Another sure sign of spring is the reopening of the popular Columbia Pike Farmers Market this Sunday, May 4, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm! The Market will take place each Sunday through November in Pike Park, at the corner of S. Walter Reed Dr. and Columbia Pike. Opening day festivities will include live music by Buck Empson, and performances by local juggler Patty Johnson. What’s more, courtesy of the Arlington Cinema N’ Drafthouse, selected vendors will offer free movie passes with a purchase of $5 or more.

This year, in addition to old favorites like Creek Side Produce, Twin Springs Fruit Farm, Smith Fresh Organic Meats, Bonaparte Breads, and Toigo Orchards, an exciting array of new vendors have joined the market. These include organic Stoneybrook Farms, as well as local producers of milk, butter, yogurt, salsas, and tea. These join the Virginia Chocolate Co., The Jam Jar, Hondo Coffee, Union Street Soapworks, and other vendors who are happy to be coming back to the Pike for another year. For a full list of vendors at the Columbia Pike Farmers Market go to: http://www.columbiapike.org/MARKET/index_E.html

With demolition of the existing Giant grocery and pharmacy stores in the Adam’s Square Shopping Center several months away, Giant’s Director of Real Estate has issued a letter spelling out plans to serve existing customers during construction of the replacement store in the Penrose Square development. The plan includes operating a pharmacy at 2408 Columbia Pike, the vacant storefront next to Rappahannock Coffee. The letter indicates the interim pharmacy will open “simultaneously with or as soon as practicable after the closing of the Adams Square unit.” For grocery service Giant plans to provide a free round-trip shuttle from the interim pharmacy to the Bailey’s Crossroads Giant on Saturday mornings. Pursuant to a condition of the Penrose Square site plan, the County Manager must approve Giant’s interim service plan before the County will issue a Clearing, Grading, and Demolition permit. To see a rendering of the future Penrose Square project please visit: http://www.columbiapike.org/UPDATE/93207.html

Pike Featured as Part of Real Estate Showcase & Bus Tour Columbia Pike will be one of five areas featured during the 2008 Arlington Real Estate Showcase & Bus Tour that takes place on June 12 from 7:30 am-12:00 noon, followed by gourmet bites and refreshments at the new Hotel Palomar. This popular event begins with a trade show and then includes a bus tour of areas with Arlington’s newest and most innovative development projects. It’s a great opportunity to learn about what’s new on the Pike and all around the County, and get a peek at what’s up and coming in the next year. For more information and on-line registration, go to www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com/bustour2008

Arlington Commissioner of Revenue Ingrid Morroy recently announced the launch of a new business tax filing program. The system will allow businesses to file business license and monthly meals tax returns online and pay at the same time, without completing any paperwork. To access the system business owners will enter their Federal Employer Identification or Social Security Number and their business account number. Once the return has been electronically submitted and taxes paid, the system provides a confirmation. For more information call the Business Tax Division at 703-228-3060. To access the website go to www.arlingtonva.us/cor

Local developer Bob Eisenberg is refining plans for a 4-story mixed-use project at 4707 Columbia Pike, the former home of a Bob & Edith’s Diner. Eisenberg, who is President of Heritage Property Co. LLC, a firm he established in 2006, said he has had his eyes on the site for some time, and is excited about the opportunities that Columbia Pike presents. He is committed to following the Columbia Pike Form Based Code, and said he “wants to build something the neighborhood will be proud of.” Eisenberg recently attended a meeting of the Barcroft School and Civic League where he met some of those neighbors and presented conceptual plans for his site. The development, which is expected to cost $26 million, is slated to include 13,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail space, and 65 apartments on the three floors above. Eisenberg hopes to obtain approvals and start construction in about a year, and complete the project in the summer of 2010.

Washington Boulevard Bridge Replacement Project—Public Forum Scheduled

The public is invited to learn about the proposal to replace the Washington Boulevard Bridge and other related interchange modifications. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 17^th between 6:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 125 South Old Glebe Road in Arlington. The presentation of the project will begin at 7:00 P.M. The replacement project includes rebuilding the entire Columbia Pike/Washington Boulevard interchange, beginning .03 miles north of I-395 along Washington Blvd. and ending .20 miles north of Columbia Pike, and from S. Quinn Street to S. Orme Street along Columbia Pike. For more information about the project plans, see www.virginiadot.org/projects/nova/27-244WorkingGroup.asp

The Hollywood Video store in the Westmont Shopping Center (3263 Columbia Pike) closed for good this week as part of the bankruptcy reorganization of their parent company, Movie Gallery. With nearly 5,000 square feet of well appointed space, this creates a nice opportunity for a new retailer to come to the Pike. If you know of a likely candidate, please call CPRO at 703-892-2776.

Did you see the piece in Washington Post Magazine’s April 13 Education Review? There it was, Barcroft Elementary being described by the reporter, Jay Mathews, as “an educational jewel, with enthusiastic teachers in a sparkling building overseen by one of the most admired principals in the region.” And, to make it even better, the piece includes not one, but two quotes from CPRO’s own Managing Director Pam Holcomb! To see the article please visit:

In other good news for Pike area schools, Ward Merritt, who has been teaching second grade at Randolph Elementary for 13 years, has been awarded the Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award from the Washington Post. Congratulations!

The Arlington County Board has named the members of its new Diversity Dialogue Task Force, which is an extension of Board Chair Walter Tejada’s efforts to foster greater understanding across Arlington’s many cultures. The Task Force will play a key role in 3 “world café” style public dialogues this year, and develop recommendations on diversity related matters to the County Board. The panel is chaired by Reverend Dr. Leonard Hamlin, and has seven other members including CPRO Board member Dr. Teshaye Teferra of ECDC, and Columbia Heights resident Wuiping Yap who also serves on Arlington’s Multicultural Commission.

Wakefield High School presents the musical Grease on May 2, 3, 9, and 10. All performances will start at 7:00 pm in the Wakefield auditorium located at 4901 S. Chesterfield Rd. in Arlington. For more information contact Alicia Zekan at 703.228.6705. And, at Kenmore Middle School (200 S. Carlin Springs Road), Bowen McCauley Dance will be performing the world premier of Saint Saens’ Carnival of the Animals on Saturday May 3 at 7 pm and Sunday May 4 at 3 pm. Following the Sunday performance only, young audience members will be invited to the stage to join Artistic Director, Lucy Bowen McCauley, and Company for a free creative-movement class for children. Visit www.bmdc.org to purchase tickets in advance. Tickets will also be sold at the door. Also, a benefit youth concert for the Children’s Defense Fund will be presented Sunday, May 4 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2217 Columbia Pike. The concert is a joint effort by the Columbia Pike MusiKids, Arlington Youth Chorus, Redeemer Lutheran Church Youth & Children’s Choirs, Barrett Elementary School Chorus, and the Columbia Pike Community Chorus. For more information contact Barbara Steffan at 703-920-7077 or at musicmin@tecarl.org. Meanwhile, CPRO’s Associate Director Amy McWilliams is currently appearing in Kander and Ebbs’ The Happy Time in the Ark space at the Signature Theatre in Shirlington. The show, which the Washington Post called "a little charmer," includes a collection of fine theatrical songs celebrating the joys and disappointments of life. It runs through June 1. For tickets call 703-573-SEAT or visit www.signature-theatre.org.

CPRO receives an annual grant from Arlington County that makes up almost one-third of our budget. For the remainder we rely on the support of our members, as well as organizations and companies who sponsor our events. Please consider becoming a CPRO member today. To access a membership form please follow the link below. Thank You! http://www.columbiapike.org/membership/index_E.html

As always, the CPRO staff welcomes your input. Email your suggestions, questions, comments, and offers of assistance to Jim Whittaker at jwhittaker@columbiapike.org; Pam Holcomb at pholcomb@columbiapike.org; or Amy McWilliams at amcwilliams@columbiapike.org or call 703-892-2776. Know someone who would like to receive the CPRO e-Newsletter? Please send us email addresses and we will add them to our distribution list. As always, for more information about what’s happening on the Pike go to www.columbiapike.org