A new fast-food restaurant called China Village plans to come to Maple Avenue.
A Fairfax County permit indicates that the restaurant is working on altering the space at 335 Maple Avenue E. The 1,400-square-foot spot used to be the former home of GNC in the shopping center anchored by Giant.
The restaurant is one of several businesses looking to open in Vienna during the coronavirus pandemic.
Image via Google Maps
Memorial Day weekend is nearing, but the holiday honoring people who died while serving in the U.S. military and marking the unofficial start of summer will be different this year due to COVID-19.
Both the City of Falls Church and Town of Vienna have canceled their in-person events, opting instead to have online videos to recognize the holiday.
Instead of the annual parade and festival, Falls Church will offer virtual activities like a pre-recorded Memorial Day Ceremony, according to an email from the city.
The recording “will air on Monday, May 25 at 11 a.m. on the Falls Church Community Television Channel (Cox 11, RCN 2, Verizon 35) and available to watch on the city’s YouTube channel,” the email said.
More from the city:
A special Memorial Day edition of the Virtual Community Center — the Recreation and Parks Department’s bi-weekly newsletter — will debut Friday, May 22 with exclusive content including a Q&A with this year’s (and next year’s) Memorial Day Parade Grand Marshal, Lindy Hockenberry; a spotlight on the veteran who hosts our Senior Center Military History Forum; and stay-at-home Memorial Day themed activities for all ages.
Meanwhile, Vienna won’t have its annual ViVa Vienna event, which is hosted by the Rotary Club of Vienna. Instead, the town will have a video celebration.
“The town has worked with American Legion Post 180 to create a video that captures virtually the ceremony it hosts each year at Flint Hill Cemetery to honor those who have died in military service,” according to an email from the town. “The virtual ceremony will be broadcast several times over the weekend on TVCN (channel 27 on Cox and 38 on Verizon Fios).”
Government services will be closed on Monday (May 25) in both the city and town due to the holiday.
People in the Tysons area can also get outside and go to Fairfax County’s parks, which reopened earlier this week.
File photo
Look down and you can spot a new public art piece near the Vienna Community Center.
The Town of Vienna posted on Facebook yesterday that Myles T., the student member of the Vienna Public Art Commission, painted a storm drain with the help of his friends Anneliese B. and Gavin K. “All three students are rising seniors at James Madison High School,” the post said.
The picture of the painting on the sidewalk around the drain shows a turtle swimming through water that is surrounded by yellow, purple and red flowers.
“[Myles] spent last Friday painting a colorful, whimsical design on the storm drain at the bend in the road near the community center on Cherry Street,” the post said.
Vienna Paint donated the paint, the post said.
Photo via Town of Vienna/Facebook
While many small businesses are currently struggling to weather the coronavirus pandemic, several upcoming ones are continuing their plans to open in Vienna.
Signage considerations for South Block’s planned relocation to 207 Maple Avenue E. and a cookie chain’s new location in the town are on the agenda for Vienna’s Board of Architectural Review (BAR) meeting tonight (Thursday).
Crumbl Cookies started hiring for its upcoming Vienna location back earlier this year. BAR documents indicate that the cookie chain plans to occupy 203 Maple Ave E, which is between Cold Stone Creamery and Noodles & Company.
Viva Sol Juice Company is also planning on coming to the town at 124 Maple Ave W. in the Vienna Shopping Center, according to BAR documents and a Fairfax County permit.
The sign for the newly opened PizzaRoni is also on tonight’s agenda.
Photo via South Block/Facebook
While grocery stores have been booming with customers during the coronavirus pandemic, many farmers markets in Fairfax County have been closed due to public health concerns.
The county recently decided to reopen three of its 10 farmers markets.
Meanwhile, the Vienna Farmers Market, which is run by the Optimist Club of Greater Vienna, plans to open in June. FRESHFARM, which has a location in the Mosaic District, has pre-order and pick-up options. The NOVA Central Farm Market in Vienna is encouraging — but not requiring — pre-orders.
When Gov. Ralph Northam issued restrictions for non-businesses in March — which are still in effect for Northern Virginia — some people wondered why farmers market weren’t included in the list of essential businesses. Northam’s orders placed the same restrictions on farmers markets as restaurants.
Now, some groups are pushing Northam to classify farmers markets as “essential.”
Let us know in the poll below what you think.
Photo by Jakub Kapusnak/Unsplash
Virtual Job Fair for Recent Grads Next Thursday — “Participants will be able to browse companies in the lobby, enter their booths, view open positions specifically curated for recent grads, and chat with HR representatives in real-time.” [Brazen Connect]
First Child Case in Va. of Syndrome Tied to COVID-19 — “The Fairfax Health District has confirmed a case of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19. This is the first case of MIS-C reported in Virginia.” [Inside NoVa]
N. Va.’s Reopening Date TBD — “Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Wednesday he has not decided whether Northern Virginia can enter Phase One of reopening on May 29… Northam said he is in daily communication with Northern Virginia government leaders and has set no timeline for making a decision.” [Inside NoVa]
Helen Hayes Awards Delayed to August — D.C.-area theater companies will have to wait until late August for the awards ceremony that will determine the winners. Tysons’ 1st Stage Theatre received 18 nominations this year. [Broadway World, Tysons Reporter]
84 Falls Church Businesses Win Grant Funding — “The City of Falls Church Economic Development Authority (EDA) is proud to announce the winners of the EDA Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Grant Program. Each business will receive $2,000 to help with urgent expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.” [City of Falls Church]
Summer Camps Canceled — “The Fairfax County Park Authority and the county’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services have canceled 2020 summer camp programs due to the COVID-19 crisis.” [Tysons Reporter]
People can now shop at Tysons Galleria with a new curbside pick-up program for the mall’s retailers and restaurants.
The mall rolled out its new Retail-to-go initiative yesterday, according to a press release.
“Retail-to-go is a mall-wide Curbside Pickup program to support the needs of tenants and the shopping community,” the press release said. “This initiative will keep customers and staff safe during these unusual times.”
Customers can pick-up items from restaurants including Wilfire, P.F. Chang’s, Lebanese Taverna, the Cheesecake Factory and Maggiano’s, along with items from the following stores:
Curbside pick-up is available from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from noon-6 p.m. on Sundays at two locations in the parking lot closest to the entrance off of International Drive, the press release said.
“Once guests park in the appropriate retailer zone, then they will call the retailer for further instruction,” the press release said, adding that shoppers must pay for their items over the phone or online.
Work has started on the Highland District Apartments — a 390-unit apartment building coming soon to Tysons.
Billed as a “luxury class-A multifamily development project,” the five-story building will encompass a parking deck, according to PointOne Holdings.
PointOne Holdings announced the development yesterday (Tuesday) with the NRP Group.
“We are excited to be breaking ground on our latest development, Highland District Apartments in Tysons Corner, Virginia,” Ben Colonomos, PointOne Holdings’ managing partner, said in the announcement.
The building at 1768 Old Meadow Road is expected to be done by the summer of 2022, Bisnow reported.
The project’s description stresses the location’s proximity to jobs east of I-495 in Tysons and access to the McLean Metro station.
“Highland District will enjoy excellent walkability to over 20,000 jobs at the Capital One Headquarters, Northrop-Grumman and MITRE,” the website says.
Here are the amenities residents can expect, according to the website:
- clubroom with gaming areas
- areas for work
- a doorman
- infinity edge pool
- yoga lawns
- outdoor grilling area
- package concierge service
- fitness center with spin and cardio studios
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the Highland District development, which includes six buildings, eight parks and an athletic field, in 2016. The development will sit next to Tysons’ second fire station, which is currently under construction.
Image via PointOne Holdings
In a record turnout, more than 35% of Vienna voters submitted ballots for yesterday’s election to select their next mayor and new councilmembers.
Current Councilmember Linda Colbert beat her two opponents — also both on the Town Council — for the mayor’s seat, according to the unofficial election results in the town’s press release.
Colbert was first elected to the council in 2014 after serving on the Transportation Safety Commission and a variety of other governmental and local councils, according to her town bio.
Her campaign focused on boosting the town’s commercial areas, preserving the neighborhoods and keeping Vienna a “vibrant walkable town protected from the Tysons sprawl.”
As for the other mayoral candidates, Howard Springsteen will stay on the council until his term expires in June 2021, while Pasha Majdi’s term expires at the end of June.
According to the unofficial results, Colbert received 1,545 votes, while Majdi got 1,172 and Springsteen got 869.
Voters chose three out of the seven candidates who vied for councilmember seats.
According to the unofficial election results:
- Ed Somers — 1,545
- Ray Brill, Jr. — 1,472
- Chuck Anderson — 1,420
- Andrea Dahl — 1,336
- Chris Wright — 1,265
- Roy Baldwin — 1,256
- David Patariu — 1,214
Majdi, Dahl, Wright and Patariu ran as a group on a joint platform focused on keeping Vienna’s small town feel and reducing congestion.
Originally set for May 5, Gov. Ralph Northam delayed the town’s election by two weeks due to concerns about spreading the coronavirus.
Voter turnout peaked at 36.5% — recent turnout has usually been between 5% and 23% for the town’s elections — and voters submitted 3,371 absentee ballots, according to Fairfax County’s Office of Elections.
“It was an historic election in Vienna,” the election office tweeted.
The new councilmembers and mayor will start serving July 1.
Colbert photo via Town of Vienna, three photos in collage courtesy Ed Somers, Ray Brill, Jr. and Chuck Anderson
Municipal Finances Spotlighted in Vienna — The Washington Post focused on how Vienna is responding to the financial crisis from the pandemic. [Washington Post]
Tysons Fintech Company Now Under Goldman Sachs — “The acquisition represents the culmination of discussions that started in 2019 and the closing, while subject to regulatory approval, is expected in the third quarter of 2020… The acquisition of Folio by Goldman Sachs brings together two leading financial services firms for the continuing benefit of our clients and business partners.” [Folio Financial]
Virtual Job Fair — “Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), the largest school system in Virginia, is searching for educators with a strong academic background and a passion to make a difference in the lives of students during the 2020-21 school year. Principals will meet and engage with candidates at the FCPS Virtual Instructional Job Fair on Tuesday, May 26, Wednesday, May 27, and Thursday, May 28.” [FCPS]
ICYMI: Tysons Corner Center is Back Open — “Shoppers can find more than take-out from restaurants at Tysons Corner Center now that the mall is back open.” [Tysons Reporter]
