Maple Avenue development is in the spotlight for Tuesday’s (May 7) Vienna Town Council election, with two incumbents facing off against four challengers for three council seats.

The Vienna Voice, the official town newsletter, recently profiled the Vienna Town Council candidates. Several of those profiled said they are concerned about the scale of new developments planned for Maple Avenue and are running to preserve Vienna’s “small town feel.”

The following candidates are listed as their names will appear on the ballot:

• Howard Springsteen — An incumbent who was a leading voice in opposition to new larger Maple Avenue developments. Springsteen said managed growth with low-density residential zoning and modest, appropriate developments for the commercial zones are critical for the town.
• Julie Hays — Pedestrian and bicycle safety and protecting residential neighborhoods are centerpieces of Hays’ campaign. Hays is a former member of the Transportation Safety Commission and chair of the Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
• Steve Potter — Potter is a founding member of the Vienna Citizens for Responsible Development, a group that has pushed for developments that preserve the “small-town character” on Maple Avenue.
• Nisha Patel — Patel is a local small business owner who has expressed concerns about the impact of high-density mixed-use developments on traffic and schools. Patel, Potter and Springsteen are all endorsed by the Vienna Citizens for Responsible Development.
• Tim Strike – Strike is a vice president of a local technology service company who has expressed opposition to the medium-high density developments while fast-tracking local businesses through the process. Strike has also said increasing public parking, reducing vacancies and improving traffic need to be town priorities.
• Tara Bloch — Bloch is an incumbent Vienna Town Council member and preschool teacher. Bloch has said pushing for a pedestrian-friendly business corridor is a priority of her campaign and touted the increased number of sidewalks and bike routes, as well as new commercial redevelopments, as part of her accomplishments.

Local residents who are registered can vote at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE.) from 6 a.m.-7 p.m.

Photo via Facebook

Vienna may be going through changes, but in some ways, life in The Italian Gourmet Deli (505 Maple Avenue W.) isn’t that different from when it opened in 1974.

Jeremy and Margaret Schottler are the owners of The Italian Gourmet. Jeremy bought it in 1995, having grown up in Vienna and worked in the deli throughout high school and college. He married Margaret in 2005, and shortly after, she began working at the business.

“The area has changed a lot since then,” Margaret said. “It’s a lot busier. We make frozen entrees, and once they were not big sellers, but now people really want them.”

Margaret said the shift is representative of a larger change in the town. When The Italian Gourmet started, Margaret said it was known as the place to get specialty Italian food at a time when Vienna — and Northern Virginia as a whole — were still very much viewed as part of the South.

“Everyone would spend their Sundays making marinara sauce and they’d come here for supplies,” she said.

While the quick-bites have become increasingly popular, the specialty side of the gourmet remains active from hand-rolled balls of mozzarella to basil from a nearby hydroponic farmer. Margaret said the deli even uses the same recipe and tomato base for their marinara as they always have.

One of the biggest changes over the last few years was the Schottlers opening Molly’s Yogurt, a frozen yogurt and gelato spot just a few doors down in the same shopping center. The location had been a framing store underneath overflow spaces owned by the Schottlers.

The framing store closed in the middle of the recession in 2010, but with frozen yogurt on the rise, Margaret said the family saw potential. Molly’s Yogurt — named after their daughter — opened that year and is basically an extension of the deli, sometimes using the same tools or kitchen.

In both locations, Margaret said they know most of their customers by name and enjoy answering questions people have about the deli and gelato.

“If people are making an effort to go out to shop, they want an experience,” said Margaret. “That’s what we will always provide — what chains aren’t able to.”

If you stop by the deli, Margaret recommends the Roman Sandwich, a collection of traditional cold cut meats loaded with lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and more onto a 7-inch sub roll. Or if you swing by the frozen yogurt-gelato spot, Margaret said there’s plenty of options, but nothing beats classic chocolate.

The widely anticipated — and occasionally reviled — drive-thru Starbucks at 367 Maple Avenue E. is set to open tomorrow.

“The plan is to open tomorrow morning at 5 a.m.,” an employee at the store said, “but that depends on how much of the work gets done. It could be later in the day, but we’re definitely opening tomorrow.”

The employee said the staff at the Starbucks is eager to open.

“It’s going to bring more convenience to Vienna,” the employee said. “We’re really excited to open, especially for the patio.”

Locals seemed keenly interested in the opening as well, with one local stopping her car in the middle of Maple Avenue to ask when the Starbucks would be open and find out where the nearest open one is (8381 Leesburg Pike in Tysons).

The two other Starbucks on Maple Avenue closed on Sunday, leaving the town without a Starbucks for four days. The original plan was to open today (Thursday).

At nearby Caffe Amouri (107 Church St NE), staff said the closures have led to a noticeable surge in customers looking for another coffee outlet.

One cashier at the overcrowded coffee shop looked at the line trailing out of the door. “I kind of can’t wait for [Starbucks] to open again,” the employee said.

Update on 4/2/19 — Fairfax County Park Authority officials noted that the earlier development plans were out of date, and the current development area is much smaller than initially reported and only includes redeveloping one field into two lighted synthetic turf fields with additional parking.

After eight years of planning, Langley Fork Park is in the final stages of changing hands, clearing the way for two new fields.

Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service (NPS), said the NPS is working through the final stages of a land-swap with Fairfax County. The NPS currently owns Langley Fork Park, which is a developed recreational property, while Fairfax County owns Langley Oaks — a more heavily wooded, natural parkland west of the Claude Moore farm area.

If the deal goes through, Anzelmo-Sarles said the property could change hands within the year.

“We are trying to increase facilities there, and we agreed to a land exchange,” David Bowden, director of the Park Planning and Development Division, said. “We have another piece of undeveloped property at Langley Oak. Our goal is to exchange Langley Oaks for ownership of Langley Fork Park.”

The Park Authority has managed Langley Fork Park since 1981, adding athletic fields, a fitness trail and more to the site since then, but the park remained on loan from the NPS.

The Park Authority and NPS began discussing the swap in Fall 2011. The swap was first approved by the Park Authority in 2016.

Since 1980, the population of McLean has more than doubled. In planning documents for Langley Fork Park, the Park Authority cited the increasing population of McLean — particularly for the population under age 19 — as an indicator of the need to reevaluate the plan for the park.

The new development plans involve redeveloping one field on the site into two lighted synthetic turf fields with additional parking.

As a side-note for history buffs: archaeological surveys of the property showed the first known use of the site was as a prehistoric quartz quarry, and a hearth was found that dated back to 300 B.C. An environmental assessment from the National Park Service noted that synthetic turf will not be used to improve the existing fields in the north and western portions of the site for archeological reasons.

Langley Oaks Park, meanwhile, is 102 acres of undeveloped land contiguous to the NPS’ Turkey Run Park along the Potomac. The NPS said it has no plans for any changes to the property.

The NPS is also currently in the very early stages of developing a plan for the Claude Moore Farm property east of Langley Oaks, which could include new trails connecting the two properties.

Image via National Park Service

The short Metro tunnel in Tysons is now the only one in Virginia without cell coverage, but Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) said that should be remedied by next summer.

Calls inside the tunnel connecting the Tysons Corner and Greensboro Metro stations on the Silver Line are dropped regardless of cellular provider — interrupting 25 minutes of otherwise continuous cell coverage from the Wiehle-Reston to Ballston Metro stations.

The lack of cell service is more than a convenience issue. Experts have called it a glaring safety problem for the system — particularly in the wake of a death in a smoke-clogged tunnel in 2015.

On and off for 10 years, WMATA has been working with cell carriers to wire tunnels to provide continuous service, though the plan has hit several stumbling blocks along the way. The press release said the plan is to have all of the tunnels completed by June 2020:

The $120 million capital project to install dual radio and cellular cables within Metro’s tunnels began in February 2016 and is scheduled to be completed by June 2020. The labor-intensive process involves installing special trays on the tunnel walls to support the heavy cables and requires the track be taken out of service for the work to be done.

WMATA said 67 miles of the 100 total miles of track are now cell-accessible, including all of the Orange and Blue lines.

As Tysons grows, Fairfax County officials say the plan is for the small Raglan Road Park between Tysons and Vienna to be repurposed into “active recreation uses.”

Currently, Fairfax County Park Authority owns 11.82 acres of Raglan Road Park, a forested area adjacent to the Old Courthouse Spring Branch Stream Valley. The area recently saw some construction with the opening of the new Vesper Trail, but more amenities could be on the way.

David Bowden, director of the Park Planning and Development Division, said the park is one of the only properties the Park Authority owned prior to the widespread redevelopment of Tysons.

“Expansion of that park property is an area identified as [a priority] to support Tysons,” Bowden said.

“What we need in Tysons is an athletic field,” Bowden added. “We need multi-use spaces for basketball or tennis courts, or even pickleball now.”

Raglan Road Park and the Freedom Hill Park to the south are both identified in the 2014 Tysons Park System Conception Plan as locations for some active recreation facilities. According to the plan:

The park is mostly forested upland, with a small clearing of about half an acre. Raglan Road Park is contiguous with the Old Courthouse Spring Branch Stream Valley, though the park does not have any regulatory Resource Protection Area (RPA) land on it. Prior to construction of any recreational uses at Raglan Road Park, additional land will need to be acquired to complete the park. This is due to the irregular shape of the park, and the land area needed to construct facilities.

But Judy Pedersen, public information officer for the Park Authority, noted that active recreation uses don’t have to be incompatible with preserving natural spaces.

“There are combinations uses of active natural areas and streams,” said Pedersen. “The urban park model tries to do a little bit of both. But the reality is we do need active recreation facilities in this area.”

Any moves towards redeveloping the park as an active space are still in the formative stages. As part of their proffers for The View project, the Clemente Development Company plans to contribute $750,000 to construct an athletic field at Raglan Road Park.

Pedersen said that other priorities for creating active use spaces in the area include trails to connect to nearby neighborhoods and playgrounds.

“This is all very conceptual,” said Bowden. “It all depends on how much land we ultimately acquire as part of that park. But eventually, it’s going to be more than it is today. It will provide for the park network in Tysons.”

Photo via Facebook

Local chocolatier Craving for Chocolate is planning a pop-up shop in Tysons Galleria to offer a less-healthy alternative to the adjacent Sweetgreen.

The pop-up is scheduled to run from Friday (May 3) through Sunday (May 5) on the first floor of the Galleria. According to the mall’s website:

Craving for Chocolate offers a wide variety of treats, such as sugared pistachios, marzipans, and Jordan almonds, and more exotic flavors such as rose water nougats and bitter orange zest marzipan.  All treats come beautifully wrapped and packaged.

This is the second pop-up in the Tysons Galleria for the chocolate retailer. Craving for Chocolate is also operating a pop-up store inside the nearby Ritz-Carlton Tysons (1700 Tysons Blvd) until May 31.

The store’s milk chocolate selections are $40 per pound or $38 for dark chocolate. Other delicacies, like pistachio nougat or apricot fruit confections, are also available for $32.

The store also offers gift boxes for $28 to $78 or arrangements for weddings, baby showers or corporate events.

The Tysons Galleria pop-up will be open:

• Friday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Saturday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Sunday: noon-6 p.m.

Photo via Facebook

The notorious Tysons Tire Bandits have struck once again, bringing the total number of thefts in the area since February up to nine.

A Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) recap from yesterday (April 29) said tires were stolen from a vehicle from The Fountains neighborhood at the 1500 block of Lincoln Way.

This isn’t the first time the small residential community just north of Tysons Galleria has been hit by tire thieves. On March 7, an FCPD report said another vehicle in the community had its tires stolen.

At the time, a Redditor claiming to be the victim of the larceny shared a warning to others about the incident on the Northern Virginia subreddit. According to the Reddit post:

Hey all, just a quick warning. I just had the wheels stolen off of my 2018 Charger on Sunday night from the parking garage in my apartment complex. I filed a police report and the officer with whom I spoke said that this is becoming a much more prevalent problem in the area, with thieves targeting vehicles even in open parking lots.

My car had wheel locks, but unfortunately they really don’t do anything except slow the thieves down by a few seconds, as most of the perpetrators in this area are professionals, and are in and out within minutes. Just a caution for everyone, perhaps consider installing tilt sensors or dash cameras in your vehicles to prevent something like this from happening to you. Definitely the first purchase I’ll make once my car is back up and running.

When we last reported on the spate of thefts on April 9, the total was seven. Since then, the April 11 FCPD recap also reported that tires were stolen from a vehicle on the 1500 block of Westbranch Drive.

This is the fourth time tire thieves have hit the 1500 block of Westbranch Drive. Police said the location is an offsite garage for a local dealership, which made it a target for the thieves.

While the investigation is ongoing, police said the thefts are likely related.

File photo

Police say a man was held at gunpoint during an ATM withdrawal in Vienna yesterday (Sunday), but the suspect fled without obtaining any money.

Fairfax County police called in the helicopter and K-9s in search of a would-be robber. Despite the search the suspect escaped, according to a press release from the Town of Vienna.

According to the press release:

The helicopter responded to assist Vienna officers with an attempted robbery that happened at the Wells Fargo Bank ATM on Maple Avenue around 5:45 a.m. A citizen was attempting to withdraw money from the ATM when a black male with a handgun confronted him. The male suspect, described as a black male, early 20’s, 6’1″, wearing all dark clothing, fled the area without obtaining any money.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Vienna Police Department at 703-255-6366 or [email protected].

We have had questions about the helicopter over Vienna Sunday morning. The helicopter responded to assist Vienna officers with an attempted robbery that happened at the Wells Fargo Bank ATM on Maple Avenue around 5:45am. A pic with more information is attached to this tweet. pic.twitter.com/HhxWBrRSdE

— Town of Vienna Police (@VPDVA) April 29, 2019

Photo via Facebook

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve scoured the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Thursday (May 2)

• 4th Anniversary Beer Dinner — 7:30-10 p.m. at Caboose Tavern (520 Mill Street NE) — In celebration of the company’s fourth anniversary, the Caboose Brewing Company is hosting a five-course evening meal and beer pairings. Tickets are $75 and limited, so they must be reserved in advance. Meals include deviled egg, tuna tartare and “deconstructed s’mores.”
• Harry Potter Trivia Night — 5-6 p.m. at Bards Alley (110 Church Street NW) — Vienna’s Bards Alley book shop is hosting a Harry Potter trivia contest. Complimentary non-alcoholic butterbeer will be on tap and Harry Potter-inspired attire is encouraged.

Friday (May 3)

• Intro to Djembe Drumming — 7-8:30 p.m. at Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Avenue) — The Alden in the McLean Community Center is hosting a drum circle class run by artist Kofi Dennis to teach local families about djembe drumming. The class is designed for families and children under 14 must have an adult.

Saturday (May 4)

• Bike Rodeo — 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department (400 Center Street S) — Veteran cyclists will be on hand to help children learn some real-life handling skills, like road rules and how to handle obstacles. Children must wear a helmet to participate.
• May the Fourth Be With You Party — 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library (7584 Leesburg Pike) — The Tysons library is hosting a Star Wars themed party, including crafts, snacks and children’s activities. A costume contest will be held at 11:30 a.m. The event is for all ages with adult supervision. A screening of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” will be held after the party at 2 p.m. The movie is rated PG-13, so all ages under 13 require an adult.
• The Organic Butcher’s Spring Block Party — 12-4 p.m. at The Organic Butcher (6712 Old Dominion Drive) — The Organic Butcher in McLean is hosting its annual block party, with live music, food, wine, beer and cider tastings. Artisans and farmers are set to attend. A sausage-making demonstration is planned for 2 p.m.
• May the 4th Be With You and Your Margarita — 8 p.m. at Inca Social (2670 Avenir Pl.) — Inca Social, a new bar in Merrifield, is hosting a special Star Wars themed evening with margarita and gosarita specials all evening. The DJ starts at 9 p.m., and table reservations can be made online.

Sunday (May 5)

• Cinco de Mayo and Official Patio Launch Party — 10 a.m.-11 p.m. at Mad Fox Brewing Company (444 W Broad Street) — The Falls Church bar is hosting a Cinco de Mayo party and opening up the bar’s patio with a selection of drinking and food specials, including discounts on Tequila flights.

Image via Facebook