GAINSWave Therapy in Rosslyn, VA

IKEA will be opening a new "plan and order point" store in Arlington on Wednesday, the first IKEA store of its kind in the D.C. area.

Mark Hand, Patch Staff

|Updated Tue, Aug 15, 2023 at 11:23 am ET

ARLINGTON, VA — IKEA will be opening a new "plan and order point" store in Pentagon City in Arlington on Wednesday, the first IKEA store of its kind in the Washington, D.C., area.

The store will provide inspiration and ideas for the home and offer customers one-on-one consultation services for kitchen design, bedroom and bathroom ideas, small space living recommendations and other services, IKEA said.

Customers can begin scheduling in-person appointments through the IKEA Arlington local store page.

IKEA Arlington will be open to all visitors to browse the showroom Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Customers can also book an appointment and sit down with an IKEA expert planner to get design ideas and price quotes, and order IKEA products.

READ ALSO: IKEA To Open Smaller Format Store In NoVA Dedicated To Design Advice

IKEA has been on the outskirts of the D.C. area for more than 35 years, with large-format IKEA stores in Woodbridge and College Park, Maryland.

"There’s no need to lug furniture home, as the IKEA team will conveniently arrange all items to be transported to a customer’s home or to another pick up point," IKEA said.

IKEA has already opened plan and order point stores in Europe and Canada. The Arlington location will be among the first in the U.S.

The new IKEA Arlington Plan and order point will allow customers to meet with professional consultants who can help them optimize their living and working spaces, said Raquel Ely, market manager of IKEA U.S.

"With full-service delivery, this is a new, intimate experience that’s uniquely IKEA. It’s where design expertise meets convenience," Ely said.

The IKEA Arlington Plan and order point is located in the Pentagon Centre shopping center at 1201 S. Hayes Street in Arlington in 5,012 square feet of leased space.

The company said it chose the Pentagon Centre location in Arlington due to its ample parking and accessibility to Metrorail and Metro buses.

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An Arlington tradition for four decades, the public is invited to participate in Dark Star Park Day, on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, and watch the shadow alignment that the iconic sculpture was designed to capture.

Dark Star Park is located at 1655 N. Fort Myer Drive (at the convergence of N. Fort Myer Drive and N. Lynn Street, just off of Route 50/Arlington Boulevard, in Arlington’s Rosslyn neighborhood).

Every August 1, at precisely 9:32 a.m., Nancy Holt’s Dark Star Park (1984) aligns with the sun. Shadows cast by the spheres and poles of this landmark outdoor sculpture align with their permanent forms on the ground, marking the moment of Rosslyn’s founding. The community is invited to celebrate with light refreshments provided by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District.

The work of pioneering land-art artist Nancy Holt, Dark Star Park is one of the first major examples of "integrated public art" in the nation, and Arlington’s first major commissioned public art project. It also marks the anniversary of the day in 1860 that William Henry Ross purchased the land that later became Rosslyn, where the park is located. As many of Nancy Holt’s site-specific artworks were purposely built in remote areas, Dark Star Park is also extraordinary in that it is among the late artist’s few major artworks in an accessible urban area.

In addition to being a regional landmark, Nancy Holt’s sculptural park is the cornerstone of Arlington’s internationally acclaimed Public Art collection. This year's shadow alignment will launch Arlington Public Art’s 40th anniversary observance, with a series of events and activations highlighting the entire collection planned throughout the year, including the dedication of several artworks new to the collection.

About Arlington Public Art

Arlington County, Virginia, is home to more than eighty permanent public works of art. Arlington Public Art directly commissions artworks integrated into County capital improvement projects, coordinates artworks commissioned by real estate developers as part of the site plan process and assists community groups to initiate public art projects on public property. We also partner with local arts and community organizations, artists and businesses to present interpretative projects, temporary artworks, exhibitions and more.

Arlington’s history of commissioning public art stemming from County planning objectives began in 1984, with the dedication of Nancy Holt’s Dark Star Park in Rosslyn, which features a community-celebrated annual shadow alignment. Arlington Public Art is a program of Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs.

About Arlington Cultural Affairs

Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development, delivers public activities and programs as Arlington Arts. Our mission is to create, support, and promote the arts, connecting artists and community to reflect the diversity of Arlington. We do this by: providing material support to artists and arts organizations in the form of grants, facilities and theater technology; integrating award-winning public art into our built environment; and presenting high quality performing, literary, visual and new media programs across the County.

About Rosslyn Business Improvement District

The Rosslyn BID provides high-quality, customer-oriented services designed to define, enhance and continually improve Rosslyn for those who work, live, visit and do business here. As a resourceful and collaborative organization, we work in partnership with our key stakeholders and Arlington County to create a welcoming, creative, thriving environment that supports Rosslyn’s residents and a wide range of business types, from innovative start-ups to established Fortune 500 companies and international associations. We take an active leadership role in all that we do, serving as a collaborator, community builder and agent of positive change.

An excessive heat warning is in effect across a large part of Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. on both Friday and Saturday.

Mark Hand, Patch Staff

|Updated Fri, Jul 28, 2023 at 10:09 am ET

VIRGINIA/DC — An excessive heat warning is in effect across a large part of Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. on both Friday and Saturday, with index values up to 111 degrees expected, according to the National Weather Service.

The Friday excessive heating warning is in effect from noon until 8 p.m., while the Saturday warning will be in effect from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities," the NWS said.

High temperatures are expected to reach the upper 90s to around 100, which is the record high temperature for the day at Reagan National Airport. The record high for July 28 at Washington Dulles Airport is 99 degrees.

Temperatures will be extremely high on Saturday, too, but are not expected to hit record highs. The record high at Reagan National Airport for July 29 is 104 degrees, and Washington Dulles Airport's record high is 103 degrees. Both of those records were set in 2011.

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Stafford counties, along with the Cities of Alexandria and Fredericksburg, are included in the excessive heat warning. To the west, Loudoun and Fauquier counties are under a heat advisory for Friday.

By about 8 p.m. on Friday, the heat index will finally drop below 100 degrees in the D.C. area, according to forecasts.

In its hazardous weather outlook, the NWS said that isolated severe thunderstorms producing damaging winds are possible Friday afternoon. On Saturday afternoon, chances for severe thunderstorms are greater as a cool front moves into the area.

Storms on Saturday will bring an end to the heat wave, with highs on Sunday expected in the mid-80s, followed by cooler and less humid air early next week.

For Friday and Saturday, residents are urged to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room and stay out of the sun. Young children and pets should not be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.

For workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.

Fairfax County has activated its heat plan. Cooling centers across the county will be available during normal operating hours for people needing relief from the heat. The centers will also have supplies available, including bottled water, sunscreen, insect repellant, and body wipes.

Arlington County is offering shelters and resources during the heat wave. Financial assistance with air conditioning repairs are available by calling 703-228-1350. Alexandria residents without access to cooling in their homes or a place to cool off can find various options around the city. Cooling centers are designated at recreation centers and library branches.

The District of Columbia has activated its hot weather emergency plan through Sunday.

Here is a look at the National Weather Service forecast for the weekend and early next week for Northern Virginia and D.C.:

Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5 p.m. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Heat index values as high as 109.

Friday night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76.

Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 105.

Saturday night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 a.m., then a slight chance of showers between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 67.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 85.

Monday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 84.

Officials did not issue any smoke alerts across Virginia, but they reminded at-risk groups to avoid prolonged or heavy activity outdoors​.​

Patch Staff

|Updated Wed, Aug 2, 2023 at 2:40 pm ET

VIRGINIA/DC — Smoke from wildfires burning hundreds of miles away in central Canada returned to Virginia and Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, according to AccuWeather forecasters.

Hazy skies will be at their peak from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the National Weather Service said.

Although forecasters did not issue any alerts across the state, they warned sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease (including asthma), heart disease and children and older adults to reduce prolonged or heavy activity outdoors.

"In locations across the Great Lakes and Northeast, the most widespread impacts from the smoke will be hazy skies, leading to especially colorful sunrises and sunsets," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty. "The majority of the smoke impacting the United States is higher up in the atmosphere, rather than close to the surface."

The good news, however, is that forecasters expect overnight southeast winds to push the plume of smoke out of Virginia by Thursday morning.

The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang noted there would be a smoky haze on Wednesday. Also, Wednesday would be the last day in the current mini-stretch of no chance of rain, according to the Capital Weather Gang.

Thunderstorms are also possible Thursday in Virginia, according to the National Weather Service.

That rain chance will continue into Friday as a cool front approaches. Clouds and rain chances will keep Friday's highs near 80 degrees, according to NBC4.

Forecasters said the ongoing wildfires in central and western Canada are drifting farther north, giving the smoke more time to drift into the atmosphere before reaching Virginia and other parts of the U.S., limiting most health concerns.

Last month, smoke in the air reached unsafe levels that canceled outdoor activities, and hampered visibility at times.

Here is a look at the National Weather Service forecast through the weekend for Northern Virginia and D.C.:

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 87.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 88.

When we chose Arlington, Virginia, as the site of our second headquarters, we committed to become part of the local neighborhood and among the most trusted business and community partners in the region.

Our investment in HQ2 and the surrounding area will result in 25,000 Amazon jobs by 2030 and support thousands of indirect jobs across the region. So far, we’ve exceeded the projections laid out in the agreement we signed with Virginia in 2018 by creating and maintaining over 8,000 jobs at HQ2.

We’ve worked closely with our partners in Arlington County and the National Landing neighborhood, and actively listened to community feedback to inform the design and continue to improve this project.

"This project is extraordinary in many respects," said Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey. "It will bring us significantly closer to fulfilling the community's vision of Arlington and National Landing as an urban neighborhood with a better balance of office, residential, and retail development, more and better public spaces, and more and better access for pedestrians and cyclists."

Meet the local businesses of Amazon’s HQ2 at Met Park, from lunch spots to fitness and wellness centers

Amazon HQ2 at Met Park in Arlington, Virginia is more than just an office. Visitors can get a facial, eat tacos and ice cream, and even see local art.

Read more

In addition to providing world-class office space for Amazon employees, Metropolitan Park benefits the wider Arlington community. We are creating an open, thriving area that enhances Arlington’s National Landing business district with a new public park space, 14 locally owned small businesses, improved neighborhood connectivity, and other amenities encouraging activity 18 hours a day.

“I’m thrilled to see Amazon's Metropolitan Park opening and Amazon’s unwavering commitment to our community,” said Kate Bates, president and CEO of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. “From the beginning, Amazon has translated their promises into tangible actions. By including local retailers and prioritizing opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses, Amazon is not only stimulating the local economy, but also fostering diversity and inclusivity within the retail industry.”

“Amazon's focus on providing opportunity through access is a testament to their commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable future. We are proud to partner with Amazon as they continue to positively impact Arlington,” Bates said.

Here is an exclusive peek inside Metropolitan Park at Amazon's HQ2

Construction at Metropolitan Park began in early 2020 under strict health and safety guidelines. The construction project includes more than 2.1 million square feet.

Metropolitan Park’s two 22-story buildings—named Jasper and Merlin—stand 327 feet tall and include 200,000 cubic yards of concrete, which is enough to fill the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool six times.

Fun fact: Amazon buildings around the globe are named for key moments in our evolution. Jasper was the code name used for a project to enhance the customer experience for Alexa, and Merlin was the codename for QuickSight, a product that helps our AWS customers generate dashboards powered by AI insights.

Metropolitan Park is home to a new 2.5-acre public open space that features a dog park, recreation areas, seasonal weekend farmers markets, and more—helping realize our community’s vision for a large, centrally located park.

Thoughtfully designed with more than 175 native trees and plantings, Metropolitan Park offers public art installations, walking paths, and places to rest. The park also includes a children’s garden and play area.

The ground level of Metropolitan Park is open and available to the public. On nice days, garage doors open to reveal the building’s atrium with seating and access to a coffee shop.

The design of Metropolitan Park was highly influenced by the natural beauty of Virginia and the unique history of the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. Design elements incorporate native flora and fauna, and use earth tones and natural materials, such as wood and stone, to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The meeting centers will be used by Amazon employees for large gatherings. The spaces will also be made available to the community for specific events.

The buildings feature spaces for Amazon employees to gather called “centers of energy." These will be buzzing hubs for formal and informal interaction where employees can purchase lunch or a coffee, take a one-on-one meeting from a booth, or grab a seat to catch up on email.

Although Amazon’s HQ2 features eight convenient, quick-service food stalls and cafes in the buildings, Metropolitan Park is designed to encourage employees to venture out into the neighborhood to grab a bite, check out a new restaurant, or support a local business.

HQ2’s “dog wall” adds a touch of whimsy to the environment while referencing the wide range of roles and positions at Amazon. The wall features framed photos of Amazon employees’ pets with the pet’s name and “job title,” which corresponds to their owner’s department. Learn more about Amazon’s dog-friendly workplace culture.

We also think it’s important to offer employees the option to connect with nature during the workday. The rooftop gardens provide scenic views of Arlington, Washington, D.C., and the Potomac River, along with access to natural light to help reduce stress and improve focus. These terrace gardens have sustainability features, including recycled greywater systems for irrigation, native trees, and locally sourced plants.

Every Amazon employee has their own way of commuting to and from the workplace, and we encourage our employees to use the Metro, bike, or walk to their office. As a commuter benefit, we offer subsidized transportation each month to all corporate employees for transit cards, bikes, and rideshare.

Metropolitan Park has secure, transportation-related features and spaces, including 620 bike racks, two bike repair and wash stations, a half-mile of new, protected bike lanes, and locker rooms with showers for commuters. The building complex has four levels of below-grade parking with 290 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and additional pedestrian pathways, which provide safe walkways for employees walking to work and commuting via the Metro.

Metropolitan Park houses more than 50,000 square feet of retail space for businesses. We prioritized 14 minority-owned and women-owned small businesses to create a vibrant, 18-hour neighborhood where employees and neighbors alike can grab a bite, take a spin class, and even see local art.