Pentagon City

Teens Arrested After Armed Carjacking in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

An armed carjacking and a police chase led to the arrest of four suspects — all under the age of 18 — over the weekend.

The incident happened around 8 p.m. on Sunday. Police say a victim was sitting in his car in a parking garage near the Pentagon City mall when the suspects approached and one drew a gun.

They allegedly ordered the victim out of the car, stole some cash, and then drove off, crashing through a fence in the parking garage. The suspects made it a few blocks away before being spotted by officers on S. Eads Street, according to Arlington County police. A brief chase ensued until the suspects crashed along Army Navy Drive, just west of Pentagon City, and all four were taken into custody.

This was just the latest carjacking in the Pentagon City area, which has seen numerous carjackings and vehicle thefts, as well as some arrests.

More details from an ACPD press release, below.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is announcing the arrest of four juvenile suspects following an armed carjacking. All four juveniles have been arrested and charged with Carjacking, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery and Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. The juvenile who was determined to be the driver of the stolen vehicle faces additional charges of Eluding and Destruction of Property.

At approximately 7:55 p.m. on June 6, police were dispatched to the 1200 block of S. Hayes Street for the report of an armed carjacking that just occurred. Arriving officers were flagged down by witnesses who provided a direction of travel for the vehicle. An officer, with emergency equipment activated, located the vehicle on S. Eads Street and attempted a traffic stop. The driver failed to comply, proceeded through red lights and eluded police. A vehicle pursuit was then initiated. The driver continued to make evasive moves and struck the curb in the 1300 block of Army Navy Drive causing the vehicle to come to a stop. All four suspects were then taken into custody.

The investigation determined that the victim was sitting inside his vehicle in a parking garage in the 1200 block of S. Hayes Street when the four suspects approached. One suspect brandished a firearm and demanded the victim open the door to the vehicle. The suspects then took an undisclosed amount of cash from the victim before fleeing the scene in his vehicle and driving through a fence that was blocking part of the garage.

This remains an active criminal investigation. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Bethesda-Based Sushi Restaurant Set to Expand to Pentagon City

By Jo DeVoe

A Bethesda-based sushi restaurant known for its high-end rolls and selection of Japanese liquors appears to be expanding into Pentagon Row.

The new eatery, Kusshi, is planning to open in the space currently occupied by Nepalese and Indian restaurant Namaste Everest (1201 S. Joyce Street), according to Kusshi’s co-founder, Tony Chow.

“We’re hoping [to open] before the end of the year,” he said.

Namaste Everest, the Arlington outpost of Namaste in Alexandria, opened in summer 2019, in the storefront that formerly housed a Noodles & Co. location.

Federal Realty Investment Trust, which owns Pentagon Row — recently rebranded “Westpost” — was not immediately available to comment. The Rockville-based company also owns Pike and Rose, the mixed-use development in North Bethesda where Kusshi is currently located.

A restaurant employee from Namaste Everest could not confirm the change.

Chow said he has been eyeing an expansion into Arlington for almost two years, adding that he intends to tap into the area’s “live, work and play” lifestyle.

“Arlington has a lot of business and commerce and has Amazon HQ2 going there as well,” he said. “We like to go to mixed-use developments, which is part of our success at Pike and Rose.”

Chow plans to bring to Westpost a large assortment of Japanese whisky and sake to sip while dining on the restaurant’s traditional sushi rolls and higher-end offerings, like wagyu beef and sea urchin.

“Our staff… have gone through courses about sake, there is quite a lot of knowledge there,” he said, adding that diners will be able to learn about the different drinks and sample them.

Chow has another sushi place in Bethesda named Hanaro, a smaller-scale restaurant.

Photo (2) via Kusshi/Instagram

New Renderings Show JBG Smith’s Vision for National Landing

By Jo DeVoe
1/12

New renderings from JBG Smith envision Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard as a lush urban core with glassy high-rises and connected by a surface-level Route 1, along with Metro and commuter rail.

When all of the developer’s projects are delivered, that is.

JBG Smith released an investor relations video explaining its plans for the area — known collectively as National Landing — which include building a number of new apartment and office buildings and partnering with local and state governments to improve transit and technological infrastructure.

“We’ve been incredibly busy during the pandemic, teeing up growth opportunities, delivering new assets, we have a lot of exciting growth in the next 18 months,” JBG Smith CEO Matt Kelly said in the video.

He said about 15 million square feet are under development in National Landing, two-thirds of which are multifamily residential — apartment buildings, mostly. Other big projects include the first phase of Amazon’s HQ2, which the video said is on track to be done in 2023, and the second phase, which includes the proposed Helix building.

“All of these developments are on vacant land or replacing out-of-service buildings,” said Chief Development Officer Kai Reynolds.

One of those is the former Americana Hotel, which JBG Smith purchased in December for more than $27 million, Executive Vice President of Real Estate Development Kristi Smith said.

JBG Smith views this site, planned for an apartment building, “as one of the best development opportunities in National Landing,” given its proximity to HQ2 and its visibility from Route 1, she said.

The video provided updates on the following residential developments, which collectively would add thousands of new apartments to the area:

Construction started on 1900 Crystal Drive in late March and could be completed in 2024, according to the video. Meanwhile, the earliest start date for 2000 and 2001 S. Bell Street, which received County Board approval last month, is later this year.

Both 2250 Crystal Drive and 223 23rd Street S. have a potential start date of 2023, the video said.

The developer also plans to build 750,000 square feet of office space at 2525 Crystal Drive in the form of two V-shaped towers, according to the video.

Reynolds highlighted the pending changes to Route 1, which could result in lowering the highway to grade and transforming it into more of an urban boulevard. The changes are part of an incentive agreement between Amazon and Virginia to invest $5 billion in important infrastructure improvements, he said.

“Amongst the most critical was the lowering of the elevated sections of Route 1, which currently runs north-south within National Landing,” he said. “The new road will feature a modern cross-section that will be pedestrian-friendly to improve walkability within the submarket.”

As for other transit improvements, Reynolds said the second Crystal City Metro station entrance, a public-private partnership between Arlington County and JBG Smith, could be completed between 2023 and 2024.

Meanwhile, progress could move forward on a new Virginia Railway Express station in National Landing, as the state recently finalized a $3.7 billion plan with CSX, Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express.

The new station will be built on land owned by JBG Smith. It will also serve as a connection point for the planned pedestrian bridge to Reagan National Airport, renderings of which are seen in the video.

The Bethesda-based developer also has plans for increasing technological connectivity, too.

Adam Rashid, the Senior Vice President and Co-Head of Smart Cities for JBG Smith, said the company aims to deploy “ubiquitous 5G in National Landing, with the goal of making National Landing the U.S.’s first 5G Smart City at-scale.”

Photos via JBG Smith/Vimeo

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Cherry Trees Planted in Pentagon City — “We are so excited to be celebrating with @CherryBlossFest and @amazon the planting of 12 Japanese Cherry Trees in #NationalLanding! Thank you for these beautiful new additions to the area!” [Twitter]

Renderings of Possible DCA Bridge — “JBG Smith Properties isn’t waiting to envision the future. In a video released to investors this month, the company showed off some 3D renderings of what a pedestrian bridge could look like, complete with some features that have not yet been showcased publicly for the project. There’s a small set of amphitheater-like steps for lounging on the bridge, for instance, plus some futuristic-looking coverings for people walking along the structure. There even appear to be bike lanes and greenery pictured at points along the bridge.” [Washington Business Journal, Vimeo]

Arrests in Malicious Wounding Case — “Officers located the vehicle the suspects were traveling in and conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of eastbound Route 50 and N. Courthouse Road… Inside the vehicle, officers recovered three loaded firearms including a black handgun with extended magazine, AR-15 style rifle and a shotgun.” [ACPD]

County 911 Center Administrator Honored — “The Virginia Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (VA APCO) has honored Arlington’s Emergency Communications Center (ECC) Deputy Administrator Jeffrey Horwitz with its Public-Safety Communications Information Technologist of the Year award.” [Arlington County]

Feds May Permanently Expand Telework — “As the Biden administration contemplates how to return the massive federal workforce to the office, government officials are moving to make a pandemic experiment permanent by allowing more employees than ever to work from home — a sweeping cultural change that would have been unthinkable a year ago.” [Washington Post, Washingtonian]

Virtual Chamber Ensemble Performance — “The National Chamber Ensemble will present a virtual performance of Vivaldi’s masterpiece The Four Seasons on May 29, 2021. The 2020-21 NCE season has been keeping the audience and artists safe as well as connected. Each concert is paired with a live virtual event/conversation with the artists. Taped May 22, the concert links will go out on May 29.” [Event Calendar]

Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream to Open in Pentagon City This Summer

By Matt Blitz

Locals are going to have a new spot to cool off this summer.

A new 935-square-foot ice cream parlor is opening at Westpost, formerly known as Pentagon Row. It’s expected to open in a former restaurant space at 1201 S. Joyce Street “in late summer,” says a press release from Federal Realty Investment Trust, owner of the retail plaza.

The ice cream shop is opening next door to Bun’d Up and its pop-up Wild Tiger BBQ.

This is the shop’s first location, a spokesperson confirms to ARLnow. It is owned by local Rollin Amore, who spent a 35-year career in finance before retiring. While in Europe and Asia for work, Amore often tried local desserts, per the press release.

“When he returned home, he would re-create the unique, flavorful desserts for his daughters, Mimi and Alexandra, to whom he is dedicating the store,” the release said.

The shop will feature 42 flavors of ice cream, including mango, sweet Thai basil, and matcha. There will also be classic flavors like vanilla and chocolate. Ice cream will be “made in the store from locally sourced ingredients.”

“I have been cooking and creating desserts since I was seven years old and I am excited to make this hobby my job,” Amore said in a statement. “Americans love ice cream, and I plan to have dozens of unique ice cream flavors for our patrons. I look forward to opening Mimi’s in the growing National Landing neighborhood.”

When asked about why he choose Arlington, Amore said it’s because the area has lots of ice cream fans.

“Westpost is a vibrant neighborhood with a great mix of tenants,” Amore tells ARLnow. “Mimi’s is located in the heart of the greatest community of ice cream lovers west of the Mississippi!”

The shop’s arrival is the latest in a flurry of openings and closings at Westpost, and at the space used by Mimi’s in particular.

Smallcakes opened in 2018 and then moved to Del Ray. In the summer of 2019, a pizza place opened only for it to close within six months. An all-natural gelato shop replaced it, opening in December of that year. That shop closed in March 2021, changing its name and moving exclusively online. At that same address, a pop-up restaurant called Gorilla Taco opened in 2018 and then closed later that year.

Elsewhere at Westpost, recent openings include Origin Coffee Lab and Kitchen, Napoli Salumeria, and Mattie and Eddie’s Irish Bar and Restaurant. Lucky Danger from Northern Virginia native Tim Ma is expected to open soon, Nighthawk Pizza should open later this year, and Baltimore-based Banditos Bar & Kitchen is set to open in early 2022.

Amid Local Tech Boom and Rise of Remote Work, New Planning Director Charts Arlington’s Future

By Jo DeVoe

Anthony Fusarelli, Jr., Arlington County’s new planning director, has watched the county transform over 15 years from within the Department of Community Planning, Housing, and Development.

When he arrived in Arlington, the Department of Defense was preparing to leave a gaping hole in Crystal City and Pentagon City that Arlington would, in effect, fill a decade later with Amazon’s HQ2.

Elsewhere, he watched as housing market forces and county regulations together drove the redevelopment of single-family homes for contemporary tastes at higher price points.

And in some corridors, he saw the county realize a decades-old vision for transit-oriented development, while others retained their suburban, auto-focused flavor.

Fusarelli will assume his role in early June but he is already imagining the next 40 years of development in Arlington County. Future planning will have to accommodate Arlington’s increasing population and flourishing tech industry, fueled by the arrival of Amazon’s HQ2, as well as the changing nature of work.

All of those things are moving targets, and to meet them, the plans that Arlington uses to guide development will need to allow for a variety of uses to meet the changing needs of the community, he said. That is a lesson he learned from the pandemic.

“I’m looking forward to working with our team to think more about what we can do to better absorb future disruptions and shockwaves as a complete community,” he tells ARLnow.

What that looks like, he said, “is the million-dollar question.”

Practically speaking, he said construction projects need to be adaptable by design: Parking garages that can turn into housing, or apartment buildings with co-working spaces for tenants working from home.

“We have to recognize that our planning work and decisions about buildings inform places that are going to be here for decades,” he said. “The more they can be flexible and adapt with changing times, the better off Arlington will be.”

In many ways, he said, “the possibilities are endless,” but they will involve rewriting regulations and updating county plans guiding development.

Present efforts to refresh these planning documents are focused on Clarendon, Pentagon City and along Lee Highway. Later this year, his department is set to deliver an update to the western end of the Clarendon Sector Plan.

But the Pentagon City and Lee Highway updates will be more comprehensive, he said.

Forty-five years after the Pentagon City Phased Development Site Plan was approved, most of the development it envisioned has been exhausted, he said. The biggest contributor was the 2019 approval of the first phase of Amazon’s HQ2, Met Park.

The second phase — the iconic glassy double helix that’s currently under review — will nearly complete the development called for in the 1970s, he said.

Now, the county is stepping back to imagine a more flexible plan to guide Pentagon City’s future growth, he said. And next door in Crystal City, Amazon plays an equally vital role.

“In many ways, Amazon’s arrival can really serve as a catalyst for a lot of the envisioned development that the county had imagined through the Crystal City Sector Plan,” said Fusarelli, who spearheaded the creation of the 2010 plan.

Meanwhile, future planning for Lee Highway benefits from the work to redevelop Columbia Pike from an auto-oriented shopping center into a more urban, walkable corridor.

“We still have work ahead of us,” he said.

And like Columbia Pike, the county will have to pay attention to how future development “can effectively and harmoniously transition down to low-density residential neighborhoods,” he said.

The county also has a lot of work to do to ensure a diverse range of people can live in Arlington’s more residential neighborhoods. That work will likely require changes to zoning ordinances while keeping racial equity and inclusion top of mind, he said.

“Arlington is challenged by high land values,” he said. “We need to look at other tools, such as zoning regulations, to see if they need adjustments to help us get on track.”

Courtesy photo

Amazon Reveals New HQ2 Renderings as Hiring Picks Up

By ARLnow.com
1/12

Amazon is in the process of hiring for nearly 2,000 open positions in Arlington, while it also reveals new renderings of the planned second phase of its HQ2 in Pentagon City.

Additional renderings of HQ2 Phase 2 were released by the company this morning, showing a conceptual view of “The Forest” plaza from S. Elm Street — including the base of the lush, futuristic “Helix” tower — as well as a view of the S. Fern Street Plaza that will host community events and a number of retail businesses.

The renderings “illustrate a nature-filled, pedestrian-friendly environment for all to enjoy and highlight Amazon’s continued commitment to building a neighborhood rather than a closed-off campus,” a PR rep for the company said. In addition to areas for events, Phase 2 will feature 115,000 square feet of retail and retail equivalent space across its four buildings.

The new views come as Amazon and its architecture firm prepare to present its HQ2 Phase 2 plans before Arlington’s Long Range Planning Committee tonight.

The second phase of the project will be built on the mostly vacant PenPlace site across from its Phase 1 construction site, a block from the Pentagon reservation and the Pentagon City Metro station. The company is still in the process of tearing down the former Residence Inn hotel on the site, which was once considered as a possible location for the Washington Nationals stadium.

As Amazon continues to build, it is also continuing to hire.

“Hiring across Amazon’s Arlington Headquarters is ramping up,” the tech giant said on its blog today. “Amazon is seeking 1,900 new employees for a variety of technical and non-tech jobs — this is the highest number of open positions at HQ2 since the company announced its selection of Arlington, Virginia as its second U.S. headquarters.”

“Currently more than 1,600 corporate Amazon employees call Arlington home,” the blog post adds. “Amazon’s more than $2.5-billion investment in HQ2 and the surrounding area will result in 25,000 Amazon jobs over the next decade, and thousands of indirect jobs across the entire region.”

Open positions in Arlington on Amazon’s jobs website include Alexa SmartHome software developer, Amazon Fresh Store designer, and Amazon Web Services Systems Engineer.

Last month an Amazon official said the company expects that most employees will return to offices after the pandemic, with some flexibility for remote work.

“But there is no substitute for Amazonians being together,” said the official, as quoted by the Washington Business Journal.

UPDATED: Police Arrest Suspect in Restaurant Employee Assault, Possible Hate Crime

By ARLnow.com

Update at 7:35 p.m. — The suspect is now in custody, Arlington County police confirm. A video reportedly showing the arrest, near the Pentagon City mall, is above.

Jay Williams, who witnessed the arrest, said he saw officers chase the man on foot across 15th Street S. before taking him into custody. The video Williams took shows the suspect struggling as he’s placed in the back of a police SUV.

Earlier: Warrants have been issued for a man who police say shoved a restaurant employee in Crystal City after refusing to pay.

Part of the incident, which happened last Tuesday, was caught on video by a second restaurant employee. The man also allegedly used anti-Asian slurs, which is being investigated as a possible hate crime, according to Arlington County police.

Today, police announced that they’ve obtained warrants for a 28-year-old man, who remains at large.

“The suspect has been identified after a patrol officer recognized him from a previous interaction. Warrants for Defrauding an Innkeeper and Felony Assault and Battery have been obtained for Jordon Bevan, 28, of No Fixed Address,” ACPD said. “This remains an active investigation and officers continue to work to locate the suspect and serve the warrants.”

Court records show Bevan was charged with two counts of petit larceny and one count of resisting arrest two weeks ago. He was released on bond and his next court date was scheduled for June 3, records show.

A police spokeswoman tells ARLnow that Bevan was arrested in the Pentagon City area on Wednesday, April 28 for two other alleged dine-and-dash crimes.

“At approximately 3:40 p.m. on April 28, police were dispatched to the area of 15th Street S. and S. Fern Street for the report of a larceny that had just occurred,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 2:50 p.m. on April 27, the suspect dined at a restaurant and left without paying. On April 28, the suspect returned to the restaurant where an employee confronted him about the previous incident and he advised he would pay for both meals. He then proceeded to dine at the restaurant and allegedly left again without paying.”

“The employees contacted police and pointed out the suspect to the responding officers,” Savage continued. “The officers attempted to place the suspect into custody but he refused to follow commands and resisted arrest. With the arrival of an additional officer, he was taken into custody. He was arrested and charged with Petit Larceny (x2) and Resisting Arrest.”

The court records list Bevan’s address as Madison, Ohio. A booking photo from the April arrest shows a bearded man with similar glasses as those on the suspect in photos of the restaurant incident released by police.

Red Paint Coming to County Streets for Bus Only Lanes

By ARLnow.com

If you see some fresh red paint on the pavement in Arlington, that’s a lane that has been designated for use by buses only.

County crews could be seen painting the new lane markers in Courthouse last week.

The new “bus only priority lanes and stops” are intended “to help improve transit safety, service and reliability,” Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Kathryn O’Brien tells ARLnow.

Seven red-painted portions of roadway are planned throughout the county, O’Brien said, including:

  • 27th Street S. and Potomac Avenue in Crystal City
  • 33rd Street S. and Crystal Drive in Crystal City
    S. Hayes Street and 12th Street S. in Pentagon City
  • Crystal Drive and 26th Street S. in Crystal City
  • 15th Street N. and N. Uhle Street in Courthouse
  • Clarendon Blvd and N. Uhle Street in Courthouse
  • Wilson Blvd and N. Uhle Street in Courthouse

“They should all be completed within the next week,” O’Brien said of the painting effort.

Photo courtesy Lisa C.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Residents Want Better HQ2 View — “The tallest and most distinctive tower planned for Amazon.com Inc.’s second headquarters, the conch-shaped ‘Helix,’ will be like no other building in Greater Washington. And Arlington residents would like to see it from their neighborhoods… [as planned] the positioning would obstruct the surrounding community’s views of the signature structure, said Leonardo Sarli, an Arlington planning commissioner.” [Washington Business Journal]

Ebbin Endorses Colleague’s Challenger — “State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria-Arlington-Fairfax) has endorsed challenger Elizabeth Bennett-Parker in the competitive Democratic primary in the 45th House District. ‘I feel a responsibility to weigh in,’ Ebbin said in an April 22 statement… Bennett-Parker, who currently serves as vice chair of the Alexandria City Council, will face off against [Del. Mark] Levine in the June 8 Democratic primary.” [Sun Gazette]

County Launches Hunger Task Force — “Arlington County has launched a Food Security Task Force to develop strategies and recommendations to achieve a more food secure Arlington. ‘Our fellow Arlingtonians in need are our families and neighbors, and while the County and community came together to address hunger needs throughout the pandemic, much more remains to be done,’ said Matt de Ferranti, Chair of the Arlington County Board.” [Arlington County]

Bar Seating Now Allowed Again — “Remember sitting at a bar and ordering a drink from a bartender? It’s been a while since that simple activity has been allowed in much of the greater Washington area due to pandemic regulations. But in an executive order quietly updated on Wednesday, Governor Ralph Northam is allowing Virginia bar patrons to be seated at a bar for service as long as there is a minimum of six feet between parties.” [Washingtonian]

Other Covid Restrictions Eased — “Governor Ralph Northam today announced that sports and entertainment venues in Virginia may begin to operate with expanded capacity, and social gathering limits will increase beginning Saturday, May 15th. The announcement comes as vaccinations continue to rise in the Commonwealth, and more than half of all adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.” [Gov. Ralph Northam]

Nearby: D.C. Statehood Advances — “For the second time in history, the House passed legislation Thursday to make the District of Columbia the nation’s 51st state, bolstering momentum for a once-illusory goal that has become a pivotal tenet of the Democratic Party’s voting rights platform. Democrats unanimously approved Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s Washington, D.C. Admission Act, describing it as a bid to restore equal citizenship to the residents of the nation’s capital and rectify a historic injustice.” [Washington Post]

Residents Prevail in Discussion of Grocery Store at Pentagon Row

By Jo DeVoe

(Updated at 6:50 p.m.) It seems the Harris Teeter in the Pentagon Row shopping center, now rebranded as WestPost, will not be vacating its spot anytime soon.

And if it did, Arlington County will continue to hold the shopping center’s owner to a 1998 agreement that requires the space be filled by a full-service grocery and drug store. The County Board affirmed the status quo in a vote on Saturday.

Although Harris Teeter has at least 10 years on its lease, the Sun Gazette reports, residents in the 22202 zip code were worried about even the possibility that their neighborhood grocery store would one day be replaced with a smaller-scale grocer such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. (Pentagon City already has one Whole Foods, near Amazon’s future HQ2.)

Anticipating the end of Harris Teeter’s initial lease, Pentagon Row’s owner, Rockville-based Federal Realty Investment Trust, had requested the county modify the 1998 agreement to allow Federal Realty to find a smaller retailer that sells drug- and grocery-store items if it could not find a full-service store.

The ask, which included other requests for flexibility regarding space, went before the Arlington County Board last month. At the time, nearly a dozen community members voiced their support for keeping the language. Board members deferred the item for one month so County Manager Mark Schwartz could work with the property owner on changes.

The revised proposal that the Board saw on Saturday kept provisions allowing the shopping center more flexibility with leasing and architecture, nixed the grocery store request completely. Members of the County Board unanimously approved the revised proposal, without any modifications to the grocery store agreement, without discussion.

“Because of our combined efforts, the developer backed off on changing [the] section that would have allowed less than a full-scale grocery,” said Carol Fuller, the president of the Crystal City Civic Association and Open Space Coordinator for Livability 22202, an advocacy group for quality-of-life issues in the area. “We were very worried about losing Harris Teeter. We fought it hard. Once they dropped that, we were no longer concerned with the other amendments.”

The county previously said that “Federal Realty shared their full intent and interest in retaining the current tenant or other similar operator.”

The shopping center sought the flexibility, supported by the National Landing Business Improvement District and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, “so that they can respond to changes in the market in the event that they need to replace the grocery store tenant and services.”

Scott Miles, president of the Aurora Highlands Civic Association, said last month that losing Harris Teeter, or an equivalent full-service store, would degrade grocery options in a core part of the county and hinder residents’ ability to buy necessities without a car.

“A large, full-service grocer at the site remains an essential community service,” he said. “This may sound harsh, but we want the applicant to be fearful of not maintaining a large grocer — it’s not enough to ask for commercially reasonable efforts.”

Image via Google Maps

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