Friday Night Fire in Merrifield — “On Friday, November 30 at approximately 11:59 p.m., units from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue and the City of Fairfax Fire Department were dispatched for a reported kitchen fire in the 9400 block of Lee Highway in the Merrifield section of Fairfax County.” [FCFR]

More on Bluestone Lane Coffee Shop — “Bluestone Lane plans to break into the Northern Virginia market next year at the Boro development in Tysons Corner in mid-to-late 2019… The global brand from Australia is known for its ‘avocado smash’ toast, cold-pressed juices, custom teas, and other healthy fare.” [Eater]

PSA: Don’t Illegally Park in Accessible Parking Spaces — “With the holiday shopping season underway, finding parking at shopping centers can be harder than tracking down the hottest toy of the year. As a result, shoppers sometimes illegally park in accessible spaces reserved for people with disabilities. Approximately 75,000 county residents have a disability, so it is critical that these parking spaces remain available to them.” [Fairfax County]

Winchester Woman Arrested for Vienna Assault — “Vienna police officers went to Park Terrace Court, S.E., on Nov. 5 at 1:42 a.m. after authorities received a 911 hang-up call. Police located a resident who advised she had been assaulted by her girlfriend.” [InsideNova]

Fairfax Tax Deadline Extended — “Fairfax County Government Offices will be open Wednesday, December 5. However, because Wednesday has been proclaimed as a national day of mourning to honor the passing of former President George H.W. Bush, the due date for 2018 second installment Real Estate tax payments has been extended until December 6.” [Fairfax County]

The massive Boro development in Tysons has a very small problem: its new Elf on the Shelf needs a name.

The development is holding a social media contest to name the elf as part of some planned holiday activities this month. The person who posts the most creative suggested name, as determined by the Boro, will win a Starbucks gift card.

Thus far the suggestions on Facebook include:

• Bobo
• Elfat Burrow
• Boronimo

Photo via Facebook

Big backups have formed on the Inner Loop of the Beltway due to a jackknifed tractor trailer.

The crash happened in the northbound lanes of I-495 between I-66 and Route 7, north of Merrifield. Two lanes of traffic appear to be getting by the crash scene, based on traffic camera images, but major backups have formed.

One person was reported injured and has been transported to a local hospital.

Units on scene of jack knifed tractor-trailer I495 NB Prior To Leesburg Pike. One person transported to area hospital. 3 main lanes closed on I495 NB due to crash. Only right lane is open. Unknown duration. @VSPPIO on scene. pic.twitter.com/ykya39bSIJ

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 3, 2018

The following article excerpt is from our content sharing partner, FairfaxNews.com.

Today — Friday, November 30 — would not be a good day to try to sneak through on the I-66 HOV lanes without either paying the toll or having enough people in your vehicle to avoid it.

Virginia State Police plan to crack down on HOV violators along the portion of I-66 that runs inside the Beltway. The troopers will be out in force during both morning and afternoon rush hours.

HOV hours run Monday through Friday, from 5:30 to 9:30 a.m. eastbound and 3 to 7 p.m. westbound. All vehicles with two or more people are allowed to use the road during rush hours for free, but need an E-ZPass Flex switched to HOV-mode.

Read more at FairfaxNews.com

Fairfax Co. Sales Tax Receipts Rise — “The Virginia state government distributed $15.6 million in sales-tax receipts to the Fairfax County government in October, an increase of 4.3 percent from a year before, according to new figures from the Fairfax County Department of Management and Budget.” [InsideNova]

Local Nonprofit Seeks Holiday Volunteers — “Fairfax-based non-profit Britepaths (formerly Our Daily Bread) is seeking individuals, families, companies and community groups to assist 800 individuals and families in need who reside throughout the Fairfax County area for the December holidays.” [Britepaths]

Taxpayer Groups, County Employees Split on Pension Proposal — “Before deciding on proposed changes to Fairfax County’s pension plans early next month, the Board of Supervisors will have to weigh the potential impact on employee happiness and recruitment versus the public’s ability to pay.” [InsideNova]

Update on 11/30/18 — A Wawa spokeswoman says the company is still looking to open a store in Vienna, but not at the site discussed below.

Wawa is working to open a new store at the busy corner of Maple Ave and Park Street in Vienna, TysonsReporter.com has learned.

The store will replace a shuttered gas station at the corner and an adjacent property that houses two well-liked businesses: a tailor shop and the Arthur Christine salon.

The Vienna Town Council approved the redevelopment of the properties into a new gas station and 2,500 square foot convenience store — the identity of the store operator was not revealed — by a 5-2 vote in May. The development includes 11 parking spaces, wider sidewalks and the placement of utility lines underground, the Sun Gazette reported.

In response to an inquiry from Tysons Reporter, Wawa confirmed that it was working to open a new store at the location, though no opening timeframe has been set.

“We are pursuing this site in Vienna,” said Wawa Public Relations Manager Lori Bruce. “While it’s too soon in the land development phase to confirm a timeline for construction, we can say that we are excited to have the opportunity to bring Wawa to this community.”

Wawa has been expanding across the D.C. area after announcing plans last year to add 30-50 stores in the region. The convenience store chain currently has locations in Sterling, Chantilly and the District.

Mr. Foutah, the owner of the tailor shop that is set to be redeveloped, said his lease expires in June 2019 and he has been told that the building will be torn down.

Foutah, who prefers to only go by his last name, said he has been in the location at 109 Park Street NE for 20 years. He added that he is planning to move to a new storefront somewhere in Vienna.

“I’m optimistic about the move,” he said. “It’s a lot of memories, but the way I think about it is that it’s going to give me a good opportunity to clean up the place.”

Rachel Grante, who co-owns the Arthur Christine salon with her husband, said the business moved out of the 113 Park Street NE location on Oct. 1, after seven years there, and is now temporarily operating out of the nearby Michel Rene salon at 165 Maple Ave E. She called the move “bittersweet,” adding that “it will be interesting how the town adjusts” to the new Wawa store.

Dusan Grante said the couple is looking for a new, permanent location and “trying our best to stay here” in Vienna, though they’re also scouting storefronts in Merrifield and Reston.

Photo via Google Maps

The following article excerpt is from our content sharing partner, FairfaxNews.com.

Church Street wine and book shop Bards Alley has taken home the grand prize in the Vienna Town Business Liaison Committee’s second annual holiday window decorating contest. Winners were announced Monday, November 26, at the Town of Vienna’s 22nd annual Church Street Holiday Stroll.

Bards Alley won Best in Show over 23 other participating businesses for its Polar Express-themed storefront display, and, as the shop’s reward, will take Mayor Laurie DiRocco aboard its staff for one hour to help with holiday sales this season.

Final Plea to Save Claude Moore Farm — “As the National Park Service’s planned closing of Claude Moore Colonial Farm gets closer, Friends of Claude Moore Colonial Farm is pleading for the public and lawmakers to take action. The living history farm depicting life in 1771, will close on Dec. 21.” [Patch]

Tysons DMV Office Closing Temporarily — “The Tysons customer-service center of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles will be closed through mid-December for renovation. The facility, located at 1968 Gallows Road, will close on Dec. 1.” [InsideNova]

Blustery Day Today — Expect cold temperatures and high, gusty winds today. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue is asking residents to be safe, as a Wind Advisory is in effect until 4 p.m. [Capital Weather Gang, Fairfax County Fire & Rescue, Twitter]

A month after announcing that KPMG was leasing up to seven floors, the Boro Tower is touting another newly-signed tenant.

Law firm Womble Bond Dickinson will be moving into the tower’s 15th floor in mid-2019, developers The Meridian Group and Rockefeller Group announced Tuesday morning.

The under-construction, 20-story office tower, part of the massive Boro development next to the Greensboro Metro station in Tysons, is now 68 percent leased. Other announced tenants include the soon-to-be-relocated headquarters of Tysons-based TV station group TEGNA and the law firm Hogan Lovells.

More from a press release:

The Meridian Group and Rockefeller Group announced today that Womble Bond Dickinson is moving its Tysons office to Boro Tower, a new trophy office tower near completion at The Boro

The law firm will lease 24,239 square feet – the Tower’s entire 15th floor — beginning in mid-2019. The building is now 68 percent preleased ahead of construction completion, with about 135,000 square feet of office space remaining.

“We are excited and proud to welcome this outstanding law firm to Boro Tower,” said David Cheek, President of The Meridian Group, which is developing The Boro.

Today’s announcement continues the momentum for the mixed-use development. “Womble Bond Dickinson joins a premier lineup of firms, companies and organizations that have chosen The Boro for their new location,” said Gary Block, Chief Investment Officer of The Meridian Group.

Womble Bond Dickinson will relocate its Tysons office at 8065 Leesburg Pike about a mile away. Approximately 40 of the firm’s attorneys and staff will work at Boro Tower.

“We’re excited to be moving into Boro Tower, a premiere office building located in The Boro, which we anticipate will be a vibrant complex and a new hub to the Tysons business community. Our new space will provide an ideal location (including easy Metro access) and office environment to serve our existing clients and attract new ones,” said Gary Nunes, the firm’s Tysons Office Managing Partner.  “Our firm is experiencing an exciting period of evolution and growth, and our new space will help fuel that growth, including helping us recruit and retain top talent. Womble Bond Dickinson has called Northern Virginia home for nearly 20 years, and this move ensures that we will remain an active member of the community for many more years to come.”

Meridian and Rockefeller Group are co-developing the Gensler-designed, 437,000-square-foot trophy office tower.

From its vantage on “The Hill” – the highest ground elevation in Fairfax County -Boro Tower offers panoramic views from the Blue Ridge Mountains to downtown Washington, D.C. The 20-story building, designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, features a shimmering glass curtain wall, accented by a modern, white-glazed terra cotta.

The Tower offers 9- to 10-foot finished ceilings and ideally sized, efficient floorplates that minimize columns and maximize daylight and views. The building boasts ample amenities, including a rooftop terrace, fitness center, locker rooms and bicycle storage that perfectly complement the 10,000 SF of lobby level retail space.

CBRE’s Rob Faktorow and Terry Reiley represented The Meridian Group and the Rockefeller Group in the leasing deal. Womble Bond Dickinson was represented by Mike Shuler and Nate Krill at Avison Young.

“Boro Tower continues to generate significant interest from a wide range of prospective tenants,” said Tom Boylan, Vice President of The Meridian Group. “It offers the best of all worlds: a trophy office building in an ideal location, surrounded by numerous dining, shopping and entertainment options.”

Womble Bond Dickinson is the fourth major tenant to select Boro Tower for its offices.

The three others:

• Big Four accounting firm KPMG, which announced last month that it will lease up to seven floors of the Tower.
• Global law firm Hogan Lovells, which will occupy the Tower’s entire 17th floor and the majority of its 16th floor.
• Media company TEGNA, which is moving its headquarters to the top two floors.

Boro Tower is located in the heart of The Boro, Meridian Group’s amenity-rich development. Located within steps of the Greensboro Metro station, The Boro will be the premier Metro-oriented, mixed-use destination in Tysons.

The 15-acre development will consist of a dynamic mix of office, rental and for-sale residential, retail, entertainment and open park space – a walkable urban environment that has long been sought in Tysons.

The Boro’s dramatic 1.7 million-square-foot first phase, on schedule for completion in 2019, will deliver nearly 700 residential units, 260,000 square feet of destination retail and Boro Tower.

“The Boro  is one of the premier developments in the Washington Metro area,” said Hilary Allard Goldfarb, Senior Vice President at Rockefeller Group.  “Tenants are drawn to Boro Tower for its quality, location and amenities, combined with the sense of place that The Boro district uniquely offers.”

Ideally located near Route 7, Route 123 and Greensboro Drive, The Boro is designed to bring people outside — with pedestrian-friendly roadways, attractive open spaces and a variety of restaurants offering outdoor seating.

The Boro has already attracted such best-in-class companies as Whole Foods Market, which is planning a 69,000-square-foot flagship location; and Kerasotes ShowPlace ICON Theatres, which will open a luxurious new cinema with 15 state-of-the-art screens and upscale dining options.

“The Boro will be a vibrant community to live, work, dine and relax,” Boylan said. “It will be a place that sparkles with life both day and night. We have a lot to look forward to here.”

Courtesy photo