Tysons Area Hit With Spree of Gas Station Burglaries — One or more individuals forced entry and took merchandise from three different gas stations in the Tysons area between 1:30 and 2:30 a.m. last Thursday (Nov. 18), according to the Fairfax County Police Department’s latest weekly recap. A fourth station — a Shell at 2084 Chain Bridge Road — experienced a break-in, but nothing was taken. [FCPD]
Vienna Town Council Approves Election Changes — “It was a pill they didn’t want to swallow, but Vienna Town Council members approved a resolution Nov. 15 asking the General Assembly next year to alter the town’s election schedule so all Council members’ seats will be up for two-year terms starting in November 2023.” [Sun Gazette]
Man Arrested in Falls Church Sexual Assault — “City of Falls Church Police said that Alexander McKnight, 31, was arrested in Maryland on Thursday night. McKnight has been charged with rape and malicious wounding, among other charges, police said. He has no fixed address, a news release stated.” [Patch]
Wolf Trap National Park Releases Environmental Assessment on Improvements — “To better meet the needs of current and future visitors, we’ve proposed several changes to the park’s general management plan — the plan that guides park management decisions. You’re invited to submit your feedback from Nov. 18 through Dec. 30.” [National Park Service]
Tysons Library Book Sale Seeks Volunteers — “Volunteers are being sought to assist with the Tysons Library Friends quarterly book and media sale, to be held Dec. 3-5 at Tysons Pimmit Regional Library. Donations of books and media for the sale also are being solicited, with proceeds benefiting the library and related activities.” [Inside NoVA]
The weekend is almost here. Before you take advantage of expanded outdoor dining for dinner or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit news from the Tysons area that you might’ve missed.
These were the most-read stories on Tysons Reporter this week:
- JUST IN: Multiple people injured in crash on I-495 going to GW Parkway
- JUST IN: Wegmans to stop using disposable plastic bags at Tysons and other Fairfax County stores
- JUST IN: Driver in Georgetown Pike crash dies from injuries
- Food trucks incoming: Crane lifts double-decker bus and more to The Perch at Capital One Center
- Competition-winning popcorn bar opens at Tysons Corner Center this week
Ideas for stories we should cover can be sent to [email protected] or submitted as an anonymous tip. Photos of scenes from around the community are welcome too, with credit always given to the photographer.
You can find previous rundowns of top stories on the site.
I-495 South Lane Closures Tonight — “Weather permitting, the three left lanes of the southbound I-495 (Capital Beltway Outer Loop) general purpose lanes will be closed over the Dulles Toll Road (Route 267) for bridge work…The three left lanes of the southbound I-495 general purpose lanes are scheduled to be closed between 11 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 20.” [VDOT]
Falls Church Civil Rights Icon Gets Historical Marker — “An unveiling ceremony will convene this Saturday, Nov. 20, at 1 p.m. for a state historical marker that highlights the career of Dr. Edwin Bancroft Henderson, known as the ‘Father of Black Basketball’…The dedication will be held at the marker’s location alongside Henderson’s former residence at 307 South Maple Ave, Falls Church.” [Virginia Department of Historic Resources]
Fatal Drug Overdoses to Surpass Last Year — “Preliminary numbers show the number of overdose deaths in Fairfax County in 2021 are on pace to exceed 2020 numbers, according to data from the Office of the Medical Examiner. Data provided to Patch shows there were 56 overdose deaths reported to the county in the first two quarters of 2021. Of these, 52 (93 percent) were related to fentanyl.” [Patch]
D.C. Area Gets $19.3 Billion from Federal Infrastructure Bill — “So far, no jurisdiction has highlighted which major road projects they’d like to tackle, but bets could be on the replacement of the American Legion Bridge, the Maryland toll lane project if it gets approved, and improvements to I-81 in western Virginia.” [DCist]
Virginia Tribes Get Say in Development Projects — “Gov. Ralph Northam (D) on Thursday signed an order requiring state agencies to consult with Virginia Indian tribes before making decisions that impact land, waterways and other natural sites important to Indigenous peoples.” [The Washington Post]
After making its Virginia debut in the Town of Vienna last year, Crumbl Cookies will add a second location in the Tysons area, this time at Birch & Broad (1200 W. Broad Street) in Falls Church.
Slated to open in March, the gourmet cookie shop will fill a 1,597 square-foot space in between Jersey Mike’s Subs and Domino’s Pizza at the shopping center formerly known as Falls Plaza, property owner Federal Realty announced yesterday (Wednesday).
The chain is also planning to open a Reston location in January.
“We’re looking forward to sharing Crumbl’s specialty cookies with the Falls Church community once we open at Birch & Broad,” franchise co-owner Brigg Bunker said. “…Crumbl will be the perfect place to stop in and grab dessert after a meal or for a sweet treat on the go.”
The shopping center will also add Taco Rock, Bolay Fresh Bold Kitchen, and Aqua-Tots Swim Schools in the coming months, while finishing a renovation project that began in April, according to a press release.
“As we approach the completion of the renovation, we are thrilled to welcome the addition of three more notable merchants advancing Birch & Broad to almost full occupancy,” Federal Realty Vice President of Asset Management Deirdre Johnson said.
Taco Rock
Taco Rock announced in June that it had closed a deal to build a 2,815-square-foot taqueria and tequila bar at Birch & Broad.
At that time, the Rosslyn-based restaurant expected its new venue to be ready in October, but beverage manager Ana Barrera tells Tysons Reporter that they now hope to open in December.
“We were anticipating on opening the first week of December,” Barrera said by email. “Unfortunately, since the supply chain for equipment is so backed up, we are moving our opening date to the last week of December if all goes smoothly…We look forward to opening our doors sooner rather than later!”
Bolay Fresh Bold Kitchen
Created by CEO Chris Gannon and his father, Outback Steakhouse founder Tim Gannon, Bolay is a fast-casual concept that sells salad, rice, and noodle bowls with an emphasis on healthy ingredients.
The Falls Church location will be Bolay’s first outside its native home of Florida. The 2,972 square-foot space is expected to open across the street from Birch & Broad’s CVS Pharmacy next summer.
“We’re in a growth phase and this will be a really exciting opening for us” Chris Gannon said. “Guests can expect fine dining food at the speed and cost of fast casual.”
Aqua-Tots Swim Schools
Aqua-Tots will open a 7,287 square-foot space adjacent to Staples next year.
Despite its name, the franchise provides swimming lessons and services to all ages. Its Northern Virginia presence currently consists of sites in Centreville, South Riding, and Leesburg.
“This is a moment of major expansion for the franchise, and we are excited to invite local families to register their little ones for world-class swimming lessons,” Andrew George, owner of the Falls Church site, said. “There are a lot of kids in the Falls Church area, and we can’t wait to get them in the water.”
Reduced Metro Service Continues — “Although the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) said Wednesday it had improved service on a number of its Metrorail lines, customers should expect reduced service to continue at least until Nov. 30.” [Patch]
MCC Offers Vouchers for Feedback — The McLean Community Center has hired the consulting firm AMS Planning & Research to conduct a community survey regarding its future operations and programming. Five randomly chosen respondents will receive $60 vouchers that can be used for MCC-sponsored classes, camps, and other activities or an Alden Theatre performance. [MCC]
Zero Waste Store Now Open in Vienna — “Trace the Zero Waste Store opened on Sept. 23 at 140 Church Street NW. This is only one of two zero waste stores to open in Northern Virginia…Vienna’s new store seeks to be a one-stop location for essentials such as dry goods and personal care items to help reduce the amount of waste humans produce and its impact on the planet.” [Patch]
Leila Co-Owner Rules Local Nightlife and Lobbying Scenes — “Washington isn’t exactly known for its nightlife, but when the scene does hit, say, Page Six, Basnayake’s spots tend to be the backdrop. But get this — all while trying to build up the city as a Saturday-night playground for the young, trendy, and ready to party, Basnayake has also held down the most Washington job in Washington. He’s a lobbyist.” [Washingtonian]
Luther Jackson Teacher Engages Students with Escape Room — “The pair worked to craft the county school system’s first escape room, an academic puzzle for the school’s eighth graders to review material taught in seventh grade. Since the concept debuted earlier this month, it has some students so invested that they asked Hoffert if they can return after school to complete the maze.” [WTOP]
Theresa Ayotte likes outdoor dining as a general concept, but her support wavers when those diners sound like they’re hanging out in her backyard.
Ayotte’s house sits behind the complex at 111 Church Street that contains Blend 111 and Bazin’s on Church, two of the 22 restaurants that have taken advantage of Vienna’s temporarily relaxed rules for outdoor dining during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She and her husband Howard Uman were among several Wilmar Place NW residents who urged the Vienna Town Council to limit outdoor dining for restaurants next to residential properties at a public hearing on Monday (Nov. 15) about making the simpler permitting process permanent.
“The noise from dining is intrusively loud and constant,” Ayotte told the town council. “…We have tolerated it for the past 18 months as our way of supporting the community during the pandemic, but we are totally opposed to it becoming a permanent fixture in our neighborhood.”
The town council agreed to postpone a vote on outdoor dining until its next meeting on Dec. 6 so they can discuss lingering questions about the zoning ordinance amendments, including how to address potential conflicts over issues like noise and parking.
“I have no issue at all with outdoor dining when backed up against commercial,” Councilmember Nisha Patel said. “I think when you’re backed up against residential, we do need to listen to the residents, but we also do need to support our businesses, and I do think there’s room for compromise.”
Prior to the pandemic, the Town of Vienna required a conditional use permit for outdoor commercial activities like food service, a roughly three-month-long process involving a $1,500 fee and reviews by both the planning commission and board of zoning appeals.
First proposed on Oct. 11 and supported by the planning commission earlier this month, the new ordinance would let restaurants use a patio, roof garden, or off-street parking spaces for outdoor dining with just a review by a zoning administrator.
The outdoor dining spaces would still need to meet certain conditions, primarily related to maintaining accessibility for pedestrians and people with disabilities, and all furniture and tents must be approved by the Vienna Board of Architectural Review.
Dining areas in parking lots have to be set up so that they could easily be converted back into parking, and restaurants would be limited to 20% of their required spaces, though businesses on Church Street could utilize more spaces with the town council’s approval.
“Some of the restaurants within the Church Street Vision buildings, they have a different parking standard, so 20% of their required parking is, in some cases, one parking space,” Vienna Planning and Zoning Deputy Director Michael D’Orazio explained. “You’re not able to utilize that very well.”
While much of Monday’s nearly two-hour public hearing focused on the Wilmar Place residents’ noise concerns, council members, restaurant owners, and even some of those residents expressed appreciation for the expanded availability of outdoor dining during the pandemic. Read More
Three people, including one child, ended up in the hospital this morning (Wednesday) after two vehicles crashed on the northbound I-495 exit ramp for the George Washington Memorial Parkway in McLean.
According to Virginia State Police, which responded to the crash at 10:37 a.m., the crash involved a box truck and a Toyota sedan that had stopped on the interstate between the right, northbound travel lane and the shoulder:
At this stage of the crash investigation, it appears a Toyota sedan was stopped partially in the right, northbound travel lane and partially on the right shoulder. A box truck came upon the stopped vehicle and tried to change lanes to avoid the Toyota, but the Toyota suddenly pulled into the truck’s travel lane. The two vehicles collided.
The Toyota was occupied by two adult women and a 6-year-old boy, all of whom were hospitalized. A female passenger is undergoing treatment for injuries considered life-threatening, while the female driver and the boy sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the box truck, an adult man, was not injured.
“The crash remains under investigation at this time,” state police said in a news release. “The Virginia State Police Crash Reconstruction Team is assisting with the ongoing investigation.”
Lorton Pharmacy Gave Adult-Sized COVID-19 Vaccine Dose to Kids — The Fairfax County Health Department advises families whose children got the vaccine between Nov. 2 and 10 from the KC Pharmacy in Lorton to monitor for side effects and talk to a health care provider. The pharmacy is under investigation by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy and has been removed from the state and federal vaccination programs. [FCHD]
Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against FCPS Proceeds — A federal appeals court ruled in favor of a girl who filed a Title IX lawsuit against Fairfax County Public Schools over its handling of sexual harassment and rape allegations from when she was a student at Rachel Carson Middle School from October 2011 until February 2012. The lawsuit is one of two facing FCPS, which also has three outstanding federal investigations. [Inside NoVA]
NoVA Public Health Officials Urge Caution During Holidays — “Although Northern Virginia localities have some of the highest vaccination rates in the state, there is still substantial transmission of COVID-19 in the community, and we must remain vigilant to protect those who are not eligible for vaccination and those at higher risk for serious illness.” [VDH]
Public Meeting on McLean Sidewalk Project Tonight — “The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will hold a virtual community meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, at 7 p.m., to present updates on the Chesterbrook Road Walkway Project from Maddux Lane to North 41st Street. The project is intended to provide a continuous pedestrian facility along the south side of the roadway from Maddux Lane to 41st Street.” [FCDOT]
Local Restaurants Generate Heat — “Tysons restaurants, Wren and Leila were recently featured in ‘The 16 Hottest New Restaurants Around D.C.,’ according to @Eater_DC. Both restaurants offer a variety of eclectic cuisine and specialty cocktails, perfect for any occasion.” [Tysons Partnership/Twitter]
Commuters driving down Route 123 in Tysons this morning (Tuesday) might have caught an unusual sight: a double-decker bus emblazoned with a Union Jack ascending into the air via a massive crane.
The bus was one of three vehicles installed in The Perch, the sky park that opened at Capital One Center at the end of August.
A post on the mixed-use development’s Instagram page also contains pictures and video footage captured by NBC4 of the crane lifting a 1947 Flxible bus and an Airstream caravan 11 stories in the air to the park on top of Capital One Hall.
A Capital One Center spokesperson confirmed that the vehicles will be repurposed as food trucks as part of The Perch’s second phase, which will feature an 18-hole “Perch Putt” mini golf course as well as the food trucks.
The tenant that will operate the food trucks remains “to be named,” the spokesperson said.
The second phase of The Perch is scheduled to open in spring 2022. The 2.5-acre park is anchored by Starr Hill Biergarten and already features bocce ball pits, a dog park, and an amphitheater.
Capital One Center in Tysons Corner welcomed three new permanant food trucks, hoisted via crane today onto "The Perch" rooftop venue. Here's the final installment, a double decker bus being lifted into place (in ~10x speed) #Chopper4 @nbcwashington @charlienbc pic.twitter.com/C21slpLWOR
— ʙʀᴀᴅ ꜰʀᴇɪᴛᴀꜱ (@Chopper4Brad) November 16, 2021
(Updated at 12:25 p.m.) An evacuation of Wolftrap Elementary School in Vienna was due to a burned-up HVAC motor, which didn’t involve a fire, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reported.
Earlier, students were evacuated due to “potential smoke in the building,” the department said. Shortly after noon, the department reported that students and staff would return to the school.
Crews were on the scene in the 1900 block of Beulah Road to investigate and said earlier that all students were safely evacuated.
UPDATE – burned up HVAC motor cause. No fire. Students and staff will be returning back to school shortly. Most units returning to service. #FCFRD @WolftrapES @fcpsnews https://t.co/nhnMQGKy1R
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) November 16, 2021
