The new Nutley Street interchange at I-66 just south of Vienna is about to achieve its final form.
Lanes that will let drivers going from Nutley to I-66 bypass the dreaded roundabouts are scheduled to open tomorrow (Wednesday), the Virginia Department of Transportation recently announced.
With the added bypass lanes, the interchange will be in its “permanent configuration,” VDOT said.
The area has been under construction since 2019 as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project, which added 22.5 miles of toll lanes on I-66 from the Capital Beltway in Dunn Loring to Route 29 in Gainesville.
In preparation for the bypass lanes, there have been some lane closures on Nutley Street so crews can finish paving the roadway.
Starting at 9 p.m. today (Tuesday) until 5 a.m. tomorrow, the northbound lanes from Saintsbury Drive to the bridge and the southbound lanes from Virginia Center Blvd to the bridge will be closed.
Northbound drivers will be detoured left onto Saintsbury Drive and then right onto Vaden Drive and Virginia Center Boulevard to get to Nutley, while southbound drivers will be directed along the same route in the opposite direction.
“Drivers should expect delays if traveling in this area and are encouraged to use alternate routes,” VDOT said. “All work is weather dependent and will be rescheduled to the following day should inclement conditions occur.”
Though community members have called the roundabouts “dangerous” and a “mess,” VDOT said the new configuration will provide “safer, more efficient travel” for vehicles entering and exiting I-66, as well as drivers and pedestrians on Nutley.
Compared to straight-on intersections, roundabouts reduce serious crashes by slowing vehicles down and minimizing points of conflict, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
As part of the Transform 66 project, VDOT has also been constructing a shared-use path along I-66, opening the first completed section on May 17. Crossings at the Nutley interchange are slated to open in the middle of this month.
Retail Theft on the Rise, Police Say — “Organized retail theft is way up in Fairfax County, says MPO Howard Mergler of the Fairfax County Police Department’s Tysons Urban Team…During the past year, many millions of dollars worth of merchandise were stolen from the [Tysons] malls. That compares to just $4 million in the previous 10 years.” [Annandale Today]
Penn Daw Fire Station and Housing Concepts Shared — “Nearly 100 community members reviewed plans June 8 for a combination emergency shelter, affordable housing and firehouse being planned for the corner of Beacon Hill Road and Richmond Highway.” County staff presented three designs: one with a courtyard facing Beacon Hill, one with more open space in back and one with the building at the center of the site. [On the MoVe]
Community Group Partners With FCPS to Feed Students — “The group ‘Be the Good’ is partnering with Fairfax County Public Schools to ensure that food-insecure students have emergency access to food…The organization’s partnership with FCPS means that all Title I and Title I-eligible schools may receive a Free Little Food Pantry.” [DC News Now]
The Origin Stories for Two Local Roads — Temporary Road between Reston Parkway and North Shore Drive originally got its name as a placeholder, but no one ever got around to submitting the paperwork for a name change. Meanwhile, Attendee Road in Springfield owes its name to the telecommunications company AT&T. [The Washington Post]
Annual Poll Highlights N. Va. Restaurants and Retail — “No matter the kind of food, drinks, entertainment, shopping, beauty, or fitness services you need, you’ll find a wide array of options here in Northern Virginia. These are the results of our annual readers’ choice poll — and a few editors’ picks, too.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Career Fair for Military Servicemembers Tomorrow — “The Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce is presenting a career and resource fair for service members, veterans and their spouses on Wednesday, June 14. The event, at Embassy Suites, 8100 Loisdale Road in Springfield, will run from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.” [Inside NoVA]
Virginia Housing Protections Could Go Federal — “The realities of the housing market haven’t kept up with the letter of the law. The Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2023 — a bill introduced in April by Sen. Kaine and California Reps. Scott Peters and Adam Schiff — could help hinder ongoing discrimination by enshrining protections for veterans and voucher holders at the federal level.” [Greater Greater Washington]
Broadway Coming to Wolf Trap This Week — “Wolf Trap is hosting its third annual ‘Broadway in the Park’ concert this Friday, June 16, at 8 p.m. Lea Salonga, the singing voice of Jasmine in ‘Aladdin’ and Mulan in ‘Mulan,’ will join Tony nominee Megan Hilty of ‘Wicked’ and ‘9 to 5: The Musical’ and local actors from Signature Theatre” [WTOP]
It’s Tuesday — Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind 6 to 9 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. At night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind around 7 mph. [Weather.gov]
A new restaurant has moved into the Fairfax Square space once filled by Chef Geoff’s.
Described as a “high end” Persian restaurant from noted chefs Najmieh Batmanglij and Christopher Morgan, Joon will open at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8045 Leesburg Pike in Tysons.
The restaurant will present a more expansive taste of Iranian cuisine than what’s typically found in the U.S. by “blending flavors and ingredients from across the world, while maintaining its distinct Persian roots,” according to a press release.
“We set out to showcase Iran’s rich history of food and wine, with a variety of flavors unknown to the rest of the world,” Joon co-founder Reza Farahani said. “Most non-Iranians know Persian restaurants for their kabobs, and our vision was to complement our amazing kabobs with dishes that will delight anyone who is ready for a truly unique and unforgettable culinary experience.”
In addition to kabobs, the menu features other seafood, lamb and vegetable dishes, such as duck fesenjoon (duck legs with pomegranate, walnuts and crispy onions) and qaliyeh mahi (barramundi with tamarind, garlic and cilantro).
Leading the culinary team are Batmanglij, a chef and cookbook author who has been credited with helping introduce Iranian cuisine to the U.S., and Morgan, co-founder of the Michelin Star-earning D.C. restaurant Maydan.
The owners of Maydan, which serves Middle Eastern food, recently launched Kirby Club at the Mosaic District in Merrifield. The Washington Post named Kirby Club among the D.C. area’s best new restaurants in its 2023 spring dining guide.
“Together [Batmanglij and Morgan] will combine their passion in a project that will put Iran’s rich culture and cuisine in the spotlight,” the press release said.
Replacing Chef Geoff’s, the contemporary American restaurant whose Tysons location closed in 2019, Joon will operate from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and 11:30 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
The restaurant will accept reservations for parties with up to eight guests online or by phone (571-378-1390).
Joon shares the ground floor of Fairfax Square’s third office tower with Tiffany & Co. Other dining options in the office complex include Patsy’s American, Randy’s Prime Seafood & Steaks, and Best Buns Bakery and Cafe.
A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to serve two years in prison for a fatal shooting at the Vienna Park apartments that the judge described as “a parent’s worst nightmare.”
What began as an intoxicated hangout between friends ended in tragedy when Vienna resident Andrew Gordiyenko shot 21-year-old Matthew Chadwick on June 10, 2021, according to defense attorney Erik Jurgensen’s recounting of the incident at a sentencing hearing on Friday (June 9).
Chadwick died at a hospital the following day, Vienna police reported.
Gordiyenko was arrested on March 14, 2022 and pleaded guilty on Jan. 31 to involuntary manslaughter and reckless discharge of a firearm. A felony charge of unlawful firing in an occupied dwelling had already been dismissed at a Sept. 12 preliminary hearing, per court records.
Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Christie Leary sentenced Gordiyenko to five years of incarceration, suspending three of them, followed by two years of active probation. She admitted to struggling with how to balance the need to hold Gordiyenko accountable and the awareness that he didn’t intend to kill his friend.
“All I see is heartbreak,” Leary said, looking out at a courtroom with both Gordiyenko’s parents and Chadwick’s family and supporters. “…What this sentence boils down to is punishment only. I think he’s going to punish himself far worse than I ever could.”
Under the plea agreement, Gordiyenko faced a potential sentence of six to 36 months. At the request of Chadwick’s family, Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Jenna Sands called for him to get the maximum term, while Jurgensen argued for a period on the lower end of that range.
“The Gordiyenko family will feel devastation, but it cannot equal the devastation” felt by the Chadwick family, Sands said, advocating for a sentence in line with the wishes of Chadwick’s family to give them “some small amount of control.”
Chadwick’s family declined to comment on the sentencing.
Vienna police officers were dispatched to the 100 block of Patrick St. SE in the early morning hours of June 10, 2021. Upon arriving, they found Chadwick inside an apartment with a gunshot wound to the head, according to the department’s news release.
Video submitted to the court showed Gordiyenko, Chadwick and a third person who was the apartment’s resident all handling the gun while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, Jurgensen said, acknowledging that it was “reckless behavior.”
“This case seems to have layer upon layer of sadness,” he said. “We have two young people that were friends, and one is gone and the other is responsible.”
The gun belonged to the third, unidentified person in the apartment. It was a “ghost gun,” a firearm with no serial number that can be assembled from a kit, according to the Office of the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney.
Because ghost guns are technically purchased in parts, they’re not subject to background checks, and the lack of a serial number makes them difficult to trace. In Virginia, it’s not illegal to own a gun without a serial number — but it is a crime to be caught removing it, the commonwealth’s attorney’s office says.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano has advocated for stricter laws on ghost guns, but a bill that would criminalize sales, transfers and purchases died in a Virginia House of Delegates public safety subcommittee on Feb. 22.
“Matthew Chadwick’s death is the result of a tragic incident that didn’t need to end this way,” Descano said in a statement. “When ghost gun manufacturers use loopholes to evade even the most basic gun control laws, they enable access to deadly weapons. All too often, I see how the proliferation of guns in the hands of young people results in unnecessary harm and death.”
The Department of Justice implemented a policy last year that added ghost gun kits to the definition of firearms, requiring manufacturers to be subject to the same licensing and background check regulations as makers of traditional guns.
Metro Adds More Shuttles During Station Closures — “We recognize the crowding concerns with the Orange & Silver Line shuttle service and continue to adapt our plan. To help with crowding,” Metro has added Express shuttles running seven days a week between Rosslyn and McLean, and starting today (Monday), all routes will have more buses. [WMATA/Twitter]
Two Dead Bodies Found on Saturday — “At 9:21 a.m., officers with the City of Fairfax Police Department responded to the 9700 block of Fairfax Blvd” and found the body of an unidentified adult. At 9:55 a.m., Fairfax County police reported that another body was discovered in the 6200 block of Little River Turnpike. Both departments said there didn’t appear be a threat to the community. [FOX5]
“Heavy” Fire Put Out Near Reston — “Units [were] on scene of a structure fire near the intersection of Hunter Mill Road and Crowell Road in the Reston area. Arriving crews saw heavy smoke and fire coming from a seemingly abandoned structure. The fire is under control.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
N. Va. Home Sales Expected to Drop This Year — “The number of overall sales across Northern Virginia in 2023 is expected to decline 10 to 15 percent, compared with 2022…Fairfax County’s single-family home market will effectively see flat prices in 2023, with total sales down 10 percent and inventory (the number of active properties on the market) dropping 13 percent.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
McLean HS Beats Madison for Softball Championship — “Sore arm or not, [Hailey] Simpson wouldn’t be denied the opportunity to pitch for a state championship. For the third time in just over 24 hours, she took to the pitching circle for the Highlanders in their most important game of the season and spun a complete game, allowing just four hits to lift McLean to the summit, 2-1, in Aldie.” [The Washington Post]
Banking Company Moves From McLean to Tysons — “Primis Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: FRST) recently relocated its corporate headquarters from a low-slung brick building on Old Dominion Drive in McLean to the ninth floor of a recently renovated, Class A tower in the heart of Tysons.” The company says the move to 1676 International Drive could help it compete for “customers and talent.” [Washington Business Journal]
Pride Month Art Added at the Mosaic District — “Image360 Fairfax, a locally-owned and operated graphics design company, recently finished a project to help The Mosaic District celebrate Pride Month…In support of the LGBTQ+ community, Image360 installed an art display featuring a rainbow of flowers and empowering phrases at the atrium facing the Strawberry Lane public space.” [Patch]
Graduating Springfield Students Open Time Capsule — “As Lynbrook Elementary School students in Springfield boarded buses to head home, a handful of soon-to-be graduating seniors from nearby John Lewis High School returned to where they learned their ABCs to step back in time.” [ABC7]
It’s Monday — A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 8am. High near 78. South wind 11 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. [Weather.gov]
The proposed repurposing of Inova Health System’s former corporate headquarters in Merrifield as live/work and workforce housing units got a hearty recommendation from the Fairfax County Planning Commission earlier this week.
The commission recommended on Wednesday (June 7) that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approve the plan from Madison Highland, a developer focused on live/work projects that’s pursuing similar conversions at the Skyline Center in Bailey’s Crossroads.
“This is an art-of-the-possible application,” Providence District Commissioner Phil Niedzielski-Eichner said. “It started with a vision…but then, that interaction between the applicant and staff resulted in an outcome that is so strikingly beneficial to our county that, to me, it’s a remarkable achievement.”
Under the name Madison Investment Portfolio LLC, the developer is seeking to turn a vacant, 245,000-square-foot office building at 8110 Gatehouse Road into 240 live/work units, which are newly defined in the county’s zoning ordinance as areas designed to accommodate both a residence and a “flexible work space.”
The 89,000-square-foot office building at 2990 Telestar Road will be repurposed as 82 workforce dwelling units for residents earning up to 60% of the area median income.
Representing the applicant at Wednesday’s public hearing, McGuireWoods Managing Partner Greg Riegle pitched the new units and accompanying open space, sidewalks, and other amenities as a “significant” improvement over the existing offices, which have been empty since Inova finished moving out last fall.
“The site gets greener, more amenitized,” he said, “and something that was exclusively automobile-oriented becomes much more walkable…We take a significant step toward creating a centerpiece where people can gather and interact that’s never existed in this part of Merrifield.”
The development will feature three publicly accessible parks — a game table community park, a play zone and a “Woof Park” for dog walking — as well as three common areas for residents. Pickleball courts are also proposed on top of the Gatehouse building’s five-story parking garage.
Pedestrians will get 6-foot-wide sidewalks in front of both buildings, internal walkways for the new parks, a connection between the properties, and high-visibility crosswalks at all crossings, pending Virginia Department of Transportation approval.
Two area residents called for more roadway improvements to address safety concerns and vehicle speeds, particularly on Gatehouse Road.
“I see a lot more rush of people cutting off the corner coming up Lee Highway all the way to Gallows,” a resident of the High Point at Jefferson Park townhomes said. “Maybe at 3 o’clock after noon, there are 20 cars waiting for the red light to turn onto Gallows, so it’s already quite congested.”
The resident also said parking has been a persistent challenge for her neighborhood and the adjacent Yorktowne Square Condominiums, requesting that they be allowed to use the Gatehouse garage.
While Niedzielski-Eichner said parking access should be negotiated by the developer and homeowners separately from the rezoning application, Marc Dreyfuss with the Fairfax County Department of Transportation shared that Gatehouse Road is scheduled for a repaving this year that will create buffered bicycle lanes.
“Restriping the road through a road diet and adding the features that are proposed with this application should help slow the traffic,” Dreyfuss said, confirming that “we would not expect to see any significant increase” in traffic with the proposed development.
The application is set for a public hearing before the Board of Supervisors on June 27.
Fairfax County has already decided to rename the Providence Community Center after the late Jim Scott, a former Providence District supervisor and state delegate.
The exact phrasing of the new name, however, remains up for debate.
Fairfax County Neighborhood & Community Services launched a public vote on June 1 to determine which name out of three options should be adopted:
- Jim Scott Community Center at Providence
- Jim Scott Providence Community Center
- Jim Scott Community Center
Votes can be cast online or in person at the Providence Community Center lobby. Respondents are limited to one vote per device.
The poll will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 23.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted on Oct. 25 to initiate a process to rename the community center after Scott, who represented Providence District on the board for 14 years, starting in 1971. He was then elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1991 and served 11 terms.
Scott died in 2017. Here’s more from the county on his legacy:
During his decades of service in local and state government, Jim was a strong advocate of affordable housing, education and school-based daycare centers, and civil rights. Rep Gerald E. Connolly, former Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, credited Jim as a “gentle but forceful advocate for all who feel powerless.”
Jim championed formation of the School Age Child Care program, which provides Fairfax County children in kindergarten-sixth grade with high-quality before- and after-school educational care. We look forward to naming the building in his honor to recognize and preserve the legacy of Jim Scott’s community-first representation.
Located at 3001 Vaden Drive in Oakton, the Providence Community Center provides classes, summer camps, and other programs as well as meeting space. It operates on Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
It’s also one of 12 additional sites that will open at 9 a.m. tomorrow for early voting.
In an effort to reduce heat islands in vulnerable communities, the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services has applied for millions of dollars in grant funding to establish a street tree planting program.
The county will use its Vulnerability Index to identify communities in need of the program, according to county staff.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the department’s request on Tuesday (June 6) to apply for a $11.5 million Inflation Reduction Act Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) grant from the U.S. Forest Service.
“The grant period is five years from the award date which is anticipated to be October 2023,” the board meeting package said.
Department of Public Works and Environmental Services spokesperson (DPWES) Sharon North told FFXnow the department is proposing to plant 1,000 trees over a five-year period. Although the county is looking at vulnerable communities, she said “no decision on the grant recipients will be made until October.”
The Forest Service announced the funding opportunity back in April. The UCF program received $1.5 billion under the Inflation Reduction Act to support urban tree planting and forest planning and management in at-risk communities.
“The Resilient Fairfax Plan notes that 91 percent of vulnerable households are in areas identified as having a significantly high urban heat island effect and that vulnerable populations are more likely to be impacted by extreme heat,” the package said.
Factors considered by the county’s vulnerability index include household income, education, English proficiency, health insurance and the percentage of the population that owns a home or vehicle.
If the county is awarded the funds, the program will also promote tree planting through partnerships with the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Fairfax County Park Authority, Fairfax County Public Schools, and nonprofit organizations.
The county also identifies specific activities that will receive the funding:
- identifying areas in the county that are heat vulnerable low tree canopy and/or areas where green infrastructure would provide additional community and resilience benefits
- planting and maintaining up to 5,000 native and/or climate-resilient street trees over five years in neighborhoods and within the right-of-way and on public property
- educating and engaging the public on the benefits of green spaces and trees
- expansion of a green workforce to maintain existing and new street trees.
The county launched a pilot program in 2021 that provides free trees to residents of areas with minimal tree canopy coverage. The program initially focused on the Richmond Highway corridor but was expected to shift to Bailey’s Crossroads this year.
Four McLean residents lost their home last week in a fire that investigators say was ignited by grease on an outdoor grill.
The fire started accidentally in the 6000 block of Chesterbrook Road on June 2 when grease that had accumulated on the back patio grill ignited, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reported yesterday (Thursday).
FCFRD firefighters and units from the Arlington County Fire Department were dispatched to the single-family house at 6:24 p.m. after the residents evacuated and called 911.
“Units arrived on the scene to find a large volume of fire coming from the back of a two-story, single-family home and extending up to the attic,” the department said. “Crews quickly initiated firefighting operations to contain and extinguish the fire.”
No injuries were reported, but in addition to displacing all four residents, the fire resulted in an estimated $483,060 in property damages, according to the FCFRD.
“Smoke alarms were present, but it is unknown if they activated after the fire extended to the house,” the fire department said.
#FCFRD is on the scene of an house fire in the 6000 blk of Chesterbrook Rd in the McLean area. Units arrived w/ heavy fire showing from the back of home & extending to the attic. All occupants accounted for. No reported civilian or firefighter injuries. The fire is under control pic.twitter.com/VVJq0ryXGq
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) June 2, 2023
Photo via FCFRD
D.C. Area Briefly Had World’s Worst Air Quality — “‘Very unhealthy’ and ‘hazardous’ air quality put the health of people across the Washington, D.C., area at risk Thursday as smoke from wildfires in Canada brings some of the most polluted air ever recorded in the region.” Conditions improved to a Code Red into the evening, “but for a time Thursday, the D.C. area had the worst air quality in the world.” [NBC4]
Rep. Connolly Hosts Gun Violence Prevention Talk — In the wake of this week’s mass shooting at a Richmond high school graduation, Rep. Gerry Connolly, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay, and State Senator Jennifer Boysko will discuss gun violence prevention measures with local advocates. The panel will be streamed live at 10 a.m. today (Friday) on Channel 16. [Jeff McKay’s office]
Commuters Face Long Lines for Free Metro Shuttles — “While a shutdown affecting some Orange Line stations and an Orange and Silver transfer station started, commuters have shared frustrations about long waits for shuttles between closed stations. Metro is promising to address wait times with more buses and strategies to get shuttles through traffic congestion.” [Patch]
Springfield Appears Favored by FBI in HQ Search — “As Maryland and Virginia continue to battle to be the new home of the FBI’s headquarters, a document is being circulated that indicates the bureau itself prefers to move to Virginia.” The agency sees proximity to its training academy in Quantico as a priority, suggesting Springfield may have an edge over the two proposed Maryland sites. [WUSA9, Baltimore Banner]
Reston Contractor Opens Health Clinic — “QTC Medical Services Inc., a subsidiary of Reston government contractor Leidos Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LDOS), has opened a new flagship health clinic in Fairfax…The 7,800-square-foot space at 8505 Arlington Blvd. replaces a smaller facility in Alexandria that closed last month.” The clinic will mostly serve active and former military personnel, but it’s also expected to assist civilian federal government workers. [Washington Business Journal]
Candidates Sought for Reston Association Board — “Following the recent resignation of former Board of Directors President Sarah Selvaraj-Dsouza, the Reston Association is seeking candidates interested in filling the remainder of her term.” The filing deadline is noon on Thursday, June 15, and the new at-large member will be appointed June 22. [Patch]
Students Showcase Auto Mechanical Skills in Burke — Lake Braddock Secondary School recently showed off work by students in its auto technology program. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority “donated 20 abandoned vehicles for the students to work on, and was on hand to meet with graduates about possible employment opportunities.” [WTOP]
Reston VC Firm Raises Millions — “Venture capital firm PROOF said it has raised $135 million in its third fund, ending a prolonged period of fundraising marked by both historic highs in 2021 and a more conservative environment of late…PROOF has yet to officially close its third fund but has already made 12 investments with that $135 million, [managing partner John] Backus said.” [DC Inno]
It’s Friday — Widespread haze. Patchy smoke. Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Northwest wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. [Weather.gov]
