Rosslyn

Climate protest draws group of elder demonstrators to Rosslyn bank

By ARLnow.com
1/5

A climate change protest temporarily shut down a Rosslyn bank this morning.

The relatively small demonstration drew a handful of older protests and a few of grad-school age to the Wells Fargo at 1500 Wilson Blvd.

The organizers, ThirdAct Virginia, touted it as a protest of elders demanding climate action alongside youth climate activists. It featured rocking chairs outside the bank and a sit-in inside. Just over a dozen people participated, most of them older.

The issue, according to organizers, is Wells Fargo’s role in the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a planned 300-mile natural gas pipeline which would run through parts of Virginia. Construction on the pipeline was again halted by a federal court this week, despite being fast-tracked by Congress in the recent debt limit deal.

More on the protest, below, from a ThirdAct Virginia press release.

Members of ThirdAct Virginia, elders demanding climate action, and youth climate activists shut down an Arlington branch of Wells Fargo, disrupting business by staging a sit-in inside and protesting outside.

The multi-generational group, some sitting in rocking chairs outside the bank, sang songs and chanted, and waved signs and banners, demanding that the bank stop funding new fossil fuel projects including the contested Mountain Valley Pipeline that cuts across the mountains of southern Appalachia in West Virginia and Virginia.

The Friday protest is part of a series of actions across the country against the big four dirty banks (Wells Fargo, Chase, Bank of America, and Citibank) that are the worst offenders, continuing to finance billions of dollars in new fossil fuel projects, despite surging climate disasters. A large public protest with art, music and dance is planned for later in the day outside Wells Fargo headquarters in San Francisco.

The July 14 protests are timed to coincide with the announcement Friday of the bank’s 2023 second quarter earnings results.

(more…)

Demolition of the RCA building in Rosslyn set to wrap up this month

By Jo DeVoe
1/7

What remains of the RCA building in Rosslyn looks like something pulled from a post-apocalyptic film.

Demolition work for the building (1901 N. Moore Street) has been ongoing since the end of March and the pedestrian bridge to a building next door was removed in the spring.

Now, passers-by can see a narrowed shell of the building with rebar, pipes and wires drooping from it.

By the end of this month, the RCA building will be “demolished to grade,” notes a calendar on a website providing updates on the building’s progress.

The website also projects a sanitary and storm sewer system will be installed by mid-July or by the end of this month. Once this is done, and electrical infrastructure is relocated, workers will begin installing a retaining wall that will keep the ground in place as they excavate.

“Once at the subgrade, we’ll excavate for the new building’s footings and erect two tower cranes to start pouring concrete,” the website says.

The construction company overseeing the project, CBG Building Company, has “a light pollution reduction and rainwater management plan in order to protect the community’s natural habitat and minimize the project’s environmental impact,” the website adds.

The developer, Jefferson Apartment Group (JAG), will replace the RCA building with a 27-story apartment complex composed of two towers that share a podium and are joined at the rooftop by a sky bridge.

The building, one block from the Rosslyn Metro station, will also have 11,444 square feet of retail space. Planned amenities for residents include a fitness center, pet spa, landscaped patio, green rooftop terrace and a pool.

JAG is aiming to complete the new structure in January 2026.

Photos: Fourth of July 2023 fireworks and fun

By ARLnow.com
1/30

Missed the fireworks on the National Mall last night? Or just want to relive the Fourth of July grandeur?

ARLnow staff photographer Jay Westcott brought his cameras to the Marine Corps War Memorial near Rosslyn to capture the show and some of those watching the show.

Unlike past years when weather resulted in extra haze that obscured the fireworks, the 2023 edition benefited from clear skies and relatively pleasant temperatures.

The fireworks viewing was not the only Independence Day celebration of note in Arlington. Neighborhood events were held throughout the county, including the annual parades and block parties in places like Barcroft and Douglas Park.

Have your own photos to share? Show them off in the comments.

Long-time sushi spot in Rosslyn closes, as building is set for redevelopment

By Matt Blitz
1/2

A long-time Rosslyn sushi spot has closed.

Kanpai Japanese Restaurant inside 1401 Wilson Blvd and near the intersection with N. Oak Street had its last day of service on Friday (June 23), per the restaurant’s Facebook page. Additionally, online ordering is no longer available and the phone number is disconnected.

A sign is also now on the door of the former restaurant appearing to thank the owners. It reads, “Thank you, Kanpi. The best sushi. The best neighbors. The best friends. We will miss you so much.”

Kanpai appears to have been open since at least 2006, according to Yelp reviews. Its menu consisted of sushi, tempura, and other Japanese favorites.

ARLnow has attempted to reach the Kanpai’s owners about the closure, but it’s likely due to the pending redevelopment of 1401 Wilson Blvd. The building is nearly 60 years old and aging. The plan is to build newer, more modern office and retail space in its place. Earlier this month, owner Monday Properties got a two-year extension on the project.

The building’s parking garage is noted for being the spot where reporter Bob Woodward secretly met with Deep Throat during the Watergate investigation. A historical marker was placed in front of the building in 2011.

Hat tip to Matt Siniscal

Thai Select in Rosslyn expanding into former Good Sweat space

By Matt Blitz
Thai Select expansion (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Rosslyn’s Thai Select is adding a sushi bar in the former home of a spin studio.

The four-year-old Thai food restaurant located just off Wilson Blvd in the Colonial Village Shopping Center is expanding, a restaurant representative confirmed to ARLnow.

The restaurant is adding a sushi bar and a small dining area in the space that formerly housed Good Sweat. The independent spin studio at 1711 Wilson Blvd closed back in May 2022.

It’s expected the sushi bar will open sometime in October or November, the representative said, though it depends on when county permits are received.

The expansion was needed because their original space “is tiny” and it often gets very crowded when there are both customers and drivers picking up food orders packing into the space, we’re told. The restaurant’s take-out and delivery business grew significantly during the pandemic, the representative said.

Colonial Village Shopping Center in Rosslyn has seen a good deal of turnover in recent years, with a French pastry shop replacing a coffee shop and a Brazilian steakhouse moving into the former home of Ben’s Chili Bowl.

One thing that has not changed is the well-known, cash-only Pho 75, which has been in the shopping center for years.

Hat tip to anonymous and Ben L.

Amazon-owned One Medical is coming to Rosslyn

By Anya Wareck
The One Medical coming to Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A new One Medical office will open in Rosslyn this fall.

The office will provide “full lab services, preventative and everyday health visits, chronic illness management and mental health support,” a spokeswoman told ARLnow.

A “coming soon” sign is posted on the lower level of the recently-built Cortland Apartments building (1788 N. Pierce Street). The clinic will sit in between a new location of a Foxtrot market and the main entrance to the high rise.

The N. Pierce Street location is the latest for the company — which partnered with MedStar Health in June 2020 to increase its foothold in the D.C. area — but the first in Arlington. There are several full-service clinics in the area, including one each in Tysons and the Mosaic District.

At the time, the clinic noted in a press release that it offers a straightforward appointment-making experience as well as as comprehensive and affordable medical services through its work with MedStar.

Amazon, which is preparing to debut the first phase of its second headquarters in Pentagon City next month, purchased One Medical in February. The acquisition marked a shift for the company, which tried, unsuccessfully, to start its own telemedicine and primary care provider.

Hat tip to Edward MacNabb and Josh.

ACPD: Twenty-five vehicles damaged during recent theft sprees

By ARLnow.com
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

Thieves damaged 25 vehicles in several North Arlington neighborhoods over the past few days.

That’s according to Monday’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.

The first theft spree happened last week, overnight Thursday into Friday, in the Waverly Hills neighborhood, not far from the intersection of N. Glebe Road and Langston Blvd.

Thieves damaged five vehicles while stealing the glass from side mirrors, according to police.

From ACPD:

LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series) (Late), 2023-05190101, 4700 block of 20th Road N. At approximately 9:57 a.m. on May 19, police were dispatched to the late report of a larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined between approximately 10:00 p.m. on May 18 and 7:30 a.m. on May 19, the unknown suspect(s) stole the glass from the sideview mirrors of four vehicles and damaged the glass of the sideview mirror of a fifth vehicle. No other items were reported damaged or stolen. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.

An even larger spree was reported over the weekend in and around Rosslyn, with some 20 Honda vehicles broken into and their airbags stolen.

From the crime report:

LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series), 2023-05210011, 1300 block of N. Fort Myer Drive. At approximately 12:44 a.m. on May 21, police were dispatched to a vehicle tampering. Upon arrival, it was determined the reporting party observed three men in their 20’s breaking into vehicles. When she yelled out to them, they fled the scene in a gray sedan. During the course of the investigation, it was determined approximately 20 parked vehicles in the Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights, Rosslyn and Colonial Village neighborhoods had a window shattered and an air bag stolen. The involved vehicles are Honda models. The investigation is ongoing.

Thieves have targeted Hondas parked in Arlington for airbag thefts numerous times in recent memory, including in March and several times in 2022.

County Board approves delivery permit for Foxtrot in Rosslyn

By Matt Blitz
1/2

Foxtrot in Rosslyn can now lawfully deliver you a magical charm crispy cake, thanks to County Board approval.

The Arlington County Board approved a use permit this past Saturday (May 13) to allow the upscale market, cafe, and convenience store to operate a delivery service from its 1771 N. Pierce Street location.

While it appears the market has already been offering deliveries since it opened earlier this year, it was being done under Covid-era rules that suspended enforcement of delivery-related ordinances.

The approved permit will essentially allow Foxtrot to continue to deliver anything from non-alcoholic sparkling wine to a tuna wrap beyond the expiration of the county’s Continuity of Government Operations (COGO) Ordinance on August 15.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, Arlington County enacted a Continuity of Government Operations (COGO) Ordinance, which among other things put a stay on Zoning enforcement actions for food delivery services that are allowed primarily by use permit approval in most zoning districts,” reads the staff report. “This application, if approved, would permit Foxtrot Café to operate food delivery services legally following the expiration of the COGO.”

The report also notes that, with food delivery services growing in popularity during the pandemic, the county is in the midst of a study that explores “how food delivery services may be permitted in a manner different than what is currently provided for in the Zoning Ordinance.”

However, since that effort is ongoing and it’s not known when the study will be completed, the County Board went ahead and approved Foxtrot’s permit now.

The approval does come with a notable caveat, however.

Foxtrot initially proposed using a number of parking spots along N. Pierce Street as temporary parking for delivery drivers. The county was not too keen on this, with the report noting that staff observed delivery drivers and their vehicles blocking traffic a number of times.

“This presented issues with vehicles illegally standing and blocking traffic lanes along North Pierce Street… as on-street parking is limited to five (5) two-hour limited parking spaces,” said the report.

Foxtrot has since been able to come to an agreement with the owner and operator of a nearby underground parking garage to allow drivers to park in any available retail space for 15 minutes with validation.

With county staff agreeing that this arrangement will help “mitigate against further congestion and potential traffic violations on North Pierce Street,” the Board approved the permit with a review set for six months from now — which is November.

At that time, the Board will review the “effectiveness of the parking validation mitigation measures as well as the status of the Zoning Ordinance Amendment.”

Foxtrot provides delivery from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. most days, with the service being extended an extra hour or two on weekends. The company estimates that about 8% of its business comes from delivery.

Princess to speak at special Netherlands Carillon concert Wednesday

By ARLnow.com
The Netherlands Carillon in 2021, near the end of its restoration (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Dutch ambassador, ballet dancers, a pair of expert bell ringers, and a princess.

All are among those set to be on hand for a special concert at the Netherlands Carillon near Rosslyn tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon. The “one-of-a-kind event that celebrates friendship and freedom” is set to take place from 4-6 p.m.

“The second annual Freedom Concert is organized by the National Park Service and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in recognition of the Netherlands’ Liberation Day (May 5),” the Dutch embassy said in a press release. “Princess Margriet will deliver a keynote speech on the importance of celebrating freedom. The event also features carillonneurs Edward Nassor (United States) and Rosemarie Seuntiëns (the Netherlands) and a special performance by the Washington School of Ballet.”

The Netherlands Carillon, which wrapped up a two-year restoration project in 2021, features 53 bells and “serves as a reminder of the strong bond between the United States and the Netherlands,” the embassy notes. It was a gift from the Dutch people after World War II.

Princess Margriet, born in exile in Canada in 1943, counts President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a godparent.

More on the free concert, below, from another embassy press release.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the George Washington Memorial Parkway of the National Park Service present the 2nd annual Freedom Concert at 4 p.m. May 10 at the Netherlands Carillon.

The Netherlands Carillon is a 127-foot-tall musical monument and a symbol of peace and freedom. It was presented to President Truman in 1952 by Queen Juliana as a gift from the Dutch people to the American people as token of gratitude for their help during and after World War II.

The Freedom Concert is held in recognition of the Netherlands’ Liberation Day which is celebrated on May 5.

Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, the featured guest speaker, will give remarks on the importance of celebrating freedom. Her Royal Highness was born in 1943 in Canada during World War II. The Royal Family returned to the Netherlands once it was liberated by Allied Forces in 1945.

Carillonneurs Edward Nassor of the United States and Rosemarie Seuntiëns from the Netherlands will play a selection of modern and classical music, and students from the Washington School of Ballet will perform a dance choreographed by Mimmo Miccolis specifically for the concert.

At the event, the media will have the opportunity to interview Dutch Ambassador André Haspels, Christine Smith, Deputy Superintendent of the National Park Service – George Washington Memorial Parkway, and the carillonneurs and dancers from the Washington School of Ballet.

ACPD nabs four teens who tried to run from traffic stop of stolen car

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Four teens are facing potential charges after running from a felony traffic stop.

The incident happened Thursday afternoon in the Rosslyn area.

Arlington County police say the juveniles were in a stolen car when officers tried to pull them over. All four — including one who allegedly was armed with a gun — tried to run off, but they were each eventually taken into custody, ACPD said.

More, below, from an ACPD crime report.

RECOVERED STOLEN AUTO (Significant), 2023-05040170, 1600 block of N. Queen Street. At approximately 4:15 p.m. on May 4, police attempted a traffic stop at N. Quinn Street and Wilson Boulevard on a vehicle previously reported stolen out of Fairfax County, VA. The four occupants exited the vehicle and ran from the scene. Officers initiated foot pursuits and the occupants, four juveniles, were located and taken into custody. During a search of the driver, a firearm was recovered. Petitions for the four juvenile suspects are pending.

Woman slapped, stabbed and robbed near Key Bridge in Rosslyn last night

By ARLnow.com
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

A woman walking near the entrance to the Key Bridge in Rosslyn last night was assaulted, stabbed and then robbed.

Police were dispatched just before 9 p.m., after a 911 caller reported a woman being attacked near some bushes at the Arlington end of the bridge. Arriving officers reported that she had been stabbed and requested medics.

“The preliminary investigation indicates the female victim was walking in the area when the male suspect approached from behind, slapped her buttocks, knocked her to the ground and stabbed her, resulting in lacerations,” Arlington County police said this morning in a crime report.

“The suspect then stole the victim’s backpack and fled the scene on foot,” the crime report continues. “The victim was treated on scene by medics before being transported to an area hospital for injuries considered non-life threatening.”

The stab wound was described as a “superficial” injury to the upper back and shoulder, according to scanner traffic. The suspect reportedly fled down the hill in the direction of the GW Parkway, but police were unable to locate him.

“The suspect is described as a Black male in his 20’s, approximately 6’0” tall and wearing all black,” the crime report said. “A search of the area for the suspect yielded negative results. The investigation is ongoing.”

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