Pentagon City

Pentagon City Pedestrian Tunnel to Open At Last

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A pedestrian tunnel connecting the Pentagon City Metro station to the northeast corner of the intersection of S. Hayes Street and 12th Street S. is close to finally opening.

The tunnel was slated to open in 2015 after $1.3 million worth of repairs and upgrades but remained closed. It was initially built by a developer in 1984 but was never opened to the public due to “reasons related to safety, operational and legal issues,” according to Arlington County.

The Arlington County Board on Saturday will consider an agreement with WMATA for the county to take responsibility for maintaining and operating the tunnel. If approved, it will be considered by the WMATA board next month and the tunnel could open as soon as March 1.

The tunnel will only be open from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays. More from a county staff report:

Repairs and signage are complete and the tunnel is ready to open for public use… Opening the pedestrian tunnel will provide an additional access/egress point to this busy Metrorail station, one of the County’s highest ridership stations and to the adjacent retail shopping mall, Fashion Centre.

WMATA requires a formal agreement with a public or private entity that wants to have direct access and pedestrian connection to a Metrorail station. WMATA and County staff completed negotiation of the attached Agreement, which specifies the terms, conditions and obligations of the connection to the Station. The Agreement states that the County is responsible for maintaining the pedestrian tunnel and the connection to the Station mezzanine in a clean condition, free of rubbish, leaves, snow, ice and graffiti. Also, the County is responsible for all maintenance repairs and upgrades to the pedestrian tunnel and the connection. Furthermore, the County will ensure that the pedestrian tunnel and the connection are, at all times, safe for pedestrian access to the Station and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

WMATA’s Board is scheduled to approve the Agreement in February 2017. Opening of the pedestrian tunnel is targeted for March 1, 2017.

The Deed of Easement established the hours of operation for the tunnel as 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays only. The entry gate at the stairs to the pedestrian tunnel and the glass doors to the Metro mezzanine will be locked at all other times and when the Station is closed. A recent County proposal to expand the hours of operation for the tunnel was not supported by all signatories to the Deed of Easement. Staff can revisit this issue in the future.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Cannon at the Clarendon war memorial

Gov. Announces New Jobs for Arlington — Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) has announced that Vorsight, a “sales effectiveness” tech firm in Rosslyn, will be expanding its corporate headquarters, creating 112 new jobs in Arlington. [Governor of Virginia]

New Apartments in Crystal City/Pentagon City — More than 1,100 new apartments opened in the Crystal City and Pentagon City area in 2016. More than 3,000 additional apartments are in the development pipeline. [Bisnow]

History of Churches in Arlington — Arlington’s first church was the Chapel of Ease of Arlington Plantation, built in 1825 by George Washington Parke Custis. The church was located near what is now the Sheraton hotel at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Orme Street. It was burned by union troops during the Civil War. [Falls Church News-Press]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

MLK memorial by moonlight (Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf)

Beyer Won’t Participate in Inauguration — Don’t expect to see Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) at the inauguration of Donald Trump nor at any celebratory inaugural events. Beyer says he “will not be part of normalizing or legitimizing” president-elect Trump, whose “values and… actions are the antithesis of what I hold dear.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Cubs at the Pentagon City Ritz — The World Series-winning Chicago Cubs made the Pentagon City Ritz-Carlton their home base before meeting President Obama at the White House on Monday. The hotel is a popular destination for visiting sports teams. [Twitter]

Crash on I-395 — All but one lane of traffic was blocked on northbound I-395 yesterday following an afternoon crash near Shirlington. A police officer helped to calm down a dog who was in one of the cars involved in the crash. [Twitter, Twitter]

Arlington Group Will March in Inauguration — The Arlington-based Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) will march in Friday’s inaugural parade in D.C. The organization supports the families of fallen military service members. [WJLA]

Hot Start for Wakefield Girls — The Wakefield girls basketball team is off to an impressive 12-2 start this season. The team plays Falls Church tonight. [Washington Post]

Business Book Club at Library — Arlington Public Library has launched a Business Book Club “for adults interested in reading about business strategy, leadership and management.” The first meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 28 at Central Library. [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

BREAKING: ACFD Responding to Arcing Insulator at Pentagon City Metro

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County fire truck(Updated at 6:05 p.m.) A large fire department response is arriving at the Pentagon City Metro station for a report of an arcing insulator near the station.

The electrical issue on the tracks was reported by a train operator. A rider said via Twitter that there was a haze and a smell of smoke at the station, which was reportedly being evacuated.

Blue and Yellow line service through Pentagon City is currently suspended. Commuters should expect traffic impacts near the station due to the emergency response.

Arriving firefighters are being told that the insulator is still smoking and that power is being shut down to one of the tracks, according to scanner traffic.

Update at 6:10 p.m. — The “situation has been mitigated,” according to scanner traffic, and fire department units are being placed back in service. Metro riders should expect residual delays and perhaps single tracking once service resumes.

https://twitter.com/wlutterman/status/817502939942096896

https://twitter.com/brigidbta/status/817505739279319040

Police: Man Tried to Lure Girl Into Van With Promise of Candy, Dogs

By ARLnow.com

Fairfax County police car lightsArlington County Police are investigating a reported child abduction attempt in Pentagon City.

The incident happened Monday around 4 p.m., near the Costco and Best Buy parking lot. Police say a 10-year-old girl was approached by a man after being dropped off by her school bus.

“The victim described the suspect as speaking with a British accent as he offered her candy and reported to have dogs inside his van,” police said in a press release. “When the victim refused, the suspect grabbed her backpack and jacket before the victim was able to escape. The suspect fled the area by vehicle.”

From the press release:

The suspect is described as a white male, possibly in his 20’s with black hair and wearing a black shirt and possibly red pants at the time of the incident. His vehicle is described as a white van with a sliding side door.

Police have increased patrols in the area. Anyone with information on the identity of this individual or details surrounding this incident is asked to contact Detective K. Bercovicz of the Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit at 703.228.4235 or at [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County Police ACPD motorcycle

‘Pop-Up Hotel’ Opening in January — “WhyHotel” is the new name of a “pop-up hotel” in the Bartlett apartment building in Pentagon City. Starting in January, the hotel will offer 50 unleased, furnished apartments as hotel rooms. Although most of the building is leased, owner Vornado is experimenting with “WhyHotel” as a way to monetize new apartment buildings during the lease-up period. [Washington Business Journal]

School Board Responds to Student’s Letter — Arlington School Board Chair Nancy Van Doren has responded to an open letter published in the Washington-Lee Crossed Sabres student newspaper. The letter, which was widely shared across social media, took the school board to task for approving high school boundary refinements that were seemingly antithetical to APS’ diversity goals. Without addressing the diversity issue, Van Doren defended the process and encouraged students to participate in future high school boundary decisions. [PDF]

County Board Approves Polling Place Changes — The Arlington County Board on Tuesday approved a number of precinct and polling place changes, to take effect in time for next year’s elections. [Arlington County]

Memorial Bridge Worries — The deteriorating Memorial Bridge can’t handle heavy support traffic for the presidential inauguration next month, officials said in a briefing yesterday, according to reported Tom Sherwood. Such traffic will use the 14th Street Bridge instead. [Twitter]

Wreaths for Every Grave at Arlington Nat’l Cemetery — “Wreaths Across America announced Wednesday it has reached its goal to place about 245,000 wreaths in the cemetery ‘thanks to an outpouring of support.’ Earlier this week, the organization had said it was about 10,000 wreaths short of its goal.” [WTOP]

UPDATED: Man Jumps Off Apartment Balcony in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsA man has jumped off an apartment balcony in Pentagon City in an apparent suicide attempt.

It happened on the 400 block of 12th Street S., between Army Navy Drive and S. Eads Street. That’s the same stretch of road that was shut down yesterday due to a man with mental health issues who reportedly injured himself and was being uncooperative with police.

That same man is believed to be the person who jumped today, according to scanner traffic.

There were several witnesses to the incident, who are being interviewed by police. Officers are again shutting down 12th Street S. between Army Navy and Eads while they take photos and investigate.

The man is being transported to the trauma center at George Washington University Hospital. The severity of his injuries are unclear at this time.

Update at 3:15 p.m. — The road is reopening, according to scanner traffic. The fire department is being called to the scene for a “washdown” of the area of impact.

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, help is a phone call away. Call CrisisLink at 703-527-4077.

Florida Man Arrested for Flashing Man During Parking Dispute

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsA 34-year-old man from Florida was arrested in Pentagon City on Friday, accused of flashing another man during a parking dispute.

The incident happened shortly before 1 p.m. Friday on the 1200 block of S. Hayes Street, near the Pentagon City mall.

“Following a verbal dispute between two parties over parking, a male subject allegedly exposed his genitals to a male victim,” according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

“Officers conducted a canvas of the area and located the suspect,” the crime report continues. “Bret Wayne Reichenberg, 34, of Palm Beach FL, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and drunk in public.”

Noodles & Co. Has Closed on Pentagon Row

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Struggling fast-casual restaurant chain Noodles & Co. has closed its location at the Pentagon Row shopping center (1201 S. Joyce Street).

The eatery closed last month after 14 years in business. The restaurant’s exterior sign has since been removed and its interior has been largely cleared out.

A sign on the front door directs customers to the Noodles & Co. location at 2011 Crystal Drive in Crystal City.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Christmas trees (Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman)

Per Student Spending Questioned — Arlington Public Schools is again being questioned about why it has the highest per-student costs — $18,957 — of any suburban D.C. jurisdiction. Fairfax County, the largest school system in the state, has a per-student cost of $14,432. [InsideNova]

Woman’s Tireless TSA Protest — Alyssa Bermudez, a former Army staff sergeant and Bronze Star recipient, has been tirelessly protesting in front of Transportation Security Administration headquarters in Pentagon City, claiming that she was sexually harassed and fired for complaining about it. Other complaints and a lawsuit point to an alleged culture of harassment within the agency. [Washington Post]

ACPD Officers Meet Shaq — NBA great Shaquille O’Neal visited with D.C. area police yesterday on Capitol Hill to raise awareness of the dangers of driving while under the influence of drugs. Several ACPD officers were photographed with the 7’1″ O’Neal. [Twitter, Twitter]

AFAC Needs New Van — The Arlington Food Assistance Center is seeking donations to help it buy a new cargo van, after one of its old vans broke down while on a grocery run. [Fox 5, AFAC]

LiveSafe Launches Navy Pilot Program — Arlington-based startup LiveSafe has launched a six-month pilot program with a big client: the U.S. Navy. LiveSafe’s app will be used by sailors in Hampton Roads, Va. and in Rota, Spain “in an effort to prevent sexual assaults and combat other destructive behaviors before they happen.” [Stars and Stripes]

Arlington Man Tweets Hillary Sightings — Arlingtonian Adam Parkhomenko, a long-time Hillary Clinton aide and booster, is helping grieving Democrats by turning the former presidential candidate into a “wandering folk hero.” He’s doing so via a social media account that keeps track of photos of Clinton “in the wild” since she lost the election. [Vanity Fair]

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

Pentagon City Sweetgreen to Open Tomorrow

By ARLnow.com

Sweetgreen opening in Clarendon (file photo)Arlington’s newest Sweetgreen restaurant is set to open tomorrow (Tuesday).

The Sweetgreen at 575 12th Road S. in Pentagon City, near the Whole Foods and the Orangetheory Fitness, is the chain’s eighth location in Northern Virginia and its fourth in Arlington.

Like the Sweetgreen that opened in Clarendon this summer, the Pentagon City location will be donating its opening day sales to help the hungry.

The eatery offers customers seasonal salads and bowls.

“The brand, dedicated to providing seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients, recently introduced warm bowls as a part of its ongoing menu innovation,” said a PR rep. “Guests can skip the line by ordering ahead on the Sweetgreen app and 100% of opening day proceeds go to Matching Dollars, a food access project a part of FRESHFARM.”

The restaurant’s hours are expected to be 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

File photo

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