The second annual Halloween-themed dog-centric event is set to happen this Friday, Oct. 28, from 3:30-5:30 p.m at the Gateway Park Interim Dog Park in Rosslyn.
“Dog costumes are strongly encouraged,” per the event’s website.
There will be vendors, activities like pet portraits and dog trick or treating, and pup-friendly giveaways like puppuccinos. There will also be a raffle to win a week of doggy daycare at Playful Pack in Rosslyn and a $100 gift card to Open Road or SALT, both located at 1201 Wilson Blvd.
Then, at 6:30 p.m., there will be a dog parade to show off that doggy Halloween costume. Winners will be named in four categories: spookiest, cutest, most unique, and “community choice.” Each winner’s humans will receive a gift card to a Rosslyn restaurant and some neighborhood swag.
To finish off the evening, there will be a special reserved “bark section” for the final movie of Rosslyn’s fall cinema series at Gateway Park. That movie, of course, is dog-themed — 2002’s Scooby-Doo. It will start just after sunset, around 7 p.m.
All of this is being put on the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with the Rosslyn Dog Owners Group (R-DOGS), the nonprofit that supports Rosslyn’s dog park.
This is the second time this event is being held “following the success and positive response received from 2021,” per a Rosslyn BID spokesperson.
Gateway Park Interim Dog Park was Rosslyn’s first dog park when it opened in early 2021. It’s technically “temporary” until a Park Master Plan is developed and funded, though that may not happen for a while.
The RCA building in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
After antennae were removed from the roof of the RCA building, left, and work crews in the street below, right (photos courtesy of anonymous)
Pre-demolition work on the rooftop of the RCA building in October 2022 (photo courtesy anonymous)
An HVAC unit is removed from the RCA building in Rosslyn in fall 2022 (courtesy of anonymous)
The RCA Building in 2016 (file photo)
Rendering of 1901 N. Moore Street (via Arlington County)
Rendering of 1901 N. Moore Street (via Arlington County)
Work is underway to take down the aging RCA building in Rosslyn — but a demolition schedule has yet to be set.
The forthcoming residential redevelopment for 1901 N. Moore Street, by McLean-based developer Jefferson Apartment Group, was approved in June 2021.
Sixteen months later, JAG Senior Vice President Greg Van Wie tells ARLnow that “the crews are removing cell tower equipment from the roof in preparation for demolition.”
As of now, though, there is no set date for the demolition, Van Wie said.
“We will have more updates on the schedule in the coming weeks,” he said.
A reader noted to ARLnow that he noticed the cell towers were gone in late September. This month, he described a large crane clearing the roof of HVAC units and other equipment, while down below, N. Lynn Street was closed down to one lane.
Before cell towers, circled in red, were removed from the roof of the RCA building (courtesy of anonymous)
Those who were hoping for a dramatic implosion may be disappointed.
“We will be dismantling the existing building rather than imploding it so there won’t quite be the same show as with the old Holiday Inn, unfortunately,” Van Wie said.
After taking apart the 13-story, 1960s-era RCA building, JAG will build a 27-story, 423-unit apartment complex. The planned 260-foot tall building is composed of a north and a south tower joined at the base and at the rooftop with an “amenity bridge.”
The fourth floor will feature a landscaped terrace and the roof will also have garden elements. There will be two levels of retail and 286 parking spaces spread across garages on the third and fourth floors and underground.
As part of the project, the developer will remove inner loop roads around the Rosslyn Metro station, as well as the skywalk connection between the RCA building and the Rosslyn Gateway building.
The developer will also donate $2.2 million toward improvements within Rosslyn, such as for Gateway Park, and add a mix of buffered, protected and unprotected bike lanes, colorized bus lanes, new intersections, a relocated red-light camera and a new Capital Bikeshare station.
Updated at 2:45 p.m. — At least one lane has reopened as crews work to finish clearing the crash scene.
Earlier: All lanes of westbound I-66 are currently blocked at the Rosslyn tunnel due to a crash.
An SUV crashed and overturned near the entrance to the tunnel around 1:30 p.m. Police are on scene and report that the driver was able to get out of the vehicle prior to their arrival.
The crash happened near the beginning of what had been a backup between Rosslyn and the N. Glebe Road exit of I-66.
No serious injuries have been reported. Westbound I-66 traffic is being diverted to Rosslyn and drivers in the area should expect heavy traffic.
LOCATION: WB I-66 / Rosslyn Tunnel INCIDENT: Traffic Collision IMPACT: All lanes of the Rosslyn Tunnel are blocked. Please follow Police direction. pic.twitter.com/nHbQFuIf9L
The Sycamore School proposes operating a private school for up to 140 students grades five through 12, along with 40 staff members and teachers, according to a county report. Its campus would comprise 14,000 square feet on the third floor, divided into seven classrooms, a canteen, an art studio, an exercise room and other administrative rooms and amenities.
“The Applicant provides a valuable educational service to the County’s residents by serving a diverse cross-section of students,” writes land use attorney Andrew Painter. “As part of its personalized learning approach, The Sycamore School offers small class sizes at a ratio of one teacher to six students, and provides individualized instruction with self-paced learning and a focus on student choice.”
The Sycamore School floor plan (via Arlington County)
The Sycamore School’s proposed opening hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with classes occurring Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Occasional school-related and community-based events may occur in the evenings, and are required to conclude by 11 p.m.
Meanwhile, the County Board approved a new childcare tenant in a nearby office building last month. The Gardner School will set up in the ground-floor retail space of an office building at the corner of Clarendon Blvd and N. Quinn Street (1776 Wilson Blvd).
The Gardner School has locations in seven states, the closest being in Herndon, Virginia.
The child care center will take up about 17,670 square feet, divided into 13 classrooms for preschoolers, toddlers and infants, playrooms and 400 square feet of outdoor play area. There will be up to 28 staff and up to 186 enrolled children.
But with two schools moving into an area with offices, apartment buildings, Arlington Public Schools’ H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Program, and Fire Station 10, the Rosslyn Business Improvement District expressed some concerns about transportation management.
The Rosslyn BID encouraged the county to “take a holistic approach” to evaluating APS’s transportation management plans for its two programs against those of the new daycare and private school.
Doing so, the BID said, could “help mitigate potential logistical and safety impacts, particularly during pick-up/drop-off hours,” per the report.
Ground floor of the planned Hilton hotel in Rosslyn (courtesy Hilton)
A 36-story, 331-room “state of the art” Hilton hotel is coming to Rosslyn.
The hospitality giant this morning announced the signing of an agreement to operate the high-rise hotel on the former Holiday Inn site. With rooms overlooking D.C. and the Potomac River, the hotel will also feature a rooftop event space and 28,000 square feet of meeting space.
Today, Hilton announces the signing of Hilton at The Key, Arlington-Rosslyn, providing even more options to travelers looking for a state of the art, full-service hotel just minutes from Washington, D.C. Located at the foot of the Potomac River’s historic Francis Scott Key Bridge in Arlington, Virginia, the 36-story, 331-room property is surrounded by numerous corporate headquarters based in Rosslyn’s business district and minutes from the 11-acre riverfront Fort Bennett Park and Palisades Trail.
The modern hotel is under development as part of The Key, a project that includes a destination restaurant, street-level retail, and 517 luxury apartments with panoramas of the water and the nation’s capital. Once completed, Hilton at The Key will feature approximately 28,000 square feet of flexible and modern meeting spaces, including an event space on the 36th floor with sweeping 360-degree views of the Washington, D.C., skyline, the Potomac River and Arlington, Virginia.
“Dittmar Company is proud to partner with Hilton as we bring a true destination meeting and event facility to Arlington, Virginia, and the surrounding DMV area,” said Greg Raines, an executive at Dittmar Company.
Implosion of the Rosslyn Holiday Inn hotel in Dec. 2020
The development’s 500+ unit rental apartment building has been christened “Rosslyn Towers.”
“Rosslyn Towers is the latest in the Dittmar Company portfolio of Arlington Luxury Multi-Family deliveries,” says The Key’s website. “The residences will have first class finishes to rival the unmatched location and views present at this iconic location.”
The apartment’s “uplifting live/work/play environment” will feature “an amenity package that is second to none.”
For the third straight year, the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) is hosting a fall film series in Gateway Park.
On the remaining Fridays in October, Rosslyn BID will be screening a movie in the county park along Langston Blvd. There will also be food trucks, lawn games, a cash bar, and other movie-themed activities.
Movies will begin shortly after sundown, around 7 p.m., “to ensure the perfect lighting for the show!” reads the website. Given the falling nighttime temperatures, warm apparel is advised.
The decision to do a fall film series again was due to “the attendance levels and interest in our summer series,” a Rosslyn BID spokesperson told ARLnow. The movies were curated based on popularity and genre. The BID wanted to do one sing-along, one family film, one throwback, and one “howl-o-ween” feature.
“From there, we put out a survey to the BID’s entire staff to help us narrow down our choices,” the spokesperson said.
There’s also a topical angle to their choices. Top Gun was chosen partially based on the huge success of the sequel that just came out this past summer. Minions: The Rise of Gru has made nearly a billion dollars at the box office worldwide since it was first released in July.
“We know minions attract a large family crowd and we can’t wait for a major evening of family fun,” the spokesperson said.
The final film in the series — 2002’s Scooby-Doo — will coincide with the BID’s “Howl-o-ween” event at Gateway Park’s interim dog park. That event will feature dog-friendly activities, treats, and a pet costume contest. The winner will be announced at the movie screening.
Rosslyn BID has hosted movies in Gateway Park for at least a decade, including during the summer. The Columbia Pike Partnership and the National Landing BID have also held outdoor film screenings, mostly during warmer weather months; both told ARLnow they are not planning any movies this fall.
VDOT has kicked off work on its I-66 Rosslyn Tunnel Rehabilitation project.
The nearly $38 million project is expected to stretch well into 2025, retrofitting the tunnel under Rosslyn’s Gateway Park that was built some 40 years ago.
The construction will prompt some lane closures on I-66, but mostly during overnight hours.
More from a VDOT press release:
Construction is underway on the rehabilitation and improvements to the Rosslyn Tunnel that carries I-66 under North Nash Street, Fort Myer Drive, North Lynn Street and Gateway Park, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The project’s purpose is to improve safety and extend the overall life of the tunnel.
The project includes removing the existing tunnel ceiling to improve long-term maintenance; upgrading electrical systems; installing a new fireproofing system; repairing steel beams, abutment and pier concrete, and joints; cleaning and repairing bearings; and replacing the tunnel lighting system.
Lane closures on I-66 associated with the project will mainly occur overnights, with at least one lane of I-66 in each direction open at all times.
The tunnel, which opened to traffic in 1983, is nearly a fifth of a mile long and averages 64,000 vehicles a day.
The $37.7 million project is financed with state funding and is scheduled for completion in summer 2025.
For the most recent updates and to learn more, visit the VDOT project webpage.
Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.
You can get real-time traffic, work zone and incident information online at 511virginia.org, via the free mobile 511Virginia app, or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime.
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop in Rosslyn appears to be closed (staff photo by Matt Blitz)
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop in Rosslyn appears to be closed (staff photo by Matt Blitz)
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop in Rosslyn appears to be closed (staff photo by Matt Blitz)
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop in Rosslyn appears to have made its last sub.
The Delaware-founded and currently Las Vegas-based fast-casual sandwich chain seems to have closed its eatery on the ground floor of 1500 Wilson Blvd, across from the Target. Closed signs are posted on its doors, while equipment inside has been moved out.
Additionally, the store seems to have been scrubbed from Capriotti’s website.
ARLnow has reached out to the company to confirm its closure in Rosslyn but has yet to hear back as of publication.
Capriotti’s first opened on Wilson Blvd in August 2014 to considerable fanfare, with people camped out in order to get free sandwiches for a year. It was part of a torrid expansion for the company, with a number of other locations also opening in the D.C. area around the same time.
The sandwiches were famed for being a favorite of now-President Joe Biden, who attended the opening of the first Capriotti’s in D.C. in 2013 and reportedly liked to tell people that the shop was proof that Delaware makes the best sandwiches. During the first week of November 2020 and with Biden on his way to becoming the 46th president, sales rose by about 30% at the Capriotti’s in Rosslyn.
Despite that brief uptick in sales, though, it was already clear that Capriotti’s was struggling to generate enough sandwich sales to maintain its expanded presence in area. The location in Dupont Circle closed in 2018 and the location in Arlington was the last of the shops in the region.
Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow, Startup Monday is a weekly column that highlights Arlington-based startups, founders, and local tech news. Monday Properties is proudly featuring 1515 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn.
Arlington-based oxygen-monitoring tech startup OxiWear is aiming to go to market by the end of next month.
After raising $1.25 million last year, OxiWear founder Shavini Fernando told ARLnow that they are now in midst of testing in order to start selling the small, ear-worn blood oxygen alert system by late October. The hope is to, at least initially, appeal to the fitness and exercise market.
After that, the aim is to get the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the device for prescriptions by mid-2023 and for off-the-shelf retail by the end of next year.
That would cap the Rosslyn resident’s five-year journey to offer a device that has saved her life to others.
For years, even though she was a swimmer and lived an active lifestyle, Fernando struggled to breathe. Doctors in her native Sri Lanka said she had asthma, but after a particularly troubling episode in 2015 when her face turned blue, she was diagnosed with severe cardiovascular disease and told that she had two years to live.
Fernando flew to the United States for a second opinion. Getting off the plane, she suffered a stroke. Soon, it was discovered she suffered from severe pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to Eisenmenger Syndrome. Meaning, there’s a hole in her heart that can lead to cardiac arrests and hypoxia strokes.
“With that, it damages my lungs due to the overflow of blood to the lungs,” she said. “It’s called Eisenmenger when it comes to that stage and it’s irreversible.”
Shavini Fernando, founder of OxiWear (photo courtesy of Tony Powell/OxiWear)
OxiWear (photo courtesy of OxiWear)
Wearing OxiWear (photo courtsey of OxiWear)
The OxiWear team (photo courtesy of OxiWear)
Fernando has had to deal with near-fatal situations, including four cardiac arrests and two strokes. She is also not allowed to fly above certain altitudes, meaning she hasn’t been able to fly home to Sri Lanka since leaving in 2015.
While there’s no cure for Eisenmenger, Fernando thought there might be a way that she could monitor her oxygen levels in order to prevent potentially fatal consequences. In 2015, she started working on a wearable device that would alert people like her when their oxygen levels drop to dangerous levels.
“Once we get a cardiac arrest, you only have three minutes. That’s not enough time to call 911. That’s where OxiWear comes in. You get the alert ahead of time before you go into cardiac arrest or have a stroke,” she said.
It does that by being attached to the ear and pulsating when the wearer’s oxygen levels dip below a certain level. The ear is one of the best and most accurate body parts for measuring oxygen, Fernando said.
Additionally, the device connects to a mobile application that allows the user to keep an eye on their levels at all times. If they do drop dangerously, it will buzz the device as well which will send out an alert to emergency contacts.
“In case you can’t call for help, someone will know you need help,” Fernando said.
Beyond medical necessities, OxiWear is also being marketed to high-performing athletes.
Oxygen levels, even more than heart rate, can give a sense of how fatigued an athlete might be or how well they are adapting to certain environments. Earlier this year, OxiWear signed an agreement with a company that does high-altitude obstacle courses and endurance races.
“It gives the coach an idea of an athlete’s… tolerance level and how long they can stay the course. And, also, how they behave in different environments,” she said.
This is one of the reasons why Ted Leonsis — local owner of the Capitals, Wizards and Mystics — has been such an advocate of OxiWear and Fernando, with not just financial investment but mentorship as well.
American flag over the start of the Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K in 2017
(Updated at 3 p.m.) A pair of large events are planned for Saturday, resulting in road closures in Rosslyn and the Crystal City area.
First up, the Rosslyn Jazz Fest, scheduled from 1-7 p.m. in Gateway Park, will close the following roads from 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
EB Langston Boulevard, from Fort Myer Drive to N. Moore Street
Fort Myer Drive driveway access, from 19th Street N. to N. Moore Street
“Traffic is expected to be impacted in the area and motorists should seek alternate routes to reduce road congestion,” the Arlington County Police Department said. “Attendees are encouraged to use Metro and other forms of multimodal transportation. The Rosslyn Metro Station (Orange, Silver, and Blue lines) is located within walking distance to the event.”
Later that day, a more extensive set of road closures will be put in place between 3-5 p.m. for the 20th Annual Arlington Police, Fire, Sheriff, & ECC 9/11 Memorial 5k race.
From a police press release:
The Arlington County Police Department will close the following roadways around the Pentagon and in Crystal City to accommodate the event:
From approximately 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Army Navy Drive, from S. Eads Street to 12th Street S.
From approximately 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
S. Eads Street, from Army Navy Drive to 12th Street S.
S. Fern Street, from Army Navy Drive to 12th Street S.
S. Hayes Street, from Army Navy Drive to 12th Street S.
Army Navy Drive, from S. Joyce Street to S. Eads Street
S. Joyce Street, from Army Navy Drive to Columbia Pike
Columbia Pike, from S. Oak Street to Washington Boulevard
S. Washington Boulevard, from Arlington Boulevard to Columbia Pike
S. Washington Boulevard, from SB George Washington Parkway
Route 110 S., from I-66 and Wilson Boulevard to Army Navy Drive
Marshall Drive, from Iwo Jima Access Road to Route 110 S.
Southgate Road, from Oak Street to Columbia Pike
The ramp to Army Navy Drive from NB I-395 Exit 8A, Arlington Ridge Road, and N. Washington Boulevard
The ramp from NB I-395 Exit 8C to Pentagon City / Crystal City
“Race attendees and spectators are encouraged to use Metro or other forms of multimodal transportation,” said the release. “The Pentagon City Metro Station (Blue and Yellow lines) and Crystal City Metro Station (Blue and Yellow lines) are located within walking distance to the racecourse. Paid parking is available at the Pentagon City Mall garage for those choosing to drive.”
Street parking in the area of both events will be restricted, with temporary “No Parking” signs placed along various streets, police said.
There’s also a third major event that will be coming through the county Saturday morning: the D.C. Bike Ride, the route for which goes over the 14th Street Bridge and loops around near the Pentagon.
Rosslyn Jazz Fest crowd shot (via Rosslyn Business Improvement District)
Rosslyn’s long-running jazz festival returns this weekend, and the festivities leading up to it will include a roving band in an open-air bus.
The 30th annual Rosslyn Jazz Fest, set for this Saturday, will bring the international sounds and rhythms of jazz to Gateway Park at 1300 Langston Blvd.
From 1-7 p.m., attendees can vibe to performances by the headliner, Cuban funk musician Cimafunk, as well as these acts:
Harlem-based Mwenso and the Shakes, a jazz and blues band made of up immigrants from all around the world
Groove Orchestra, a jazz ensemble headed by D.C. multi-instrumentalist Samuel Prather.
There will be food trucks and yard games, and attendees can browse tables selling merchandise and representing community organizations.
Registration is encouraged due to the park’s capacity limit.
But the jazz party is already getting started, with happy-hour performances this evening and tomorrow. And, for the first time, jazz artists will serenade strollers from an open-top bus rolling through the neighborhood this Thursday.
Tonight (Tuesday), Stickman Band will play from 6-8 p.m. at the outdoor patio of Assembly, located in Rosslyn City Center (1700 N Moore Street).
BroadSound Band will perform a mix of jazz and pop hits from an open-top bus between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Thursday.
More on that from the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, which organizes the annual festival:
Rosslyn’s first ever Rosslyn Rolling Concert is here in celebration of our 30th Rosslyn Jazz Fest! On Thursday, Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. an open-top bus will hit the streets through the Rosslyn neighborhood (and beyond) with the BroadSound Band performing a mix of jazz and pop hits!
At each stop, we’ll have Rosslyn swag giveaways for those out in the neighborhood. The bus will stop at designated locations (listed below) for performances, starting and ending at Central Place Plaza. Get rolling into the weekend with this final jazz performance before the festival!
If you can’t make the rolling concert, tune in for live updates on our Instagram story!
ROSSLYN ROLLING CONCERT SCHEDULE
(A) 11:00 a.m. – Central Place Plaza
(B) 11:30 a.m. – Corner of N. Oak St. and Wilson Blvd. (by Hot Lola’s and the Parklet)
(C) 12:00 p.m. – HB Woodlawn Secondary School
(D) 12:30 p.m. – 1425 N. Courthouse Rd. (by the Arlington County Justice Center)
