After a noisy couple of years, construction is wrapping up on the Vienna Market development that now looms over Maple Avenue.
Replacing the former Marco Polo restaurant at 245 Maple Avenue West, the complex consists of 44 condominium townhomes and 8,200 square feet of ground-floor retail space. It broke ground in mid-2019 after a lengthy planning and design process.
“The construction is practically completed and we have received our occupancy permits for all of the homes and closed most of them,” Stephen Collins, senior vice president of Northfield Construction and Development, told FFXnow.
According to NV Homes, which partnered with Northfield on the project, all residences have been sold out. The 38 townhouses at the back of the site were finished first and have seen occupants move in over the past 18 months.
Northfield built the six remaining townhomes fronting Maple Avenue and the retail podium underneath them. Collins says those residents closed within the past week and have or are in the process of moving in.
The retail portion of the project will be transferred to a new owner who’s expected to take over “soon” and has been working on the leasing, according to Northfield.
First, though, Vienna Market will return to the Vienna Board of Architectural Review tonight (Thursday) to address some design tweaks made during construction.
“It is not unusual to do this with such a complex project and the nature of detail in the original approvals,” Collins said.
According to a town staff report, the requested alterations primarily relate to the building façades and the “corner park,” a small landscaped area on the corner of Maple and Pleasant Street NW.
A change in size and location of the building’s transformer required adjustments to the park’s sidewalks and planting locations, including the elimination of planter boxes at the end of each leg.
“Without the vault that had previously serviced the site, a second transformer was required as well as additional primary lines. To run adequate power to the site, and maintain a safe distance from the townhome units, this design and location was required,” the report said, noting that the changes were requested by Dominion Power.
Northfield is also seeking approval for metal canopies added over the storefronts on Maple and Pleasant as well as the removal of columns shown in previously approved renderings on a retaining wall facing the adjacent Bank of America.
According to the report, the wall needed more room to place the columns than anticipated, so adding them would’ve required workers to go outside the property line.
Vienna Market was approved by the town council in May 2018 as only the second project to advance under the town’s short-lived Maple Avenue Commercial zoning code, which was intended to promote more pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development along the main street.
“We think the final project looks tremendous and it’s been a great development partnership with the community and Town throughout the entire process,” Collins said in a statement. “We look forward to tying up all the loose ends over the next few months and hopefully we can find another project to work on with them.”
This sponsored column is written by the team at Arrowine & Cheese (4508 Cherry Hill Road in Arlington). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Experience Arrowine’s Tastings & Events. Have a question? Email [email protected].
So you want to make wine?
So you think you want to make wine?
What were you think’n? It’s 4 a.m., time to get to work. So you spent a month checking your parcels, monitoring ripeness by tasting berries to select or the perfect moment to harvest. A sudden forecast of rain sends shivers up your spine, sending you into over-drive to pick as fast as you can if you find people crazy enough to join you.
Armed with shears, working in oppressive heat, roasting under the hot sun, you carefully select only the ripest bunches as you swat mosquitoes; bees buzz swirling around you, only to land on the bunch you are about to grasp. You must continuously bend, stretch, and contort yourself while gently tossing a season’s worth of work into plastic bins. You schlep the countless plastic containers full of fruit while some escaping juice runs down your legs as you run to the receiving truck.
Alley up, throw them up to the unlucky harvester who must have pissed someone off to get stuck on the truck all day long in the scorching sun, humping plastic lugs full of grapes, bees, and what have you. Back and forth until your arms numb, and it’s just 9 a.m. Thank G-d it’s 9 a.m.
Time to stop for “casse-croute” or the French version of a “coffee break in the vineyard.” Bread, cheese, salami or pâte, and of course, a little liquid sustenance, i.e., wine. Just like the office. A quick snackeroo, and back you go!
The fruit arrives at the winery. So you undo what you just did. Thankfully you are after twenty or so bee stings; you hardly feel them. But at least you are given a cot to sleep on in an unairconditioned barn, attic, or old kitchen with 20 strangers. But the food is good, and there’s plenty of wine.
Time for “triage” or sorting the fruit either by hand or with a fancy vibrating table that does it for you. The aim is to remove any malformed, damaged, or unhealthy clusters, even down to individual berries, along with any leaves, bugs, and the occasional cigarette butts.
Many growers refrigerate the fruit for 8 to 12 before fermentation to preserve freshness. Then off to the de-stemmer, where the bunches are relieved of their berries. So from here on, we are talking about the fermentation of red wine.
Decision number one, do you destem, all or partially or entirely? Under-ripe or vintages with less than perfect fruit are usually wholly destemmed — no need for unripe raspy green stem tannins. If the stems are mature, fermenting a portion of “whole clusters” is an option. Adding stems brings complexity, but be careful of the proportion you use. Stems are also a source of tannins.
The crushed grapes, juice, and skins head into a vessel of the winemaker’s choosing (I’ll talk more about this next week) to settle and macerate. The temperature can be controlled by using refrigeration. Cold retards the yeast activity. You don’t want the juice to ferment straight away. This maceration also has the benefit of reducing the sulfur needed to keep the demons away.
The time that the skins are in contact with the juice is critical. Think of making tea; the more you seep, the more color and tannin you extract. Healthy, clean skins allow for extended mingling in juice with great benefits. The skins are the aromatic heart and soul of the wine.
Everything comes from the skins (in reds.) The winemaker decides when the “right” level of extraction has taken place, and then it’s off to the races — more about that next time. If I’m “nerding out,” please tell me!
Cheers,
Doug
Photo by Thomas Schaefer on Unsplash.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
A Vienna dive shop has been subsumed into Diventures, a swimming and scuba franchise from Nebraska that hopes to build a new aquatics facility to serve the D.C. area.
The company announced yesterday (Wednesday) that it has expanded into Virginia with the acquisition of the local scuba shop Nautilus Aquatics, which has two locations in Vienna (510 Mill Street NE) and Sterling (1007A Ruitan Circle).
“We are excited to expand into Virginia and bring the Diventures experience to the northern Virginia and metro Washington, D.C. area, as well as bringing their unique experiences to our other 15 locations across the U.S.,” Diventures founder and owner Dean Hollis said in the press release.
In addition to operating the two stores, Diventures says it is actively looking for land in Northern Virginia and the D.C. area to build a 8,000-square-foot swim and scuba center.
The facility would have an indoor, heated pool with a depth of up to 12 feet, a retail store, classrooms, a “diamond-level” scuba service center, a swim program, and a concierge travel center where patrons can book U.S. and international diving trips, according to the press release.
Diventures Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Rebecca Van Gundy confirmed that an exact location for the center hasn’t been identified.
“We have not purchased land yet and are currently looking for that,” she told FFXnow, noting that the site would need to be at least 1.6 acres in size.
Nautilus sells scuba gear and offers dive certifications, summer camps and other diving-related services. The company formed in 2015 out of a merger between Sterling Silver Scuba and Adventures Scuba Company, which started in Chantilly in 1978 before relocating to Vienna.
Nautilus founders Jason Davis and Melissa Miles purchased the Sterling shop in 2008 and Adventures Scuba in Vienna in 2015. In 2016, they bought the assets to The Dive Shop in Merrifield, which was the oldest dive shop in the D.C. area when it closed in 2015.
Diventures leaders said acquiring Nautilus will help the company expand its family programming while introducing a “safety-focused swim program, travel calendar and state-of-the-art aquatics training facilities to Northern Virginia.”
“Melissa and I are excited for the future and the opportunity to continue to support the scuba community through innovation, education and, as always, a customer-first focus,” Davis said. “We cannot thank our customers and team of top-notch dive professionals enough for bringing Nautilus Aquatics to where it is today.”
The acquisition is official, but Diventures will initially co-brand with Nautilus “to maintain that ‘local dive shop’ feel and familiarity with customers,” Van Gundy said by email.
In the long term, the company plans to retain the “Nautilus” name for a scuba club that will be offered at the stores.
Poor Conditions Reported at County-Owned Annandale Apartments — “Residents of the Wedgewood Apartments in Annandale are increasingly fed up with their living conditions — and an unresponsive landlord. Among the complaints: mice, bedbugs, water outages, broken pipes, flooding in laundry rooms, mold, rats by the dumpsters, crime, and speeding in the parking lot.” [Annandale Today]
Crab Cab Bar + Kitchen Opens in Penn Daw — “A woman-owned food truck business that has specialized in high quality, fresh seafood fare for nearly 10 years held its soft opening Oct. 17 at the Krispy Korner shopping center in Penn Daw…The restaurant is open Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight.” [On the MoVe]
Park Authority Names New Communications Director — The Fairfax County Park Authority has hired Susan Kalish as its new Director of the Office of Marketing and Communications. The public relations director for Arlington Parks and Recreation since 2006, Kalish assume the position on Dec. 16, replacing “longtime Public Information Officer Judy Pedersen, who is retiring at the end of the year after more than 20 years of service to the agency.” [FCPA]
County Library Compiling Cookbook — “Do you make a beloved, delicious dish with an interesting story? The Fairfax County Public Library is collecting recipes for a forthcoming e-book called ‘Fairfax County Cooks: A Community Cookbook.’ This will be the first book in a series featuring diverse traditions and stories from the community.” [Annandale Today]
National Philharmonic Orchestra Starts Season in Tysons — “Pardon their French! The renowned National Philharmonic kicks off its exciting fall season this week with a pair of concerts under the banner theme, ‘Vive La France.’ The first show is Thursday, Oct. 20, at Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia, followed by a second show Saturday, Oct. 22, at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland.” [WTOP]
Transportation Expo Coming to Reston This Weekend — “The weather looks great for the Let’s Go Expo this coming Saturday, Oct. 22, 1 to 4 p.m. at 1850 Cameron Glen Dr. in Reston. This free interactive event is for all ages, so please bring the kids…For adults, this is a multi-modal transportation extravaganza!” [Hunter Mill District News]
Kilmer MS Student Organizes Spelling Bee — “A Kilmer Middle School eighth-grader has been giving up his Friday evenings to offer free spelling tutoring to dozens of Mongolian immigrant children across the US…On Saturday, Oct. 22, the 13-year-old will be welcoming many of these children as they arrive at The World Bank in Washington, D.C. to take part in his latest venture: a first-ever community spelling bee for American Mongolian students that has Scripps’ support.” [FCPS]
Local Rec Centers Prepare for Return of Student Swimmers — “Fairfax County Park Authority Rec Centers will welcome back FCPS High School swim and dive teams starting Nov. 7, 2022. This partnership between the Park Authority and area high schools dates back to the opening of Audrey Moore Rec Center at Wakefield Park in 1977.” [FCPA]
It’s Thursday — Clear throughout the day. High of 57 and low of 36. Sunrise at 7:24 am and sunset at 6:24 pm. [Weather.gov]
Temperatures could drop below freezing overnight in Fairfax County, continuing a cold streak that took hold earlier today (Wednesday).
The National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Warning that will take effect from 1 to 9 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday), stating that sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit can be expected.
“Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” the NWS said.
Here’s more on what to do from the alert, which covers the D.C. area up past Hagerstown in Maryland:
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing.
According to the NWS forecast, this week is expected to close out with temperatures rising to highs in the upper-60s during the day on Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 22-23). Nights will see lows ranging from 37 degrees Thursday to 45 degrees on Saturday.
[1:32 PM] The National Weather Service has issues a freeze warning in effect from 1 AM to 9AM EDT Thursday (10/20). Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 degrees are expected. pic.twitter.com/ORqZ8hbIIC
— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) October 19, 2022
Tysons now has its first ChocoGelateria.
Venchi Fine Italian Chocolates officially opened its new chocolate and gelato shop at Tysons Corner Center around noon today (Wednesday), slightly behind the late summer opening anticipated when the store was first announced.
Located in the former Blue Nile showroom near Macy’s on the mall’s second floor, the store is open from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on all days except for Sundays, when it will operate from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
This is first U.S. location outside of the New York tri-state area for Venchi, an Italian chocolate manufacturer that has been in operation since 1878. The company has developed 350 chocolate recipies and 90 different flavors of gelato that it sells in 150 retail boutiques in 70 countries.
“Venchi is thrilled to be expanding beyond the New York Tri-State area to a community as dynamic and global as Fairfax County,” Venchi Chief Commercial Officer Mark Ellis said in a statement. “We are excited to be a part of the Tysons Corner community and share the flavors of the Italian Allegria (joy and happiness) with the world.”
Here’s what the Tysons store will offer, according to a press release:
Tysons Corner Center shoppers will be able to enjoy some of the world’s finest chocolate, Gelato, European coffee, hot chocolate, crepes, and more, designed to create everyday unforgettable moments of sharing and celebration. And just in time for the holidays, Venchi will also soon be selling its exciting Holiday Collection of chocolates — all manufactured in Italy — which is perfect for gift-giving.
The brand is noted for its incredible Gelato and its most popular flavors include (Cremino, Pistachio, Hazelnut, Chocoviar, and Mango). Tysons Corner Center shoppers can stop in to sample a few Gelato flavors before deciding to order their favorite — available in a cup or in Venchi’s own cone dipped in Suprema spread and Chocoviar granules. It is the ultimate treat!
Venchi’s ChocoGelateria at Tysons Corner will also be selling a variety of Pick and Mix individual chocolates, it’s new Italian Dessert Collection of chocolates, a variety of chocolate bars, Suprema Spread, hot chocolate, crepes made with the Suprema Spread, and more.
Venchi is the second European chocolate purveyor to make its way into Tysons Corner Center this year, coming on the heels of Läderach Chocolatier Suisse, which replaced Godiva in May.
A 30-year-old man from D.C. has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman at a hotel in Tysons West earlier this month, the Fairfax County Police Department announced today (Wednesday).
According to the department, community tips based on surveillance footage shared publicly on Monday (Oct. 17) led police to identify Patrick Craig Locke as the suspect in the assault, which occurred on Oct. 1 in the 8600 block of Westwood Center Drive.
Locke was arrested by Metro Transit Police at 4 p.m. yesterday (Tuesday) at the Metro Center station in D.C.
The FCPD says its detectives received “several tips” after reviewing surveillance footage from the hotel and releasing video captured at Metro stations that they believed the suspect had visited.
The department also reviewed body camera footage from police in Montgomery County, where Locke had been arrested in September on a theft charge, according to court records.
According to the District Court of Maryland, Locke is scheduled to appear in Montgomery District Circuit Court for a preliminary hearing on Monday (Oct. 24). He has been charged with misdemeanor theft of $100 to $1,500 for a Sept. 8 offense.
“Once identified, detectives obtained warrants for rape, burglary with the intent to commit rape, abduction with the intent to defile and brandishing,” the FCPD said in its blog post.
Locke allegedly entered a woman’s unlocked hotel room in the afternoon of Oct. 1 and sexually assaulted her, according to police. He later pointed a gun at “a man known to the victim” who learned about the assault and chased him, police said.
The FCPD says no firearm has been recovered so far.
Locke is currently in custody at D.C.’s Central Detention Facility but will be extradited to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, police said.
Another local French bakery has closed its doors for good, leaving the Tysons area with dwindling options for macrons, cookies and other Parisian desserts.
Madeleine Proust shuttered on Oct. 1, only about a year after it first opened in Vienna’s Wolftrappe Shops at 448 Maple Ave East. The business didn’t provide an explanation for the closure but confirmed it would no longer be operating in any capacity after that date.
“We would like to thank all of our customers that we have done business with over the years. We could not have been as successful as it was without your loyalty. Thank you!” the bakery said in a message on its website.
FFXnow was unable to reach the owners for comment.
Madeleine Proust opened in October 2021 as the creation of couple Jesse and Scarlet Woo, according to Patch. As suggested by the name, its specialties included shell-shaped madeleines, Chiffon cakes and Sablé cookies.
The bakery also offered brilles, a madeleine covered in flavored chocolate developed by Scarlet Woo, a pastry chef, according to Northern Virginia Magazine, which dubbed the shop “a must-try for serious food lovers” in a review last December.
Madeleine Proust appears to have closed around the same time as Praline Bakery, the similarly French-inspired bakery from former White House pastry chefs that opted not to renew its lease at the Mosaic District in Merrifield.
Just a couple of doors down from Madeleine Proust, the fine dining restaurant Clarity has temporarily closed.
The restaurant announced on Oct. 3 that it would be closed until Nov. 2 as “our Chef Bryant is reimaginating the unique fine dining experience of Clarity.”
A Clarity employee told FFXnow that, in addition to hiring a new chef, the restaurant is training new servers and managers. The interior is also getting cleaned and refurbished with new lights, among other changes.
While the menu will be tweaked slightly, the restaurant has retained most of its kitchen staff, and the hours of operation will be unchanged once it reopens.
Dinner will return on Nov. 2 from 5-10:30 p.m., seven days a week, while lunch will restart on Nov. 8 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays.
“The menu is going to be a little different, but in a good way,” the employee said. “…It’s going to be a good experience to enjoy with us for sure.”
Fairfax County is once again discussing how to discourage “panhandling” while also declining — at least for the moment — to make it illegal to engage with anyone in a county-owned road or median.
The subject was revived at last week’s board meeting by Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity after cropping up a number of times over the last several years.
Herrity’s board matter argued that people in the road or median asking for money not only “generates considerable public complaint,” but is a safety risk for both those individuals and motorists.
“Anyone who stands in the median of our busy intersections trying to engage with motorists puts themselves in danger and presents a dangerous distraction to motorists,” Herrity’s board matter said. “This applies to panhandlers, fundraisers, marketers, and anyone else in the medians.”
However, a recent study by the county somewhat disputes this assertion. At Herrity’s urging, the board directed staff in May to conduct a study into if there are “public safety risks” in relation to people being in roads asking for money.
Sent to the board in July, the study results concluded that staff was “unable to find a significant public safety risk related to or stemming from panhandling,” mostly because that data wasn’t being collected at that level of specificity.
“While panhandling appears dangerous and generates considerable public complaint, available FCPD data does not support a determination that panhandlers are more likely to be injured or killed than other pedestrians, or that locations where panhandlers are present have an increased risk of traffic accidents,” the study said.
Nonetheless, Herrity disagreed with the assessment by saying a study shouldn’t replace “commonsense.”
While this is a step in the right direction, my colleagues would not approve my related motion that would have directed our staff to have a draft panhandling ordinance prepared for discussion in a Public Safety Committee meeting and/or Closed session.
— Supervisor Pat Herrity (@PatHerrity) October 13, 2022
“With as many tragic pedestrian fatalities as we have had in this County, including one panhandler, I am frankly appalled that we have not done more to protect our residents on this issue. We should not need a study to determine what is commonsense,” Herrity wrote in the board matter.
At the board’s Oct. 11 meeting, Herrity proposed directing staff to “draft a curb-to-curb safety ordinance that would restrict anyone from engaging with motorists between the curbs of a road with the exception of recognized public safety entities,” including for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s annual “Fill the Boot” campaign.
A similar ordinance has been in place in Loudoun County since 2013 but has since been tweaked.
The motion, however, did not receive a second and died before going to a vote.
Board Chairman Jeff McKay said he’s not opposed to continuing the discussion in a closed session but cautioned that courts have already ruled against the proposal’s legality.
“I don’t object to having that conversation, but I do think that conversation should happen before the staff goes about drafting an ordinance to the benefit of your colleagues who weren’t on the last board, knowing that the last board soundly rejected this,” McKay told Herrity.
Herrity had a bit more luck with a request for a public information campaign to let community members know there are better ways to help those in need other than physically handing out cash. It also looked to inform business owners of their rights in restricting the act on their property.
That motion passed without objection from any supervisors.
As noted by the county’s public information officer Tony Castrilli during the meeting, the county has put out materials in the past that discouraged “panhandling” and shared best practices to help folks who are in need.
As part of the passed motion, the Board directed staff to update those materials.
McKay advised residents to donate money to nonprofits and community organizations, as opposed to handing out cash to those standing in roads or on sidewalks.
“The best way to stop this is for residents to stop giving money to panhandlers. That’s a difficult task to accomplish,” McKay said. “If we are really going to make a dent in this…it’s for people to give money to legitimate organizations that can help deal with the homelessness problem in the county. The folks that are giving money are doing what they think is the right thing, but they are creating even larger challenges.”
Health Department Urges Flu Shots — “As the weather cools down and more time is spent indoors, the Fairfax County Health Department encourages everyone 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine this Fall, preferably by the end of October…If you are eligible for your COVID-19 booster, it is safe to get your flu shot at the same time as your booster.” [FCHD]
D.C. Man Indicted in Fatal I-495 Crash — A Fairfax County grand jury indicted D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commission member Devon Lesesne yesterday (Tuesday) for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Katherine Aileen Reyes, 20, of Alabama. Lesesne was allegedly driving drunk when he crashed into Reyes, whose vehicle was disabled on I-495 near Telegraph Road on March 5. [WTOP]
Sheriff’s Office Offered Cruises in Contract With Telecom Company — The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office’s contract with Smart Communications, the Florida-based company that operates the Adult Detention Center’s video call and electronic messaging system, includes free annual cruises to the Caribbean for a “technology training summit.” The sheriff’s office said none of its employees have attended and it wouldn’t give members permission to go. [The Appeal]
Malfunctioning Fan Sparks Lorton House Fire — A problematic attic fan started a fire in the 7500 block of Billsam Court Saturday morning (Oct. 15), forcing three residents and their pets to evacuate the house. Fairfax County and Fort Belvoir firefighters “quickly” found and extinguished the fire, which caused no reported injuries, but the residents were displaced. Property damages totaled approximately $71,000. [FCFRD]
County Seeks to Diversify Board-Appointed Groups — The Chairman’s Task Force on Equity and Opportunity plans to conduct “demographic analysis” of existing county boards, authorities and commissions. Expected to finish in spring 2023, the study is intended to help broaden the pool of people available to serve on key advisory groups to the Board of Supervisors. [Sun Gazette]
What to Know About the County’s Running Bamboo Fines — “Avoid the fine, don’t let running bamboo grow beyond your property line. Starting Jan. 1, 2023, the new running bamboo ordinance goes into effect requiring property owners to maintain the invasive grass to their own property.” [Fairfax County Government]
Esports Teams Now Playing at Fairfax County Schools — “Students at South Lakes High School in Reston, Virginia now have the opportunity to compete in esports! FOX 5 photojournalist Eric Mills got a chance to take a look at the school’s new gaming sports program.” [FOX5]
Herndon Theater Puts New Spin on “Frankenstein” — “Audiences attending NextStop’s production of ‘Frankenstein’ should prepare themselves to be scared, according to Evan Hoffmann, the show’s director…The timing of NextStop’s chilling presentation of the classic Mary Shelley horror novel couldn’t be better. The play debuts Friday and runs through Nov. 13 at the company’s home stage in Herndon.” [Patch]
It’s Wednesday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 54 and low of 36. Sunrise at 7:23 am and sunset at 6:26 pm. [Weather.gov]
