Fairfax County police car lights flashing (file photo)

A Pimmit Hills man has been accused of possessing child porn and having sex with a teenager who was reported missing in New York.

Detectives arrested 20-year-old Muammer Steve Demir on Friday (March 15) after they found him with the teen at a house in the 7300 block of Sportsman Drive, the Fairfax County Police Department announced today (Monday).

Demir was in possession of child sexual abuse material when police arrived at the house, according to the FCPD.

The FCPD says its Missing Person Unit and Child Exploitation Unit detectives were notified yesterday that a missing teen from New York may be in Fairfax County, and their investigation led them to Demir’s house.

“Detectives learned Demir drove to New York in August of 2023 and then brought the juvenile back to Virginia,” the FCPD said.

Demir has been charged with having carnal knowledge of a child and possessing child abuse material, but additional charges are expected, according to police. He’s currently in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.

The teen has been reunited with her family, the FCPD said.

After an arraignment on March 15, Demir is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on June 25, per Fairfax County General District Court records.

Read more on FFXnow…

What do I do if school doesn’t fit my kid?

That’s the question that so many of the parents and families ask when they’re looking at small independent schools like The Howard Gardner School. There are any number of reasons that their current school might not fit.  

  • “My son is surviving, but they definitely aren’t thriving” 
  • “My daughter stopped doing gymnastics, and doesn’t ride horses anymore. She just does schoolwork.”
  • “I don’t think the school ever really ‘got’ my kid… they’re just different”

These are quotes pulled from parents looking at HGS this year. Our families are a diverse group from all different backgrounds. Our students are just as varied with all kinds of reasons for being at The Howard Gardner School. The common thread is that school wasn’t working.

When school — as we think of it now — was invented, in the 1800s, it was in answer to the industrial revolution. Desks in rows and columns, classrooms with the same number of students as factories had workers in each shift. Even a curriculum contained by four walls and a textbook, set to a standardized approach for a standardized set of goals.  

A few things have changed in the last two hundred years  

Public school in the United States was and is a ground-breaking, crucial program with an audacious mandate: Educate every single citizen of the most diverse nation in the history of the world. Public educators are dedicated professionals seeking to do just that — but the mandate is virtually impossible. What works for one student might be antithetical to the needs of another. What makes one kid excited might make another kid anxious. As a result, typical schools seek to do the most that they can for as many students as they can. It’s a laudable and practical approach to a truly difficult circumstance.

But what if your kid doesn’t fit?

The parents, families, and kids who are exploring The Howard Gardner School are obviously considering a new school setting. It’s a wonderful truth that this region has an incredible array of top tier public and private schools. In particular, this area’s set of intentionally small schools is truly impressive. The Washington Small Schools Association and the Virginia Small Schools Association can provide interested families with information and ideas about how to find a school that fits. 

In fact, the admissions staff at these small schools will take the time and effort to help each individual student find and access the best possible fit for them. Because each small school can be a different place — with programs, teachers, even campuses that fit different kinds of kids.  

At The Howard Gardner School, we work with a very small number of students, in very small classes, designed around experiential programming. For instance, we take thirty-six field trips per year. Our students have multiple overnight travel opportunities each school year. And because of the needs of the teenage brain, we start the school day at 10 a.m. If sitting at a desk for eight hours a day, or slogging through another two hours of homework at night isn’t the right fit for your kid, HGS could help you find a better one.

Our mission here at The Howard Gardner School is to help bright, creative, non-traditional students use their unique strengths to thrive academically, intellectually, and emotionally. 

Please check out our website at www.TheHowardGardnerSchool.org, and call or email to learn more about how to find the best fit for your kid.

There is a place where each young person can find their fit and thrive. The process is a bit like being in a dark room — the hard part isn’t turning on the light, it’s finding the switch.

The Howard Gardner School
Serving bright, creative, non-traditional learners in grades 6-12
Alexandria, VA & Sterling, VA
703-822-9300

The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA and D.C. with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

Last week you may have read some headlines about how the “6% real estate commission” as we know it is dead. There was a class action lawsuit that the National Association of Realtors ® agreed to settle last week for $418M. Here’s what you need to know about how that impacts you:

What the lawsuit was about

There was an argument that real estate commissions were fixed and it wasn’t clear that the seller was also paying the buyer’s commission. Worth noting: the original lawsuit was filed in Missouri where real estate practice may differ from the way we do things in the D.C. Metro area. We have ALWAYS had forms that the seller signs and that the buyer is required to sign to create representation agreements that clearly spelled out how, and how much, agents were getting paid. And buyers and sellers have always had options of how much service they want and what they were willing to pay for it — always.

What this means moving forward

Part of the lawsuit settlement, if approved, includes the following changes to how real estate is done — the MLS will no longer have a buyer agent commission (also known as selling agent) listed as part of the advertisement. In fact, the MLS will be prohibited from publicly offering one starting mid July of 2024.

There are lots of details to be worked out, including a court approving this settlement, but here’s what you really need to know about buying and selling real estate in the coming months:

  1. Until July, you might see subtle changes but the big changes won’t take effect until then.
  2. Sellers CAN still choose to offer compensation to the buyer’s agent, but how that’s advertised will be different — still TBD.
  3. Buyers who want their own representation will now have to pay for their own agent. You will have to discuss this with your real estate agent and have a signed agreement prior to seeing any houses. 
  4. Buyers can ask for closing cost credit from the sellers as part of their offer to cover the commission of their agent, if they don’t want to or can’t come out of pocket to pay the agent directly as part of their closing costs. Sellers can agree or disagree.

There are parts that bother me that I think got severely overlooked:

  1. Buyers who plan to use a VA Loan (used by our Veterans and/or active duty military) are NOT allowed to pay any fees related to a real estate agent as part of their loan. They don’t even have the option. So unless the VA figures out how to handle this new policy, there’s a lot of uncertainty related to using a VA loan and representation.
  2. First time buyers and FHA buyers — usually believed to be smaller down payments (FHA is a 3.5% minimum and a conventional loan can be as little as 3%), will now also have to come up with more money to pay at closing to hire an agent unless they can get a seller credit to off-set the cost.

I believe the intent of this was to make the process clearer — and that’s a good thing — but the experts think this will bring down home prices because prices were inflated to account for commission. However, I think they’re actually making the entry into owning homes harder. Buyers don’t know what they don’t know and not having an experienced professional to guide them through the process and protect their interests will end up hurting them in this major life purchase. 

More to come on this as things get cleaned up and new policies get put in place, but change is coming.

A miniature house with a key (via Tierra Mallorca on Unsplash)

The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com

Fairfax County police vehicle with lights (file photo)

The Fairfax County Police Department touted the county’s status as the safest jurisdiction of its size following the release of its year-end crime report.

The report — which is based on violent crime rates among participating agencies evaluated by the Major Cities Chief Association — shows that Fairfax County’s rate is the lowest among jurisdictions of comparable size. Homicide offenses, sex offenses, burglaries, and robberies all declined between 2022 and 2023, according to the report.

“The central message conveyed in this report is clear — Fairfax County stands as the safest large jurisdiction in America. Through data-informed enforcement strategies, FCPD played a pivotal role in reducing violent crime rates,” FCPD wrote in a press release.

At a safety and security committee meeting before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on March 12, Police Chief Kevin Davis said that all 17 murders last year were solved. Homicides were down 23% over the previous year.

FCPD also stepped up the number of traffic summonses, issuing nearly 40% more in 2023 than in 2022 for violations like speeding, reckless driving, and hands-free violations.

Theft of motor vehicle parts was a major focus this year. The number of thefts decreased from 1,516 in 2022 to 875 in 2023, a trend observed in the FCPD’s mid-year crime report.

But the decrease in the theft of motor vehicle parts was offset by an increase in shoplifting, which rose from 5,799 incidents in 2022 to 8,156 last year. Additionally, 126 more vehicles were stolen in 2023 than in 2022.

Most cars that were stolen were either Kias and Hyundais, particularly in the Mount Vernon District, according to FCPD. They were often later recovered in D.C. or Prince George’s County.

Officers increased their presence in malls during the winter holiday season. Springfield’s Christmas anti-theft team recovered more than $100,000 of stolen merchandise last year compared to $30,000 in 2022, according to the FCPD.

Davis noted that organized groups appear to be targeted high-end merchandise in large quantities, later reselling the items on Facebook Marketplace.

“Everyone is jumping up and down about what we need to do to prevent, mitigate, and hold these really organized groups better accountable,” Davis said, adding that the problem appears to be region-wide.

A one-day symposium is planned in April for regional authorities to explore “innovative” solutions, Davis said.

The department also reported 472 assaults against its officers this year — an increase from 378 in 2022. Davis said 5% of all assault crimes were against law enforcement officers.

“It has our attention and we’re taking steps to mitigate it,” Davis said.

Overall, there were 1,161 assaults between 2022 and 2023, according to the report, although most offenses were not aggravated. Most assaults are “domestic in nature or involve parties known to each other,” the police department says.

“FCPD worked hard to combat this issue by placing over 34,000 criminal charges on over 23,000 individuals responsible for crimes in Fairfax County last year,” the FCPD said in a news release.

While pedestrian fatalities decreased in 2023, which had nine deaths, FCPD has launched a collaborative effort with local transportation officials and other community partners to review pedestrian fatalities and significant injuries. Between 2019 and 2022, 77 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes.

Most incidents happened at night, Davis said.

Read more on FFXnow…

A new pedestrian bridge between Vienna’s Freeman Store and the W&OD Trail is open (via Town of Vienna/Twitter)

Users of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail can now more directly access the Freeman Store and Museum — and, beyond it, the Town Green — in Vienna.

The town has opened a new pedestrian bridge over Piney Branch that links the regional trail to the historic site. Completed in November, the facility replaces a wooden bridge that collapsed in 2016 due to water damage and general deterioration.

“It looks as it did many years ago and restores an important link to the Town’s history, connecting past and present,” the Town of Vienna said of the new bridge.

The town will celebrate the bridge’s reopening this Saturday (March 23) with a ribbon-cutting and reception starting at 10 a.m. Refreshments will be provided, and the Freeman Store will unveil two new museum exhibits: “Exploring Books Throughout Time” and “Vienna Unveiled Through Maps.”

Vienna officials had been looking to build a new bridge since they closed the previous one in February 2016, but an initial lack of response from contractors and rising costs for lumber and other materials delayed the project.

Construction finally began in February 2023, requiring a temporary detour around the affected section of the W&OD Trail.

Measuring about 53 feet long and 5 feet wide, the new bridge was made out of steel and timber. It’s also ADA-compliant, serving as the only way for wheelchair users to access the Freeman Store.

“Since the Freeman Store opened in 1859, it has been a store, a home, a train depot, a hotel, a hospital, an officers’ quarters, and a fire department, and the pedestrian bridge over Piney Branch to the store’s side entrance has been an integral part of the structure,” the town said in a news release.

Designated as a historic Virginia landmark in 2011, the Freeman Store is run by the nonprofit Historic Vienna Inc. and sells candy, artist prints, pottery, mugs, used books and other Vienna-themed items.

Located at 131 Church Street NE, the Freeman Store is open to the public from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday between March and December. The store closes on most federal holidays.

Photo via Town of Vienna/Twitter

Read more on FFXnow…

Morning Notes

Flowers in a water fountain at the Eden Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Woman Fatally Shot Near Inova Fairfax Hospital — “A man shot and killed his ex-girlfriend in a parking lot in Northern Virginia, and police arrested the suspect in Maryland after a short manhunt Friday evening, police said. The victim had a protective order against the suspect, but he showed up outside the medical office in Annandale where she worked, police said.” [NBC4, WUSA9]

Metro Police Start Fare Evasion Crackdown in D.C. — “Metro police will crack down on fare evasion in the District starting Monday, issuing fines of up to $100 or arresting people who refuse to pay for rides. Until now, Metro Transit Police officers have only been able to ask fare evaders to pay their fare or leave the station, according to Metro.” [Washington Post]

Warm Weather Leads to More Pollen — “This year, abnormally warm weather has boosted average tree pollen counts to near-record levels in the D.C. area. The counts have already climbed into the high range on eight days this year. So far, the peak daily count was 1,171 pollen grains per cubic meter of air measured in early March.” [Washington Post]

County Seeks Input on Bicycle Parking Updates — “The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will host a virtual meeting on the updated Bicycle Parking Guidelines on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at 6 p.m.” The county is developing guidelines for “rate of short-term to long-term bike parking spaces, acceptable rack and facility design and location guidance, and optional enhancements to improve user comfort.” [FCDOT]

Senators Warn Against Adding Long National Airport Flights — “The four U.S. senators from Virginia and Maryland are urging Congress to keep the current rules for long distance flights from Reagan National Airport (DCA) as they are.” The senators reiterated that the airport is “already overburdened” and adding more long-distance flights could affect the larger Dulles and Baltimore airports. [WTOP]

Transportation Officials Give Update on Richmond Highway Projects — “Vanessa Aguayo, project manager of the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, and Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Dan Reinhard, lead project manager for the Richmond Highway Corridor Improvements project, provided updates March 14 at the Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast.” [On the MoVe]

Former McLean HS Student Publishes Debut Novel — “Small-town skullduggery, eccentric characters, humor and a gritty tone are staples of Southern crime fiction and former Great Falls resident Peter Malone Elliott was happy to indulge in them all in his debut novel, ‘Blue Ridge.'” [Gazette Leader]

Local Volunteers Bonded by Helping Feed People — “It may look like Mona Tatum works at an outdoor market along Route 1 in Alexandria. But the bounty in front of her of fresh fruits, vegetables, protein, and so much more, stems from a remarkable story of friendship between Ed Moore and Deacon James Myers…A friendship that blossomed four years ago during the pandemic’s darkest days.” [WJLA]

It’s Monday — Expect mostly sunny skies and a high near 51, with a west wind blowing between 9 and 14 mph, gusting up to 23 mph. In the evening, the sky remains mostly clear with a low temperature around 34. A northwest wind of 11 to 13 mph will continue, gusting as high as 22 mph. [Weather.gov]

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The inaugural Get Healthy Vienna Expo was held at the Vienna Community Center in May 2023 (courtesy Peggy James/Vienna Business Association)

The Vienna Business Association is reviving its Get Healthy Vienna! Expo for 2024.

First introduced last May, the health and fitness showcase will return to the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE) on April 6, from 10 am. to 2 p.m. The event is intended to highlight health-related businesses and resources available in the local community, VBA Health, Wellness & Fitness chair Karen Kerrigan says.

“The 2024 Expo will connect attendees to an array of services, solutions and opportunities that promote wellness and healthy lifestyles,” Kerrigan said. “The process of attaining optimal health and wellness is all about connections, education and taking positive action. I am excited about the wide-array of exhibitors at this year’s expo who are passionate about supporting the health and wellness of our special community.”

This year’s expo will feature up to 50 exhibitors and follow the theme of “Connections to Wellness,” reflecting an emphasis on the importance of social connections to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Outside of the vendors, highlights will include a Kids and Families Zone with children’s activities and demonstrations, such as face painting. The Vienna Singing Princesses will also make “a special appearance” involving superheroes.

For adults, there will be a variety of panels led by health and wellness professionals, who will discuss the root causes of chronic disease, the importance of movement and stretching, and other topics.

Several former James Madison High School student athletes have been enlisted for a panel called “The Importance of a Positive Youth Sports Experience: Lessons for Young Athletes and Their Parents.” Confirmed participants include:

  • Football player Nick Dorka (College of William and Mary, Canadian Football League, International Football League)
  • Lacrosse player Katie Kerrigan (James Madison University, including a Division I national championship in 2018, and the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League)
  • Baseball player Trey Ramsey (Princeton University)
  • Soccer player Jack Traxler (Catholic University)

VBA Chairman Greg Kunstbeck said the business association’s board is “excited” to see the event grow in its second year.

“The event continues to grow, evolve and respond to the needs and presence of the many businesses and organizations that provide services in the wellness space, along with the people they serve,” Kunstbeck said. “VBA members are making a positive difference in the health of our community and positively transforming people’s lives.”

The expo will fall in the middle of the fourth annual Mayor’s Fitness Challenge, where Vienna will try to defend its title as the “most fit community” from the rival cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. The contest will kick off this Saturday (March 16) and continue through May 11.

Read more on FFXnow…

The clothing store Daniel’s Boutique is moving to Tysons after 36 years in Crystal City (courtesy Mona Rashidi)

(Updated at 2 p.m.) A local wardrobe consultant who has helped dress celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Gloria Estefan is setting up shop in Tysons.

Nasrin Rashidi hopes to reopen Daniel’s Boutique, the women’s clothing store that she owns with her husband, Sasan, at 8150 Leesburg Pike in early April. Named after the couple’s son, the business had operated in Crystal City for 36 years until closing its location there on Dec. 17.

Located in Suite 120, Daniel’s Boutique will have slightly less space in Tysons than it did at its previous home in Arlington’s Crystal City Shops, but the storefront will be much more visible, according to Nasrin.

“We’re excited for something different, something still service-oriented and all of that, but a little different for the next phase of our business,” she told FFXnow in a recent interview. “We want to kind of elevate the whole thing [so] that we bring in clientele that are looking for a nice place to shop and get service.”

Immigrants from Iran, the Rashidis established their first business, L.A. Moves and Furs, at Beacon Center in Groveton in 1984 before moving to Crystal City and opening Daniel’s Boutique a few years later.

At one point, they ran three stores in Crystal City and a fourth at the former Skyline Mall in Bailey’s Crossroads. The business eventually consolidated into a single location at 2142 Crystal Drive in 2018.

Specializing in women’s designer fashion, including gowns, suits and furs, Daniel’s Boutique offers tailoring, wardrobe consulting, and fur storage and restyling services to all genders in addition to selling clothes as a retailer.

Though the shop accepts walk-in customers, Nasrin says most clients make appointments, which gives her time to assemble a wardrobe appropriate for their needs, whether they’re preparing for a job interview or a wedding.

“I don’t just bring out clothes to sell it,” Nasrin said. “I want to make sure this clothes would be the right item for the right person, and being honest about what I’m selling to them brings them back… Sometimes, I go out of my way to re-style the dress for them. They know I can do that. I add a sleeve to the dress or whatever to accommodate their needs for the events. So, that is a need that is not provided everywhere.”

Some of those clients have been bold-faced names, such as the aforementioned Kardashian and her then-husband Kanye West, Gloria Estefan and actor Andy Garcia. Nasrin has also worked events like the National Christmas Tree Lighting in D.C., the Gershwin Prize ceremony at the Library of Congress and the annual Mark Twain Prize celebration at the Kennedy Center.

Even with its sometimes high-profile clientele, Daniel’s Boutique remains a decidedly family-oriented affair. Sasan’s parents sometimes helped at the stores before they passed away, and the owners’ children, Daniel and Mona Rashidi, are both involved in the business.

Mona, who’s part of the marketing team, says she’s inspired by her parents’ journey. Nasrin’s first job after she left Iran at 17 was at a dry cleaner, where she pressed clothes and made alterations, among other duties.

“I know how hard my parents have worked for all these years. They’re the reason I was able to eat and have a home,” Mona said. “…Coming from another country and starting their business and being so successful, I’m very proud to be part of this and help them as much as I can.”

Daniel’s Boutique’s 36-year stay in Crystal City ended more abruptly than expected after the landlord rejected the owners’ request that they be allowed to stay through the end of the year, including the busy winter holiday season.

Fortunately, Atlantic Realty Company, the owner of 8150 Leesburg Pike, offered a temporary office space where the business could store its goods until construction on the new shop finishes.

“We are hoping for that,” Mona said of the potential early April grand opening. “There will be a big announcement, because all our clients are also waiting. They’re asking all the time.”

Read more on FFXnow…

Morning Notes

Cyclists pass a woman walking her dog on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Pilot on Flight to Dulles Tried to Open Airplane Door — “A student pilot tried to open the door of an Alaska Airlines cockpit multiple times while the plane was in the air…The flight was traveling from California to Virginia on March 3, according to an affidavit filed by federal air marshal Thomas G. Pattinson and reviewed by CBS News.” [CBS News]

Senior Living Apartments Now Open in Tysons — “Mather…earlier in March opened the doors on its eponymous The Mather, 670,000 square feet of side-by-side glass towers rising as high as 27 stories at 7929 Westpark Drive.” The Chicago-based not-for-profit organization is “actively reviewing sites” for a possible expansion in Northern Virginia, but CEO Mary Leary “wouldn’t say precisely where.” [Washington Business Journal]

Condo Project in McLean Gets Endorsement — “A proposal to rezone and redevelop McLean Professional Park with a 104-unit condominium building received strong support March 6 from the McLean Citizens Association’s (MCA) board of directors…The proposed development would straighten out the site’s entranceway, which is shared with adjacent Sunrise of McLean Village,” according to MCA’s planning and zoning committee chair. [Gazette Leader]

D.C. Region Population Growing After Pandemic — “The D.C. area’s rebound from the pandemic continued last year as the District and its surrounding counties continued to see steady growth — and their most significant population gains since 2018 — even as other major American cities contracted, according to estimates released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.” [Washington Post]

Park Authority Introduces Summer Intern Program — The Fairfax County Park Authority is seeking applicants for its new summer internship program, which is open to high school and college students, recent graduates, people looking for a career change and anyone else interested in gaining experience in marketing, history, nature and other areas. It could lead to seasonal, part-time or full-time employment. [FCPA]

Reston Climate Tech Firm Partners With Panda Express — “GridPoint Inc., a Reston company that develops technology to help businesses reduce their energy costs, has brought in three new executives to help guide it through its next growth phase…GridPoint recently expanded its partnership with Panda Express from a 200-store pilot program to a national rollout of about 2,500 locations in the coming years.” [DC Inno]

Fairfax HS Reverses Plan for Graduation — “After an apparent backlash from Fairfax High School families over a change in venue and the number [of] tickets that would be available for the school’s June 4 graduation, Principal Georgina Aye announced that the ceremony would be held at the school’s football stadium.” City of Fairfax Public Schools said earlier that the ceremony would be “moved inside due to construction at Stalnaker Field.” [Patch]

Reston Software Company Celebrates 20th Anniversary — “ScienceLogic recently celebrated its 20th anniversary at an event for employees, customers, and partners. At the event, co-founders Dave Link and Richard Chart shared some of their favorite memories, looking back at two decades of ScienceLogic’s success as a pioneering software and services provider.” [Fairfax County EDA]

It’s Friday — Expect showers with a possible thunderstorm after 2pm and a high around 74°F. An 80% chance of precipitation is forecast with less than a tenth of an inch of rain. At night, anticipate showers and potentially a thunderstorm before 8pm. Nighttime lows will be around 48°F. [Weather.gov]

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Scotts Run developer Cityline Partners says the doors to the trash and loading area for Hilton’s hotel will blend in (via Fairfax County)

Cityline has offered to provide “high-quality” screening doors for the trash and loading area that will blend in with the surrounding building, along with bollards, decorative planters and other design and safety enhancements. But staff say the look and location are “still not optimal” for pedestrians.

“Staff continues to recommend that the applicant consider a redesign of the circulation to ensure the hotel and any future development can share access points and internal circulation through a shared parking garage…thereby eliminating the need for service entrances on Platform Avenue,” the report said, concluding that the applicant “has not demonstrated that this block can work as a bifurcated block” and meet county standards.

In addition, no parks are proposed for the Westgate Block, which should have either 0.16 acres or 0.53 acres of publicly accessible urban park space under the county’s requirements, depending on whether the second building is constructed as office or residential space.

The developer has asked to count three open spaces located elsewhere in Scotts Run — a 7,000-square-foot space at The Haden, a 5,800-square-foot plaza at the Mitre 4 building and a 3,000-square foot plaza on a future block — toward its park requirements.

But county staff argue those areas “do not qualify as functional park spaces.” The Haden and Mitre 4 spaces “are mostly comprised of building entryways and streetscape elements,” while the future Van Buren Corner Plaza will only be 0.07 acres in size and won’t have the “necessary amenities/features to be considered a viable park area.”

“There’s a lack of clarity on how these spaces will be effectively transformed into usable park areas,” staff said. “It is also staff’s concern that adopting this approach might create a precedent for future developments in managing park space inadequacies.”

The proposal got more support from the McLean Citizens Association, whose board of directors approved a qualified endorsement on March 6. The volunteer group doesn’t share county staff’s concerns about the trash and loading entryway, but it agrees that the lack of park space is problematic, per the resolution.

MCA also requested that the county study the “cumulative” impact of the hotel and other development in Scotts Run on traffic, particularly on Anderson Road and Dolley Madison Blvd.

Despite the concerns flagged by county staff, Cityline Partners says it remains confident in its new vision for this block of Scotts Run, which includes The Haden apartments, the Mitre 4 office building, Archer Hotel and the recently completed Heming.

“We have worked extensively on the remaining few staff issues and continue to address them with the County,” Cityline managing director Tasso Flocos told FFXnow. “We believe this Scotts Run urban hospitality use for Hilton will be well received and welcomed as a great and inviting addition to Tysons.”

Read more on FFXnow…

Earn top dollar with full benefits!

When you join the Electrical Alliance, you get to contribute to the biggest projects in the area, all while earning top dollar and employer paid benefits.

As an Electrical Alliance worker, you get:

  • Salary Range $11.50 — $54.00/Hour
  • Paid Apprenticeship
  • Continuing education to advance within the industry
  • Safer working conditions and top-tier safety training
  • Full Family medical care, eye care, dental care, and EAP programs
  • Paid time off
  • Employer Paid Retirement Benefits: Pensions and Annuity

The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com

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