(Updated 2:40 p.m.) — The Boro, the Meridian Group’s 1.7 million-square-foot development that aims to compete with Tysons Corner Center Mall as the commercial heart of Tysons, is inching closer towards completion.

The first opening is Boro Tower, which has already started opening to tenants.

“As of right now, we’ve delivered the Boro Tower,” said Caroline Flax, senior analyst for the Meridian Group. “Tegna moved in January.”

The Boro Tower is part of Block C, which includes the Showplace Icon theater building. Flax said the movie theater building is complete, with tenants finishing their build-out inside the space.

The residential and retail towers of Block A at the development’s northern point are scheduled for an opening later in the summer. Flax said the 25-story luxury condominium “Verse” tower, a collaboration between the Meridian Group and Kettler, is planned to open this fall. Pre-leasing for residential units for “Rise,” a 27-story apartment tower, will begin in the spring with move-in scheduled for the summer.

Much of the site’s premier retailers are located along Boro Place, the pseudo-main street of the Boro development. The street is currently undergoing its final round of paving.

Flax said many of the openings on Boro Place hinge on the timing of the region’s largest Whole Foods opening.

“Boro Place is going to open in coordination with Whole Foods, which is looking at late summer, early fall,” said Flax. “A lot of tenants don’t want to open until they do.”

Flax noted that most of the restaurants and retail in the development have already been announced, but that the company is still working on a couple contracts for retail occupants.

“We’re excited to get everything open and ready for the general public,” said Flax.

Fresh off a ranking in Bloomberg’s wealthiest places in America list, McLean took the number 10 spot in a rundown of American cities ranked by money management.

The list by WalletHub, a personal finance website based in D.C., compared over 2,500 cities and ranked them based on 10 indicators of money management.

The ranking factors in things like credit card, mortgage, and other debts as compared to incomes.

The median credit score in McLean is particularly high at 761 with an average number of late payments at 0.75.

Vienna also made an appearance on the list at 37th overall. The town’s average credit score is 763, but residents are a little sloppier on the payment deadlines, with an average 1.1 late payments.

Falls Church comes in at number 68 with a credit score of 733 and 2.08 late payments.

A meeting tomorrow (Thursday) will look at the current status of some surprisingly controversial efforts to make I-66 more bike and pedestrian friendly.

The meeting will be held by the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling in the Providence District Office (3001 Vaden Dr.) at 7:30 p.m.

Susan Shaw, the VDOT Project Manager for Transform I-66, and Fairfax County Department of Transportation representatives are scheduled to attend and offer an update on the status of the trail.

The planned trail will run from Gallows Road in Vienna, near the Dunn Loring Metro station, to Route 29 in Centreville. Three miles of the trail will be adjacent to the interstate while eight miles will be removed from the interstate.

The section of the trail running alongside I-66 inside the highway’s noise walls drew sharp criticism from cycling advocates, including the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling, who pushed to have all of the trail outside the walls. But neighbors living along the highway refused to have the trail run near their properties, prompting some squabbling between state officials and lawmakers over the project.

The trail is planned to be 10 feet wide with two-food-wide shoulders on each side. Access to the trail is planned to be implemented at every half-mile.

Image via VDOT

As the winter starts to thaw, stands hawking Girl Scout cookies are starting to crop up nationwide.

But rather than randomly stumbling on them, a new app can help Tysonians with a sweet tooth track their dealers.

Here’s a look at some of the spots around the Tysons area to get your cookie fix:

Tysons

• McLean Metro (1824 Dolley Madison Blvd): Thursdays and Fridays: 3:30-7:30 p.m.
• Silver Diner (8101 Fletcher Ave): Friday (March 1) 4:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday (March 2): 9-11 a.m. Sunday (March 3): 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Safeway (1688 Anderson Road): Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Ascent Apartment Building (8421 Broad Street): Monday (March 4): 5-7 p.m.
• Marshalls (8353 Leesburg Pike): Friday (March 1): 4:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday (March 2): 9:30-11:30 a.m. Sunday (March 3): 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• TJ Maxx (8389 Leesburg Pike): Fridays, 5-7 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
• 7-Eleven (1931 Old Gallows Road): Saturday (March 2): 1-3 p.m., Sunday (March 3) 12-2 p.m.

Vienna

• OLGC CFF (8601 Wolftrap Road): Saturday (March 2): 8:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
• Vienna-Dunn Loring Metro (2700 Gallows Road): Weekdays, 3:30-7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
• Advance Auto (311 Maple Ave E): Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Dollar Tree (264 Cedar Lane SE): Friday (March 1): 4-6 p.m. Saturday (March 2): 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Sunday (March 3): 12-2 p.m.
• Lacrosse Unlimited of Vienna (209 Maple Ave E): Fridays, 4-7 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Sundays, 10-11:45 a.m.
• Rexall (150 Maple Ave W): Fridays, 5-9 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Cocoa Vienna (120 Church Street NE): Saturday (March 2): 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday (March 3) 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
• Dunkin’ Donuts (2750 Gallows Road E): Saturdays and Sundays, 8-10 a.m.
• Ben and Jerry’s (136 C Maple Ave W): Sunday (March 3): 12-3 p.m.

McLean

• Balducci’s (6655 Old Dominion Dr): Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Giant Food (1454 Chain Bridge Rd): Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Safeway (6244 Old Dominion Drive): Fridays, 4-7 p.m. Saturdays, 1-5 p.m.
• Advance Auto (1449 Chain Bridge Rd): Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Flowers and Plants (1378 Chain Bridge Rd): Saturdays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• McLean Family Restaurant (1321 Chain Bridge Rd): Saturdays, 9-11:30 a.m.
• Child’s Play (1382 Chain Bridge Rd): Sundays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Photo via Facebook

Last summer, the Washington Business Journal reported that Facebook Inc. was “nearing a deal” for space in 1775 Tysons Blvd., an office building near Tysons Galleria. But any potential agreement now seems to be off the table.

“I can confirm that we are not looking at leasing 1775 Tysons Blvd,” said a representative from Facebook’s corporate communications team.

Facebook is in the middle of an expansion into the D.C. area, including 75,000 square feet in Terrell Place, an office near the Gallery Place.

Facebook representatives would not say if there was other space in Tysons the company was considering.

“We don’t disclose if or where we are looking for offices,” the representative said. “We only share information once a lease has been signed.”

The 476,000-square-foot office complex is home to WeWork, Baird and other corporate offices.

The building is owned by Lerner Enterprises, which did not respond to interview requests.

Photo via Wikipedia

Two developments planned for Maple Avenue are facing some backlash from the Vienna Town Council for trying to slip an extra floor or two into their projects.

At last night’s (Monday) Vienna Town Council meeting, Councilmember Douglas Noble said he had concerns about the mixed-use development at 380 Maple Street and the 80-unit Sunrise Assisted Living facility proposed at the corner of Maple Avenue and Center Street.

For 380 Maple Street, Noble said he was happy to see new parking recently added to the project but was concerned that the building’s height exceeds four-story limits established in the zoning code.

“The applicant has come in with a proposal that has an extra floor… for parking,” said Noble. “It’s a creative solution to add parking. [They] also asked for a site plan modification to add a half-story. I have strong concerns that this is contrary to the intent of Maple Avenue [zoning]. It’s five stories.”

Meanwhile, Noble also said the Sunrise Assisted Living Facility had recently proposed a mezzanine that doesn’t actually fit the town’s definition of one.

“My reading of MAC code and my understanding of how we wrote it was that a mezzanine does not occupy more than 50 percent of the area of the floor below. In our current definition, it says it’s partially open to that floor below. I do not believe plans at Sunrise meet either criterion. I have concerns that these plans are not compliant.”

Town staff said both projects will be discussed in a work session with the Town Council next Monday (March 4).

Photo via Town of Vienna Planning and Zoning

Business is hurting in Vienna. The Maple Avenue Market closed last week, as did the GameStop, with an employee there citing increasing rents as the leading cause.

As store after store shuts its doors, there are questions swirling around town about whether local businesses can stay competitive with new developments surrounding Vienna — and if so, how?

At a town council meeting in January, town business liaison Friderike Butler said businesses on side streets were being hit particularly hard.

“If they’re not on the main street, they’re struggling a lot more,” said Butler. “Even on Church Street, it’s not easy. The economy is doing well overall, and if we have small businesses struggling as the economy is doing well, what is going to happen if there is a recession? It’s something to really think about and make sure our business community is strengthened and supported.”

Peggy James, executive director of the Vienna Business Association, told Tysons Reporter that two big challenges are facing local stores.

“It’s very expensive and we’re pretty tight on parking,” said James.

What’s driving up the rent? It’s an old maxim anyone in real estate will be familiar with.

“Location, location, location,” said James. “It’s always been an expensive place. With Mosaic District just two miles away and Tysons building up like crazy, the competition for brick and mortar is tough.”

Over the years, James said the Saturday morning shopping at mom-and-pop stores that had turned Vienna into a local destination disappeared as sales went to big box stores and Amazon.

“The challenge in this age of Amazon is double,” Frank Shafroth, director of the Center for State and Local Leadership at George Mason University, wrote in an email. “You don’t even have to leave your home or apartment to purchase, and Amazon has such size and distribution that it can undercut in price on almost anything one would purchase at a small business.”

But all three experts noted that there are ways to help local businesses survive.

From a policy standpoint, Butler said the Town of Vienna can help make parking more accessible.

“We need a comprehensive parking map,” said Butler. “Culpepper has a beautiful parking map distributed everywhere in stores and people know where to park. For visitors who have never been in Vienna, it’s very confusing where to park. A comprehensive map would be helpful.”

Town Councilmember Howard Springsteen also recommended the Town Council consider hiring a full-time economic development specialist, an idea that’s been tossed around the council for two years.

“There’s a limit to how much we can rely on volunteers,” said Springsteen. “We just really need to bite the bullet and do it.”

For businesses, Shafroth said survival hinges on finding a niche that can’t be as easily replicated by bigger stores or by Amazon.

“Retailers have to carve out a niche that makes them indispensable: whether shopping for a stroller, car seat, crib or mattress,” said Shafroth. “For instance, new parents want to walk into a physical store and speak with a retailer who can field multiple questions and direct them to the products that best suit their needs — even if those products are available through a different vendor.”

As part of that, Shafroth also said smaller stores should capitalize on the advantages physically touching merchandise offers.

“It’s hard to be certain–especially if you are shopping for a small child, for instance — what will work,” said Shafroth. “A parent wants to feel and touch something: is it baby soft? If it’s a toy, is the mechanism simple enough and safe enough for a tot?”

He continued: “According to Forrester, 43 percent of millennials respond they would rather shop at small local stores, as opposed to big national chains. According to Cassandra, a trend forecasting, research and brand strategy firm, 78 percent of parents in the U.S. would rather shop in stores than online. And, according to the National Retail Federation, today’s young parents spend as much as $1 trillion on items for kids — and this generation values good service more than convenience: they want to be certain that what they purchase will be appropriate — and safe.”

And at the individual level, there’s an obvious answer for how locals can help small stores survive.

“The best thing people can do is give local businesses the first shot at a sale,” said James. “I had a lot of loyal customers at Artful Gift Shop. They’d come to us first. You don’t have to find what you want, but give us a shot.”

James also noted that it can be too easy for locals to blame new developments, like those coming in with the Maple Avenue Commercial zoning changes, for the hardships local stores are facing.

“We can’t stay small and survive,” said James. “We can’t stay as small shops if we can’t keep customers. New spaces [are being developed] on Maple Avenue. Citizens don’t like it and I can understand it, but it kind of has to happen.”

A meeting on Thursday (Feb. 28) will take a look at how the county budget will impact McLean.

The McLean Citizens Association (MCA) is hosting the meeting in the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) and put together a list of top issues facing the area. The rundown includes items that are McLean specific and issues like the long-term economic viability of the Metro system.

According to the MCA, questions up for discussion include:

–  Trade-offs between self-imposed county bond limits, county operating expenditures, and local taxes?
–  The impact of development and demographic trends on costs for county-provided services, including schools?
–  Below market salaries for many teachers?
–  Unusually generous pension plans for county and school system employees?
–  Overcrowding at McLean High School and other schools?
–  Metro and other transit maintenance, repairs and expansion, especially in future years?

The budget, which was presented as a draft to the Board of Supervisors earlier this month, highlighted the growth and challenges associated with new development in Tysons and the surrounding localities.

One of the topics of discussion, the overcrowding of McLean High School, has been particularly contentious. The School Board killed a proposal to redistrict McLean High School to send some students to the under-capacity Langley High School.

Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust and County Chief Financial Officer Joe Mondoro are planned to be in attendance to discuss the budget.

Stomping Ground, the go-to coffee and southern-style biscuits eatery in the Tysons Galleria, opened today (Tuesday) with a new mix of cocktails and more to come.

Becca Leisch, general manager for the Tysons location of Stomping Ground, said the eatery currently has both Bloody Marys and Mimosas — in keeping with the brunch vibe — as well as classics like Dark ‘n’ Stormys and a collection of sipping bourbons.

For Leisch, the pride and joy of the new menu is Oban Scotch, a fine single-malt whiskey from a Scottish distillery that dates back to the late 18th century.

Other offerings include a white cranberry hibiscus cocktail with a live flower in the drink and an Earl Grey-egg white cocktail. The bourbons and cocktails average around $10 each.

In addition to the whiskeys and cocktails, Leisch said the location will have a small selection of beer and wine. For Stomping Ground, the focus is going to be on going as weird as possible, with gluten-free options and a collection of pineapple or blood orange ciders, she said.

“Andy’s Pizza has the lock on the craft beer scene,” said Leisch. “We’re going strange.”

Stomping Ground oversees a large seating and sofa section of the Taste of Urbanspace Food Hall, and Leisch said the restaurant is embracing that to cater the menu towards a lounge atmosphere.

“Come sip some bourbon and catch up with friends,” said Leisch. “It’s a reclined atmosphere here, good for dates.”

The restaurant is currently open until 7 p.m. on most nights, or around 8 p.m. on Fridays or Saturdays. Leisch said those hours might creep slightly later, but that the general target for the evening menu is local workers who aren’t quite ready to go home yet or want to avoid rush hour traffic.

Updated at 4:45 p.m. — Police identified the pedestrian at 72-year-old Chandra Bhandari, of Falls Church. According to police, Bhandari was found dead at the scene.

“Preliminarily, detectives believe Bhandari was crossing the on-ramp from eastbound Leesburg Pike to southbound I-495 between 6 and 6:30 a.m. and was hit by a vehicle,” police said in a press release. “The motorist did not stop and drove away from the scene. Speed appears to be a factor for the driver. Neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be factors for Bhandari.”

Earlier: Police are investigating after a driver struck and killed a pedestrian at the ramp from eastbound Leesburg Pike onto southbound I-495.

Fairfax County Police believe the crash happened around 7 a.m. this morning (Tuesday).

The vehicle involved fled the scene shortly after the incident, they say.

Police briefly closed a section of the highway to account for the investigation, but most of Leesburg Pike has since reopened to traffic. The eastbound ramp to southbound I-495 remains closed.

Our Crash Reconstruction Unit is investigating after a pedestrian was hit and killed at the ramp from eastbound Leesburg Pike to southbound I495. The vehicle involved left the scene. Eastbound Leesburg Pike remains closed for the investigation. Please avoid the area. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/xvfCAPKdPM

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) February 26, 2019

Photo via VDOT