Rosslyn

Police: SUV driver pulled gun on woman in Rosslyn, then tried to run her over

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Police are investigating a pair of vehicular incidents in Rosslyn and Clarendon on Wednesday.

Around 12:30 a.m., a man driving an SUV started yelling at a female pedestrian, then got out of the car and brandished a gun, according to police. He then allegedly got back in and tried to run her over.

The victim was not injured and called police. It’s unclear what prompted the incident, which happened in the Rosslyn area, near H-B Woodlawn.

More, below, from an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

BRANDISHING, 2024-01240004, N. Quinn [Street] at 18th Street N. At approximately 12:33 a.m. on January 24, police were dispatched to the report of a person with a gun. Upon arrival, it was determined the female victim was walking in the area when a black SUV pulled up to her and the suspect, who was also the driver of the vehicle, began yelling at her. The suspect then parked the vehicle, exited and approached the victim making threatening statements. The suspect subsequently brandished a firearm at the victim before re-entering the vehicle and attempting to reverse into the victim. The victim was able to move to avoid being struck and the suspect fled the scene. No injuries were reported. A lookout was broadcast and responding officers canvassed the area for the suspect yielding negative results.

Later Wednesday night, a driver in Clarendon was attacked by two drunk men, who also damaged his car, according to ACPD.

No motive for the incident was given.

The suspects tried to run from officers but were both taken into custody after foot pursuits, police said.

ASSAULT BY MOB, 2024-01240294, 3100 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 10:39 p.m. on January 24, police were dispatched to the report of an assault in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim was driving in the area when he became involved in a verbal dispute with the two male suspects who were on foot. The suspects allegedly then began banging on the victim’s vehicle, causing property damage, and assaulted him through the open driver’s side window. Responding officers observed both suspects run from the area and following foot pursuits, they were taken into custody. The victim and one suspect sustained minor injuries that did not require medical attention. [Suspect 1], 29, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Assault by Mob, Destruction of Property, Public Intoxication and Obstruction of Justice. [Suspect 2], 20, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Assault by Mob, Destruction of Property and Public Intoxication.

Parking rates along Rosslyn-Ballston and Route 1 corridors could change this March

By Daniel Egitto
Parking meter in a performance parking zone in Ballston (staff photo)

The cost to park in many of Arlington’s busiest neighborhoods could change March 1.

The most popular places to park along the Rosslyn-Ballston and Route 1 corridors could ultimately cost up to $5 per hour, according to a county report. Less popular spots, meanwhile, could become less expensive than the current rate.

These changes are part of a state-funded “performance parking” pilot project that seeks to make it easier to find a parking spot in Arlington by incentivizing drivers to park in underused areas.

Arlington County kicked off the project earlier this year, installing sensors to collect data on parking behavior and determine what streets and neighborhoods should see higher and lower prices.

“These goals relate to improving the experience with parking at the curb, as well as reducing the negative impacts associated with inefficient or unsuccessful search for parking,” the report says.

On Saturday, the Arlington County Board voted to hold a public hearing about a proposed ordinance on Feb. 24. If it is approved next month, the pilot program would last until March 2026.

Parking rates could change up to once every three months but large, sudden changes are unlikely, according to the report.

Although costs could vary based on the time of day and length of stay, the project would not involve surge pricing or an across-the-board rate hike. Instead, each rate change would probably bring a roughly $1 increase to parking rates at some spots and a $0.25 decrease to other spots.

Arlington’s parking rates are currently capped at $1.75 per hour at short-term meters and $1.50 per hour at long-term meters.

A map of areas included in the performance parking pilot (via Arlington County)

While county staff would set the rates, they could never charge more than $5 per hour without the County Board’s approval, per the proposed ordinance.

The pilot program would follow in the footsteps of similar initiatives in major cities including D.C., Boston and San Francisco.

“These pilots have generally shown measurable changes in drivers’ parking behavior, reductions in negative impacts, and more efficient use of available space,” the report notes.

County staff would track this project’s effectiveness using some 4,500 sensors installed in parking spaces in the Rosslyn-Ballston and Route 1 corridors. The county has already begun investigating where and when parking is most readily available in these areas — along with how often drivers pay for parking.

A recent analysis found that on average, only a third of vehicles parked at meters in these areas had actually paid to be there, which will inform how the county uses its limited cadre of parking meter enforcers.

Parking compliance in October 2023 (via Arlington County)

Although similar programs have tended to increase revenue, the report says this project is primarily designed to improve parking conditions for drivers — not to extract more money from them.

“Intentionally, there is no project goal regarding revenue impact,” the report says. “This is because the project goals are about curb space performance from the community and customer perspective.”

A mid-century relic of Rosslyn’s pedestrian infrastructure, next to the church-gas station, is coming down this summer

By Jo DeVoe
1/7

(Updated at 3:55 p.m.) One of Rosslyn’s few remaining skywalks is set to come down as part of an effort to realize a walkable corridor from one end of the neighborhood to the other.

Arlington County will be demolishing a skywalk over N. Nash Street, near the Arlington Temple United Methodist Church building and Sunoco gas station dubbed “Our Lady of Exxon.” The county applied for a demolition permit for this project last month, permit records show.

“This is part of the Rosslyn Sector Plan’s 18th Street Corridor,” says Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien. “The removal of the skywalk will help refocus pedestrian activity at the street level by replacing the remainder of the skywalk system with the envisioned 18th Street Corridor over time.”

Envisioned in the 2015 Rosslyn Sector Plan, the 18th Street Corridor is envisioned as a walkable thoroughfare extending from Rosslyn’s western edge, N. Quinn Street, to its eastern edge, Arlington Ridge Road. The corridor is intended to make Rosslyn more pedestrian-friendly by removing the skywalks, breaking up long north-south blocks and improving access to the Rosslyn Metro station, per the sector plan.

Some skywalks have already been removed as part of redevelopment projects changing Rosslyn’s skyline. Most recently, one that connected the now-demolished RCA building to the Rosslyn Gateway building was removed as part of plans to replace the building with apartments. Another over N. Lynn Street was removed in 2014 for the Central Place redevelopment that replaced a McDonalds.

The county is still working on the plans and obtaining necessary easements, O’Brien said. Demolition is expected to start this summer and take upwards of two months.

The demolition permit does not apply to the redevelopment project from Arlington-based Snell Properties, approved in 2021, to replace the Ames Center office building, formerly occupied by the Art Institute of Washington with two residential towers on the same block.

One tower would abut the Hyatt Centric hotel and another would surround the church and gas station, which will be completely rebuilt, according to a 2021 press release.

The new façade of Arlington Temple United Methodist Church at 1820 N. Fort Myer Drive (via Arlington County)

In advance of this project, Arlington Temple United Methodist Church has relocated to 1701 N. Bryan Street, just north of Courthouse, according to Rev. Martha “Marti” Ringenbach.

As for progress on this development, Snell did demolish 1820 Fort Myer Drive in October but a construction start date has not been determined, a spokeswoman for the developer tells ARLnow. She noted Snell was not aware of this demolition permit.

Once underway, the redevelopment will also advance the 18th Street Corridor by building up a segment from Fort Myer Drive to N. Nash Street, the 2021 release said.

In proposing a corridor that is partially inaccessible to cars, the sector plan admits that the 1960s-era skywalks were a bit of a failed experiment.

These skywalks were “designed to connect blocks, buildings and uses efficiently while keeping pedestrians separated from vehicular traffic,” the plan says. “The execution of the skywalk concept fell short of expectations in some cases, which combined with a renewed focus on directing pedestrian activity to the street level, has led to an incremental deconstruction of the system over the past 15 years.”

Rosslyn’s skywalks were declassé even before the new millenium, according to a scathing write-up in a 1999 study of Rosslyn.

“To the planners of the early 50’s and 60’s, presumably it seemed orderly and logical to separate the pedestrian flow with its erratic, unpredictable movements, from the fast-moving steel machines of the road,” a consulting firm wrote in the report. “Buried in the back of the planners’ minds perhaps lingered images of the piazza at San Marco in Venice or those of Rome. If so, in the instance of Rosslyn, something was lost in translation.”

Apartment building proposed for old Red Lion hotel site nears finish line

By Jo DeVoe
1/7

A redevelopment project near Rosslyn is teed up for Arlington County Board approval this weekend.

Reston-based Orr Partners proposes to build an 8-story apartment building with up to 446 units on a 2.2-acre site in the Radnor-Fort Myer Heights neighborhood.

The site at 1501 Arlington Blvd is currently home to the Red Lion Hotel, formerly the Best Western Iwo Jima hotel, which opened in 1958, as well as the Ellis Arms and Williamsburg apartments, which were built in 1954. It is bounded by Fairfax Drive to the south and the Parc Rosslyn Apartments and Belvedere Condominiums to the north.

The proposed building would add 418 net new units while still coming 62 feet under the height maximum allowed in this area, county planner Adam Watson told the Planning Commission last week. Its construction would eliminate surface parking lots and result in underground utility lines, new streetscapes and accessibility improvements.

Orr took over never-realized plans to build a 10-story condo tower and a 12-story hotel on the site, which the County Board approved in 2019.

After going through the county’s public review process, Orr changed the building’s form and design in response to staff and commissioner comments, says Watson. The developer made changes to the building at the corner of N. Pierce Street and Fairfax Drive to improve circulation on the sidewalk below, near a planned bicycle storage room.

It also added visual interest to gates along Fairfax Drive at the pedestrian level, intended to screen transformers from view and made design changes to give the lobby more prominence, he said.

Orr will replace existing market-rate affordable units with 24 on-site committed affordable units set aside for households earning up to 60% of the area median income. The units — seven 1-bedroom, 16 2-bedroom and one 3-bedroom — add up to 42 bedrooms, the same as currently exists.

Members of the Planning Commission urged the developer to consider trading some of the proposed 1-bedroom units for 3-bedroom ones.

“This would be a really great opportunity, as we rarely see 3-bedroom held market-rate affordable units that come before us,” said commission Chair Sara Steinberger last week. “You found one [3-bedroom unit]: I’m asking you guys to see what you can do to find one or two more. I do see some consensus in this body that that’s something that we would appreciate.”

Ryan Orr, the senior vice president of development, said his company is “happy to explore adding more 3-bedrooms in lieu of one or twos,” noting this would require “a holistic look” at the floor plans.

Representatives from the nearby Belvedere Condominiums owners association and the Radnor-Fort Myer Heights Civic Association expressed concern that the project will displace existing tenants of the market-rate affordable units.

Company chairman David Orr said he has heard these concerns from these neighbors since the kickoff of the project review process.

“We took that to heart. My son has met with every resident there — two didn’t open their doors — and we talked to them about their plans,” he said. “Some have had personal issues. Some are delinquent. We are not enforcing the leases and we are working with them in every way to bring them back to community.”

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Reminder: Two Arlington Metro stations to close starting Friday for weekend track work

By ARLnow.com
Passengers board at the Rosslyn Metro station (file photo)

The Rosslyn and Courthouse Metro stations will close starting tomorrow (Friday) for a weekend of track and other infrastructure work.

The closures will run through Monday and prompt buses to replace trains between D.C. and Arlington stations — Foggy Bottom on the D.C. side, Clarendon and Arlington Cemetery on the Arlington side.

The work coincides with the extended Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend.

More, below, from a Metro press release.

Metro today announced travel alternatives to help customers plan for track work and maintenance over the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend that will close a portion of the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines on Friday, Jan. 12 through Monday, Jan. 15.

During the four-day closure, buses will replace trains with no rail service between Foggy Bottom-GWU and Arlington Cemetery on the Blue Line; and between Foggy Bottom-GWU and Clarendon on the Orange and Silver lines. The Rosslyn and Court House stations will be closed. Customers traveling through the work zone should expect significant delays and allow at least 30 minutes of additional travel time to account for shuttle buses.

Work crews will replace rail, rebuild concrete grout pads that support the rail, run fiber-optic cables, install platform edge lighting, and other maintenance activity. Without the closure, the work would have caused major disruptions over multiple weekends, as trains would single track every 26 minutes or with truncated service.

Metro will continue to run normal service on the Yellow and Green lines, and supplement Blue Line service between Foggy Bottom-GWU and Downtown Largo and on the Silver Line between Ashburn and Clarendon.

During the winter months, Arlington Cemetery Station typically closes at 7 p.m. to align with Arlington National Cemetery’s hours. However, Metro will keep the station open through closing during the four-day construction project to accommodate shuttle bus customers.

Shuttle buses will be available for connections to the last trains on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines. Last train times may be adjusted with some inbound trains departing the end of the line earlier than normal, and the last outbound trains may arrive later than normal.

Metro service impacts during MLK Day weekend (via WMATA)

On Monday, meanwhile, Metro will operate on a Saturday schedule — in addition to the above service changes — due to the holiday.

ACPD: Boy robbed twice in successive days by same suspects

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Arlington County police are investigating after a boy says he was robbed twice by the same group of suspects.

The first robbery happened around 7 p.m. this past Thursday in Rosslyn, while the second happened around 7 p.m. the next day in the Courthouse area, according to police.

Police say the boy knows the three male suspects, one of whom brandished a knife during the first robbery.

More, below, from the latest ACPD crime report.

ROBBERY (late), 2024-01050225/2024-01060032, 1500 block of Clarendon Boulevard/15th Street N. and N. Uhle Street. At approximately 3:47 a.m. on January 6, police were dispatched to the late report of a robbery by force. It was determined at approximately 7:00 p.m. on January 4, the juvenile male victim was in the area of the 1500 block of Clarendon Boulevard when he was approached by three male suspects, who are known to him. Suspect One brandished a knife and made threatening statements while Suspect Two assaulted him and demanded his electronics. The suspects then left the scene with the stolen property and the victim did not require medical attention following the incident. At approximately 7:00 p.m. on January 5, the victim was in the area of 15th Street N. and N. Uhle Street when he was approached by the suspects from the incident the day before and approximately seven additional subjects. Suspect Two demanded and stole the victim’s personal property and caused damage to his electronic device before the group left the area on foot. No injuries were reported from the incident. The investigation is ongoing.

Rosslyn and Courthouse Metro stations to close over MLK Day weekend

By ARLnow.com
Rosslyn Metro station (file photo)

Metro is planning a major closure of two Arlington Metro stations next month.

The Rosslyn and Courthouse stations will be closed the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day — from Friday, Jan. 12 to Monday, Jan. 15. The four-day closure is for repairs and maintenance.

“Blue Line trains will run from Franconia-Springfield to Arlington Cemetery and Foggy Bottom to Downtown Largo; Orange Line service will operate from Vienna to Clarendon and Foggy Bottom to New Carrollton; and Silver Line trains will run between Ashburn and Clarendon only,” Metro noted in a press release.

The full press release is below.

During the Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend, starting on Friday, Jan. 12 through Monday, Jan. 15, Metro will close segments of the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines, between Foggy Bottom and Arlington Cemetery/Clarendon to perform infrastructure repairs and maintenance. The Rosslyn and Court House stations will be closed, and free shuttle buses will provide frequent service between all affected stations.

The four-day closure will allow Metro to address critical repairs, infrastructure improvements and other maintenance at one time. The same work would have required multiple weekends of single tracking with severe disruption to service, including some lines operating every 26 minutes or with truncated service.

The work is scheduled for the MLK holiday weekend when it will impact the fewest customers. Ridership during the four-day period is historically 27 percent lower on Metrorail than the average Friday through Monday. Additionally, with post-pandemic changes 15 percent fewer customers use Metrorail on Fridays than the midweek peak and on MLK Day ridership is less than half of a normal Monday.

The Rosslyn tunnel beneath the Potomac River is one of the busiest sections of the system, with trains passing through every three to four minutes all day causing more frequent wear on the infrastructure.

During the weekend crews plan to replace dozens of concrete grout pads, which support the rails. To do this, the rails must be removed, and the old grout pads demolished. After framing, new concrete will be poured with additional time needed to set. The work will be coupled with installation of new rails, fasteners, platform edge lighting and fiber-optic cables, drain maintenance, and welding rails together to eliminate joints for a smoother, better ride.

Outside of the work zone, Blue Line trains will run from Franconia-Springfield to Arlington Cemetery and Foggy Bottom to Downtown Largo; Orange Line service will operate from Vienna to Clarendon and Foggy Bottom to New Carrollton; and Silver Line trains will run between Ashburn and Clarendon only.

Travelers over the holiday weekend going to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport may use the Yellow Line via Gallery Place or L’Enfant Plaza as an alternative with service operating every six minutes during weekday peak periods and eight minutes at all other times. Customers may also use the Manassas Line on VRE to connect to the Blue or Yellow lines at Alexandria. South of the airport, the Blue and Yellow lines will continue to be available for customers with no impact for those headed to the airport.

Customers traveling through Washington Dulles International Airport should allow additional time for shuttle buses to connect to the Silver Line. Additional details will be provided on shuttle buses and other travel alternatives in January.

In addition, Saturday, Jan. 13 and Sunday, Jan. 14, the MDOT MTA Purple Line project will also be doing construction, impacting Metro’s Red Line. There will be no Red Line service between Takoma and Forest Glen. The Silver Spring Station will be closed. Trains will operate in two segments from Shady Grove to Takoma and Glenmont to Forest Glen. Metro will utilize the closure to perform leak mitigation, replace rail ties, and preparatory work for switch replacement.

Customers are encouraged to sign up for MetroAlerts text or email messages for the latest service information or follow us on X @wmata @metrorailinfo @metrobusinfo. Metro’s customer service team is also available to respond to social media, email, chat, or by phone at 202-637-7000 (automated information available 24/7) weekdays from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

ACPD: Juvenile armed with screwdriver arrested for carjacking

By ARLnow.com
Police car speeding to a call at night (staff photo)

Arlington has recorded another carjacking, though the circumstances are somewhat unusual.

The incident happened around 8 p.m. Saturday on the 1800 block of N. Quinn Street, in the Rosslyn area.

Police say a juvenile male suspect threatened the victim, tried to strike him with a screwdriver, and then stole his keys and wallet. The suspect then “tampered” with the vehicle, according to Arlington County police, before running off and getting arrested a few blocks away.

Police are classifying the incident as a carjacking and robbery. It is at least the 18th reported carjacking in Arlington so far this year — up from 14 last year — but the first since late October.

More, below, from an ACPD crime report.

CARJACKING, 2023-12160222, 1800 block of N. Quinn Street. At approximately 7:58 p.m. on December 16, police were dispatched to the report of a stolen vehicle. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim was walking away from his parked vehicle when the juvenile male suspect approached, began making threatening statements and allegedly attempted strike the victim with a screwdriver. The suspect then stole the victim’s car keys and wallet and proceeded to enter the victim’s vehicle during which the victim called police. It was determined the suspect then tampered with the vehicle before leaving the scene on foot. Responding officers canvassed the area and located the suspect, who initially fled, and subsequently took him into custody at N. Quinn Street and Langston Boulevard. During a search of his person incident to arrest, the victim’s wallet and a screwdriver were recovered. The victim declined medical attention. Petitions for the juvenile male suspect were sought for Carjacking, Robbery and Attempted Malicious Wounding.

NOW: Pro-Palestinian protest underway in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com
Pro-Palestinian protest in Rosslyn

(Updated at 4:40 p.m.) A group of about 15 protesters are waving Palestinian flags and holding signs in Rosslyn.

The late afternoon protest is taking place at the busy intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Lynn Street, in front of the Raytheon headquarters at 1100 Wilson Blvd.

A similar protest was held in the same location last month, by demonstrators who also protested in front of the Lockheed Martin building in Crystal City.

This past weekend, a larger pro-Palestinian protest was held in Pentagon City, moving from the area around the Pentagon City mall to the Boeing headquarters several blocks away.

A police dispatch suggests that the protesters in Rosslyn today might have briefly blocked the street, but otherwise traffic camera images show them standing on the sidewalk and crossing when the walk signal comes on.

As of 4:30 p.m. a sizable police presence is on scene monitoring the protest.

Fighting in Gaza is continuing amid the intensifying Israel-Hamas war.

County could start changing parking prices along two Metro corridors next year

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

To find a parking spot in Ballston, go during the daytime, avoid Wilson Blvd and Fairfax Drive, and consider parking in nearby Virginia Square, which has many empty blocks.

To park in Clarendon, good luck finding a spot on Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Generally, there are more spots south of Washington Blvd but be on the lookout: spots can open up quickly as people do not stay parked in Clarendon for long.

These are some tips to glean from new county data collected in the first phase of a state-funded performance parking pilot study. But the data, collected from some 4,500 sensors in parking spaces along the Rosslyn-Ballston and Richmond Hwy corridors, does more than help people find parking spots on busy weekends.

It also demonstrates that, on average, only a third of people pay for parking when they come to these corridors. The county says this information will help it pinpoint the neighborhoods with the lowest parking compliance and focus its limited parking attendants there.

Parking compliance in October 2023 (via Arlington County)

The installation of sensors and data collection made up the first phase of a pilot program that will eventually use variable pricing and data to improve the availability of metered parking. County staff used these sensors to find differences in parking availability by hour, block, day of the week and neighborhood.

“These differences we need to take into consideration when we are making our pricing recommendations,” says Marietta Gelfort, a planner with the county’s parking and curb space management team in a recent video.

The next phases of the project will see actual changes in parking prices. These changes will happen once every three months but, the county emphasizes, will not trigger across-the-board meter rate hikes or surge pricing.

For the pilot to move forward, next county staff need Arlington County Board to change prices along the study corridors administratively — without County Board permission each time. They are gearing up to request this authority early next year for the duration of the pilot, set to end in early 2026.

A request to advertise hearings on this proposal could come this January, followed by a public hearing by the spring of 2024, Dept. of Environmental Services Parking and Curbspace Manager Melissa McMahon told ARLnow.

Once staff have this permission to alter prices, they will communicate changes to the public whenever those changes occur.

Price differences already influence parking behavior in Arlington, according to Dept. of Environmental Services communications specialist Nate Graham.

“Sunday occupancy is highest across the board, which illustrates that even today’s metered prices shape demand and behavior to some extent,” he tells ARLnow.

Transportation commissioners are “very supportive” of the pilot but, on the topic of pricing, suggested recommended stepped up enforcement of accessible parking spaces if these prices differ from non-accessible spaces.

“The greater the discrepancy in pricing between ADA and non-ADA spaces, the more drivers use fake ADA
tags,” the commission said in a letter to the County Board last month.

Eventually, as part of the pilot, the county will make parking spot and pricing data available on two mobile-friendly tools so people can research spots and costs in real time.

There will also be signs showing where spots are available, how many and for how much.

Third-party parking apps showing available spaces using county sensor data (via Arlington County)

Rosslyn kicking off holiday season with tree lighting and holiday market

By James Jarvis
1/2

The Rosslyn Business Improvement District is gearing up to spread holiday cheer with a lineup of festive events this week.

First up, Central Place Plaza at 1800 N. Lynn Street will be illuminated with holiday lights as part of the BID’s Light the Plaza event Thursday. There will be music, raffles and an outdoor bar from 5-8 p.m.

Of-age attendees can enjoy beer, wine and spiked cider to get into the holiday spirit. And for those feeling peckish, Pop’s Praiseworthy Popcorn will be selling gourmet popcorn.

The next day, on Friday, our four-legged friends can get in on the festivities with a “Santa Paws Yappy Hour” from 5-7 p.m. at Central Place Plaza. In addition to libations for the humans, the dog-friendly event offers pet photos with Santa, vendor tables and “pet goodie giveaways.”

The event series then concludes with a pop-up holiday market this Saturday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The market will feature local vendors offering a range of items from art and jewelry to bath products and snacks.

Santa Claus will also make an appearance at the Plaza for photo sessions from 12:30-2:30 p.m. each day during the market.

As shoppers browse the market and listen to live music, they can enjoy complimentary hot chocolate to warm up those cold hands.

Both events are free and registration is not required.

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