Orleans House Set to Close|ABC 7 News

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Orleans House Set to Close

posted 7:19 pm Tue December 18, 2007 - Arlington, Va.

tags: develop • orleans house • resturant • rosslyn

After five decades as an Arlington landmark, Tom Sarris' Orleans House has less than a month left to go.

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The low-slung restaurant and its rare outdoor parking lot have survived a changing Rosslyn landscape. The neighborhood has transformed from a village of single-story small businesses into a commercial hub of skyscrapers standing in contrast to Washington's smaller-stature skyline.

But the times have caught up with with Orleans House.

The Arlington County board approved plans on Saturday to build a 600,000-square-foot, 470-foot-tall office building at 1812 North Moore Street - the space occupied by the restaurant. Owner Tom Sarris said he had no option but to sell.

"I wish we had more control over it, but you know we don't have control over the county," said the 83-year-old Sarris, from the chair in which he now watches over his restaurant. "We've got employees here that have been here fifty years. They don't know where to go now."

The Orleans House is the only place manager Denise Papakostas has ever worked.

"I work thirty years," she said. "I will say, I grow up right here."
Regular customers are also facing a dilemma.

"When we found out it was closing, we a thought we'd come for one last time," said regular Bill Smith.

Bob Reese has a decade of lunchtime dining at the Orleans House under his belt. He enjoys the food and the camaraderie of his favorite server, Edith. She's worked here since the place opened.

"There been tears for the past two months. Yes, there have," she said.

"I'm gonna miss it. I'm not sure where to go now," said Reese. "Might have to find out where Edith's going next and follow here around."

Fans of prime rib and surf and turf weren't the only ones with objections to the Skyscraper.

The Federal Aviation Administration had said the height of the planned building could pose a threat to planes heading to and from Reagan National Airport. But the FAA signed off on the plan last month. The National Capital Planning Commission worried the planned building's height would overwhelm the 555-foot-tall Washington Monument across the river.

With all the official objections, Orleans House employees didn't worry too much about the plans becoming a reality.

"We really didn't think that anything was going to come of it cause I didn't think they needed another building down here," said Chris Sarris, Tom's son.

The Orleans House will close January 15. Tom Sarris says he'd like to reopen, but says finding a suitable location is next to impossible.

Latest Comment on Orleans House Set to Close

vanative

10:12 pm on 12/18/07

What a shame. Hubby used to take me there for prime rib on lunch dates when we first met. Their salad bar is the bomb-diggity! Why does Rosslyn need another skyscraper? You can't even see the DC skyline anymore with all the buildings. It scares me that the FAA was against it but signed off on it anyway.

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