All Fairfax County Public Schools employees will get a bump in their paychecks, starting next year, after the school board unanimously approved 2% raises last week.
The additional pay was made possible by the budget that the Virginia General Assembly belatedly adopted in early September, which provided money to raise teacher salaries across the state. But school board members and FCPS workers argue that overall state funding for education falls far short of what they need.
“While the 2% raise is a start, it is clearly insufficient in ensuring our professionals are compensated at their full value, nor does it bridge the gap enough for family liaisons, drivers, [instructional assistants] and others to earn a wage that allows them to reside in Fairfax County,” Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson, chair of the school board’s budget committee, said before the vote on Thursday (Oct. 26).
Effective Jan. 1, the 2% raise will ensure FCPS can “retain teachers at the status quo, essentially,” keeping pace with other school districts in the state, Mount Vernon District Representative Karen Corbett-Sanders said. Loudoun, Arlington, Prince William and Alexandria schools have also approved the increase, FCPS staff told the board.
State formula underestimates school staffing costs
According to the meeting agenda, FCPS is getting a $19.7 million increase in state revenue from the revised fiscal year 2024 budget. However, only $5.3 million of that was designated for the 2% raises, with the remainder intended as “reimbursement” for support staff positions, Anderson explained at the school board meeting.
With the raises costing a total of $30.5 million, FCPS is taking advantage of “flexibility allowed with” the support staff funding to allocate that $14.4 million to the compensation supplement, Anderson said. The remaining gap will be filled by $10.8 million from the school system’s staffing reserve, which is set aside in case more positions are needed than anticipated in each year’s budget.
The reserve will still have enough money for about 99 staff positions, FCPS Chief Financial Officer Leigh Burden told the board, noting that new positions aren’t often added after October “because of the potential disruption of adding teacher positions once the school year has started.”
In other words, the “burden” of funding the school system and its employees “rests largely on local funds,” Anderson said.
The standards of quality (SOQ) formula that Virginia uses to calculate the number of positions each school division needs and how much they will cost “substantially” underestimates actual school needs, according to a report released in July by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), which evaluates programs and provides state agency oversight for the General Assembly.
The report found that Virginia provides 14% less funding per student than the national average, trailing Maryland by 18% and West Virginia by a whopping 25%.
“The points made in the study about Virginia being one of the lowest paid states for teachers in the United States is an abysmal statistic to behold,” Tamara Derenak Kaufax, who represents Franconia District on the school board, said. “…We cannot continue to be last in the nation in this, with the pay for our teachers in particular, so it is something that we will continue to fight for.”
Unions advocate for more compensation
While appreciative of the new pay increase, FCPS employee union representatives say it isn’t enough to fully address shortages of teachers and other staff, a challenge facing school districts across the U.S.
FCFT President @dpwalrod on the wage increase that was WON last night. FCPS employees will receive a two percent wage increase effective 1/1/24. pic.twitter.com/Y0fIMtlHQd
— Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (@FCFTcares) October 27, 2023
This school year, FCPS hasn’t encountered as many issues with hiring and retention as last year, but “we still found ourselves scrambling to ensure all classrooms have a teacher,” Fairfax County Federation of Teachers President David Walrod told FFXnow.
He noted that the 2% raises will be countered by an 8% increase in health insurance costs. FCPS is contributing slightly more than usual toward employee premiums for 2023 after switching providers to Cigna, according to the FY 2024 budget.
“While we certainly appreciate receiving an additional salary bump, the reality is that the change in paycheck will be negligible, or even negative, for most employees,” Walrod said. “The Fairfax County Federation of Teachers is committed to working with the school board and board of supervisors to ensure that all teachers and educational staff receive robust compensation that demonstrates a commitment to long-term retention of staff.”
Fairfax Education Association President Leslie Houston called the raise “a crucial step” in ensuring FCPS can retain and support “exceptional educators,” but she argued that it can’t continue relying on staffing reserves to fund salaries.
In addition to the state updating its staffing formula and eliminating a cap on support positions, the county needs to continue giving FCPS its full funding requests, she said. Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity had advocated for reducing funds for the school system in the current budget to provide more tax relief.
“It is our hope that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the State will recognize the urgency of this situation and take action to ensure that our educators receive the compensation they deserve,” Houston said. “Together, we can maintain the high standard of education that Fairfax County Public Schools are known for.”
Both unions are hopeful that collective bargaining — a right secured for FCPS employees this spring — will begin in time to affect the next budget, which will be presented in January. However, they “still have work to do to call for an election,” Walrod said.
The school board has approved pay raises for all FCPS workers in each of the past three budgets, according to Providence District Representative Karl Frisch, the board’s current vice chair.
“Teachers and school staff deserve a lot more than we’re giving them in this pay increase,” Frisch said. “But this vote is a step in the right direction, and it shows that we value their hard work and dedication to our schools and our students.”
On their own, the first developments approved by Fairfax County since it overhauled its plan to revitalize downtown McLean seem modest.
One is a corporate headquarters expansion, while the other is a seven-story, mostly residential building, promising 130 new units of housing but not exactly rivaling the scale of the high-rises going up in Tysons.
However, the developers and county leaders anticipate that, when considered together, the Mars and Astoria projects will be transformative, a first step in the McLean Community Business Center’s evolution from car-centric strip malls and “superblocks” to a walkable, mixed-use neighborhood village.
“This has been a long process. It’s not just this application. It’s the whole CBC plan, the design guidelines, really reshaping McLean in a way that’s going to be amazing and permanent,” Holland & Knight partner Michelle Rosati told the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at an Oct. 24 public hearing, where she represented Astoria developer JAG Partners LLC.
Approved by the board with back-to-back unanimous votes, the Astoria and Mars projects will redevelop adjacent commercial lots bounded by Old Dominion Drive and Elm Street. Those two streets will get a much-needed connection along the shared property line in the form of a linear park with an 8-foot-wide pedestrian walkway provided by JAG Partners.
The Mars expansion
Based in McLean since 1984, Mars filed a proposal in April 2022 that would double the size of its headquarters building at 6860 Old Dominion Drive to 126,974 square feet — the first rezoning application in downtown McLean since the Board of Supervisors adopted the new comprehensive plan in June 2021.
Under the development plan, the candy manufacturer will demolish a second office building on the site at 6867 Elm Street and shift parking to a 205-space underground garage. The existing surface parking will mostly be replaced by a 1,850-square-foot, publicly accessible park with seating and a pergola along Old Dominion Drive.
Mars has also agreed to upgrade a Metrobus stop on Old Dominion with a new bus shelter. A private amenity space for employees at the property’s rear will be renovated with walking paths and terraces for entertainment.
Cozen O’Connor land use attorney Evan Pritchard, representing Mars, noted that the new headquarters will add a loading dock with a mechanical turntable to avoid creating traffic issues on Moyer Place.
“The truck will be able to come front-end into the loading dock and be rotated 180 degrees,” Pritchard said. “It can do its unloading and drive right back out, which is not something I’ve seen before, so I want to toot Mars’ horn and the architects’ efforts.”
He also highlighted a relocation of exterior backup generators inside the two-story building as “a big improvement for the community” and architectural changes that will let in more natural light.
Astoria of McLean
The first mixed-use residential project to come out of the revitalization plan, the mid-rise, multi-family building will replace two office buildings at 6858 Old Dominion Drive and 6861 Elm Street and a standalone restaurant currently home to Moby Dick at 6854 Old Dominion Drive.
Reiterating comments made to the Fairfax County Planning Commission on Oct. 18, Rosati emphasized the development team’s prioritization of “the pedestrian realm” when designing Astoria.
Along with the aforementioned 0.34-acre linear park, JAG Partners will provide the streetscape recommended by the design guidelines that the Board of Supervisors approved for the McLean Commercial Revitalization District in September. That includes 8-foot-wide sidewalks with 6-foot-wide landscape panels along Elm Street, and a 12-foot-wide shared-use path along Old Dominion.
Mars has also agreed to the same commitments. Pritchard told the board that the Old Dominion pedestrian and bicycle path will be lined on both sides with two rows of trees. In addition, both projects will move all overhead utilities underground.
Noting that they’re are located in the 75-acre “Center Zone,” where the CBC plan envisions the highest-intensity development, Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, who represents McLean, lauded both proposals.
The Mars project will give the company a “stunning corporate office,” while bringing the property up to “today’s high development and environmental standards,” he said. Astoria, meanwhile, will “provide much needed housing, including affordable workforce housing.”
According to a county staff report, JAG Partners initially proposed 12 workforce dwelling units (WDU), which would exceed county requirements for rental housing but not for for-sale units. The developer hasn’t indicated yet whether the building will have apartments or condominiums.
Staff also took issue with the locations and sizes of the WDUs. The developer later agreed to meet the county’s workforce housing policy, regardless of what kind of units will be constructed, and explained that the provided floor plans “are conceptual,” which alleviated staff’s concerns.
“It’ll also help diversify the mix of uses in McLean and provide a customer base, which has been missing for our small businesses, that will support existing and future commercial uses,” Foust said. “In my opinion, the design and layout of the building, along with the on-site park spaces and critical mid-block connection, will set a high bar for all future multifamily applications.”
The landscaping outside 2491 helped land it the no. 1 spot on Northern Virginia Magazine’s 2023 50 Best Restaurants list (photo by Jerry Woolsey)
The best place to eat in Northern Virginia right now is an upscale restaurant tucked away in an office building outside Merrifield that also houses the U.S. headquarters of defense contractor BAE Systems.
At least that’s the designation bestowed upon 2941 by Northern Virginia Magazine’s food critics, whose ranking of the 50 best restaurants in the region for 2023 hit newsstands on Friday (Oct. 27) as part of its November issue.
While the full list can only be found in print, reviews for the top 10 restaurants are online, led by 2941. Located at 2941 Fairview Park Drive, the restaurant impressed the magazine’s critics with the artistry of both its cuisine and setting, which features landscaping, a koi pond and a view of an artificial lake.
“Inside the soaring space, a talented contemporary American kitchen staff transforms top-flight ingredients into culinary art,” the review said, highlighting a five-course tasting menu curated by Executive Chef Bertrand Chemel as well as a la carte dishes like a “grilled rib-eye with crisped potatoes.”
Self-described on its website as “one of the most celebrated restaurants in the metropolitan area,” 2941 previously topped Northern Virginia Magazine’s annual rankings in 2021 and came in second last year. It has also been recognized in the past by Washingtonian, Eater DC and the Washington Post.
“We’re ecstatic to share that we’ve been ranked as the #1 restaurant in Northern Virginia!” the restaurant said in a Facebook post. “This recognition wouldn’t be possible without our incredible team and the support of our loyal customers. Thank you for making…us the best in the region.”
2941 isn’t the only Fairfax County restaurant to place in the top 10. It was joined by Nostos in Tysons (No. 6), L’Auberge Chez François in Great Falls (No. 8), Trummer’s in Clifton (No. 9) and Trio Grill in Merrifield proper (No. 10).
Praised for proving that there’s “much more to Greek cuisine” than gyros, Nostos (8100 Boone Blvd) was among Washingtonian’s “very best restaurants” in 2014, 2017 and 2018. Its owners are behind Vienna’s incoming Yellow Diner, which is expected to open at 501 Maple Avenue West early next year.
L’Auberge Chez François has been operating at 332 Springvale Road since 1976, when it moved from its original home in D.C. Also recently lauded by Washingtonian, the French establishment is a “captivating destination for celebrating life’s special moments” with “masterful cuisine” and “exquisite service,” according to Northern Virginia Magazine.
Trummer’s (7134 Main Street) originally opened as a fine dining restaurant in 2009, but it has been steadily evolving into a more casual American bistro, dropping the “on Main” portion of its name in 2019. Northern Virginia Magazine highlights its “skillful” blending of “Austrian and regional American traditions.”
Near the Mosaic District at 8100 Route 29, Trio Grill comes from Metropolitan Hospitality Group, which is also behind Open Road, Circa and El Bebe. When it opened a decade ago, Northern Virginia Magazine dinged the eatery for not taking more risks with its menu, but it now says Trio Grill offers “a night of fine food and camaraderie.”
Falls Church was also represented with Ellie Bird at No. 5 and the Vietnamese restaurant NUE coming in seventh. Both restaurants opened earlier this year in the city’s new Founders Row development on West and Broad streets.
Qamaria Coffee launched a truck to serve the D.C. area in July (courtesy Qamaria Coffee Company)
An upcoming cafe is bringing coffee from its historical birthplace to the Town of Vienna.
Qamaria Coffee, a Michigan-based company, will open its first cafe on the East Coast next year at 124 Maple Avenue West in Vienna Shopping Center, filling a 1,900-square-foot space that has been vacant since Viva Sol Juice Company closed on Dec. 31, 2021.
Vienna isn’t short on cafes, welcoming Café de Vienna to Church Street just over a month ago, but Qamaria promises to stand out with its focus on coffee sourced exclusively from Yemen, which is believed to be where coffee beans were first brewed into a beverage.
“Historians trace the origin of coffee to this region, which gives it an incredibly rich history and unique flavor profile to these rare beans,” a Qamaria spokesperson told FFXnow. “The café will also be offering a warm and inviting gathering space to enjoy coffee and tea into the evening, prepared using the espresso extraction methods as well as traditional brewing methods that have been used for thousands of years.”
Though this will be the company’s first brick-and-mortar location, it’s no stranger to the D.C. area: Qamaria launched a coffee truck in July that’s primarily based in Bailey’s Crossroads at 3400 Payne Street but gets booked for events throughout the region.
The spokesperson says the new Vienna cafe isn’t intended to replace the truck, which was seen as “an opportunity to begin serving our fans a limited menu.” The mobile operation will continue into “the foreseeable future.”
“The brand has gained incredible traction over the last several years, and this was a meaningful way to introduce this unique experience to the DMV market as we launch our first brick-and-mortar operation,” the spokesperson said.
Founded by entrepreneurs Munif Maweri and Hatem Al-Eidaroos, Qamaria began as a supplier dedicated to “building a supply chain to source Yemeni coffee beans,” according to its website. It opened its first cafe in early 2021 in Dearborn, Michigan, just outside Detroit out of a desire to bring coffee directly to customers.
The company now has 12 franchises across Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Texas and California. It also runs a roastery in Dearborn and continues to sell coffee online and wholesale, claiming to having the largest inventory of Yemeni coffee beans in the U.S.
In addition to coffee, the Vienna cafe will serve pastries and sweets.
“Given where we are in the process, we can say that we expect to launch in the first half of 2024,” Qamaria said. “We are thrilled to be situated in the heart of Vienna, a town with a diverse population and accessibility to Fairfax County at large.”
As Metro considers ways to address a looming $750 million shortfall and stave off changes to its operations, officials are requesting jurisdictions, including Virginia, review their options to help address the funding deficit that threatens thousands of jobs and various services.
Metro hopes policymakers in the commonwealth will consider adjusting the state law that sets a 3% cap on the growth of Virginia’s annual payment to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Dedicating more funding to Metro and overlooking the demands of other transportation projects, however, concerns some lawmakers and transportation leaders.
The shortfall
[Earlier this month], Metro officials made their case to Virginia leaders at the Commonwealth Transportation Board’s work session and joint House and Senate Transportation meeting in Arlington.
“We are obviously trying to avoid the cuts, but to do that, we need the cap [readjusted] and the certainty around funding,” said Randy Clarke, general manager and CEO of Metro, speaking at the Oct. 17 CTB work session.
As the agency faces a loss of COVID-19 relief funding at the end of the fiscal year, Metro officials said the reasons for the expected shortfall include revenue decreases since the COVID-19 pandemic, contractual commitments such as bargaining agreements and increased inflation costs.
In the meantime, Metro is focused on belt-tightening to avoid potential layoffs of about 5,000 employees, hiring freezes, and service cuts; the agency is also considering fare increases. Clarke said Metro is closely managing its operating expenses to help with carryover to the next fiscal year, and it could have a recurring fund of $50 million every year going forward for the next 10 years as part of an earlier initiative to create a savings plan.
“We’ve significantly reduced the …deficit for this year, but some of these are one-year solutions, but I think everyone again is just trying to figure out a more holistic path forward,” Clarke said.
On Oct. 19, Virginia Secretary of Transportation Shep Miller told the Mercury at the Governor’s Transportation Conference that region and state transportation leaders are considering Metro’s proposed shortfall. However, after speaking with committee members, it’s unclear which body will take up Metro’s request.
At the Oct. 17 work session, Miller said Metro is an important system and has been on “good footing” compared to previous years marked by management issues. Still, the agreement between the jurisdictions, and the millions of dollars each is being asked to contribute to Metro, is a difficult matter.
“Whether the number is 750 or whether it’s 500, or whether it’s 350, on an annual basis, [it] is going to be a choker for the folks that got to come up with the money,” Miller said.
3% cap
Clarke said Metro needs some clarity on what funding adjustments Virginia can make to address the expected deficit, ideally by December. To help address the $750 million shortfall, Metro officials are proposing Maryland and Virginia adjust their 3% cap on the growth of their annual payments to WMATA, which would require a one-time adjustment for fiscal year 2025.
However, in Virginia, any changes to the state law could be a lengthy process.
“Virginia, Maryland and the District all have different calendars and the timing and some of the things that the general manager and his team will have to enact or put in place [makes for] a very complicated situation that we’ll have to work through,” said Paul Smedberg, chair of the Metro Board of Directors.
In 2018, Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., and WMATA partnered to address the agency’s financial issues operating transit services in the D.C. metropolitan area, primarily in Northern Virginia. The three jurisdictions established a dedicated funding source for the transit agency to help address any maintenance issues. The Virginia General Assembly then created the WMATA Capital Fund to uphold its portion of the agreement.
The state appropriates the funds to the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, transferring them to WMATA for capital projects and operating assistance. In 2022, Virginia contributed $200.8 million to WMATA, according to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
Under the state law, if WMATA’s budget increases the commonwealth’s payments by more than 3% in any given year, state code directs the Commonwealth Transportation Board to withhold 35% of funding for capital and operating assistance.
However, at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, Metro provided jurisdictions including Virginia a credit of $196 million. Metro provided the credit because jurisdictions’ funding was unclear until they received the second round of federal pandemic relief money.
Clarke said if the credit were compounded, it would be worth $690 million to date.
“You could actually argue that without the credit, we would actually have a more or less balanced budget this year,” Clarke said. “That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t have a next year of significant funding issue, but that’s how large that credit is, especially when you add in the compounding.”
Virginia legislators’ funding concerns
Lawmakers at the Oct. 19 Joint House and Senate Transportation Committee meeting expressed concern about the potential impacts of the shortfall, while others didn’t want their colleagues to lose sight of other priorities such as road and multimodal projects in the commonwealth.
Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, said lawmakers must fund and maintain the rest of Virginia’s transportation network.
“We have to acknowledge the needs of Metro and the needs of the transportation surface movers in this region of the state, nor can we allow [it] to take away from all the needs of all the rest of the state,” Austin said. “We have a problem with revenue. Our transportation needs far exceed our ability and this is a huge need.”
Del. Vivian Watts, D-Fairfax, added that when the agreement was created between the jurisdictions it was because of trust issues with the transit agency and its management of operations. However, she applauded Clark’s work since joining the agency last July.
Still, Watts said, “We cannot, as we move forward, take all of the importance of Metro and say that it overrides this region’s total transportation needs.”
Sens. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, and Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, said Metro has had a major impact on the environment and business communities in their districts. According to Metro, 70% of jobs and 60% of the region’s population are within a half-mile of a transit stop.
Sen. Dave Marsden, D-Fairfax, said policymakers must work as “diligently” as possible to restore things for Metro next fiscal year.
“When you start talking about the 3% cap not being adjusted, when you start talking about the possible layoffs, possible reductions in budget that require reduced services because you do have to be a balanced budget, you’re talking about the beginning of the death spiral for an agency that is critical to this commonwealth’s economy, [and] critical to Northern Virginia because COVID has changed everything,” Marsden said.
On Oct. 17, Miller told Metro officials he was also concerned with the agency’s overdue safety needs, totaling approximately $4.5 billion.
Clarke said Metro’s structures, tracks and power cabling are in good condition, but the agency is concerned that using its capital for operations will delay the roll out of the 8000 series rail cars and keep the 3000 series railcars in service longer. Clarke said the 3000 series rail cars have already reached the maximum life of a railcar, around 35-40 years.
Clarke said he doesn’t believe the agency will ever have zero dollars worth of overdue safety needs because Metro is constantly working on its safety plan.
Still, he said, “We got to keep that number low because that number means a state of good repair, which means reliability, which means, ultimately, a safe system.”
This article was reported and written by the Virginia Mercury, and has been reprinted with permission.
Centreville Shooting Started Over Parking — “Two men are in the hospital suffering from gunshot wounds after an argument about a parking space in Centreville, Virginia, police say. Residents say the incident started when a car with a group of men inside pulled into a parking spot outside a townhouse community on Golden Oak Road Thursday night. [NBC4]
Route 7 Improvements Made in Culmore — “In a follow-up to a meeting on pedestrian safety for Leesburg Pike in Culmore in August 2022, transportation officials presented an update at a community meeting Oct. 25 on what has been done and what’s in the pipeline…In one major improvement, the speed limit along Leesburg Pike between the City of Falls Church and the City of Alexandra has been reduced from 40 to 35 mph” [Annandale Today]
Software Company Opens HQ in Tysons — “Global cloud-led, data centric software company, NetApp celebrated the grand opening of its new U.S. Public Sector headquarters in the Boro Tower in Tysons on October 18, 2023. NetApp chose to keep its U.S. Public Sector headquarters in Fairfax County, moving into a new, 24,000 square-feet office space.” [FCEDA]
Local Afghan Translator Faces Eviction — “A woman who aided U.S. forces in Afghanistan and barely escaped with her life as the Taliban overtook the country in 2021 [was] in a Fairfax County court Friday to ask not to be evicted from her apartment for being two months behind on her rent.” [NBC4]
First Animal Adopted at County’s New Shelter — “Our FIRST adoption at the new Lorton Campus was sweet Brandi! Her new mom quickly fell in love with her cuddly and gentle personality. Both our Lorton Campus, located at 8875 Lorton Rd., and our Michael R Frey Campus, located at 4500 West Ox Rd. in Fairfax, are open” Tuesdays and Wednesdays 12-5 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays 12-7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. [Fairfax County Animal Shelter/Facebook]
Supervisors Supportive of Turn-Calming Pilot — “Some Fairfax County Supervisors said they would support a pilot program that introduces turn-calming measures on certain roads, aimed at keeping pedestrians safe while drivers make turns…The equipment used to get drivers to slow down while turning isn’t likely to have issues as a result of snow, but the Virginia Department of Transportation did raise several concerns about using it.” [WTOP]
Dormant Cicadas Still Affect Ecosystem — “Brood x periodical cicadas emerged in the D.C. region in the summer of 2021 — then burrowed back underground, where they will stay until 2038. In the meantime, though, the impacts of their emergence have had effects that likely continue to reverberate through local ecosystems, according to newly published research.” [DCist]
Reston Teen Starts Theater Scholarship Program — “August Gabriel Rivers’ love of theater started at an early age. The 17-year-old…was able to hone his craft through theater enrichment programs, many of which he participated in outside of school. Joining those extra programs took money…To help some kids overcome that barrier, Rivers, a senior at South Lakes High School, worked with other students to create ‘Reston Stars,’ which gives out scholarships to kids in need.” [WTOP]
It’s Monday — Scattered showers are expected mainly after 2 pm, with increasing clouds and a high near 77. There is a 30% chance of precipitation. For Monday night, rain is likely after 2 am. The sky will be mostly cloudy, and temperatures will drop to around 43. [Weather.gov]
McLean got a step closer this week to realizing its wish for a new, improved and more inclusive playground at McLean Central Park (1468 Dolley Madison Blvd).
The Fairfax County Park Authority Board approved a $20,000 Mastenbrook Grant Wednesday (Oct. 25) to help fund the project, which has significantly expanded in scope thanks to the advocacy and fundraising efforts of local parents.
The grant brings the total budget up to $442,609 when combined with $246,670 in community donations and $175,939 in previously allocated FCPA funds.
While supportive of this particular renovation, some board members worried that relying on community fundraising to enhance capital projects might create disparities in the quality of park facilities in different parts of the county.
“I fully expect and hope we do approve this tonight, but we still have the question of equity for this kind of thing and this community’s ability to raise this kind of money to build this world-class facility where that’s just not possible in some other places,” Mount Vernon District board member Linwood Gorham said, referencing the $1.5 million conversion of Holladay Field that utilized $725,000 in private contributions.
FCPA staff said they will look at potential policy changes as part of the Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Access (PROSA) Strategy that the board endorsed on Sept. 27. The plan’s goals include consideration of racial and socioeconomic equity when prioritizing projects and services.
Board members emphasized that “nobody did anything wrong with this one,” but they want every community to have access to the level of facilities found in McLean.
“That really should be the standard,” FCPA Director Jai Cole said. “Instead of saying, ‘Why do they get more,’ how do we make sure this is the standard everywhere that we’re going, that we have the means and opportunity to put in a $400,000 playground in parks that are so centrally located like this? It’s a big conversation.”
Ron Kendall, who represents the Mason District, noted that more elaborate facilities also tend to require more extensive and costly maintenance.
“The bigger we build it, the more it’s going to cost for us to keep it in the condition they expect it to be in in that community,” he said. “That is another hurdle that we haven’t discussed much.”
Following a master plan approved in 2013, the park authority acquired $2.2 million from a 2020 parks bond to redevelop the 28-acre McLean Central Park, but that budget only had enough funds to upgrade the school-aged playground, which was installed in 1988 and scheduled to be replaced.
When the FCPA revisited the master plan in 2021, a group of moms urged staff to also renovate the tot lot and relocate the school-aged playground so the two facilites are combined, making it easier for families with kids of different ages to keep an eye on them at the same time.
Organizing as the McLean Central Playground Team (MCPT), the parents agreed to raise the $400,000 they estimate is needed to fund their vision, which also includes accessible equipment similar to the facility at Clemyjontri Park.
“The new playground equipment will feature elements that support sensory play, adaptive tandem swings and other design features that promote connections and accessibility for all ages and abilities,” the FCPA said in a press release.
The MCPT’s fundraising efforts have progressed since it applied for the Mastenbrook Grant, which provides matching funds of up to $20,000 to volunteers for park projects. The team says it has reached $310,000, including the grant and a $50,000 contribution from the McLean Community Center.
The $90,000 gap has to be closed by the end of December. The park authority intends to start construction on the new playground next year so it can be completed in the winter of 2024 to 2025.
The available funds cover all the playground equipment, along with fencing for the tot lot and a seating wall for the school-aged playground, but the MCPT also hopes to get poured-in-place rubber surfacing, a cost not included in the grant application.
“We have seen an incredible response from individuals within the community, as well as local businesses, during this process,” MPCT member Jenny Gregory said. “We still need help to reach our goal, but we are confident that McLean will rally and help raise the remaining funds by the deadline.”
Another Fairfax County office building will soon morph into a live/work development, where units are designed to serve as a home, a workplace or both.
A proposed repurposing of the 10-story office building at 2000 Corporate Ridge in Tysons got approved Tuesday (Oct. 24) by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors after a straightforward public hearing where the only community member who signed up to speak couldn’t be reached.
The unanimous vote gave another win to Madison Highland, which was created last year by developers Madison Marquette and Highland Square Holdings to focus on live/work lofts. The team has now led six office conversions, including at the Skyline Center in Bailey’s Crossroads and Inova’s former headquarters in Merrifield.
Like those other projects, the Corporate Ridge repositioning will revitalize an underutilized property with a live/work concept that offers flexibility for tenants and new amenities for the general community, including pedestrian paths and park space, McGuireWoods land use lawyer Greg Riegle argued while representing the developer.
“The potential remains for this building to be predominantly or even exclusively workspace as markets and needs evolve,” Riegle said. “As we try to sort out the new workplace, to say that flexibility is the name of the game is a significant understatement. This project embraces clearly evolving trends with respect to how and where people are choosing to work.”
The newly approved development plan converts 2000 Corporate Ridge into 250 live/work units. A 4-story, 644-space parking garage on the 8-acre site will be retained, while the surface parking will largely be replaced with a private tenant amenity area and publicly accessible open space.
Totaling 3.2 acres, the open space includes a neighborhood park, a preserve with a boardwalk and bird-watching station and a “reforested hillside” with an 8-foot-wide, ADA-accessible trail that will provide a connection to the pedestrian bridge over the adjacent Capital Beltway (I-495).
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik acknowledged that the project’s proximity to the Beltway could lead to noise issues, as the Fairfax County Planning Commission discussed last month, but she expressed confidence in the developer’s planned window upgrades and other mitigation measures.
“I do believe that the developer’s design provides a significant improvement in the overall pedestrian experience,” Palchik said. “I know that they are committed both to…the private as well as the publicly accessible amenities and to have passive and active recreation throughout the property, and its environment aesthetics will be considerably upgraded by reducing unnecessary surface parking, added landscaping and the integration of best management practices.”
As Northern Virginia’s office market continues to struggle, Fairfax County has seen a slew of development projects seeking to replace commercial uses with residential ones. In Tysons, the board approved a shift to apartments for a planned office building near the Spring Hill Metro station, and a proposal to convert the former Sheraton Tysons Hotel to housing is in the works.
Recalling that the county studied building repositionings even before the pandemic, Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross said it’s been satisfying to see that report’s strategies “in action” and asked whether there are any plans to provide an update.
Tracy Strunk, director of the county’s Department of Planning and Development, confirmed that staff are compiling a “white paper” on how building conversions have affected the office and residential markets. It could be released next year as the county works to update its policy plan, which governs everything from land use and housing to environmental and revitalization goals.
“I just think we really need to blow our own horn and celebrate something that a lot of people thought we shouldn’t be doing or just this wasn’t going to work, and it’s working, so I look forward to that,” Gross said.
Halloween Events Galore This Weekend — “Whether you’re looking to be scared silly or for some Halloween events for kids to just have some good old-fashioned family fun this year, check out the activities below to find the perfect Halloween activities. And beware, you never know what could turn up on these hallowed grounds at these Halloween events.” [Visit Fairfax]
Escaped Inmate Arrested at Springfield Hotel — “Naseem Roulack, 21, was arrested at approximately 9 a.m. at a hotel in the 6700 block of Commerce Street…Roulack was serving a 13-year sentence for charges of aggravated malicious wounding, grand larceny and hit-and-run when he escaped custody, but is also facing kidnapping, armed robbery, armed carjacking, first-degree assault and vehicle theft charges for a Sept. 1 incident in Gaithersburg, Maryland.” [U.S. Marshals Service]
Homes Cleared for Mount Vernon Gateway — “Property demolition and site clearing activities are underway for the impending construction of a multifamily residential building in a suburban neighborhood between Hybla Valley and South County. The nearly five-and-a-half-acre site will eventually be home to a five-floor, 280-unit apartment building that represents the first phase of the ‘Mount Vernon Gateway’ project.” [On the MoVe]
Former Fort Belvoir Doctor Convicted of Sexual Assault Again — “A former Army doctor from Springfield, Virginia, who’s already serving a 10-year prison sentence for rape, is now facing up to life in prison for abducting and attempting to sexually assault his wife inside the couple’s home. Drew Steiner, 60, was convicted by a jury in a second trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court on Wednesday.” [WTOP]
School Speed Cameras Lead to Thousands of Tickets — “In August and September, nearly 13,000 drivers were caught going 10 or more miles per hour above the posted speed limit. Over 3,500 speeders were caught in August, and over 9,300 were identified in September. Since April, when the county initiative started, more than 55,000 drivers were caught speeding.” [WTOP]
Reston Parkway Repairs to Take Rest of Year — “Motorists traveling southbound on Reston Parkway can expect the lefthand lane on the bridge over the Dulles Toll Road to remain closed until December, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.” The lane has been closed since July 10, when a truck struck the bridge, damaging the “deck beams and other elements.” [Patch]
FCPS Seeks Input on Website Redesign — “FCPS will be updating our current websites to improve user experience. Our website vendor will focus on key elements including design, layout, navigation, content, and accessibility. Please take our survey and let us know your thoughts about our websites and how well they are serving you.” [FCPS]
New Playground Finished at Lake Accotink Park — “Construction of the new playground began in early September and final inspections were completed last week. The new playground will officially open with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting next Thursday, November 2, at 5:00 p.m. at Lake Accotink Park.” [The Walkinshaw Advisory]
It’s Friday — Expect partly sunny skies with a high around 81, accompanied by a gentle west wind at 3 to 6 mph. As night approaches, the sky will be partly cloudy, and the temperature will drop to approximately 62. [Weather.gov]
With Halloween less than a week away, time is running out to assemble a costume and housing decorations ghoulish enough to impress neighborhood trick-or-treaters.
Fortunately for those making last-minute preparations, the seasonal pop-up Spirit Halloween has taken possession of several vacant retail stores across Fairfax County.
That includes a return to the former Lord & Taylor store at Tysons Corner Center, which first got converted last year after previously hosting a mass COVID-19 vaccination site. Long-term plans to redevelop the building at 7950 Tysons Corner Center got approved last month by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Accessible from the Plaza, the store is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, except for Sundays, when doors close at 7 p.m.
Other locations include:
- Fairfax Towne Center in the former Bed Bath & Beyond (12100 Fairfax Towne Center)
- Crossroads Center in Bailey’s Crossroads, also a former Bed Bath & Beyond (5810 Crossroads Center Way)
- Springfield Commons in the former Party City (6721B Frontier Drive)
- Rose Hill Plaza in a former Tuesday Morning (6140 Rose Hill Drive)
- Village Center in Centreville, another former Tuesday Morning (5619 Stone Road)
The company’s website also lists a store as “coming soon” to the former Office Depot (3536 South Jefferson Street) at Crossroads Center in Bailey’s Crossroads. Spirit Halloween didn’t respond to FFXnow by press time when asked if that location is still coming.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Spirit Halloween announced before this season began that it would be its “biggest” one yet, with more than 1,500 locations around North America.
“We’ve seen Halloween grow from a single day of excitement into a season-long celebration, with so many enthusiasts showcasing their love for Halloween all year long,” Spirit Halloween CEO Steven Silverstein said in a press release. “…However you celebrate this season, we have everything Halloween fans need, from the classics to the hottest new trends.”
In addition to opening physical pop-up stores every fall, the business sells Halloween costumes, decor and animatronics year-round online.
