The final touches on the first phase of the Silver Line project that brought Metro into Tysons are falling into place, almost a decade after the five new rail stations in Fairfax County opened.
Construction on the shoulder of the Dulles Connector Road — which links the Dulles Toll Road in Tysons to the I-66 interchange in Idylwood — has been completed, according to a presentation that the Fairfax County Department of Transportation gave to the Board of Supervisors’ Phase 1 Dulles Rail Transportation Improvement District Commission on Tuesday (March 28).
The shoulder reconstruction, which began in April 2022, and some manhole repairs were the last “outstanding” items in the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project’s first phase, FCDOT Special Projects Division Chief Martha Coello told the commission.
Some lane closures were in place this week for the shoulder construction. A spokesperson for Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority didn’t respond by press time on whether that was the last round of closures.
With a total cost of $2.98 billion, the first phase expanded Metro to Tysons and Reston, launching passenger service in July 2014.
To continue paying off debt from the project, the commission approved a flat tax rate of nine cents per $100 of assessed value for commercial and industrial properties in the special tax district created to fund the Silver Line.
Fairfax County Department of Management and Budget Deputy Director Joe LaHait recommended continuing the current tax rate into fiscal year 2024, which begins July 1, “since coverage in the prior fiscal year (FY2022) cannot be maintained at or above the 1.4x threshold,” an advisory board reported to the commission.
The tax district’s policy, adopted in 2013, dictates that the tax rate should be set at a level that would cover 1.4 times the amount of debt owed each year. The rate can be lowered by up to two cents if that level of coverage has been maintained for two consecutive years.
Though coverage is projected to exceed 1.4 in 2023 and 2024, it dipped below that target to 1.36 for the first time ever last year, according to county staff.
Since it took effect in 2005, the Phase 1 tax district has generated approximately $428.5 million, including $15.5 million in the current fiscal year 2023, as of February — enough to cover the $400 million that Fairfax County was tasked with giving to the MWAA for the project.
“All debt has been issued for this tax district and reached the $400 million cap paid to the Airports Authority,” the advisory board’s minutes from its March 15 meeting said. “The funds were collected via cash contribution and bonds.”
With the county’s obligation covered, the tax district revenue will now be used to pay off debts. As of June 30, it had about $125 million in outstanding debt.
At its Tuesday meeting, the commission also approved a tax rate of 18 cents per $100 of assessed value for the special tax district for the Silver Line’s second phase, which extended Metro from Reston to Ashburn in Loudoun County.
The approved rate represents a two-cent reduction from the current fiscal year 2023 rate, which staff said in March 2022 couldn’t be lowered.
Per a staff presentation, the Dulles Airport and Ashburn stations remain the busiest of the new stations since they opened in November. New Fairfax Connector bus routes supporting the stations in Reston and Herndon are carrying 579 passenger trips per day.
The tax rates for both the Phase 1 and Phase 2 districts will be formally adopted when the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approves a budget for FY 2024 on May 9.
Fairfax County could be putting a little more money into a program that aims to make paying taxes in the county easier.
At a budget committee meeting on Tuesday (March 28), the Board of Supervisors got a briefing on the fiscal year 2023 third quarter review, looking over how staff are proposing to use a net $51.2 million in available funding.
Most of that new funding comes from interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve to rein in inflation. That resulted in an additional $37.58 million for the county, which also saw an increase of $11.23 million in revenue from personal property taxes.
The lion’s share of that funding is going to capital projects, like courtroom renovations, but county staff have proposed using $18.96 million for information technology (IT) improvements that could, in part, go into effect by the end of the year.
The one most residents will likely notice is an upgrade to the county’s tax payment systems. While a precise timeline for what will be a multi-year overhaul is still being worked out, staff said the $4 million proposed in the FY 2023 third quarter review would give the program a substantial boost.
“This gives us a good downpayment to get the work started,” said Jay Doshi, director of the Department of Tax Administration. “[The IT Department] has been not only partnering with us, but reaching out to vendors who will offer services to get us to where we’d like to be.”
IT staff said the plan is to have some improvements in place by this fall for residents filing property taxes.
“We’ve relied for a long time on people mailing in checks, paying an exorbitant fee with their credit card, or standing right outside this hallway,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said. “I think this is a short-term improvement but will have long-term benefits…I’m glad to hear at least the beginning parts to this, some of the pieces our citizens will experience, will be forthcoming as soon as this fall.”
Other notable allocations in the third-quarter review include $400,000 to help the Fairfax County Park Authority clear running bamboo, $4.1 million to cover increased overtime costs for Fire and Rescue personnel, and a total of $1.75 million for road and parks signage related to the Route 29 and 50 renamings.
The removal of the names Lee Highway and Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway has to be voted on by the Commonwealth Transportation Board, which has the authority to name state roads, Fairfax County Department of Transportation spokesperson Robin Geiger confirmed.
The board met earlier this week, but the topic wasn’t on its agenda.
“The allocation of funds is in preparation of the approval of the name changes,” Geiger said.
The growing restaurant empire forged by Chinese chef Peter Chang may soon expand to McLean.
Chang’s team has applied for a building permit from Fairfax County to take over the former House of Fortune space at 6715 Lowell Avenue, as the Washington Business Journal first reported on Tuesday (March 28).
An employee at Q by Peter Chang, the chef’s Bethesda restaurant, confirmed to FFXnow that a McLean location is in the works, but the exact concept is still being finalized. No opening date has been set, he said.
A semifinalist for “Outstanding Chef” at the 2022 James Beard Awards, Chang focuses on Szechuan cuisine after growing up in nearby Hubei province. He trained at a culinary school in Wuhan, China, before moving to the U.S. in 2001 to work as a chef at the Chinese Embassy in D.C.
Known as much for migratory habits and devoted fan base as for his food, Chang cooked for spots in Fairfax, Alexandria, Georgia and Tennessee before launching his first self-titled venture in Charlottesville and expanding to Arlington in 2015.
With wife and fellow chef Lydia and their daughter Lisa, who manages the business, also on board, the Chang family has established more than a dozen restaurants. In addition to the eight Peter Chang restaurants and Q by Peter Chang, the team is behind Chang Chang in D.C., NiHao in Baltimore, and Fairfax City’s Mama Chang and Lu Wei by Peter Zhang.
A second NiHao — which serves dim sum, Peking duck and “contemporary” takes on classic Szechuan dishes — is slated to open in Crystal City near Amazon’s second headquarters by early 2024.
Assuming that location opens first, the McLean restaurant could be the family’s 16th.
Virginia Now Requires Slowing Down for Disabled Vehicles — “In Virginia, it is illegal to not move over or slow down when a first responder or construction vehicle is on the side of the roads with their lights flashing. What isn’t illegal is doing the same for a disabled vehicle, but that will change with a new law supported by Hurley’s family.” The state Senate version of the bill was led by Fairfax County’s Dave Marsden. [WTOP]
Five Displaced by Annandale Townhouse Fire — “On Thursday, March 23, at 1:49 p.m., units were dispatched for a reported townhouse fire in the 7800 block of Rectory Lane.” No one was home at the time. Investigators determined that the fire “was caused by an item left unattended on the electric burner of the stovetop,” resulting in approximately $75,000 in damages. [FCFRD]
FCPS Launches Online Class Registration — “Online registration will be available at more than 30 pilot Fairfax County schools beginning Friday, March 31. All FCPS schools will offer online registration beginning in June.” Fairfax County Public Schools says the new system will be more efficient and provide more flexibility for students. [FCPS]
New Groveton Wendy’s Plans Grand Opening Festivities — “The new Wendy’s fast food restaurant at 6634 Richmond Highway opened its doors to customers March 28, according to a company spokesperson. Originally slated to open in late 2022, the restaurant will hold its official grand opening celebration Apr. 15 with ‘free food for a year certificates’ for the first 100 guests.” [On the MoVe]
Reston Entrepreneur Adjusts Charity Ambitions — “Len Forkas will not be traveling to Norway in April as part of a planned skiing trip to the North Pole for charity. Instead, he is going to Nepal in order to climb Mount Everest. This won’t be the first mountain the 63-year-old Reston businessman has climbed.” [Patch]
State Legislator Retirements May Reduce N. Va’s Power — “Local government officials here worry that the shift in leadership positions in the state’s Democratic Party — southward to the Hampton Roads area — means Northern Virginia will lose important state funding for schools, transportation and other services” [The Washington Post]
Bench Installed at McLean HS for Former Baseball Player — “The late Caleb Beatty was a standout player for the McLean Highlanders. Beatty, 26, died unexpectedly this past October. He was a 2015 McLean graduate. In memory of the hulking catcher, a permanent homemade wooden cedar bench…has been installed at the field in foul territory along the left-field line.” [Gazette Leader]
Reston Tech Hiring Firm Seeks to Address Disparities — “Revature, a tech talent enablement firm, has joined forces with OneTen, a coalition committed to closing the opportunity gap for Black talent in the U.S…Revature and OneTen will work with companies across the country to fill vacancies while helping candidates build fulfilling careers in tech.” [Fairfax County EDA]
It’s Friday — Light rain in the evening and overnight. High of 64 and low of 42. Sunrise at 6:56 am and sunset at 7:32 pm. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 5:20 p.m.) Three people have been arrested for carjacking after a short vehicle pursuit in Tysons that saw collisions with multiple other vehicles, including police cruisers.
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, one of its new automated license plate readers sent an alert to officers for an Audi Q5 that had been reported stolen from Maryland, yesterday (Wednesday).
The officers found the SUV in a parking garage at the corner of International Drive and Fletcher Street around 2:12 p.m., according to public safety scanner traffic.
Scanner traffic indicates that the vehicle was reported stolen from Prince George’s County in an armed carjacking. A dispatcher warned that the occupants may be armed.
Around 3:13 p.m., three individuals then got into the Audi and attempted to drive away on Leesburg Pike (Route 7), according to police.
“The driver struck two cruisers, 2-3 community member cars before stopping a short distance away,” the FCPD tweeted. “All three occupants have been arrest[ed] and two firearms have been recovered.”
According to a 3:30 p.m. Fairfax Alert, eastbound Leesburg Pike was shut down at International Drive for the “police activity.”
The driver struck two cruisers, 2-3 community member cars before stopping a short distance away. All three occupants have been arrests and two firearms have been recovered. More details to come as the investigation continues https://t.co/QsTzdpgf0U
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) March 30, 2023
(Updated at 5:25 p.m. on 4/3/2023) The popular D.C. deli Call Your Mother is expanding into Virginia for the first time.
Known for its bagels, the self-described “Jew-ish” deli is bringing a mobile version of its shop called Lil Deli to the Chesterbrook Shopping Center (6216 Old Dominion Drive) in McLean. The shop was announced today on Instagram.
It will feature a walk-up counter and patio seating, with the deli’s full menu on offer.
“Locals have been asking for a Call Your Mother outpost in VA and the brand has answered!” Call Your Mother co-founder Andrew Dana said by email. “They’re bringing good carbs and good vibes to McLean, with plans to open a second VA location later this year.”
Dana said the second Virginia location will be in Alexandria’s Old Town, though the lease hasn’t been finalized yet. The deli had locked down an Old Town location two years ago, but later appeared to pull out despite signing a lease, according to FFXnow’s sister site ALXnow.
Dana and chef Daniela Moreira started selling food at D.C. farmers markets before launching Call Your Mother as a brick-and-mortar deli in Petsworth in 2018. The business now has seven locations in D.C. and Maryland.
Call Your Mother first went mobile with a “trolley” shop in Bethesda. It’s also planning to venture outside the D.C. area with upcoming locations in Denver, Colorado.
“Call Your Mother is truly focused on two things: carbs and vibes,” Dana said. “When looking at real estate it’s all about how a space feels. Similar to their Bethesda Trolley, the Lil Deli is on wheels which is nice for flexibility and grabbing attention when you drive past. The fun and vibrant energy it brings perfectly matches the Call Your Mother brand.”
An exact opening date for the McLean shop hasn’t been set yet, but it’s anticipated to be “in a few weeks,” Dana said. The store is now hiring workers, per a LinkedIn job posting.
It will be one of several relative newcomers to Chesterbrook, which is undergoing a renovation. The juice bar South Block opened earlier in March, and the clothing store J. McLaughlin is on track to open this summer, property manager Federal Realty previously told FFXnow.
The fast-food chain WNB Factory is gearing up to enter a part of Tysons that has retained a more industrial look, a choice that seems appropriate given the restaurant’s name.
Specializing in wings and burgers, the business has applied for permits from Fairfax County to renovate a vacated suite at 8453A Tyco Road.
The restaurant will open this year, with construction taking about three months once the permits are approved, according to PK Restaurant Group Vice President and COO Robert Bales.
For now, signs for Tyco Cleaners — the dry-cleaning service that formerly occupied the 1,704-square-foot space — are still on the low-lying, commercial building across the street from Dominion Energy’s Tysons substation. Other tenants include a Persian carpet store and the restaurants Hunan Cafe and Shamshiry Express Kabob.
Based in Atlanta, Georgia, WNB Factory has rapidly expanded in Virginia since opening its first franchise in the state in Colonial Heights in 2020. Within the past year, locations have been added in Oakton, Huntington and, most recently, Centreville.
Virginia is now the company’s second-largest market, after Georgia.
“We’ve recently signed a new franchise partner who was interested as well in getting into the Tysons Corner market,” Bales said. “That’s the reason why we’ve expanded into that area, to try to condense it a little bit more. We’ve got Oakton, we’ve got Alexandria, so Tysons Corner was a good fit to sort of round out some of that market area.”
WNB Factory was started in 1997 by Atlanta natives Troy Pyo and Shin Kang, who wanted to provide hot, quality food with quick service, according to the company’s website. It now has 86 total locations, 75 of them in Georgia.
In addition to its signature burgers and wings, which come in 24 flavors, the restaurant serves chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, cheesesteaks, fried rice, salads, fries and milkshakes. The menu includes plant and turkey-based burgers and tenders.
Bales says WNB is “a quality first operation” that prides itself on using fresh ingredients, including certified Angus beef and all-natural, non-genetically modified chicken.
“We’re a Wingstop and a BurgerFi pushed together and [it] really gives a customer a great choice when it comes to getting a good quality burger and some really good chicken wings,” he said.
While the menu is the same for all franchises, the company isn’t afraid to introduce new items, Bales told QSR in 2021. Its “Not Closed on Sunday” chicken sandwich, for example, was added in response to the Popeyes versus Chick-fil-A sandwich wars of 2019.
The company’s franchising efforts also focus on owners with local ties, he told FFXnow. All of WNB’s Virginia locations are franchisee-owned, though the Huntington and Centreville ones have the same operator.
“They live in the markets that they are operating in their stores, and most of our owners are in the stores pretty much on a daily basis at some point,” Bales said. “We just feel like we’re a nice community-style restaurant. We’re focused on quality, great customer service and a good selection of offerings…for customers.”
An independent investigation found no basis to claims that notices of National Merit Scholarship commendations were intentionally withheld from students, Fairfax County Public Schools announced last night (Wednesday).
Conducted by the law firm Sands Anderson, the review confirmed that eight schools didn’t notify students designated as “commended” by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) until after Nov. 1, 2022, but it “found no evidence that this was intentional or reflected any policy decision by FCPS” or any of the individual schools, according to FCPS.
“There was no evidence to suggest that FCPS deliberately withheld notification of Commended Student status from any student,” Superintendent Michelle Reid said in a message to families. “In addition, they found no evidence of any inequity or racial bias in the actions taken by these schools regarding notifications or distribution of these certificates.”
Criticism of the school system’s handling of the recognitions emerged in late December, ignited by a City Journal article that suggested Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) intentionally waited until after early college applications were due to notify commended students.
Written by Coalition for TJ co-founder Asra Nomani, the story argued that the delayed notices were part of a “war on merit.” The coalition has a pending lawsuit against FCPS over revisions to the magnet school’s admissions policies, which it says were designed to disadvantage the Asian students who make up a majority of TJ’s student body.
The story picked up steam when Gov. Glenn Youngkin called for an investigation into TJ on Jan. 3. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares complied, launching a review the following day that later expanded to all of FCPS after Westfield and Langley high schools informed families that they had failed to notify commended students.
Other schools where students experienced delays include Annandale, Thomas Edison, John R. Lewis, Marshall and West Potomac high schools, according to Sands Anderson’s review.
“It’s encouraging that FCPS is working to be more transparent about the inconsistencies surrounding their National Merit award decisions and process,” Miyares spokesperson Victoria LaCivita said. “The Office of the Attorney General will continue its investigation.”
Initially attributing the delays to human error, FCPS conducted an internal review and hired Sands Anderson for a third-party investigation in January.
According to the new report, factors contributing to the delays varied by school. Issues ranged from a clerical oversight and communication gaps due to absent or changing staff to the scheduling of fall awards ceremonies where the certificates get distributed.
In the case of Annandale High School, NMSC had reportedly neglected to mail the certificates until after Nov. 1.
Much confusion, including at TJ, stemmed from a belief that NMSC informs students directly of their “commended” status, which essentially serves as an honorable mention for students who score well on the preliminary SAT test but don’t reach the semifinals of the scholarship program.
“At no school was there any evidence that racial or other discriminatory considerations played any role whatsoever in the timing of notifying Commended Students, nor was there evidence of any effort to minimize recognition of student excellence or achievement,” the report said.
According to the report, the only affected school to receive actual complaints from parents and other community members about the award notices was TJ.
In its summary of the investigation’s findings, FCPS expressed hope that the report will enable it to move past “this unnecessary controversy,” which has required spending “significant division funds on legal counsel” and resulted in harassment of school staff with “hate-filled and threatening” phone calls and emails.
The emotional toll on our staff has been substantial, and, in addition, staff have been required to divert significant time and attention away from their education-focused roles to respond to these inquiries. All of this has harmed and undermined our core educational mission, and we do hope that the factual findings of this external investigation can put this entire issue, and the erroneous claims that sparked this controversy, to rest.
In response to the issues found by the investigation, FCPS has created a new regulation requiring principals or another designated administrator to notify commended students and their parents within two weeks of getting alerted to the honors by NMSC.
Reid said she has also proposed to NMSC and the College Board that they develop a national, “multi-layered” notification system.
“This solution must incorporate electronic notifications to each recognized student, their family, and school division central offices, which do not exist in the NMSC process today,” she wrote. “I am still hopeful that there can be a broader solution to this issue nationwide. In the meantime, we have put our own changes in place, which may serve as a model for other schools in Virginia and nationwide.”
Police Standoff Ends After 36 Hours — Fairfax County police took a reportedly armed woman into custody shortly after midnight, ending a barricade on Richmond Highway that began before noon on Tuesday (March 29). The standoff closed Route 1 between Lockheed Blvd and Boswell Avenue through multiple rush hours. [FCPD/Twitter]
Helicopters Expected at GMU for Training — “The @GeorgeMasonU Fairfax Campus will host an ROTC training exercise on the morning of Thursday, March 30. Helicopters will be coming on campus at 6:30 a.m. and departing from the West Campus parking lot (closest to Braddock Road) at approximately 8:15 a.m. Please do not be alarmed.” [GMU Police/Twitter]
Alta Crossroads Apartment Project Begins — County leaders, developer representatives and the Bailey’s Crossroads/7 Corners Revitalization Corporation gathered yesterday to break ground on the long-awaited Alta Crossroads redevelopment. It “will transform a partially vacant underused lot into a 370-unit multifamily building, three townhomes, enhanced streetscapes, and two park spaces on the corner of #ColumbiaPike and Moncure Avenue.” [Penny Gross/Twitter]
Community Shares Opioid Crisis at Town Hall — “Concerned that the deadly drug fentanyl is in schools and neighborhoods, parents gathered at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Virginia, Tuesday night to learn what they can do to protect their kids. More than 100 residents heard from a panel of experts, including school leaders, police and experts in substance abuse treatment.” [WTOP]
Popular West Falls Church Deli Featured in TV Show — “Chef Andre Rush upgraded the Celebrity Delly, a traditional delicatessen in Graham Park Plaza, and shared the results on his ‘Kitchen Commando’ TV series. The episode on the Falls Church restaurant can be viewed online on the Tubi TV channel.” [Annandale Today]
County Parks Facility Fee Changes Approved — “The Fairfax County Park Authority Board approved the 2023 Fee Adjustment Schedule at its meeting on March 22, 2023.” The changes, which affect the price of golf courses, facility rentals, and more, will take effect on Saturday (April 1). [FCPA]
Tysons Media Company Continues Layoffs — “Gannett Co. Inc. (NYSE: GCI) has issued yet another round of a layoffs, this time affecting 44 employees in mostly back-office roles. It appears to be the media company’s third round of cuts in the past seven months, after it eliminated 400 jobs in August and began laying off roughly 6% of reporters and other staffers in its U.S. media division in the final months of last year.” [Washington Business Journal]
Street Changes Planned for Hybla Valley — “The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) plans to start repaving and restriping Lockheed Boulevard, Fordson Road and several neighboring streets in Hybla Valley in late April…The restriping will include the addition of standard bike lanes to both Lockheed and Fordson, as well as the installation of a couple new pedestrian crosswalks on Fordson.” [On the MoVe]
Vienna Finalizes Cost of New Police HQ — “Vienna Town Council members on March 20 unanimously awarded an additional $18,503 to the Vienna Police Headquarters’ construction contractor as part of a final settlement for the project.” Supply-chain issues that complicated construction and some “unanticipated redesigns” by the town brought the final cost up to $14.2 million. [Gazette Leader]
McLean Teacher Seeks Art for Earth Day — “McLean art teacher Pamela Saunders is seeking aspiring young artists in McLean to join the community’s upcoming Earth Day observance…McLean Earth Day on April 22 will be a drive-thru event at the McLean Community Center with various opportunities to help the planet.” [Patch]
It’s Thursday — Clear throughout the day. High of 53 and low of 37. Sunrise at 6:57 am and sunset at 7:31 pm. [Weather.gov]
Some transportation projects on the horizon have sparked excitement among the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors over potential transit improvements.
Visualize 2050 is a federally-mandated long-range transportation plan with an emphasis on projects that adhere to new emission reduction goals.
In a meeting of the Board of Supervisors Transportation Committee earlier this month, staff said the county has six projects it’s considering adding to Visualize 2050. The projects have to be considered regionally significant.
- Route 7 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
- Orange Line Metrorail Extension
- Yellow Line Metrorail Extension to Hybla Valley
- I-495 Southside Project
- I-95 Counterflow Express Lanes
- Seven Corners
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said the inclusion of Route 7 BRT is a positive step, helping take the project from the conceptual stage to something being actively planned.
“I think it’s really exciting that we’re considering this and I would support BRT 7, “Palchik said. “It brings dedicated bus lanes. We’re talking about reducing congestion and using these roads to more easily have multimodal. I think it’s not super helpful when buses get stuck in traffic for people to give up their cars and opt for the bus.”
The Route 7 BRT proposal would eventually connect Tysons to Alexandria on a new route designed to prioritize public transit. Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross said she’s hopeful districts between the two major stops will also benefit.
“Certainly Route 7 BRT will go all along Route 7, coming from Alexandria [in one direction] and Tysons [from the other],” Gross said. “I’m hoping that [Mason District] can be the golden spike.”
Elsewhere in county planning, Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk advocated for Metro’s Yellow Line extension down into Hybla Valley.
“That’s in alignment with what we’re doing with bus rapid transit and our Embark Richmond Highway study,” Lusk said. “The goal is that we eventually get to the extension of that Metro line. I just want to advocate for that and put a plug so that it can be considered.”
County staff said there will be two public meetings on the Visualize 2050 plan in April before the project works its way through the bureaucratic process, eventually heading to plan adoption sometime in December 2024.
