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Morning Notes

Published April 21, 2015 at 9:15AM

Australian Restaurant Coming to Clarendon — Oz, a new Australian restaurant, will be opening in the former La Tagliatella space in Clarendon late this summer. The restaurant is owned by Australian native Michael Darby, co-founder of Monument Realty, and his wife Ashley Darby, the 2011 Miss District of Columbia winner. [Washington Business Journal]

New Ballston Apartment Project in the Works — Saul Centers, which developed the Clarendon Center project, is planning a new residential and retail development on the Orange Line. The developer is in the early stages of proposing a 12-story, 431-unit apartment building to replace the Rosenthal Mazda dealership at the corner of N. Glebe Road and Wilson Blvd. [Washington Business Journal]

Parking Lot Hit-and-Run Case in Court — A court hearing was held Monday for Alexandra Mendez, the woman accused of running over a man in a Columbia Pike parking lot and then fleeing the scene. Prosecutors showed the court a cell phone video of the incident, which nearly killed 40-year-old Noormustafa “Noor” Shaikh. A doctor testified that Shaikh’s “bones were like shards” after being run over by Mendez in her SUV. [WJLA]

Arlington Highly Ranked by AARP — Arlington County is the 6th most livable place in the U.S. with a population between 100,000 and 500,000, according to a new survey by AARP. Also in the AARP survey, Arlington ranked No. 1 in the “Best Cities for Staying Healthy” category, thanks to an abundance of exercise opportunities. The survey targeted Americans age 50 and older. [WTOP]

VHC and County Considering Land Swap — Virginia Hospital Center and Arlington County have started discussing a possible land swap. The swap would trade soon-to-be-vacated county properties adjacent to the hospital — which would allow VHC to expand — for hospital property elsewhere in the county. Virginia Hospital Center, meanwhile, is getting kudos from the federal government. According to new hospital rankings from Medicare, VHC is the only “four star” hospital in the D.C. area. [InsideNova, Washington Post]

Flickr pool photo by J. Peterson

Arlington Named Sixth Healthiest ‘City’ in the U.S.

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 6, 2015 at 2:30PM

Arlington has been named the sixth-healthiest “city” in America, according to a ranking that takes lifestyle, access to healthcare and environment all into account.

Livability.com — the same website that named Arlington the third-best place to live last year — said Arlington’s access to exercise, recreation, healthy food and low obesity rate all factored in to its ranking.

“Nearly every resident of Arlington, Va., can access healthy foods and places to exercise,” the website says in its blurb about Arlington. “Arlington is filled with parks that offer great hikes, athletic fields, and leisurely strolls and private fitness centers offering yoga, Pilates, CrossFit and a variety of other workouts.”

Topping the list is Minneapolis, Minn., followed by Cambridge, Mass., and Madison, Wisc. Madison was named the best place for recent college graduates to live last week and was No. 1 on Livability’s best places to live rankings.

Arlington was named the healthiest county in Virginia last month. The county’s obesity rate is less than 20 percent, and its network of trails, roads with bike lanes and cycle tracks and Metro-accessible development give residents opportunities to stay in shape while commuting to work. Not only do Arlington residents have access to doctors, the website said, they also use them: about 83 percent of residents receive diabetic screenings.

Access to healthy food, recycling programs, not smoking and “drinking in moderation” were also listed as factors for Arlington’s place in the rankings.

Arlington Named Second-Best for Recent Graduates

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 3, 2015 at 4:00PM

Arlington is the second-best “city” in the country to live in if you’ve just graduated college, according to a recent study.

The financial services site NerdWallet compared the median income, percentage of income spent on rent and percentage of the population between ages 20 and 29 to determine its list. Only Madison, Wisc., was ranked higher than Arlington, with Minneapolis, Minn., Boston and D.C. finishing in the top five.

Among the 100 biggest municipalities in the U.S., Arlington had the second-highest median rent, at $1,761 a month. That cost is outweighed, according to NerdWallet, by Arlington’s $64,957 median income, the third-highest among the cities compared in the study.

“Washington, D.C., and neighboring Arlington, Va., stood out among our top 10 cities with up to 67 percent of the workforce finding jobs in management, business, science or the arts,” the report states. “These fields have the most jobs that require a bachelor’s degree or higher.”

Twenty-three percent of Arlington’s population is between 20 and 29 years old, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, making it more appealing for the recent college graduates in their early 20s. This is no surprise, considering Arlington’s reputation as one of the country’s best places to live in the country for millennials.

Image via NerdWallet

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 25, 2015 at 9:20AM

Alleged Bank Robber Was Staying at Retirement Home — The FBI tracked down an accused bank robber in an Arlington on Friday thanks to his cell phone usage. The so-called Bicycle Bandit is accused of a dozen bank robberies, including a robbery in Alexandria just a few hours prior to his arrest. Investigators used phone records to figure out his identity. The suspect, Woosen Assaye, was staying at his father’s apartment at The Carlin retirement home at the time of his arrest. [NBC Washington – WARNING: Auto-play video]

Arlington Named Healthiest County in Va. — A new study has named Arlington County as the healthiest county in Virginia. Albemarle, Fairfax and Loudoun ranked second, third and fourth, respectively. [Associated Press]

Fehr Reads to Key Students — Washington Capitals player Eric Fehr read his new anti-bullying book to students at Key Elementary School yesterday. [NBC Washington – WARNING: Auto-play video]

Board Considers Affordable Housing Report — The Arlington County Board on Monday heard a comprehensive report about affordable housing in the county. [InsideNova]

Blue Line Issues — A Blue Line train suffering mechanical problems offloaded passengers at the Pentagon station this morning, causing overcrowding on the platform. [Twitter]

Arlington Named 7th Most ‘Hipster City’ in America

By ARLnow.com

Published March 17, 2015 at 11:00AM

Arlington is the 7th most “hipster city” in America, at least according to one website’s rankings.

FindTheHome.com ranked U.S. cities with populations over 50,000, based on factors like the percentage of the population aged 20-34, the number of yoga studios per 10,000 residents and the number of cafes per 10,000 residents.

According to the website, 35.4 percent of the population in Arlington is aged 20-34 and there are 0.9 yoga studios and 7.9 cafes per 10,000 residents.That was good enough for 7th place in the rankings — ahead of Seattle and San Francisco but behind Cambridge, Mass. and the No. 1 ranked hipster city, Hoboken, N.J.

Glaringly absent from the list (below) was noted hipster haven Portland, Ore.

Hoboken, NJ
Ames, IA
Boulder, CO
Cambridge, MA
College Station, TX
Somerville, MA
Arlington, VA
Auburn, AL
Santa Monica, CA
Davis, CA
Berkeley, CA
Provo, UT
Bloomington, IN
Seattle, WA
Ann Arbor, MI
San Francisco, CA
Iowa City, IA
West Des Moines, IA
Corvallis, OR

A previous hipster list, from real estate information firm RealtyTrac, ranked Arlington’s 22203 ZIP code the 7th most “hipster-friendly” area in the U.S. in 2013.

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

#rankings

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 29, 2015 at 9:15AM | Updated January 29, 2015 at 10:21AM

Arlington Named No. 3 Best Place to Live — Arlington has been named the No. 3 “best small to mid-sized city” to live in the U.S. The county scored high marks for civic engagement, education, amenities and diversity. Topping the list were Madison, Wis. and Rochester, Minn. [Livability.com]

County Still Winding Down Streetcar Project — Arlington County still is on the hook for about $60,000 worth of contract work associated with the canceled streetcar project. Most of the county staff members working on the project have been transferred to other departments, County Manager Barbara Donnellan said in an update to the County Board regarding the project wind down. [InsideNova]

Fmr. Rep. Moran to Lobby — Recently retired congressman Jim Moran has been hired by the Washington law firm McDermott Will & Emery. Moran plans to join the firm’s lobbying practice, lobbying primarily for defense contractors. [Washington Post]

Development Tracking Report — Arlington County has released its quarterly development tracking report for the fourth quarter of 2014. Notably, no new office construction was approved or started during the time period, although 761 new residential units were started and another 73 were approved. [Arlington County]

Drone Company Disables Flight in Arlington — Following a recreational drone’s crash landing at the White House, drone manufacturer DJI has pushed out a firmware update for its robotic vehicles that prohibits flight within a 15.5 mile radius of downtown D.C. [Engadget]

Making Business Easier in Arlington — Arlington County is taking some small steps toward making it easier to do business in the county. Arlington recently introduced online business license registration and a streamlined process for paying building permit fees. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Brian Allen

CNBC Names Turnberry Tower Penthouse One of ‘Most Impressive’ of 2014

By Ethan Rothstein

Published January 9, 2015 at 10:15AM

The penthouse in Turnberry Tower (photo via MRIS Homes)

Turnberry Tower landscaping — Turnberry Tower exterior

A top-floor Turnberry Tower apartment, Arlington’s tallest current residential building and one of its most expensive, has been named one of the 10 “most impressive penthouses of the year” by CNBC.

“This penthouse in Turnberry Tower is in easy commuting distance to D.C. but away from the bustle of the city with views of the Virginia countryside,” CNBC writes in its post. “It has high-end touches like hickory floors, Snaidero cabinetry and electronic shades and draperies. A private elevator and wrap around balcony complete the luxurious picture.”

The penthouse is available for rent for $10,000 a month, according to real estate listing service MRIS Homes. Turnberry Tower is a condominium building, and it’s sold out, according to its website. A penthouse apartment in the building sold for $4.2 million in 2012.

The apartment has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and covers 2,039-square-feet. Whoever rents the apartment also gets access to Turnberry’s rooftop patio, indoor pool, theater and party room.

Clarendon Named One of the ‘Yuppiest Neighborhoods in America’

By ARLnow.com

Published December 22, 2014 at 9:30AM

Clarendon has been ranked among the nine “yuppiest neighborhoods in America” by the website Thrillist.com.

The Orange line neighborhood made the list thanks to young, affluent residents and their standard-issue upscale haunts, like Whole Foods, Pottery Barn and Lululemon. From the website:

This Virginia neighborhood across the river from DC blends the quietude of suburbia with the bustle of city life, which makes it perfect for the professionals who work on K Street. Single and young families alike call this place home, and chain staples like Pottery Barn, Whole Foods, and Lululemon are interspersed with just enough local bars and restaurants to keep the newly minted post-grad yuppie-types from fully realizing the commercial existence they’ve bought into.

The other eight yuppie neighborhoods to make the list are LoDo (Denver), West 6th Street (Austin), Pearl District (Portland), South Lake Union (Seattle), Lincoln Park (Chicago), Back Bay (Boston), Brickell (Miami) and The Marina District (San Francisco).

Arlington Top 10 in the Country for Halloween Parties

By Ethan Rothstein

Published October 15, 2014 at 2:00PM

Arlington in the ninth-best locality in the country for Halloween parties, according to a new study.

The study, conducted by financial advice company NerdWallet using data from online event platform EventBrite, says Arlington’s “overall score for Halloween parties,” which is a combination of number of RSVPs and affordability, is 83.79 out of 100.

Arlington registered a seven out of 10 for its “party engagement score” and has an average party cost of $12.15, second-lowest in the top 10, behind No. 8 Nashville, Tenn., at $12.11. Washington, D.C., is the 17th-best city in the country for parties with an overall score of 81.73 and an average cost of $25.64.

The engagement score is on a scale of 1-10, according to NerdWallet, with a 10 meaning more than 20,000 people in one city have RSVP-ed to a Halloween party. The only city in the country to achieve a 10 was San Francisco, the top city on the list. Behind San Francisco, which had an overall score of 96.14, on the list are New York City, San Antonio, Texas, and Phoenix.

Flickr pool photo by ddimick

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 24, 2014 at 9:15AM

Arlington Fighting to Keep, Attract Office Tenants — In the wake of federal cuts and BRAC relocations, Arlington’s office vacancy rate is now as high as 23 percent. Arlington is reportedly fighting to keep the Courthouse-based energy software firm Opower, “which is considering a move to the District to better recruit talent.” Meanwhile, Rosslyn property owner Monday Properties is still searching for a tenant for its new, gleaming 1812 N. Moore Street office tower. [Washington Post]

New Spa Coming to Clarendon — Sterling-based Origins Thai Spa is planning on opening a new location in Arlington. The spa will be located in a 5,000 square foot space next to Sehkraft Beer Garden on the ground floor of the Garfield Park apartment building at 925 N. Garfield Street. [Washington Business Journal]

Arlington No. 4 on ‘Rich and Single’ List — Arlington is again No. 4 on Money Magazine’s “Best Places to Be Rich and Single” list. Arlington’s ranking is unchanged from 2012. [Money]

County Recognizes ‘Outstanding Landscapes’ — The Arlington County Board has recognized four properties “for the quality of their landscaping and the serenity they bring to their neighborhoods.” The properties include Circa restaurant in Clarendon, the Clarendon Square office building, the Avalon Arlington North apartment building on N. Glebe Road, and the Whitmore apartment building on Columbia Pike. [Arlington County]

Arlington Tops Another Millennial List

By Ethan Rothstein

Published September 18, 2014 at 12:00PM

Another study has been released showing that Arlington is the top destination for young professionals to live in the country.

According to RealtyTrac, a real estate data and information website, Arlington’s millennial population has increased 82 percent from 2007-2013, the highest rate in the country over that timespan. The data comes from an analysis of U.S. Census data from 1,800 counties nationwide.

Alexandria ranks second in the list in millennial growth rate, at 81 percent, ahead of New Orleans and San Francisco.

“Naturally, millennials are attracted to markets with good job prospects and low unemployment but that tend to have high rental rates and high home price appreciation,” RealtyTrac Vice President Daren Blomquist said on the company’s website.

RealtyTrac said Arlington’s unemployment rate of 3.2 percent, a little more than half of the national 6.1 percent rate. Arlington also topped the list in terms of percentage of the population made up of millennials, at 39 percent, and its median home price, $505,000, was third behind San Francisco ($950,000) and Manhattan in New York City ($850,000).

This ranking follows two Arlington ZIP codes ranking as the top two for millennials in the country and Clarendon being called the “best neighborhood for millennials” in the D.C. area, both released this year.

File photo courtesy Mary Dominiak/Experimental Aircraft Association