A mixed-use project approved nearly a decade ago near the McLean Metro station is making a comeback, expanding the amount of retail sought and potentially bringing a long-desired athletic field.
The Washington Business Journal reported Friday (Dec. 10) that developer LCOR is revising its 21-acre McLean Crossing project, increasing its retail component from the 50,000 square feet approved in 2013 to potentially three times that amount.
“LCOR anticipates that we will be able to advance our next phase of projects in late 2023,” LCOR senior vice president Josh White said in an email to Tysons Reporter, stating that the “renewed vision” includes a variety of uses to “establish a genuine neighborhood atmosphere in a submarket seeking an identity, of which retail is a major component.”
Located along Anderson Road at the Chain Bridge Road intersection, the project was envisioned in 2013 as a redevelopment of the Commons of McLean apartments, but only one of the seven planned buildings has been constructed so far: the Kingston luxury apartment high rise, which was completed in 2018.
The plan called for buildings ranging from six to 22 stories tall with 2,571 residential units, along with retail and two blocks devoted to parks.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the project on June 4, 2013, provided that the developer create a proposed athletic field by Dec. 31, 2035 near the McLean Metro station, which opened in 2014.
At that time, the field was a primary point of contention between LCOR and the county, with Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust calling the anticipated timing of its delivery bad.
The McLean Citizens Association gave its support to the proposed redevelopment, but with the condition that the athletic field be built by the end of 2025 and that more retail space be provided. Mark Zetts, then the MCA planning committee co-chair, was the only speaker at the public hearing.
“We were very reluctant to agree to the 2035 date,” G. Evan Pritchard, an attorney for the developer, told the board, citing market conditions and other factors, from building demolitions to street grid additions.
Now, the developer says it believes the previous plan should be revised. A new concept plan could end up before the county next year, according to the WBJ.
“As Kingston, LCOR’s first residential development at McLean Crossing, was delivering, LCOR reevaluated Tysons/McLean market conditions, examined other successful mixed-use projects within the region and ultimately concluded it was necessary to revise the 2013 master plan in order to create a sense of place,” White wrote.
LCOR is also bringing a new business partner onboard, “Monarch Communities, which will built a 210-unit senior housing tower in the development,” the Washington Business Journal reported.
Per the article:
About 120 of the senior units will be independent living apartments, about with another 60 assisted living and 30 memory care units, which all vary greatly in size from studios to one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.
“McLean Crossing will not only create a neighborhood center for Tysons East, but also a new downtown for McLean, given its proximity and accessibility,” White said. “The retail within McLean Crossing will be neighborhood serving and is envisioned to be a thoughtful mix of food and beverage, soft goods, etc.”
A female pedestrian was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a crash today (Monday).
The vehicle crash occurred in Bailey’s Crossroads in the 5900 block of Leesburg Pike, Fairfax County Police Department reported this afternoon.
“The pedestrian, a woman, was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. “Driver remained at scene.”
Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives continued to investigate the crash, police said later, noting the woman was still hospitalized.
The crash closed Route 7 for a period, but the road has now reopened.
Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives continue to investigate this crash. The pedestrian remains hospitalized. Leesburg Pike is now open. Follow our blog, https://t.co/lhGv3NlUzS, for any updates. https://t.co/BMYGKWku8U
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) December 13, 2021
Fairfax County’s current COVID-19 surge has now surpassed the late summer wave fueled by the delta variant’s arrival.
The county is averaging 216.7 new cases per day for the past week — the most since Feb. 19, when the weekly average was at 228.9 cases, according to Virginia Department of Health data.
While cases have been rising since early November, the weekly average has increased by 100 cases since Nov. 28, suggesting the county is starting to see the effects of Thanksgiving gatherings and other holiday activities.
Fairfax County added 338 cases on Wednesday (Dec. 8) and another 361 cases yesterday (Sunday). Prior to this week, the county had not seen more than 300 cases in one day since Feb. 13, though the number of new cases dropped to 139 today (Monday).
At this rate, the Fairfax Health District’s case total for the pandemic could reach six digits within the next week. The district, which includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, has reported 99,541 COVID-19 cases so far, along with 4,212 hospitalizations and 1,228 deaths, two of them in the past week.
Virginia as a whole has now surpassed 1 million cases, and the Commonwealth identified its first infection by the emerging omicron variant last Thursday (Dec. 9), though it hasn’t confirmed any additional cases from that strain since.
With community transmission levels now high, the Fairfax County Health Department has urged residents to get a COVID-19 vaccine or a booster shot, for those who have already been vaccinated, before meeting with family and friends during the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
According to FCHD data, 915,160 Fairfax Health District residents — 77.3% of the population — have gotten at least one vaccine dose, including 87.3% of people 18 and older, almost 89.7% of adolescents aged 12-17, and 38.3% of 5-11 year olds.
813,245 residents, or 68.7% of the population, are fully vaccinated, including 79% of adults.
216,150 residents have received a booster or third dose, including 383 people aged 12-17. Booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine became available to 16 and 17 year olds on Friday (Dec. 10) after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded its recommendation to include that age group.
The CDC is also now recommending that individuals conduct a self-test for COVID-19 before participating in an indoor gathering with people who aren’t in their household.
After its initial batch of kits ran out within an hour of their availability, Fairfax County Public Library received an additional 30,000 rapid COVID-19 testing kits last week and reported that all branches had some in stock as of Friday afternoon.
Testing is also available through health care providers, retail pharmacies, FCHD sites, and other locations in the community.
While the Fairfax Health District has seen a decline in testing encounters over the past week, the testing positivity rate has jumped from a seven-day average of 3.4% on Nov. 23 to 5.4% as of Dec. 9.
Updated at 6:35 p.m. on 12/16/2021 — All performances of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” have been canceled due to illness, per the Town of Vienna.
The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.
We’ve searched the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean, and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!
Monday, Dec. 13
- Sweet Yonder and guests — 7:30 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave. East) — An all-women bluegrass band brings Southern sounds with speed and flare. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20.
Tuesday, Dec. 14
- Simple Lines — 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at The McLean Textile Gallery (6819 Elm St.) — A new exhibit tied to the nonprofit Studio Art Quilt Associates features fiber art. It runs through Jan. 14.
Wednesday, Dec. 15
- Falls Church Santamobile — 6:30-9:30 p.m. throughout December (Dec. 15-19, with weather rescheduling if necessary from Dec. 20-23) — Track the Santamobile each night on the Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department’s Facebook page. Elves will distribute candy canes.
- Street Corner Symphony — 7:30 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 Maple Ave. East) — An acapella group brings the holiday spirit following its NBC debut on the second season of “The Sing-Off” in 2010. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $22.
Thursday, Dec. 16
- “Traveling While Black” — noon-8 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave.) — A virtual reality movie shows participants’ part in the struggle for racial justice. One-hour appointments are available for the exhibit, which runs through Feb. 12.
Friday, Dec. 17
- Red Cross Blood Drive — 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the McLean Community Center — The American Red Cross Heart of Gold Foundation is seeking donors of all ethnicities to give blood. All donors will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
- “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” — 7 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry St. SE) — Performances continue throughout December for this holiday musical from the Vienna Theatre Company, based on a story by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Cost is $15, but shortened, kid-friendly matinees on Saturdays and Sundays are $10.
- Family Trivia Night — 7-9 p.m. at the Old Firehouse (1440 Chain Bridge Road) — Enjoy unlimited popcorn and test your trivia skills. Preregistration is recommended. Cost is $5 for a family of four.
Saturday, Dec. 18
- Holiday Movie Pajama Party — 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at ShowPlace ICON Theatre (1667 Silver Hill Drive) — Grab your pajamas and enjoyed holiday-themed music, goodie bags, a photo booth, and more, part of a movie marathon at The Boro’s movie theater. Cost is $8.
- Winter Village — noon to 5 p.m. at The PARC at Tysons (8508 Leesburg Pike) — A new community space is transformed into a winter wonderland, featuring a local holiday market and activities. Free.
- NVMR Holiday Open House — 1-5 p.m. at the Historic Vienna Depot (231 Dominion Rd. NE) — Take a look around Vienna’s historic train depot at the Northern Virginia Model Railroaders’ last open house of the year. Masks are required for everyone 2 and older, but social distancing can’t be guaranteed due to the building’s size.
Sunday, Dec. 19
- Santa at Neiman Marcus — noon to 7 p.m. at Neiman Marcus Tysons Corner (1961 Chain Bridge Road) — After featuring white Santas since its opening in 1988, the Tysons Corner Center department store will have its first Black Santa this weekend. A second event was added from 2-8 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 18), but photo reservations have been filling up fast.
With plans to develop the West Falls Church Metro station area now in place, Fairfax County has decided to evaluate how to improve the surrounding transportation network so it can actually accommodate the anticipated growth.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation will kick off a West Falls Church Active Transportation Study at 7 p.m. today (Monday) with the first meeting of a new citizens’ advisory group.
The study will focus on the pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure in and around the West Falls Church Transit Station Area, which is bounded by I-66, the Dulles Toll Road, Haycock Road, and the Falls Church City border near Route 7.
“The ultimate goal of the study effort will be to improve pedestrian and bike access and safety around the Metro station,” Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said by email. “To the extent located in the study area, safe access to several schools, including Lemon Road and Haycock [elementary schools] in the Dranesville District, will also be considered.”
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed staff to create an active transportation plan in July after approving an amendment to the county’s comprehensive plan that allows more mixed-use development in the West Falls Church TSA.
While Virginia Tech halted plans to redevelop its West Falls Church campus earlier this year, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority officially signed an agreement with developers in August to bring over 1 million square feet of residential, retail, and office space to the TSA.
Coupled with Falls Church City’s impending West Falls project, the development could draw an influx of residents and traffic that has community members pushing the county to address existing safety challenges and enhance streets and sidewalks not built to support the increased density.
The West Falls Church Active Transportation Study will identify possible projects to improve safety, accessibility, comfort, and connectivity for bicyclists, pedestrians, and other non-motorized travelers, according to a draft scope of work.
In addition to providing “multiple opportunities for community input,” county staff will conduct an assessment of existing facility gaps and barriers to access in conjunction with the 13-person advisory group, which will consist of:
- Three representatives each from the Dranesville and Providence districts
- Two representatives each from Dranesville and Providence school PTAs in the study area
- One representative each from the McLean Citizens Association, Providence District Council, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling, and Fairfax Families for Safer Streets
The citizen group will be assisted by a technical advisory group with local and state transportation, schools, parks, and police officials as well as one representative each from Metro, the City of Falls Church, and Virginia Tech.
Noting that the study will encompass both sides of Route 7, Foust points to Haycock Road between Great Falls Street and the Metro station as one area he anticipates will get a lot of attention.
“The sidewalk is very narrow and needs to be improved,” he said. “I also expect [the advisory group] will identify many intersections where we need to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety.”
A tentative timeline for the study has an initial public meeting taking place this winter, followed by the completion of the existing conditions assessment in the late winter or early spring. A final report with recommendations is scheduled to go to the Board of Supervisors in summer 2022.
Foust says the study will establish priorities among the identified projects, which could be funded privately through the county’s rezoning process or compete for public money.
(Updated at 5:55 p.m.) Rape Case Moves to Supreme Court — “A Virginia man who’s serving 65 years in prison for brutally raping two lifeguards in Alexandria and Fairfax County will ask Virginia’s Supreme Court to overturn his convictions, based on the way he was caught. On Tuesday, attorneys for Jesse Bjerke will ask the commonwealth’s highest court to throw out his 2020 conviction and sentence for attacking lifeguards at deserted pools in Fairfax in 2014 and Alexandria in 2016.” [WTOP]
Restaurants Confirmed for Founders Row — Four tenants, all restaurants, have signed leases for a total of 10,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space at Falls Church’s Founders Row, developers told the city council’s economic development committee yesterday. The restaurants offer seafood, upscale Asian cuisine, healthy Asian street food location, and ‘elegant modern American cuisine.'” [Falls Church News-Press]
Mosaic District Apparel Company Makes Acquisition — “Custom Ink LLC is finally coming up for air after a very tough 2020…First, the Fairfax custom printing and retail startup is fresh off an acquisition of New York-based corporate gifting company Swag.com, and revenue is around $500 million a year, [CEO Marc] Katz said, up both from 2020 and from 2019, though he declined to share more specifics.” [Washington Business Journal]
Commercial Burglaries Reported — Three commercial burglaries occurred in the Mosaic McLean District last Wednesday and Thursday (Dec. 8-9). The targeted businesses were a Shell gas station and Sun Cleaners on Chain Bridge Road as well as Tysons Florist, where someone painted the walls with graffiti in addition to taking property. [FCPD]
Vienna Chiropractor Prepares for Retirement — “‘I fell in love 34 years ago and as I drove down Maple Avenue on a Sunday morning and found my office space, and I said a little prayer,’ Avedisian said. ‘And the next morning I was signing a lease. I felt very connected, it felt home and felt like this is where I belong.'” [Patch]
The weekend is almost here. Before you start parsing Fairfax County’s new electoral district map or head to bed for some much-needed sleep, let’s revisit news from the Tysons area that you might’ve missed.
These were the most-read stories on Tysons Reporter this week:
- Redevelopment considered for Pan Am Shopping Center
- JUST IN: Vehicle crash takes out power in Falls Church City
- Tysons Galleria department store builds holiday buzz with first Black Santa
- Townhome project by Graham Park Shopping Center breaks ground
- Vienna to replace invasive trees, thanks to anonymous $20,000 donation
Ideas for stories we should cover can be sent to [email protected] or submitted as an anonymous tip. Photos of scenes from around the community are welcome too, with credit always given to the photographer.
You can find previous rundowns of top stories on the site.
Let speculation about the future of the Sheraton Tysons Hotel begin, as the conclusion of a tax dispute that ended up in court could allow the property to move forward.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors agreed to accept a settlement agreement following a closed-door meeting on Tuesday (Dec. 7) to resolve lawsuits filed by the owner of the 449-room hotel (8661 Leesburg Pike), which permanently closed in April 2020.
Constructed in the mid-1980s, the Sheraton was one of a handful of union-run hotels in the Commonwealth, which contributed to higher operating costs, including for employee benefits.
Sheraton property owner JBG Smith, a Maryland-based real estate development and investment firm, filed lawsuits against Fairfax County in 2019 and 2020, contesting years-old property tax assessments.
The company’s lawyers argued that the county’s mass appraisal process failed to take the site’s higher operating costs into account. The suits had been headed for trials in 2022.
The county declined to comment on whether it has changed any appraisal policies or procedures due to the error. Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay’s office deferred questions to a county attorney, who cited a tax law, arguing settlement details couldn’t be released due to confidentiality.
The county also said the matter “remains in litigation.” The county suggested yesterday (Thursday) that the property’s assessments in 2016 and 2017 would be modified.
A county property database has stated the owner’s annual real estate taxes were around $252,092 for 2021.
Court records indicate that JBG Smith, identified as JBG Tysons Hotel LLC, sought compensation between $100,000 and $500,000 for each case.
Crescent Hotels & Resorts, which managed the Sheraton, issued a layoff notice for 171 workers, effective April 3, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the U.S. hospitality industry. Later that year, the hotel launched a liquidation sale of furniture and other items.
John Boardman, a representative for Unite Here Local 25, a union for D.C. area hospitality workers, said employees received closing pay as part of their now-expired collective bargaining agreement around six months ago.
“Our contract also provides that if all or part of the property is reopened as a hotel operation, then individuals who were formerly employed have a right to return to work in their previously held jobs,” Boardman said, adding that while the contract is no longer in force, the return-to-work provision runs in perpetuity.
The former Sheraton building occupies 5.8 acres of prime real estate off of Route 7 in Tysons West. JBG Smith has not publicly shared its future plans for the site, but rising property values could make it ripe for redevelopment.
Photo via Google Maps
Fairfax County could be hit by wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour this weekend, courtesy of stormy weather that could pass through the D.C. region ahead of an expected cold front.
A Wind Advisory has been issued for the area, starting at 4 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday) and continuing until 1 a.m. Sunday (Dec. 12).
The National Weather Service says to prepare for west winds of 15 to 25 miles per hour, with gusts that could reach up to 55 miles per hour. The highest wind speeds are expected to come between 6 p.m. and midnight.
“Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects,” the NWS said in its alert. “Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.”
According to the Capital Weather Gang, the high winds will contribute to a rise in temperatures, which current forecasts indicate could hit an unseasonable high of 70 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday even with a 70% chance of precipitation during the day.
Temperatures are expected to drop back into the 40s on Sunday.
Mixed-use development in the MetroWest community near the Vienna Metro station is a step closer to becoming a reality.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday (Dec. 8) to recommend approval of developer Pulte Homes’ applications to construct five residential buildings with 480 units and 35,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.
The plans also include at least 35% open space, a childcare center, a residents-only pool and pool house, a 1,150 square-foot community center with WiFi and meeting space on the ground floor of building 16, and a community park that will be open to the public.
Set for a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors public hearing on Jan. 25, the proposal is expected to revive efforts to bring retail and other amenities to MetroWest more than a decade after the development was originally approved.
“This application is a welcome catalyst for action and will help us realize the [Fairfax County] Comprehensive Plan’s vision for mixed-use, transit-oriented development at the Vienna Metro station,” Providence District Commissioner Phil Niedzielski-Eichner said.
Submitted to the county last December, Pulte’s proposed changes to its development plans and proffers primarily concern the planned daycare center, which was relocated and will now have an enrollment cap of 150 children, up from 100.
The developer also sought to remove a restriction that limited it to a certain number of residences until buildings with non-residential uses are also put in place.
Since the original MetroWest plans were approved in 2006, the 56-acre site has gained 860 dwelling units in the form of townhouses, senior housing in The Atrium, and The Providence, an assisted living facility that opened in March.
However, the plan’s non-residential elements stalled amid a changing real estate market and disputes between Pulte and fellow developer CRC Companies, which is responsible for building a town center on the north side of the development.
County staff said at a public hearing on Nov. 3 that the limit on residential construction was put in place after previous promises of mixed-use development around the Vienna Metro station failed to materialize.
Niedzielski-Eichner said on Wednesday that Pulte has now committed to constructing at least one building with non-residential uses before starting the second of two remaining fully residential structures.
“We’re holding the 4th building to accommodate what we thought was a reasonable request from the Planning Staff,” DLA Piper land-use lawyer Antonio Calabrese, who is representing Pulte, told Tysons Reporter by email. “The County wants to be certain that we have completed the attractive MetroWest swimming pool, children’s play area and large courtyard prior to final occupancy of our 4-building land bay.”
Pulte continued revising its proffer conditions up to the day of the planning commission vote to address lingering concerns about the retail, pedestrian accessibility, the daycare center, and electric vehicle infrastructure.
According to a 16-page memo from Pulte and markups of the proffer agreement that Fairfax County’s planning department shared with Tysons Reporter, the additional commitments include:
- At least 5,000 square feet of non-residential space on the ground floors of buildings 16, 17, and 18 must be “Type 1” uses, including retail sales, food, financial, and personal service establishments
- Parallel parking spaces and tree wells designed with accessibility in mind
- A 9,500 square-foot cap on the daycare center
- Priority access to the daycare for MetroWest residents with an exclusive grand opening, additional marketing, and a waitlist of interested, qualified families
- An increase in parking outfitted for electric vehicle charging from 2% to 4%
The proffers will all be part of the formal proffer agreement presented to the Board of Supervisors in January, the county planning department says.
Niedzielski-Eichner also reported that negotiations to resolve ongoing conflicts between Pulte and CRC “appear on track to finding solutions that will facilitate the full restart of MetroWest development.”
CRC filed site plans for two of its five planned buildings on Aug. 31 that are under review by county staff. The developer has said it anticipates breaking ground in mid-2022.
“We’ve held very fruitful discussions with CRC and look forward to continuing our productive collaboration,” Calabrese said. “Both entities have a vested interest in completing their high-quality plans within MetroWest.”
