After Shirlington Flooding, Corso Italian Faces an Uncertain Road Ahead

Corso Italian has closed indefinitely after floodwater entered both of its dining rooms and basement during a major construction project at the Village at Shirlington.

Owner Jill Erber announced the closure Wednesday, saying the restaurant had spent more than two weeks trying to continue serving customers while repairs and remediation proceeded around it.

“We are closing today, and we don’t yet know what comes next,” Erber wrote in an emotional message to customers. “This is not an email I ever expected to write.”

According to Erber, water entered the restaurant on August 2, while a months-long streetscape construction project was underway outside Corso at 4024 Campbell Avenue. The flooding caused what she described as “significant damage” to both dining rooms and the restaurant’s basement.

That date is significant. Arlington was under a Flood Watch on August 2 as repeated downpours moved through Northern Virginia. The National Weather Service warned that the region had already received one to two inches of rain, with another one to two inches — and potentially more in isolated locations — possible that evening. Forecasters specifically warned of flooding in urban areas and places with poor drainage.

It has not yet been independently determined whether the construction caused or contributed to the water entering Corso. Erber’s account establishes that the flooding occurred during the project, but neither Federal Realty nor Arlington County has publicly explained what happened at the restaurant.

Corso Tried to Keep Going

For more than two weeks after the flood, Corso remained partially operational.

The restaurant closed one dining room, moved tables and attempted to work around continuing remediation and repair work. Erber said the goal was not only to keep welcoming customers, but also to protect the livelihoods of the people who work there.

“For the past couple of weeks, we have done everything we could to keep going,” she wrote. “We operated with one dining room closed, worked around ongoing remediation and construction, did our best to continue welcoming guests, and, most importantly, kept our team working.”

By Wednesday, Erber said, that was no longer possible.

“The repair work has reached a point where the restaurant needs to be completely closed for it to continue,” she wrote.

There is no estimated reopening date.

Approximately 40 Employees Affected

Erber said her greatest immediate concern is Corso’s staff: approximately 40 cooks, servers, bartenders, dishwashers, hosts and managers who have suddenly lost their regular shifts and income.

Some have worked for Erber since Cheesetique Shirlington opened in 2011.

“They have been extraordinary through all of this,” Erber wrote. “They have shown up, adapted, moved tables, worked around construction, taken care of guests, and somehow kept smiling through a really rotten couple of weeks.”

A Corso manager identified by Erber as Miranda has established a GoFundMe to assist affected employees. According to Erber, 100 percent of the money raised will go directly to members of the restaurant’s team.

Corso gift cards will continue to be accepted at Cheesetique Del Ray and do not expire. Customers with reservations or scheduled private events are being contacted, and Corso said any event deposits will be refunded in full.

A Project Intended to Help Shirlington Businesses

The closure comes amid a substantial renovation intended to make the Village at Shirlington more pedestrian-friendly and improve its public spaces.

The project was proposed by Street Retail LLC, an affiliate associated with Federal Realty, which owns the Village at Shirlington. The Arlington County Board approved amendments in June 2025 allowing changes to streets, sidewalks, plazas and portions of the public right-of-way.

Construction began earlier this year and was initially expected to continue through November 2026. Federal Realty’s current Village at Shirlington property information says the renovation is expected to be completed in late 2026.

Plans include wider sidewalks, expanded restaurant patios, new lighting and signs, more public seating, landscaping, public art and improvements to the North and South Vias. The historic Beaux Arts fountain that stood in the Campbell Avenue median is also being relocated to the North Courtyard.

Notably, the announced infrastructure work included improvements to stormwater management.

When Federal Realty announced the work in March, the company said the investment would benefit both visitors and the businesses operating in the Village.

“The Shirlington neighborhood is a gem within the greater metro area and this investment allows us to meet the evolving needs of the community and the businesses that call the Village home,” Mike Ennes, Federal Realty’s senior vice president of asset management, said when the project began.

At the time, businesses were expected to remain open during construction, although motorists and pedestrians were advised to expect partial closures along Campbell Avenue.

Corso’s shutdown is now an unforeseen — and potentially lengthy — exception to that expectation.

Diners Say Construction Has Taken a Toll

News of the closure prompted an immediate response in the Alexandria Dining — Curbside, Inside and More Facebook group, where diners expressed concern not only for Corso but also for other Shirlington establishments attempting to operate around the construction.

“The street construction has affected ALL of the businesses,” group member Laura Vogel wrote. She pointed specifically to restaurants across Campbell Avenue from Corso that had been unable to offer their usual sidewalk dining during part of the summer.

Vogel said she believes Arlington County should be held responsible for the situation. However, the streetscape work was proposed by Street Retail LLC and is being undertaken as a Federal Realty property renovation, while Arlington County approved the necessary site-plan changes and right-of-way actions. Responsibility for Corso’s flooding has not been publicly established.

Sue Bartlett offered a message of support for the entire restaurant community.

“We just talked about how difficult it must be for the businesses during this construction,” Bartlett wrote. “We love the community and support all the restaurants in the area, in spite of how difficult it has become. We are hoping things get worked out.”

Another group member, Tricia Hatridge, reported walking past Corso after the closure announcement.

“You can’t even see inside,” she wrote.

From Cheesetique to Corso

The closure strikes a particularly painful note because Erber’s roots in Shirlington go back 15 years.

She opened the original Cheesetique in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood in 2004, building the neighborhood cheese shop into one of the area’s most recognizable independent food businesses. A second Cheesetique opened in Shirlington in 2011.

In late 2023, Erber transformed the Shirlington location into Corso Italian, partnering with prominent chef Cathal Armstrong, the former chef and owner of Alexandria’s Restaurant Eve.

The restaurant debuted with a playful, retro Italian identity, serving handmade pasta, Italian-American classics, specialty cheeses, Italian wines and dishes created under Armstrong’s culinary direction.

“When I think of hospitality and warmth, I think of Italian food,” Erber told Washingtonian before Corso opened. “Italian makes people happy.”

Now its future is uncertain.

“I don’t know yet what the next chapter looks like,” Erber told customers. “What I do know is how incredibly grateful I am for the people who have worked here and the community that has supported us.”

Editor’s Note: The Zebra has reached out to Federal Realty for additional information regarding the flooding, the impact of the ongoing construction and what assistance may be available to Corso and its employees. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.