The developer of two mixed-use developments by the Spring Hill Metro station will likely have to wait until next year for Fairfax County to determine the proposals’ fates.
Georgelas LLC is looking to redevelop car dealerships along the north side of Tyco Road into developments called West Spring Hill Station and North Spring Hill Station.
The development — particularly West Spring Hill Station — has faced concerns from county staff and the Planning Commission, including the projects’ synergy with The View, school overcrowding, and the abundance of artificial turf.
At the request of the developer, Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner, the commissioner for the Providence District, pushed the decisions last night (Thursday) about the projects to the end of the year.
“Since the public hearing on the Georgelas application, we’ve had a series of discussions with the applicant that represent progress but more attention needs to be given to some of these specifics,” Niedzielski-Eichner said.
The proposed North Spring Hill Station would replace the existing Tesla dealership with four new buildings, including two residential towers, one office tower and a parking garage with an athletic field on top. The existing Verizon telecommunications facility on the site would stay.
Meanwhile, West Spring Hill Station would add four buildings — two for residential, one for residential or office space and the final one for offices — and three public parks.
Fairfax County planners said that the North Spring Hill Station addresses the expectations in the Tysons Comprehensive Plan — but not the West Spring Hill Station.
“[West Spring Hill Station] does not fully address the criteria, particularly with regards to providing a comprehensive, functioning grid of streets; the provision of open space; and, coordination of development,” the staff report said.
The staff report also notes that the West Spring Hill Station may require further development of the Koons Tysons Toyota site.
The Planning Commission deferred its decision on the projects to Dec. 11.
While the developments were set to go before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Oct. 15, the agenda indicates that the public hearing will get pushed to a later date.
Since the Board of Supervisors’ last full meeting of the year is on Dec. 3, the fate of the two developments probably won’t get determined until 2020.
Images via Fairfax County
Capital Bikeshare use has been steadily rising in Tysons over the last three years.
Between January and August, riders this year took 7,523 rides — 575 rides more than last year’s total. So far, ridership this year has gone up 8% compared to 2018.
Ridership jumped up last year as well. Capital Bikeshare experienced a 16% increase in Tysons ridership from 2017 to 2018.
The data is from the latest status report by the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT), which is slated to be presented to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (Oct. 15).
The increasing ridership is likely to continue as more stations come to the Tysons area next year.
“FCDOT received a Commuter Choice grant for 10 new stations in the Merrifield and Vienna Metrorail area and is actively working on finalizing station locations for the Providence District Transportation Alternatives Program grant that will add up to 18 new stations to the Fairfax County system in 2020,” according to FCDOT.
The county finished a feasibility study of the Route 123 corridor between Route 7 and Burke Lake Park in partnership, according to FCDOT.
Currently, there are 14 stations in Tysons. Earlier this year, Capital Bikeshare expanded into Merrifield and Falls Church.
So far in Falls Church, riders have taken 322 trips, while riders in Merrifield have taken 2,181 trips this year, according to FCDOT.
Image via Fairfax County
Columbus Day — also known as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” in some areas — is coming up on Monday (Oct. 14).
For people staying in the Tysons area, some government facilities will be closed and public transit options will be operating on modified schedules.
Tysons Reporter has rounded up a list of public services that will be affected by the upcoming holiday on Monday.
County-wide
- All county offices, schools and libraries will be closed.
- The Circuit and General District Courts will be closed.
- The Fairfax Connector will operate on a Holiday Weekday Service where certain routes will run every 12-15 minutes.
- United States Postal Service offices will be closed.
Vienna
- The Vienna Community Center will have reduced hours from 10 a.m. until 10:30 p.m.
- The Town of Vienna’s government offices will be closed.
McLean
- The McLean Community Center will be closed.
- The Old Firehouse will be open.
Falls Church
- The City of Falls Church’s government offices and buildings will be closed.
- The Mary Riley Styles Public Library will be closed.
- Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls Street) will be open from 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
The City of Falls Church and the Town of Vienna recognize Oct. 14, 2019 as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day.”
“Celebrating the two holidays on the same day is a way to inform our understanding of each group’s contributions to our national fabric without demeaning the significance of either,” according to a Falls Church press release.
Speaking of closures, Tysons Reporter will be taking a break as well on Monday.
Fairfax County plans to turn a vacant retail building in Tysons into a new grid of streets.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors bought the site that once housed the Container Store (8508 Leesburg Pike) from a JBG affiliate for $16.6M, the Washington Business Journal reported.
The county plans to add a new street that would connect Leesburg Pike and Greensboro Drive, according to the story.
The site sits across from Embassy Suites by Hilton and Ruth’s Chris Steak House by the Spring Hill Metro station.
The Container Store relocated from 8508 Leesburg Pike to 8459 Leesburg Pike near the Best Buy last October.
Image via Google Maps
Autonomous vehicles connecting the Mosaic District to the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro may arrive as soon as next spring.
Earlier this year, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors decided to start a pilot program for self-driving vehicles as a shuttle service. Dominion Energy and the county decided to partner up on the program.
Deputy County Executive Rachel Flynn said at a Bisnow event today (Thursday) that the autonomous vehicles are expected to arrive in the spring or summer.
The vehicles will come from EasyMile, which is based in France, she said.
Flynn also said that the county has received a grant from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, but did not disclose the amount.
Photo via Facebook/EasyMile
Fairfax County may reduce its parking requirements for its largest malls — including Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria.
The proposal would affect four malls in the county — the two in Tysons, Fair Oaks and Springfield Town Center.
A review of the parking rates and demand at large regional malls by consulting firm Nelson/Nygaard found that less than 65% of the available spaces were occupied during peak times, according to county documents.
The proposal would alter the requirement from four to 2.5 or three parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area — the recommended change from Nelson/Nygaard.
“This is a more realistic parking requirement and, if implemented, would continue to provide an oversupply of parking at peak demand on weekdays and weekends during all times of the year,” according to county documents.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is set to vote on Tuesday (Oct. 15) on authorizing public hearings — a Planning Commission one on Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and one before the board on Dec. 3 at 4 p.m.
“Overall, the changes will provide Fairfax County’s largest commercial retail centers additional flexibility to react to a changing retail marketplace,” according to county documents.
Actress Jane Seymour is coming to Tysons to showcase her art.
Seymour will make appearances at Wentworth Gallery’s two locations — Tysons Galleria and the Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda — this weekend.
Known for her roles in “Austenland” and the James Bond film “Live and Let Die,” Seymour has been creating oil and watercolor paintings and sculptures for more than two decades.
Her paintings vary from pastel beach scenes to vibrant flowers, along with many self-portraits and art depicting hearts and angels.
More from the art gallery about the actress and painter:
British born, Jane Seymour most famous for her long-lasting and successful acting career, has evolved into a present-day Renaissance woman. In additon to writing, producing, fashion designing and charity work, Seymour has become an accomplished artist…
Seymour finds sanctuary and peace in her art studio. A lover of culture and nature, she has created exceptional oil paintings, watercolors and limited editions.
Her talent as a watercolorist, in fact, led to the production of a series of greeting cards sold to support her charities. One of her images was featured on a special Discover card, raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, following the work’s charity auction at the Guggenheim Museum.
“The Art of Jane Seymour” art show will include a meet and greet from 6-9 p.m. at Tysons Galleria on Saturday (Oct. 12). She will be in Bethesda on Sunday (Oct. 13).
Photo via Jane Seymour Art Show/Facebook
Drivers can expect delays from a crash this morning at the intersection fo Tysons Blvd and Galleria Drive.
A tow truck is on its way and drivers can expect a brief right lane closure, Sgt. James Curry, a police spokesman, told Tysons Reporter.
Traffic was heavy on Tysons Blvd around 9:55 a.m., according to Google Maps.
Curry said that no injuries have been reported.
Map via Google Maps
A gas leak has closed the eastbound lanes of Leesburg Pike by The Boro in Tysons.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue crews are on the scene of a gas leak in the 8400 block of Leesburg Pike that was caused by construction crews hitting a gas line, the fire department tweeted.
“Units shutting down eastbound Leesburg Pike (Rte. 7) and Gosnell Road,” the tweet said.
The eastbound lanes of Leesburg Pike have been shut down, according to Fairfax Alerts.
Map via Google Maps
One Fairfax County official is urging the county to take more responsibility for stormwater management regardless of its liability.
Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust represents McLean, Great Falls and Herndon on the Board of Supervisors. After major flash flooding in July, Foust saw severe storm damage throughout McLean — from two severely damaged roads to flooded yards and fields.
“This is the issue de jure out in the communities after July 8, at least in my neck of the woods,” Foust said. “This is what I hear about all the time.”
Randy Bartlett, the director of the county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, gave a presentation to the Board of Supervisors about flood mitigation activities on Tuesday (Oct. 8).
Some of Bartlett’s proposed policy recommendations included using 100-year storm benchmarks when upsizing pipes, requiring new developments to capture a certain amount of rain and designating overland relief paths on plats.
“I think that these are good recommendations,” Chairman Sharon Bulova said, adding that the county needs to designs for the 100-year storm and consider upsizing at new developments.
Foust agreed with Bulova and said that Bartlett suggested “some good alternatives,” before pushing the county to do more.
Bartlett said that the county will install backflow valves that residents then need to maintain.
“I know we offer constituents options to make investments to limit the ability of our sewer systems to back up into their basements when our sewer systems get overflowed with stormwater,” Foust. “I think that should be our responsibility.”
Foust added that the county either needs to find a way to keep stormwater out of the sewer systems or — if it does — to at least make sure it doesn’t get into constituents’ basements.
Overland relief is causing dangerous situations, Foust said.
“We have to think about getting more of this water into a conveyance system that is not free-flowing in these neighborhoods,” he said.
Aside from the county’s efforts, Foust also said that more state funding is needed.
“We have neighborhoods being literally destroyed when it rains hard,” Foust said.
Photo via @SteveML9022/Twitter, graph via Fairfax County
