are three Spirit Halloween stores now open in the area, although none are in Arlington. For something closer to home, Total Fright in the Crystal City Shops (known as Total Party other times of the year) is also selling costumes and decorations. Meanwhile, a Christmas store is now open in Tysons. [Tysons Reporter]

Crime Report: Robber Steals Security Guard’s Gun

By ARLnow.com

Police are investigating an unusual robbery that happened early Sunday morning along Columbia Pike.

The robbery happened outside of a business near the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Four Mile Run Drive. Police say a man walked up behind an armed security guard and stole his gun while pushing him to the ground. He then assaulted a second victim before running off “with an undisclosed amount of cash.”

During the incident one of the victims “recovered the firearm stolen from the first victim,” according to police.

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

ROBBERY, 2018-09300031, 4800 block of Columbia Pike. At approximately 2:24 a.m. on September 30, police were dispatched to the report of a possible robbery by force. Upon arrival, it was determined that the first victim was patrolling a business as an armed security guard when the suspect approached him from behind, pushed him to the ground and stole his firearm. The victim ran after him and encountered two additional victims, who had been walking in the area when they were approached by the suspect, who demanded money and valuables. When one victim claimed to have no possessions of value, the suspect struck the victim and became engaged in a physical altercation with the second victim. During the incident, the victims recovered the firearm stolen from the first victim. The suspect then fled the scene on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.  The suspect is described as a tall, black male wearing black puffy jacket and jeans. One victim was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation is ongoing.

Later Sunday, police responded to a report of a home invasion robbery in the North Highlands neighborhood near Rosslyn.

Just before 5 p.m., according to a crime report, residents encountered an armed man inside their home. The suspect allegedly stole cash and fled, but was later arrested by police while walking east on the Custis Trail.

BURGLARY WITH INTENT TO ROB, 2018-09300173, 2100 block of N. Troy Street. At approximately 4:49 p.m. on September 30, police were dispatched to the report of a home invasion. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victims were inside their residence when they heard a loud noise and went to investigate. The victims then encountered an unknown suspect brandishing a firearm. The suspect stole an undisclosed amount of cash and personal property before fleeing the scene on foot. Arriving officers established a perimeter and a lookout for the suspect was broadcast based on the description provided by the victims. Officers located a suspect matching the description walking east on the Custis Trail and took him into custody without incident. Angelo Shepherd, 30, of Washington D.C. was arrested and charged with Burglary with Intent to Rob, Possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon, Possession of Ammunition by a Felon and Assault. He is being held on no bond.

This past Friday evening, meanwhile, police were called to the 3000 block of Clarendon Blvd in Clarendon for a report of a drunk man mooning passersby.

More from ACPD:

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2018-09280217, 3000 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 5:25 p.m. on September 28, police were dispatched to the report of a drunk in public. Upon arrival, officers located the suspect and determined he was intoxicated and had exposed his buttocks to multiple people passing by. William Klugel, 62, of No Fixed Address, was arrested and charged with Indecent Exposure and Drunk in Public.

The rest of the past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, is below.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Memorial Ride for Arlington Cyclist — A memorial ride is planned tonight in D.C. for Arlington resident Thomas Hollowell, who was killed while riding his bike to work last week near the intersection of 12th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. [Facebook]

Master Bike Plan for Arlington — Planners are putting the finishing touches on which bike infrastructure projects to include in Arlington County’s updated master plan. Currently in: the Army Navy Country Club Connector. Currently out: a connection from the Marine Corps War Memorial to the Roosevelt Bridge. [TheWashCycle]

Grumbles About Pike ‘Premium’ Bus — One outspoken Twitter user is on a mission to highlight the shortcomings of the new Columbia Pike “premium transit network.” Some have said the long-promised bus improvements have been underwhelming and have suffered the same service issues of every other mass transit line in town. However, the same Twitter user’s attempt at a petition to “bring back the Arlington streetcar” only has one signature so far. [Twitter, Change.org]

Walmart Buys Eloquii — Fashion-forward, plus-size women’s clothing retailer Eloquii has been acquired by Walmart. The e-commerce company opened its first bricks-and-mortar location at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall. [TechCrunch, Forbes]

Optimism for Malls — At a Bisnow event in Tysons yesterday, a panel of commercial real estate pros said shopping malls in urbanized areas like Tysons (and, by extension, Arlington) are better off than their more suburban counterparts that are suffering in the era of Amazon. In Arlington, the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City and the soon-to-reopen Ballston Quarter account for a large portion of the local retail industry. [Tysons Reporter]

Reminder: Emergency Alert Test — Expect your phone to buzz and beep just after 2:15 p.m. as part of a nationwide federal emergency alert test. The alert will be sent via mobile carriers and the national Wireless Emergency Alerts system, not via Arlington County’s Arlington Alert. [Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by Tom Mockler

Car Runs Into Ditch Along Four Mile Run Drive

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A car ran into a wooded embankment near the intersection of S. Four Mile Run Drive and Columbia Pike this morning.

The crash happened around 8:30 a.m. on the 4600 block of S. Four Mile Run, behind a parking lot for The Carlton Condominium. A dark-colored sedan drove over a bike path and into the woods along Four Mile Run.

Firefighters stabilized the vehicle and helped the driver get out. No serious injuries were reported.

No word yet on how, exactly, the crash happened. A similar crash happened on the opposite bank of Four Mile Run in early September.

Hundreds Without Power in South Arlington

By ARLnow.com

A widespread power outage has left hundreds in the dark around Wakefield High School and the Columbia Forest neighborhood south of Columbia Pike.

As of 10 p.m., Dominion was reporting 865 customers without power in Arlington County. Many more were without power along Columbia Pike before their electricity was restored.

The first reports of an outage came in around 7:30 p.m., as storms rolled through the area.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Lubber Run Project Budget Boosted — “Arlington County Board members on Sept. 22 agreed to add about $1.4 million to the budget for rebuilding Lubber Run Community Center, which will push the construction cost to $41.14 million and the management fees to $4.11 million.” [InsideNova]

Clarendon Circle Construction Begins — “Things will start looking different in Clarendon and not because of too many cosmos at Don Tito’s. The long-awaited Circle intersection improvements project kicks off today.” [Twitter]

Neighborhoods Want in on W-L Name Discussion — “The president of the Buckingham Community Civic Association thinks Arlington school leaders may need some remedial work in geography. Bernie Berne used the Sept. 20 School Board meeting to complain that his community had been shut out of the committee set up to suggest new names for Washington-Lee High School, even though it is closer to the school than another civic association that has been included on the panel.” [InsideNova]

Fire at Columbia Pike Building — On the 5100 block of Columbia Pike: “First arriving units found a fire contained to an appliance. The fire was extinguished. All occupants are safe & accounted for.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Tree Advocates Increase Pressure — “Another month has brought another round in the ongoing dispute between tree activists and the Arlington County Board – and much of the give and take on both sides is beginning to sound familiar to the point of repetitious. Activists in support of expanding the county’s tree canopy were among a number of advocacy groups that descended on the Sept. 22 County Board meeting. Among their chief complaints: The county government hasn’t done anything to prevent the removal of trees during an upcoming expansion project at Upton Hill Regional Park.” [InsideNova, Twitter]

Fox News Highlights Lucky Dog — Arlington’s Lucky Dog Rescue continues to get national attention for its work rescuing dogs from areas flooded by Hurricane Florence. Over the weekend Fox News broadcast from Shirlington to bring attention to the dogs that are now available for adoption. [Yahoo]

Police: Woman Raped at Columbia Pike Apartment Building

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Arlington County Police are looking for a man who raped a woman in a Columbia Pike apartment building.

The police department is seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect, who was caught on surveillance video footage released by ACPD this morning.

Police say the crime happened shortly before 4 p.m. Monday — in the Serrano Apartments on the 5500 block of Columbia Pike, ARLnow.com hears — after the suspect responded to an online ad for a service. Police were vague about the exact nature of the advertisement in order to protect the victim’s identity.

More from an ACPD press release, below.

The Arlington County Police Department is seeking assistance from the public identifying a rape suspect caught on surveillance video. At approximately 4:02 p.m. on September 17, police responded to the 5500 block of Columbia Pike for the late report of a rape. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim and suspect made contact through an online advertisement. During the arranged service, the suspect physically assaulted and raped the victim. Following the assault, the suspect fled the scene on foot.

The suspect is described as an approximately 60-year-old black male, 5’10” to 6′ tall with a medium build. He has brown eyes and dark short curly hair with some gray. He was wearing a bright blue shirt with a tan collar, khaki pants, tan shoes and carrying an umbrella at the time of the incident.

Based on the preliminary investigation, it is believed that this was a targeted attack. The investigation is ongoing and there is no known threat to the larger community.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective P. Pena of the Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims’ Unit at (703) 228-4183 or at [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Original Bob and Edith’s Diner on Columbia Pike Listed for Sale

By Alex Koma

The building that’s been home to the original Bob and Edith’s Diner for the last 50 years is now listed for sale.

The real estate and development firm BM Smith is advertising the diner, located at 2310 Columbia Pike, for sale with an asking price of $2.5 million. Yet what that means for the restaurant chain, which operates four locations around Northern Virginia, remains unclear.

An attorney for Greg Bolton, the owner of Bob and Edith’s, did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did the listing agent for the property at BM Smith.

The Bolton family opened the chain at the Columbia Pike location back in 1969, though county records show that a company controlled by BM Smith — the owner of a variety of other South Arlington properties — took over ownership of the location in 2015.

The chain opened two new locations that same year, and even acquired Linda’s Cafe along Lee Highway this year with plans to eventually expand there as well.

Jonathan Reed, a local realtor, first drew attention to the Bob and Edith’s listing when he shared BM Smith’s posting on his own website this week. As a longtime Arlington resident, he told ARLnow he was “shocked” to see the space listed on an internal database for realtors, and has even since directed two potential buyers to BM Smith since sharing the post.

Based on Reed’s examination of the listing, he believes Bob and Edith’s has a “four-year term” left on its current lease, and could opt to renew the lease for another term. Accordingly, he isn’t so sure that the building being listed for sale necessarily means the restaurant is on the move, though it certainly could be.

“It doesn’t seem like they’re closing or leaving, it could be that they opted not to buy the place,” Reed said. “Of course, there could be someone that buys it that doesn’t want to continue their lease… but whoever buys it will have to contend with the lease that’s already there.”

Photo via Google Maps

Metro Adds Temporary Bus Tracking Displays to Stops Along Columbia Pike

By Alex Koma

(Updated at 5 p.m.) Metrobus has added real-time bus tracking displays to a bevy of its stops along Columbia Pike, one of many changes coming to the corridor’s bus service in the coming months.

The California-based company Connectpoint announced earlier this month that it’s working with WMATA to install the devices, which will display wait times for various buses, route maps and even alerts about service disruptions.

The new screens will be available at stops along the pike at the highway’s intersections with the following roads:

  • S. Barton Street
  • S. Carlin Springs Road
  • S. Courthouse Road
  • S. Four Mile Run Drive
  • S. George Mason Drive
  • S. Glebe Road
  • S. Greenbrier Street
  • S. Oakland Street
  • S. Veitch Street
  • S. Walter Reed Drive

The company says it will also install the displays at several stops around Annandale as well, for a total of 24 in all. Metro spokesman Ron Holzer told ARLnow four are already in place as part of a “pilot program” the transit agency is running, with the remaining displays to be installed “in the next two weeks.”

“If the pilot is successful, we hope to deploy signs at all Metrobus stops,” Holzer said.

Arlington transportation spokesman Eric Balliet added that WMATA first installed the technology as part of some long-awaited work to beef up bus service on the pike this summer.

For now, Balliet expects the devices will only display “next bus arrival times” for the Metrobus 16 line, the primary focus of service changes that started in late June.

However, Balliet added that the county “anticipates removing” the devices when it can finalize plans for new bus shelters on the pike. Those have been the subject of plenty of scrutiny over the years, particularly after one stop was revealed to have a price tag north of $1 million.

“The transit stations will include electronic information displays showing all bus services and multimodal options,” Balliet said.

The county put out a request for proposals for those pike bus stops in June, with the goal of starting work on five sometime this winter. Arlington hopes to eventually install 23 of the “transit stations” along the pike.

Photo courtesy of Connectpoint

After a Lengthy Transplant, Arlington Church Organ Finds New Life in Alexandria

By Alex Koma
1/3

A massive pipe organ that was once housed in the demolished Arlington Presbyterian Church is getting a new chance to make music, this time in Alexandria.

The organ was a centerpiece of the church for decades, back when it was still located along Columbia Pike. But the church’s congregation agreed to work with the county to redevelop the property into an affordable housing complex back in 2016, leaving the instrument’s long-term fate in doubt.

Though Arlington Presbyterian moved to a new space over on S. Glebe Road, church leaders decided to offer up the organ to give away. As it happened, the Calvary Presbyterian Church in Alexandria (6120 N. Kings Highway) had a pressing need open up for an organ at the exact same time.

Calvary leaders say their old organ was diagnosed with “metal fatigue,” which they deemed to be a “death sentence” for instrument. Accordingly, Calvary wrote to their Arlington counterparts to express their interest.

By April 2016,  Arlington Presbyterian told Calvary that the organ was theirs — if it would fit in their church.

“Out came the measuring tapes and, lo and behold, the pipes would fit like a glove within the church’s balcony,” the church wrote in a release. “Moreover, the baroque-like appearance of the pipes would find a comfortable home in Calvary’s sanctuary, which was constructed in 1954 and remains faithful to the traditional style of churches from that era.”

Even still, Calvary said the move required a “Herculean effort of a team of architects, engineers, carpenters, electricians, construction contractors, asbestos remediators, consultants, inspectors, and organ technicians.”

“It was more than two years from Calvary’s selection for the instrument to be installed and operational, following a celebratory and cathartic pipe washing party,” the church wrote. “Today, as you look upward from the pulpit of Calvary’s sanctuary on Old King’s Highway, what would make generations of parishioners from both Arlington and Calvary proud is that their pipe organ looks right at home, like it’s always been there.”

Calvary is even planning a special dedication ceremony for the organ, set for Sunday (Sept. 23) at 10 a.m.

Crime Report: Robbers Crash Truck Through Storefront, Abscond with ATM

By Alex Koma

Arlington police are still searching for a group of suspects who they believe crashed a pickup truck through the front door of a business, then absconded with an ATM.

County police say the robbery happened just after 3 a.m. last Friday (Sept. 7) at a business along the 1100 block of S. George Mason Drive, near the road’s intersection with Columbia Pike.

The block is home to both a Wells Fargo bank branch and a Liberty gas station.

According to a county crime report, employees saw a “large white pickup truck” back through the storefront. Anywhere from three to four people then jumped out and threw the machine into the truck’s bed, before speeding off.

Police are not sure just how much money was inside the ATM, and described the suspects as “dressed in all black and wearing black masks.”

Full details from a county crime report:

GRAND LARCENY (Significant), 2018-09070042, 1100 block of S. George Mason Drive. At approximately 3:32 a.m. on September 7, police responded to the report of a robbery just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that the employees of a business observed a large pick-up truck back through the storefront, causing damage. 3-4 suspects then exited the vehicle and forcibly stole an ATM machine with an undisclosed amount of cash, placed it in the truck and fled at a high rate of speed prior to police arrival. The suspects are described as being dressed in all black and wearing black masks. The vehicle is described as a large white pick-up truck. The investigation is ongoing.

And here are more highlights from crime reports from the past week:

UNLAWFUL ENTRY, 2018-09080258, 700 block of 22nd Street S. At approximately 11:50 p.m. on September 8, police responded to the report of an unknown male inside the victim’s residence. Upon arrival, it was determined that the female victim located the unknown male suspect asleep inside her residence and items inside tampered with. Nothing was reported missing. Matthew Agvent, 24, of Arlington, VA, was arrested and charged with Unlawful Entry.

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2018-09080027, 2700 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 1:46 a.m. on September 8, police responded to the report of a suspicious person. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect entered a business at closing time and was denied service. The suspect then entered the bathroom, leaving the door ajar, where the victim observed him masturbating. After being asked to leave the business repeatedly, the suspect fled on foot prior to police arrival. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5’11”, with an athletic build, defined jawline and round cheekbones, with stubbled facial hair, wearing a striped polo shirt with a white t-shirt under it, a brimmed hat, khaki pants, dark colored boxers and had a tattoo on his back. The investigation is ongoing.

PEEPING, 2018-09080030, 2300 block of 11th Street N. At approximately 2:29 a.m. on September 8, police responded to the report of a peeping. Upon arrival, it was determined that the female victim was inside her residence when she observed the male suspect in the bushes outside the window allegedly looking inside. The suspect fled prior to police arrival. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 25-40 years old, 5’5″-5’10”. The investigation is ongoing.

ATTEMPTED BURGLARY, 2018-09090133, 1400 block of N. Rhodes Street. At approximately 5:24 p.m. on September 9, police responded to the report of an attempted burglary. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was inside his residence when he heard someone attempting to gain access. The victim then made contact with the suspect and escorted him off of the property.  The suspect fled the scene walking north on Rhodes Street prior to police arrival. The suspect is described as a dark skinned male in his 30’s, approximately 5’6″-5’8″, wearing a black skull cap, black and white pants, a dark gray short sleeved t-shirt, black boots, carrying a black backpack and wearing a light colored towel or t-shirt around his neck. The investigation is ongoing.

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 2018-09050097, Washington Boulevard at N. Kirkwood Road. At approximately 12:20 p.m. on September 5, police were dispatched to the report of an indecent exposure just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that the female victim was walking in the area when she observed the male suspect with his pants pulled down, exposing himself and masturbating. The suspect is described as a white male, wearing light-washed blue denim shorts or pants, and black shoes. Arriving officers canvased the area with negative results. The investigation is ongoing.

File photo

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