renovations

Renovations Continue at Ruffino’s

By ARLnow.com

Ruffino’s Spaghetti House (4763 Lee Highway) closed for renovations in September. Four months later, work is still well underway.

For now, it appears that the deep blue doors and windows won’t be back, nor will the big neon sign. We did not get a good look at the interior.

No word yet on when the beloved neighborhood restaurant may open back up. A call to Ruffino’s main number is answered by an brief automated message that provides precious little information.

“We are remodeling and we will reopen as soon as we can,” the message says.

Pre-renovation photo (right) courtesy Kevin Borland

Lyon Park Community House Renovations May Get Tax Boost

By ARLnow.com

Plans to renovate the historic Lyon Park Community House, at least 15 years in the making, are coming close to fruition.

With architectural plans in place, neighborhood leaders are making a big fundraising push. They’re hoping that the upcoming tax season provides a bounty of tax-deductible stock donations and large corporate gifts.

As of October, the Lyon Park Citizens Association was about $430,000 away from their total fundraising goal of $550,000. In addition to large donations, the group is raising money by holding events like a recent gala dinner.

“We need the support of everyone in this tremendous community effort,” the association says on its web site.

No county money will be used for the renovation, since the house and the surrounding park are owned by the Citizen’s Association. However, the association expects to receive $17,500 from Ironwood Realty as a result of a condition set for the pending construction of the developer’s Garfield Park project.

The planned Community House renovations will add ADA-compliant bathrooms and a new kitchen to the 85-year-old structure. The building’s exterior will remain much the same, except for the addition of a sunroom facing the park.

Lary Mayer, the association’s vice president for development, says that if fundraising goals are met, the group hopes to break ground on the renovations next year.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Glebe Road Sewer Project Keeping Residents Up At Night — The county has started a new sewer project on South Glebe Road between 5th Street and 1st Road. The project will increase the capacity and reliability of the sewer system in the area. But the work of tearing up the road is being done at night, which has some residents complaining about the noise. More from the Washington Post.

Marine Corps Marathon Goes Off Without a Hitch — With stepped-up security in place, some 30,000 runners safely participated in the 35th Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday. Air Force 2nd Lt. Jacob Bradosky won the 26.2 mile race, which winds through Rosslyn, Crystal City and the District, with a time of 2:23:30. Kenyan Janet Cherobon won the women’s field with a time of 2:42:38. More from the Washington Post.

IOTA Club Expands Beer List, Plans Renovations — Clarendon’s IOTA Club has expanded its draft beer list to 12 beers. The music venue’s current selection includes craft beers like Moonglow Weizenbock, Bear Republic Racer 5, Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere. The decision to upgrade the beer taps “is part of a larger improvement project at IOTA which includes an interior renovation/reconfiguration, a new outdoor front seating area, a new menu, coffee service, and many other things.” More from DC Beer.

Voter Turnout Could be Record — According to a projection by county treasurer Frank O’Leary, this year could be a record in turns of the number of voters voting in an off-year when the House of Representatives race is the marque race. But the percentage of active voter turnout will not be a record, O’Leary predicts. The dry weather predicted for tomorrow should help turnout. More from the Sun Gazette.

Flickr pool photo by philliefan99

Renovations Coming to Ballston Common Mall

By ARLnow.com

The owner of Ballston Common Mall is “in the planning stages” of major renovations to the 24-year-old facility. The existence of the renovation plan was revealed at a real estate conference in Rosslyn this morning.

The plan may also involve the building of office space above or in place of the current Macy’s department store.

No timeline was given for the renovations. Ohio-based Forest City Enterprises owns the 580,000 square foot mall, which attracts 1,000,000 visitors per year.

Flickr pool photo by Tim Kelley.

Firefighters Respond to Animal Welfare League of Arlington

By ARLnow.com

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington, which just completed a $1 million renovation, was briefly evacuated twice this morning due to light smoke in the building.

The second time firefighters were called, just before noon, they reported finding a malfunctioning air conditioning unit.

No people or dogs animals were reported to be sick as a result of the smoke.

The building is located at 2650 South Arlington Mill Drive in Shirlington

Update at 1:50 p.m. — The building is cool, engineers are working on the troublesome A/C unit, and all the animals are fine, according to executive director Neil Trent.

Soft Opening at the New Clarendon Grill Tonight

By ARLnow.com

Shhhh. Don’t tell anybody, but Clarendon Grill is opening its doors tonight for the first time since it closed for renovations on August 1.

Tonight’s “soft opening” will start at 6:00 and go until whenever management decides to kick everybody out. Owner Peter Pflug says he’s hoping for a small crowd, so the staff is not overwhelmed while they get used to the new setup.

Just this afternoon bartenders were still stocking and sorting bottles of liquor and the outdoor patio was still buzzing with construction workers who were laying bricks on the adjacent sidewalk. The padded bar stools only arrived from a factory in Canada yesterday. A small, separate bar by the music stage appeared to still be a work-in-progress.

Assuming all goes well over the next two days, popular local cover band Gonzo’s Nose is scheduled to perform Saturday night.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Bayou Bakery Opening Set — Cookbook author David Guas is hoping to open his Bayou Bakery coffee bar and eatery concept by November 1. The restaurant, which is taking over the old Camille’s space at 1515 North Courthouse Road, will feature Louisiana-style pastries, sweets, sausages, and other savory selections.

Rosslyn CVS To Renovate — The CVS at 1100 Wilson Boulevard will be getting a major facelift. The 26-year-old, nearly 10,000 square foot pharmacy will get a new layout, new window displays and new finishes throughout the store. No timeline was given for the construction. More from the Washington Business Journal.

Residents Vent About Helicopters — Wow. One Fairlington man who attended last night’s forum on helicopter regulations has filed more than 350 helicopter noise complaints since 2007. The forum, hosted by Arlington County Board Member Mary Hynes, featured a number of local military and air traffic control officials. The result of the forum: a pledge to hold more meetings. More from TBD.

GOP Votes to Oppose Bonds — The Arlington County Republican Committee voted last night to oppose three out of four bond referendums on the November ballot. The local GOP is saying no to bonds for Metro, parks, and community infrastructure, but yes to the $103 million school bond that will fund a new Wakefield High School. If history is any indication, however, all the bond measures are expected to easily pass. More from the Sun Gazette.

Flickr pool photo by Philliefan99

Meet the New Clarendon Grill

By ARLnow.com

As soon as next weekend, Clarendon Grill will reopen after nearly two months of renovations. Walking through the doors, the long-time C-Grill fans will see a space both familiar and completely different at the same time.

Nearly every surface in the bar has been changed, says owner Peter Pflug. From the long cast-in-place concrete bar to the large-tiled bathrooms to the new dance floor, what was once old and beat up and is now clean and new. That old Clarendon Grill musk, from 14 straight years of eating, drinking, smoking and dancing since the last renovation, has been replaced with the smell of fresh lacquer.

“We’re excited that people, given the state of the place before, will say ‘wow’ when they see us again,” Pflug said.

The biggest change is probably the bar. It’s now longer and more open, which should make it much easier to get a drink on crowded weekend nights. The bar also features “bump-outs” — areas that you can call ahead and reserve that are shaped in a way that make it easier to have a conversation with a group of friends.

The new Clarendon Grill has the same number of beer taps as before, but the taps themselves are new. There will be a new, simplified “gastropub-y” menu. The theme will change marginally from “construction” to “industrial,” with illumination provided by painted steel streetlights procured from a nearby used car lot. Clarendon Grill will remain “sporty” — with sports showed constantly on the new flat screen TVs — but it will not be a sports bar.

The back patio, which was redone six months ago, has not been changed. The focus on live music is unchanged, but bands may now start playing a bit later to encourage dinner business.

Ruffino’s Spaghetti House Closes for Renovations

By ARLnow.com

We stopped by Ruffino’s Spaghetti House (4763 Lee Highway) today to check out a tip that it had closed down. Good news, pasta fans: a recorded message on the restaurant’s answering machine reveals that it’s only undergoing renovations and will reopen “in a few weeks.”

Not much else to say about it, so here’s an amusing review of Ruffino’s posted by Yelp user “Chelsea M.”

This place has had an aura about it for me since my beau and his dude crew instituted the manly tradition of monthly “mafia” dinners at Ruffino’s. For years, these guys have gushed about the food, the house chianti and the staff, who have let them come back to the kitchen to thank the chefs personally for their dinner and a Sopranos-esque evening.

After finally getting to experience Ruffino’s in the flesh, my fantasies were more than fulfilled. The butter-drenched garlic bread was a dream come true and like a stick of Doublemint, my chicken castenella ( basically chicken and eggplant parm combined if my memory is serving me correctly) doubled my pleasure as well as my fun. t also arrived with a heaping side of spaghetti, which saved me from having to politely request some pasta from my date. Our waiter could not have been sweeter and more attentive and the atmosphere is perfectly cozy and cute.

This place ain’t Milano, but it’s not trying to be. Quality, generous portions, kindness and endless carbs are all delivered at this adorable spot. As a gal who’s been around the Little Italy block in NYC, I’m happy to endorse Ruffino’s as a perfect destination for a date night or any impending man meal.

County Panel to Consider Colonial Village Renovations

By ARLnow.com

A county panel could approve major renovations to part of a historic housing complex as soon as tomorrow night.

The Arlington Tenant-Landlord Commission is scheduled to hear arguments for a plan to renovate the 162 Colonial Village apartment units owned by Wesley Housing Development Corporation. The hearing will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Azalea Room (lobby level) of 2100 Clarendon Boulevard.

The plan calls for major upgrades and configuration changes, including new windows, kitchens, bathrooms and insulation. The grounds will also be improved, with new walkways and lighting.

Currently, there 109 one-bedroom and 53 two-bedroom apartments among Wesley’s Colonial Village portfolio. The non-profit expects the post-construction mix of units to be 90 one-bedrooms, 57 two-bedrooms and 14 three bedrooms. Seventeen apartments would be constructed to be compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility specifications.

If approved by the commission, Wesley hopes to begin renovating small batches of apartments starting in April 2011. Affected residents would be moved to either a vacant unit or to another apartment complex, with the moving costs at least partially paid for by Wesley. The entire renovation process is expected to take about a year.

Some tenants will not be allowed to move back in after renovations, however. All but 33 of the new apartments will be placed into the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program.  This fall, Wesley will begin interviewing tenants to determine whether their household income is low enough to qualify for the program. Tenants who don’t qualify may be able to move into one of the 33 market rate apartments, or may be forced to move elsewhere.

The income threshold for an individual is $43,500 or below. For a five-person household, it’s $67,080 or below.

The apartment buildings set to be renovated are 1702-34 North Troy Street and 2101, 2103, 2105, 2107, 2109, 2113 and 2115 North 18th Street.

Wesley, which is based in Alexandria, receives part of its funding from Arlington County.

Major Renovations Proposed for Colonial Village

By ARLnow.com

The historic Colonial Village apartments (the portion owned by Wesley Housing Development Corporation) will be renovated and most of the units converted to low income housing, under a plan that’s up for discussion at a county hearing next week.

The proposal calls for renovations to begin around March of next year, according to a leasing agent. Renovations would proceed several at a time. Tenants will be “relocated” during the renovation process.

The details about the low income housing conversion are a bit sketchy at this point, but initial reports suggest all but two dozen or so apartments will be designated low income housing under the plan, which could force some existing tenants out.

Colonial Village was among the first garden-style apartment complexes in the U.S. when it was built in the 1930s. Wesley owns 162 apartment units, which are home to about 400 residents.

A county housing counselor told ARLnow.com that more details will be revealed on Wed., Sept. 8, during an Arlington Tenant-Landlord Commission hearing. The hearing will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Azalea Room (lobby level) of 2100 Clarendon Boulevard.

One Colonial Village resident we heard from was upset that there have only been two “resident meetings” about the plan leading up to next week’s hearing.

Today’s renovation news follows our report earlier this week about major renovations at the 1020 North Quincy Street apartments in Ballston.

Multiple calls to Wesley Housing Development Corporation’s main office in Alexandria went unanswered throughout the afternoon.

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