The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has submitted plans for its Tysons Fire Station and Bus Transit Facility project.
As shared at a public meeting in November, the project will relocate Fire Station 29 from Spring Hill Road to the 8300 Jones Branch Drive site now occupied by Fairfax Connector’s West*Park Transit Station, which will be replaced with a smaller, one-story building with offices and a commuter waiting area.
The new two-story, 20,000 square-foot fire station will have a garage with five engine bays as well as storage and administrative space, including offices, a kitchen, an exercise room, and bunk rooms for workers.
With Tysons becoming more populous and developed, county leaders say the station is needed to meet anticipated future demand for emergency services.
“The existing station is 3-bay only, outdated and having limited room on site for expansion,” a statement of justification said. “This project provides the opportunity to serve the Tysons area with a 5-bay fire station, replacement transit station and a new access to the [Dulles Toll Road].”
To build the facilities, the county board wants to remove the 4.2-acre parcel from a proffer agreement with a developer that limited its use to a bus station, kiss-and-ride lot, or mass transit facility, according to the application submitted on Jan. 4.
In response to traffic circulation concerns raised by some county staff, project manager Jun Li said that maintaining a clear separation between vehicles and pedestrians has been a design priority.
The overhauled site is expected to produce fewer trips during peak hours than it does now, because the number of bus bays for passenger loading will be reduced from seven to five, and shift changes for fire station personnel will occur outside of peak hours.
A traffic study approved by the county and state transportation departments estimated that the fire station will see a total of four trips per hour, based on projections of how many calls the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will receive in the area.
The proposed plan allocates 46 parking spaces to the fire station and eight spaces for the bus facility, including two spaces each designated for people with disabilities. The transit station currently has 40 parking spaces total.
According to Li, the new bus facility is envisioned more as a transfer station, rather than a park-and-ride lot, so the county doesn’t anticipate a lot of cars or bicycles at the site.
However, the county is considering adding a shared bicycle and pedestrian lane along Jones Branch Drive and has committed to providing 8-foot-wide sidewalks on Jones Branch and Spring Hill Road.
The facility will feature electric charging stations for both buses and cars. The county hopes to reduce energy and carbon emissions by at least 30%.
“We are also in process of studying net zero,” Li wrote.
The application notes, though, that the project as proposed would eliminate all existing tree cover.
“As the project moves along, more effort will be investigated for preserving the tree canopies as much as possible when getting into design details,” the statement of justification says. “Given the lack of tree preservation, the balance of the tree canopy cover requirement would need to be met with new on-site tree planting.”
Fairfax County Police Bust International Burglary Ring — “The pattern was quickly becoming familiar to Fairfax County police: an expensive home; Asian or Middle Eastern residents; a rear door or window smashed; and jewelry and luxury goods taken but expensive electronics left untouched.” [The Washington Post]
I-66 Lane Closures in Vienna Start Tomorrow — I-66 East will be reduced to a single travel lane approaching Cedar Lane in Vienna during overnight hours, starting at 10:30 p.m. tomorrow (Friday). Lasting until 5 a.m. Thursday (Jan. 20), the closures will allow workers to install bridge beams for a new access ramp to the future I-66 Express Lanes. [VDOT]
FCPS Turns to College Students for Substitute Teachers — Fairfax County Public Schools has opened substitute teaching positions to college students in a response to high vacancy rates. The school system’s substitute teacher fill rate is typically about 80%, but it has hovered around 70% during the pandemic, dropping to 55-60% during the current COVID-19 surge. [WTOP]
Original Fairfax County Chief Fire Marshal Dies — “It is with great sadness that the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department announce the passing of retired Fire Administrator, and first Chief Fire Marshal, Willis H. “Bill” Burton, Jr. Chief Burton passed away peacefully of natural causes, surrounded by family, on Sunday, January 9 at the age of 91.” [FCFRD]
Electoral Board Gets New Member — “Christopher P. Henzel was recently appointed and sworn in by the Fairfax Circuit Court as a member of the Fairfax County Electoral Board for a three-year term. He replaces Steve Hunt, whose term ended after serving eight years on the board.” [Fairfax County Government]
McLean Central Park Revision Meeting Set — “The public is invited to attend an information meeting on the McLean Central Park Development Concept plan on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022 at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held online so that members of the public can participate safely and conveniently from their homes.” [FCPA]
A buzzy restaurant team from D.C. will open a new Middle Eastern eatery at the Mosaic District in Merrifield this summer.
As the Washingtonian first reported yesterday (Tuesday), Tawle comes from Rose Previte and Mike Schuster, who own Compass Rose and Maydān. The former offers food from around the world, while the latter has drawn praise for its Middle Eastern cuisine and wood-fired grill.
The Mosaic District restaurant will be the pair’s first venture into Virginia, a Maydan spokesperson confirmed.
“We’re excited to join the Northern Virginia community, an area where many of our guests live and now work as well,” Previte said in a statement. “Bringing Tawle to their backyard and the opportunity to reach new guests was an opportunity that drew us to this project.”
The concept for Tawle, which comes from the Arabic word for “table,” was first revealed in September, when plans for a location in a new food hall at International Square in downtown D.C. were announced.
However, the Mosaic restaurant is expected to open first. It is envisioned as a casual spot with family-style meals, prix-fixe menus, and à la carte dishes available for dining in, takeout, and delivery. The venue will include a bar with cocktails, beer, and wine.
Tawle’s executive chef will be Omar Hegazi, whose resume includes stints as head chef of the New York-based Egyptian fast-casual restaurant Zooba and as sous chef at Bourbon Steak in D.C.’s Four Seasons hotel.
The new restaurant will move into the space at currently occupied by Jinya Ramen Bar (2911 District Avenue, Suite 140), but a manager at Jinya’s Mosaic location told Tysons Reporter that the noodle soup eatery isn’t closing.
Instead, it will just be moving a couple of doors down to a larger corner site, presumably Suite 170, which has been vacant since Cyclone Anaya’s Mexican Kitchen shuttered in 2019.
The Jinya manager says there is no definitive date yet for when the relocation will occur.
Fairfax County processed an application from Tawle for an interior renovations permit on Dec. 28, according to county records.
Police Investigate Reported Unlawful Filming — The Fairfax County Police Department is looking to identify a person of interest in the unlawful filming of a minor at the Surf N Suds laundromat at 5715 Columbia Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads. A teenage girl reported seeing a phone with a camera coming from the ceiling of the women’s bathroom around 7:50 p.m. on Dec. 12. [FCPD/Facebook]
Tysons Retail Enters New Phase of Development — “The face of the retail market in Tysons is changing. A series of new moves in the market, from longtime store closures to first-time openings to mall redevelopments, highlight how the Northern Virginia edge city is entering a new generation of its retail life cycle.” [Bisnow]
FCPS Criticizes Thomas Jefferson Admissions Bill — Fairfax County Public Schools denounced a bill proposed for the Virginia General Assembly’s upcoming session that challenges its new admissions process for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. FCPS says the legislation “rests on the fiction that any action taken to increase access for underserved or underprivileged groups is discrimination.” [FCPS]
The PARC to Host “Shop Local Saturday” Markets — “New Year, New Events! Join @CelebrateFFX, this Saturday, Jan. 15, for the 1st Shop Local Saturday Market of the year at The PARC in Tysons! This event is free to attend & will feature 25+ local business and makers who offer a variety of goods!” [Tysons Partnership/Twitter]
The McLean Project for the Arts will give community members an opportunity later this month to hear from the artists behind its current exhibitions.
Scheduled for 7 p.m. on Jan. 20, the virtual artist talk will include wood sculptors Emilie Benes Brzezinski, Rachel Rotenberg, Foon Sham, and Norma Schwartz, whose work is featured in the exhibit “Give and Take: Building Form” currently on display in the nonprofit’s Emerson Gallery.
Artist Sheila Crider will also participate. Her exhibition, “Intersectional Painting: Works by Sheila Crider,” occupies the Atrium Gallery.
Advance registration is required to receive a Zoom link for the talk.
Here are MPA’s descriptions of its winter exhibitions, which launched on Dec. 2:
Give and Take: Building Form (Emerson Gallery)
Featuring abstract wood sculpture by Emilie Benes Brzezinski, Rachel Rotenberg, Foon Sham and Norma SchwartzFeaturing dynamic abstract sculptural works by four artists who work primarily in wood, this exhibit will explore each artist’s personal vision along with their methodology of making. By employing varying degrees of adding and subtracting material-laminating or carving, sawing and sanding-these artists build form by either giving or taking away. With this mind, process is highlighted, understood and demonstrated with an eye towards clarifying the genesis and emergence of form.
Intersectional Painting: Works by Sheila Crider (Atrium Gallery)
Artist Sheila Crider will exhibit works from an on-going series that combines painting, drawing, braiding, stitching and weaving to create three-dimensional abstract forms. Through these works, which are both beautiful and evocative, Crider has found an inventive and original process that enables her to visually explore multiple intersections between material, place, tradition, race, gender, history, culture, narrative, art, painting, object and picture.
The exhibits will remain available for viewing both in person and online through Feb. 19. The Emerson Gallery is open to visitors from 1-4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.
Both galleries are located in the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Avenue), which requires all visitors to wear face masks. The exhibitions are also limited to six viewers at a time to encourage social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to MPA’s website.
MPA is also currently accepting proposals for solo spring exhibitions, and registration is now open for winter and spring art classes.
Aritizia is now in business at Tysons Corner Center.
The Canadian fashion brand had a soft opening for its boutique at the mall — its first in Virginia — just before Christmas, but the arrival wasn’t officially announced by Tysons Corner Center until Thursday (Jan. 6).
“Aritzia is such a great brand to have at Tysons Corner Center,” Lindsay Petak, the mall’s senior marketing manager, said in a statement. “The Canadian-based retailer has gained such a large brand following with their offering of beautiful, everyday luxury fashion in aspirational spaces with exceptional service.”
Located in between Banana Republic and the Tesla showroom, the 7,741 square-foot retail store features a private shopping room and employs a dedicated “style advisor” who can provide one-on-one, personalized service to customers.
Aritzia sells various types of clothing, from T-shirts and blazers to accessories, shoes, and face masks. It launched in a department store in Vancouver, Canada, before the family that owned the store opened the first standalone boutique in 1984, according to the company website.
Aritzia operates more than 100 boutiques across North America. The new Tysons Corner store is part of a larger effort to expand the retailer’s presence in the U.S., which now has 40 stores, including one in Georgetown.
“We are thrilled about this new location [at Tysons Corner] as we continue to expand across the U.S.,” Aritzia spokesperson Marianna Lozowska said.
Aritzia’s arrival comes during a period of transition for Tysons Corner Center.
Property owner Macerich is gearing up for Phase 2 of its development plans, which will add office, retail, residential, and plaza space where the former Lord & Taylor store and a nearby parking garage are currently situated.
More immediately, anchor store L.L. Bean is set to close up shop next Monday (Jan. 17) after more than two decades at the mall. However, online rumors that Barnes & Noble is also on the way out are unfounded, according to both a store employee and the company.
“Our lease has not expired and we plan on continued operation and serving our Tysons customers,” Barnes & Noble’s public relations team told Tysons Reporter.
Snow Exacerbates Regional Grocery Supply Issues — “Icy roads and the after-effects of last week’s snowy weather have stripped the shelves at local grocery stores in recent days, compounding supply chain crises that have been in the news for months, says one potato supplier.” [DCist]
County Gives Covid Relief to Businesses — “The Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives announced today that it has awarded more than $16,000,000 in PIVOT grant funds to 1,016 Fairfax County businesses adversely affected by the pandemic. Businesses in the most hard-hit sectors of the Fairfax County economy, including hotel, food service, retail and personal services, and arts and culture industries, were targeted.” [Fairfax County DEI]
FCPS Adopts Updated Covid Quarantine Guidelines — Fairfax County Public Schools has adopted most of the new federal guidelines for COVID-19 isolations and quarantines, allowing staff who test positive to return to work after five days if symptoms are gone or improving. Students must still isolate for 10 days, since school cafeterias don’t have room for social distancing. [Patch]
Christmas Tree Collection Extended — “Christmas tree collection has been extended through January 21, 2022, for recycling. Lights, decorations, and stands must be removed to ensure collection. After January 21, please schedule a brush Special Pickup to have the Christmas tree removed.” [DPWES]
Vienna Starts New Water Main Project Today — “Glen Ave. will be closed to through traffic from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. between Albrecht Circle and Wade Hampton Dr. to allow for installation of a new water main. Detours during those hours will last for 3 weeks or until the project is complete.” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]
Person Stabbed at Tysons Metro Station — An individual was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a man reportedly stabbed them around 5:30 p.m. on Friday (Jan. 7) at the Tysons Metro station. Metro Transit Police officers responded to the incident, and Fairfax County police later arrested a man believed to be the suspect. [WTOP]
No Injuries in McLean House Fire — “At 10:43 pm last night, crews from #FCFRD and Arlington County Fire Department dispatched to house fire in 1500 block of Dominion Hill Ct, McLean. Units arrived to find home fully involved in fire. 2nd alarm requested. Fire out. All occupants safe. No reported injuries.” [FCFRD/Facebook]
Police Identify Serial Killer Victims — “The Fairfax County Police Department identified two badly decomposed bodies found in a large plastic container near a shopping cart on Dec. 15 in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County as a woman from Washington, D.C., and a woman from California, police officials said at a news conference Friday night.” [Patch]
FCPD Recovers Stolen Vehicles — Fairfax County police recovered two vehicles during traffic stops in late December that had been reported as stolen. One was found on I-495 at Arlington Boulevard on Dec. 30, and the other was obtained on Dec. 31 after the driver attempted to get out of a traffic stop on I-495 at Leesburg Pike by striking a police cruiser with his vehicle. [FCPD]
FCPS Survey on Next Superintendent Now Open — “Please weigh in by participating in the Superintendent Search Survey today. The survey allows FCPS parents/guardians, staff, high school students, and community members to share their thoughts on the leadership characteristics and qualities of the next superintendent.” [FCPS]
The weekend is almost here. Before you start shoveling the latest round of snow 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:
- NEW: Bed Bath & Beyond to pack up Tysons store
- UPDATED: Power outages affect thousands in Tysons amid snowstorm
- BREAKING: Pedestrian killed while crossing Route 123 in Tysons
- JUST IN: Police identify bicyclist killed in McLean crash
- L.L. Bean is closing its Tysons Corner Center store next month
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.
With schools out for winter break, the Vienna Police Department has encountered some rowdy behavior from youngsters over the past few weeks.
According to the department’s crime report for Dec. 22 to Jan. 6, two juveniles are facing potential felony charges for property destruction and trespassing after they allegedly drove over and damaged Waters Field (130 Cherry Street SE) by the Vienna Community Center.
The incident occurred at 11:16 p.m. on Dec. 19:
A resident reported a vehicle driving recklessly on Waters Field, causing damage. An officer located the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle was occupied by two juveniles who were both taken into custody and transported to the Vienna Police Station. One juvenile was released to the custody of his step-father, the other was released to his adult sister. Petitions are pending.
In an unrelated event from around 7:57 p.m. that same evening, a woman reported to police that she was bedeviled by youths throwing Tide detergent pods at her vehicle while waiting at the Maple Avenue and Beulah Road stoplight:
A woman reported that she noticed a vehicle occupied by juveniles follow her as she left the 7-11 parking lot. While she was on Maple Avenue at the traffic light for Beulah Road, the juveniles threw Tide pods at her vehicle. Officers responded to the vehicle owner’s residence and found it was the owner’s sons and one of their friends who were in the vehicle throwing the pods. The woman did not wish to pursue charges.
Vienna police have also recently responded to some incidents involving adult residents, including a report of “an unknown situation between four men” in the Vienna Park apartments area on Cedar Lane.
The report that officers received at 6:35 p.m. on Dec. 26 indicated that three of the men appeared to be assaulting the fourth man, who was on the ground.
“All of the men entered an apartment before officers arrived,” the VPD said in its weekly crime report. “Officers spoke to the residents. The man who had been on the ground advised the officers that the other men were just helping him up and into the apartment and that no crime had occurred.”
Photo via Mike Mozart/Flickr
