August 2008 CPRO e-Newsletter
What Construction Slow Down? The Pike Keeps Building!
<!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->Despite tough times in the construction industry nationwide, building activity in the Columbia Pike corridor is continuing at a solid pace. With concrete poured for three levels of underground parking, Columbia Village by Fairfield Residential is now rising out of the ground on the Pike at S. Greenbrier St. The 10 story project, which will include 234 apartments and about 7,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail, is expected to be completed in late 2009. West of there, at 5666 Columbia Pike metal framing is in place for the new five story headquarters of the Arlington Virginia Federal Credit Union. That building is expected to be completed next summer.<!--[if !vml]-->
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<!--[endif]-->Exterior construction of the eight story Halstead (on the Pike at S. Walter Reed Dr.) is nearly complete, with delivery projected in December of this year. That project will include 269 rental apartments, 40,000 sq. feet of retail, and 450 underground parking spaces. Also, construction of the first row of garage townhomes at Majestic Oak by Courtland Homes (S. Glebe Rd. just below the Pike) will be completed within 60 days. Two additional town house rows are planned. And, excavation is now complete and a construction crane is in place for Siena Park by Woodfield Investments. That six story project on the Pike at S. Wayne St. will include 188 rental apartments, more than 14,000 sq. ft. of office space, and 32,000 sq. ft. of retail.
In addition, renovation work abounds and is producing major upgrades along the Pike including all new interiors, driveways, entryways, a fountain, and a new cyber café at the Wellington Apartments, 1850 Columbia Pike (
www.livethewellington.com); new windows and signage for the commercial building on the Pike at 927 S. Walter Rd. Dr.; new interiors for 218 apartments, new cornices, exterior columns and landscaping at the Taylor Place apartments at 4301 Columbia Pike (
www.taylorplaceapts.com); and 227 refurbished units at the Stratford (to be renamed Infinity Apartment Homes) on the Pike at S. Columbus St. (
www.infinityapts.com).
County Board Approves Public Square for Penrose
The Arlington County Board on July 21 approved the master plan for Penrose Square, the first and largest of three new squares planned for Columbia Pike’s Town Center that are key to efforts to transform the Pike. “Penrose Square will provide a beautiful, well-planned public gathering place on Columbia Pike,” said Board Chairman J. Walter Tejada. The 33,000 sq. ft. square will be located in what are now the existing surface parking lots of the Adams Square and Fillmore Shopping Centers. It will include a paved central plaza, tree-covered terrace with movable seats and tables, a zero depth interactive water fountain, mounded grass areas and public art. The square will face south, fronting on Columbia Pike. It will be bounded on two sides by the new 7-story Penrose Square development (expected to begin construction this fall) that will feature a Giant grocery store, other ground floor retail, 299 rental apartments, and underground parking.
Click here to see the design of the square. The square will be built in two phases. Phase I will consist of a 17,760-sq. ft. parcel which represents the eastern half of the square. Construction of Phase I is expected to begin in mid-2010 and has an estimated cost of $2.2 million. Phase II – approximately 15,000 sq. ft. – will be provided by and coordinated with the future redevelopment of the Fillmore Shopping Center site. Although a construction date for the second portion of the square is not yet determined, it is projected to cost an additional $2 million.
Save the Date: Taste of the Pike Returns Saturday, Sept. 20
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<!--[endif]-->Come see why the Columbia Pike area has been called "the World in a Zip-Code" and enjoy specialty foods from around the globe prepared by some of the Pike’s favorite restaurants and caterers. Plus, at the 2nd annual Taste of the Pike—A Multicultural Celebration you’ll be entranced by the spectacle of more than a dozen musical and dance groups (such as this Bolivian dance group from last year’s event) performing in a variety of folkloric and contemporary styles. CPRO is pleased to again be partnering with Arlington’s Multicultural Advisory Commission to produce this exciting event. You will want to visit the booths of local civic groups, shop for the fine goods of arts and crafts vendors, and check out the kids activities-- there will truly be something for everyone! Admission is FREE. Sat. Sept. 20, noon to 7:00 p.m. on the grounds of the Arlington Mill Community Center at 4975 Columbia Pike.Click here to access the application to rent booth space. Special thanks to the following companies who have signed on as sponsors: Edgemoor Real Estate Services, Silverwood Homes, Dominion Virginia Power, Woodfield Investments, and the Dorchester, Westmont, and Oakland Apartments of Columbia Pike. For sponsorship opportunities contact Jim Whittaker at 703-892-2776 or jwhittaker@columbiapike.org.
Columbia Pike to Get Area’s First "Super Stops"
Three new prototype bus shelters featuring heated seats, heated floors, new lighting, glass walls, and WiFi capability will be built on Columbia Pike within the next nine months, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced recently. They are designed to enhance the experience of bus riders and encourage transit use. These three stops are the first of potentially 22 that could be built along the Pike. To access a Washington Post article with more information and images showing the new stops
click here.
Ingrid Morroy to Address Pike Business Networking Group
The next breakfast gathering of the Columbia Pike Business Opportunity Network will occur on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 8:00-9:30 a.m. at the Walter Reed Community Center (2909 16
th St. S.). Ingrid Morroy, Arlington’s Commissioner of Revenue, who will talk about new systems and services that are now available for area businesses. This is a great way to meet other entrepreneurs and promote your company. This event is FREE courtesy of our sponsor, SIGN*A*RAMA of King St., but space is limited so you must register to attend, online at
www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com/bizlaunch/events,
or call 703-892-2776 to reserve a spot.
Pike Businesses in the News
Security One Bank at 5860 Columbia Pike has changed its name to
John Marshall Bank.
The name change coincides with a recently completed stock offering of $22 million and the arrival of a new management team. With this change comes expanded products and services, particularly for local small businesses. For more information about the bank click here. With the recent closing of the All Around Art frameshops here on on the Pike and throughout the area, nearly 4,000 square feet of space has become available for lease or sale at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Highland Street (3102 Columbia Pike). For more information click here or
call 703-283-2999. Dog Paws University (www.DPnCC.com), located at 940 S. George Mason continues to expand its offerings. Pet daycare and boarding services are now available 365 days a year. Training and obedience classes have now begun and more are being added based on interest. Also coming in the Fall, Homeward Trails (www.homewardtrails.org), a non-profit pet rescue organization will be basing its operations under the Dog Paws roof, and PetMac (www.petmac.org), one of the area’s favorite pet stores will be running a retail market at Dog Paws.
Peaches, Corn, Tomatoes, & More Starring at Farmers Market!
The Columbia Pike Farmers Market, now in its 13
th season, takes place each Sunday through November from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm in Pike Park, at the corner of S. Walter Reed Dr. and Columbia Pike. Come out and treat yourself to the fresh local produce, organic meats, baked goods, milk, cheese, flowers, coffee, tea, and handmade chocolates, salsas, soaps, and more. In the past month we have added three new vendors—Virginia Pure Beeswax Candles & Honey, Henna Tatoos by Pragate, and Pressed Flower Art & Jewelry by Reinvented Elegance. Also, we are pleased to be partnering with the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) who is receiving donations of 600-700 pounds of unsold produce from our farmers each Sunday. For a full list of vendors who participate in our market
click here.
Doing More for Our Environment
CPRO is pleased to have become a partner in Fresh AIRE, the Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emissions! We are working to reduce our energy usage and increase our recycling, among other green-office measures. For more information about the County program go to
www.arlingtonva.us/climate. Also, the initiative has just announced the launch of Project Weatherization, a free program to produce energy cost savings for senior citizens and owners of affordable housing units in Arlington who are Washington Gas customers. Spots are limited so sign up today. For more details contact Sarah O’Connell at 703-228-4797 or
seoconnell@arlingtonva.us. In addition, the Virginia Sustainable Building Network (VSBN), who shares CPRO’s office space, is co-chairing the 2008 Commonwealth of Virginia Energy and Sustainability (COVES) Conference to be held September 17-19 at the Richmond Convention Center. The conference will feature nationally recognized speakers and educational sessions on energy efficiency, sustainable land use, innovative transportation, clean technologies, and other topics. For more information go to
www.vsbn.org/coves2008.
New Playgrounds a Hit at Harvey Hall and Barcroft Park
A major playground replacement project was recently completed at Harvey Hall, the 116-unit apartment community at 850-860 S. Greenbrier St. in Columbia Heights West. The affordable housing complex is owned by the non-profit Arlington Housing Corporation (AHC) which renovated much of it in 2005 and 2006. But, when it came time to address the play area AHC turned to Kaboom, a local non-profit that builds playgrounds for qualifying communities. Major financial support and a big crew of volunteers were provided by Arlington-based Corporate Executive Board. The new fenced playground has a large slide, swings, a jungle gym and a sandbox and is decorated with colorful painted flags representing a wide variety of countries around the world. The playground at Barcroft Park on S. Four Mile Run Dr. also recently got a major upgrade. It now features a jump slide, climbing play-nets, and more. Lighted handball, tennis, and basketball courts, and new picnic and game tables were also installed at Barcroft Park. It’s time to play!
Easter Seals Adult Day Care Center Now Open
County residents now have an additional day placement for loved ones experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s or dementia. The program, which opened earlier this summer is located at the Walter Reed Community Center at 2909 16th Street S. and S. Walter Reed Dr. just below the Pike. The newly licensed facility offers medical and therapeutic recreational services and will assist individuals to continue residing in the community and postpone or avoid placement in nursing homes. It is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. For more information contact Deborah Greenbush, Center Director, at 703-228-0965.
Community Labyrinth Walk Planned at Arlington UMC
The art studio at Faith Renaissance invites the community to join in a labyrinth walk on Saturday and Sunday August 16 and 17 at the Arlington United Methodist Church, 716 S. Glebe Rd.
A large labyrinth will be created on the church’s front lawn for this event, and there will be an indoor labyrinth as well. Not a maze, the labyrinth is a winding path which echoes the twists and turns that our lives can take. For more information, to volunteer to help create the labyrinth, and for some links to labyrinth-related websites, visit www.faithrenaissance.org, and click on "Upcoming Events", or email arts@arlingtonumc.com. There is no charge for this event, but participants are invited to bring a non-perishable food item for UMC’s food pantry, which benefits local people in need.
CPRO Members Support the Pike’s Revitalization
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.htmlContact Us
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
