Clothing Retailer Closing in Tysons Corner Center — “Five Justice stores are set to close in the D.C. area, along with two Lane Bryant locations, two Catherines locations, one Loft Outlet and the Lou & Grey store at Tysons Corner Center.” [Washington Business Journal]
Signed, Sealed, Delivered — “Fairfax County Planning Commission members on July 29 unanimously approved a comprehensive sign plan for the new Archer Hotel in western McLean on the edge of Tysons, after the applicant reduced the size of several proposed signs.” [Inside NoVa]
Local Man Drowned — “A 21-year-old Vienna man drowned in Lake Anna on Saturday, the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office reported Sunday.” [Inside NoVa]
Special Election in Falls Church — A special election to fill the late Daniel Sze’s council seat will be held as part of the general election on Nov. 3. [Falls Church News Press]
Photo by Michelle Goldchain
The “Tysons After Dark” series highlights different activities that keep people busy once the sun goes down.
Wildfire in Tysons recently joined the growing list of local restaurants offering to-go cocktails.
The restaurant (2001 International Drive) debuted several cocktails that diners can now order for pick-up.
The Skinny Pineapple Coconut, made from Bacardi Coconut Rum, lemon juice, pineapple juice and Monin Sugar Free Syrup, is one of the options on the menu. A serving for one person costs $11 and $30 for three.
Another cocktail is Stormy Night — a concoction of Effen Black Cherry Vodka, DeKuyper Watermelon Pucker and DeKuyper Island Blue Punch Pucker ($13.75 for one serving, $37.25 for three).
The rest of the available cocktails are:
- red sangria ($10.50 for one serving, $28.50 for three)
- margarita ($13, $35)
- Old Fashioned ($15, $40.50)
- Moscow Mule ($35 for three servings)
People can get them by calling 703-442-9110 or ordering online. Wildfire also sells red, white and sparkling wines; beer bottles and cans; and non-alcoholic drinks including coffee and Coca-Cola.
In May, Tysons Reporter rounded up more than a dozen restaurants, including Founding Farmers and Bear Branch Tavern, that offer boozy, to-go drinks.
Photo via Wildfire Tysons/Facebook
Golden Goose is planning to bring its high-end sneakers and clothing to Tysons Galleria.
The Italian brand sells sneakers for men, women and kids, along with leather jackets, t-shirts, knitwear and dresses for adults. Inspired by American basketball and ’80s culture, the Ball Star sneakers are made of goatskin and feature a star on the side ($400-$600). Meanwhile, the Stardan ones are based on 90s basketball shoes ($500-$700).
Fairfax County permits indicate that Golden Goose is looking to arrive at Tysons Galleria (2001 International Drive). Tysons Reporter obtained an email by a Golden Goose employee confirming plans are underway for the Tysons store.
“The focus for us is on the Galleria continuing to be the point-of-entry venue for relevant brands opening in the D.C. area,” Tysons Galleria said in a statement through a spokesperson.
Golden Goose’s website list locations across the U.S., from San Francisco to Dallas to New York City. No stores are currently listed in the D.C. area.
Photo by Michelle Goldchain
Fairfax County NAACP announced a new virtual town hall to discuss system racism in public schools with Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand.
Brabrand was originally going to co-host a town hall on the topic with Fairfax NAACP on July 21. He dropped out of the event, which took place the same night the county’s school board reconsidered reopening plans for schools.
Fairfax NAACP pivoted and used the town hall on July 21 to unveil the organization’s priorities for combatting racism in schools. Fairfax NAACP President Sean Perryman said during the event that the organization would work to reschedule the discussion with Brabrand.
Now, Brabrand and Fairfax NAACP are scheduled to host a town hall from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5. People can watch the event on Facebook Live.
“One topic that will be discussed is the School-to-Prison Pipeline,” Fairfax NAACP posted on Facebook, sharing a YouTube video by The Root, a Black-oriented online magazine, that explains how the School-to-Prison Pipeline works.
Here’s the event description:
From academic achievement, enrollment at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, to the School Resource Officer program and the school-to-prison pipeline, systemic racism effects our children’s lives every day. This will be a civil discourse where we can openly talk about our and our kids’ experiences, ask questions, and talk about what change looks like.
Photo via Sam Balye/Unsplash
A trio of Fairfax County Board Supervisors has pushed for the establishment of the Affordable Housing Preservation Task Force.
The task force was created through a board matter during a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ meeting on July 28. Chairman Jeff McKay and supervisors John Foust, Dalia Palchik, who represent the Dranesville and Providence districts, noted that the task force is essential in order to preserve affordable housing, especially as older multifamily rental and mobile home communities are threatened by demolition or redevelopment.
“These trends are slowly eroding the county’s market affordable housing stock and forcing families and individuals out of the communities where they work,” the board matter states.
The move comes as the county continues discussions on ways to improve its affordable housing and workforce dwelling unit policies. In 2016, the board calls for the development of a housing strategic plan that offers guidance on how to strengthen and preserve affordable housing.
According to an analysis by the Virginia Center for Housing Research at Virginia Tech, there are 9,500 housing units in Fairfax County that are considered market affordable and target households earning 60 percent of the area median income and below.
The county is aiming to ensure that no market affordable housing units in the county are lost — a recommendation provided by the board-created Affordable Housing Resources Panel.
The board matter calls on the task force to develop a comprehensive preservation plan. The task force will provide recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on the following issues by the end of the first quarter of 2021:
- “Definitions for the types of preservation that can occur in communities;
- typology of properties at risk and characteristics to guide prioritizing properties or
- neighborhoods in need of action sooner; and
- a comprehensive set of preservation strategies that includes recommended policies and
- tools to achieve the county goal of no net loss of affordability.”
“The way to ensure no net loss is through clear articulation of preservation strategies,” the board matter states.
The task force will include a variety of stakeholders, including the private sector, county officers and local planners.
Tysons Company Reduces Workforce — “MicroStrategy Inc. (NASDAQ: MSTR) cut its workforce by 6% in early July as the company adapted to the business changes brought about by the continued spread of Covid-19 — and its recent cuts helped increase profitability for the Tysons business intelligence software company.” [Washington Business Journal]
Pizza Chain Struggling — “California Pizza Kitchen has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, as the chain has been unable to surmount the challenges posed by a steep drop in sit-down dining due to the coronavirus pandemic… California Pizza Kitchen has five locations in Greater Washington, in Pentagon City, Bethesda, Tysons Corner Center, Fairfax Corner and Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg – all currently reopened in a limited capacity.” [Washington Business Journal]
Women’s Suffrage Month — “Fairfax County supervisors, after first being chided by one member, agreed July 28 that all the board’s members would sign a proclamation declaring this August as ‘Women’s Suffrage Month’ in the county.” [Inside NoVa]
Planning Commission OKs three-house subdivision — “Satisfied with planned noise-reduction measures, Fairfax County Planning Commission members on July 22 unanimously recommended the Board of Supervisors approve a three-home subdivision just north of Tysons.” [Inside NoVa]
Photo courtesy Joanne Liebig
The Fairfax County Planning Commission postponed its decision on a rezoning application for a proposed residential building near the Tysons Corner Metro station.
The owners of J.R.’s Stockyards Inn want to replace the restaurant with a 26-story residential mixed-use building.
The restaurant opened in 1978, and the owners have been in the Tysons area for a long time, John McGranahan, Jr., the lawyer representing the applicant, told the Planning Commission. J.R.’s Stockyards Inn closed its daily restaurant operations in 2011, Tysons Reporter previously reported.
The proposal wants the 270-foot-tall building to offer up to 244 units and a small retail space on the property at International Place and Watson Street, according to county documents. The project also includes a public park and an underground parking structure.
“We designed this parcel to be the first piece of the puzzle… We think it will be a catalyst to redevelopment in this part of Tysons Corner,” McGranahan said.
Following a public hearing last night, the Planning Commission decided to delay voting on whether or not to support the rezoning application. The postponement will give county staff time to work with the applicant on several issues and to review the revised proffers submitted on Wednesday afternoon.
The main issues for county staff and the applicant involve the proposal’s elevated deck over an access road, what Capital One will do with its nearby property and how much of a financial contribution the applicant should make to further Tysons’ grid of streets.
The Planning Commission will reconsider the rezoning application on Sept. 16.
Rendering via KGD Architecture
Bruster’s Real Ice Cream near the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station plans to close permanently tomorrow (Friday).
Renita Shelton, the eatery’s manager, posted the announcement earlier today on the Facebook page for the location (2672D Avenir Place).
Bruster’s is known for its variety of cold treats including ice cream, shakes, floats, sodas and cakes.
Shelton called the upcoming closure a “bittersweet moment,” sharing that “the decision to close the shop at this given point in time was necessary for your safety as well as ours.”
Shelton thanked customers who “traveled far and wide” to come to the shop and other D.C. area locations for the ice cream chain.
Tysons Reporter reached out to the store earlier today and will update this story if more information becomes available.
LEON, a natural-based fast food restaurant, is finally arriving in the Mosaic District. The restaurant plans to open its doors on Thursday, Aug 6.
Originally, the restaurant was aiming to open in the winter at 2905 District Avenue, Suite 160. It’s unclear what caused the delay.
To celebrate their opening, LEON is holding a giveaway contest, according to a post on their Facebook page. The winner will receive free LEON through the end of the year. To enter, participants must download the app and create an account.
The restaurant aims to provide a natural take on fast food, offering many options to accommodate people with dietary restrictions, including vegetarians, pescatarians and vegans. Their goal is to “make it easier for everyone to live and eat well,” according to their website.
The online menu includes breakfast items like shakshuka and avocado toast, along with all-day dishes ranging from salads to the “LOVe burger” made with a beetroot-soy patty.
LEON was founded in 2004 and has more than 60 locations across the world, including Norway, the U.K. and the Netherlands.
Photo via LEON/Facebook
A proposed late-night cafe along Leesburg Pike will head to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Last night, the Fairfax County Planning Commission OK’d rezoning plans for the proposed sit-down restaurant on the first floor of the commercial building at 7787 Leesburg Pike.
According to county documents, the restaurant would be open from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. every day, employing four people and serving up to 72 customers. The second story of the building would continue to be used for office space, county staff said.
“We believe there is a void in this area in terms of cafes and restaurants,” the applicant told the Planning Commission last night, noting that the nearby dining options are not open late at night.
The applicant said that the restaurant, which would be located in Tysons’ East Side neighborhood, aims to complement the area’s continued urbanization.
“We want to establish ourselves there as a to-go location for food in the area,” the applicant said.
Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner, the commissioner for the Providence District, said in brief comments that he agrees with county staff’s recommended approval of the proposal, saying that it will support surrounding offices and contribute to the transformation of Tysons.
As for concerns about traffic, the applicant and county staff said that the restaurant’s focus on evening dining is not expected to impact traffic along Leesburg Pike.
“We do anticipate to generate any more traffic than is usual [for that area],” the applicant told the commissioners.
Image via Google Maps
