Rabid Animal Incidents Alarm Health Department — “After identifying a rabid raccoon and skunk within a mile of each other over the last 25 days, the Fairfax County Health Department is asking residents in the Centreville/Bull Run area to steer clear of wild animals and to report any animal attacks right away…To date, 22 animals have been diagnosed with rabies in the Fairfax Health District in 2023.” [FCHD]
Reston Man Charged With Sex Crimes Against Teen — “A 21-year-old Reston man is facing charges after a sex crimes investigation involving victims under the age of 18. The charges stem from ‘criminal incidents that occurred in 2020,’ Arlington County police said. ACPD says they’re now seeking other potential victims of the suspect.” [ARLnow]
Falls Church Lowers Neighborhood Speed Limits — “Later this fall, many residential streets in the City of Falls Church will get new speed limit signs, lowering the limit to 20 miles per hour from 25 miles per hour. The City’s education campaign, 20 is Plenty, includes yard signs, social media outreach, and more.” [Falls Church City]
Reston Resident Starts Petition Against Casino — “Suzanne Zurn, whose home backs to the Hidden Creek Golf Course, has been an active resident of Reston for 18 years. When she heard about Comstock Holdings’ plan to build a casino at or near the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station, she was understandably concerned…Many of Zurn’s neighbors appear to agree.” [Patch]
Virginia Sales Tax Holiday Returns This Weekend — “The state’s sales tax holiday is from Friday, Oct. 20 to Sunday, Oct. 22. Lawmakers forgot to renew the sales tax holiday during budget negotiations back in March and the legislation expired, so it could not be offered in August as in previous years when people are usually shopping for back-to-school items.” [WTOP]
Annandale Urban Park Ready for Grand Opening — “The community is invited to the grand opening of the Eileen Garnett Civic Space on Saturday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The new park, at 7200 Columbia Pike in Annandale, is located between the ACCA Child Development Center and the Annandale Fire Station.” [Annandale Today]
County’s Sexual Violence Services Director to Advise State — “Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointed Domestic and Sexual Violence Services Division Director Toni Zollicoffer to the Advisory Committee on Sexual and Domestic Violence. This committee…promotes appropriate and effective responses, services, and prevention for sexual assault and domestic violence across the Commonwealth.” [Department of Family Services]
Grant Funds New Mural for Hybla Valley Garden — “The community garden at the Workforce Innovation Skills Hub (WISH) — located at the Hybla Valley Community Center — will be getting some artwork in coming months thanks to funding from a local nonprofit and the talents of a local artist.” [On the MoVe]
It’s Wednesday — The forecast includes mostly sunny conditions and a high temperature near 65 degrees, accompanied by a gentle northwest wind at 3 to 5 mph. At night, expect partly cloudy skies and a low around 49 degrees, along with a south wind of 3 to 5 mph. [Weather.gov]
There’s a new shop in Merrifield focusing on an eclectic, “curated collection” of handcrafted goods.
Vivid Chill hosted a grand opening this past weekend in the Mosaic District, moving into Suite 150 at 2910 District Avenue from a spot in Great Falls.
The shop offers everything from jewelry and clothing to books, face oils and playdough.
According to Vivid Chill’s website, its focus is on “handcrafted, ethically made, sustainable, nontoxic, eco-friendly” goods.
Originally opened at Great Falls Village Centre in early 2021, the shop won a spot on Washingtonian’s Best New Shopsof 2021 list, which highlighted owner Marika Tsombikos’s dedication to selling only the best assorted items she can find, typically with clean design and bright colors.
Vivid Chill’s website says the store is open from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Fairfax County’s planning commissioners weren’t quite as giddy as kids in a candy store when presented with Mars Inc.’s plan to expand its McLean headquarters last week, but the general level of enthusiasm wasn’t too far off.
The only note of disappointment sounded during the public hearing last Wednesday (Oct. 11) came when Sully District Commissioner Evelyn Spain joked that she had hoped to get some early Halloween treats.
“I appreciate the fact that Mars is making these changes not because of anything other than they wanted to,” Spain said. “…Apparently their employees come into the office, so I want to commend them on the fact that they are making all these beautiful changes. The green area, the parking, the covered bus stop — all of that is excellent as a draw for people who have to come into the office.”
The commission unanimously recommended approval of the rezoning application, which seeks to double the square footage of the candy manufacturer’s office building at 6860 Old Dominion Drive.
Serving as the global headquarters for Mars since 1984, the two-story, 52,970-square-foot building could expand to 126,974 square feet with a maximum height of three stories or 63 feet under the proposed redevelopment.
For now, the corporation doesn’t intend to build a third floor, but if it does in the future, the addition would provide more space for conference rooms, according to Cozen O’Connor land use attorney Evan Pritchard, who represented Mars at the public hearing.
The expansion will require a demolition of the neighboring office building at 6867 Elm Street, which was built in 1981.
In addition to having a glass, metal, terracotta and brick exterior that lets in more natural light, the new headquarters will follow an open-floor plan concept that supports face-to-face interactions with lots of conference rooms, while also accommodating more flexible work schedules, Pritchard told the planning commission.
“The new facility is not only going to be a much more pleasant place to work, but it’s just going to better serve the way that the company works and how people organize themselves and their time,” Pritchard said, noting that Mars has about 150 employees at its headquarters.
Occupancy typically peaks at around 190 people when the company has board meetings, he said.
Employees will also get access to a redesigned green space at the corner of Ingleside Avenue and Moyer Place with walking paths, an event lawn and improved stormwater management facilities.
Proposed public benefits of the project will mostly be along Old Dominion Drive, including a 1,850-square-foot pocket park at the site’s southern corner, a new bus shelter and a 12-foot-wide shared-use path. Mars has also offered to upgrade the sidewalks and add street trees around the rest of the property and underground all utilities.
Featuring landscaping, seating and a pergola, the park will supplement open space planned for the Astoria, a residential development proposed to replace the adjacent Moby Dick restaurant and McLean Medical Center office building.
Providence District Commissioner Phil Niedzielski-Eichner commended the applicant for agreeing to outfit at least 3% of parking spaces with electric vehicle charging stations. Another 2% of spaces will get conduits to allow for more EV charging in the future.
The site will have 205 parking spaces, most of them in an underground garage. On-street spots will also be available in 8-foot-wide parking lanes on Elm Street, Moyer Place and Ingleside Drive.
Dranesville District Commissioner John Ulfelder called the proposal “a vast improvement of the site,” noting that he appreciates Mars staying in McLean, even if it’s going to temporarily set up in Tysons during construction.
“They’re highly successful,” Ulfelder said of Mars. “This is an opportunity for them to stay where they are and improve their building and their site and everything for their current employees and future employees, and to stay in Fairfax County and McLean. I appreciate that, and I know the people in McLean do.”
A final vote on the application will come from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors after a public hearing on Oct. 24.
Deadline Extended for Input on Pedestrian/Bicycle Projects — Initially set to close yesterday (Monday), the deadline for community members to take Fairfax County’s Active Transportation Project Funding Survey has now been moved to midnight on Thursday (Oct. 19). The survey will narrow down a list of proposed pedestrian and bicycle projects up for $100 million allocated by the county board. [FCDOT]
Groveton Neighborhood Named a Historic Site — “Randall Estates looks like so many Fairfax County subdivisions built in the early 1960s…But its development — undertaken by a Black public-school teacher to provide homes for African American professionals who had few opportunities for home ownership during Jim Crow in Virginia — was recently recognized by the Fairfax County Registry of Historic Sites.” [On the MoVe]
Fairfax Man Arrested for DWI in Sterling — “A deputy on patrol initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding. The driver did not pull over and continued to accelerate. The vehicle eventually stopped on Reston Parkway in Fairfax County, and the driver was arrested.” The 27-year-old man has been charged with driving while intoxicated, drinking while driving, fleeing and speeding. [Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office]
Herndon Man Arrested for Vehicle Break-Ins — “Detectives from the Fairfax County Police Department are crediting a tip from the public for helping them identify a suspect wanted in connection with a series of recent break-ins and package thefts. During the late-night hours of Oct. 3-4, someone broke into and stole from vehicles parked in the Fair Oaks and Reston police districts.” [Patch]
Braddock Road Paving Expected to Improve Safety — “A portion of Braddock Road (Route 620) between Pleasant Valley Road (Route 609) and Old Lee Road (Route 661) will be reduced to one lane of alternating traffic via flagging, weather permitting, Wednesday, Oct. 18 and Thursday, Oct. 19 between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day.” [VDOT]
South County HS Pilots AP African American Studies — “At South County High School in Lorton, Virginia, students inside one classroom were hard at work Monday recreating sculptures like the ones you would see in ancient West Africa…Students are also learning about Black Joy and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. It’s all part of the curriculum for the new AP African American Studies pilot class.” [NBC4]
Halloween Shirts Offered at McLean Blood Drive — “The McLean Volunteer Fire Department is partnering with Inova Blood Donor Services to host a blood drive on Friday, Oct. 20 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the fire station, located at 1455 Laughlin Ave…In gratitude for their donations, all blood donors will receive a Halloween T-shirt.” [Gazette Leader]
Centreville Schools Host Weekly Farmers Markets — “Settlemyre said the markets prove to be a mutually beneficial partnership as they support local farmers and educate children on the pleasures of clean eating. FCPS officals added that it also provides an exceptional avenue for students and their families to access affordable and healthy food.” [WJLA]
It’s Tuesday — The weather forecast indicates partly sunny conditions and a high temperature of around 63°F. Night will be partly cloudy with a low temperature of approximately 47°F, along with a lighter northwest wind blowing at 3 to 5 mph. [Weather.gov]
The continuation of higher mortgage rates put a damper on Northern Virginia home sales in September, which were down 18.2% compared to a year earlier, according to the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors.
That decline was worse that August’s year-over-year decline of just 12.4% and reversed a trend of an improving market that had been seen since the spring.
Mortgage rates are ranging from 7% to 7.5%, according to the Realtors’ group. Sales were down 23.1% from August and the total of 1,180 was significantly below the five-year average of 1,685 units for September.
“It’s a challenging market for borrowers and buyers, especially first-time home buyers,” said NVAR Board Member Jamie DeSimone of Keller Williams Capital Properties. “The increase in interest rates is a primary deterrent for buyers and would-be sellers. Current homeowners have no incentive to forgo their lower interest rate unless they are forced to move. That’s why homebuying options are scarce.”
Inventory in September averaged 1.22 months, down 1% from September 2022 and down from the five-year average of 1.3 months. In good news, September’s inventory figures were a bit higher than August, when inventory stood at 1.08 month’s supply. On average, homes stayed on the market for 17 days in September, down 32% from the previous September, when the average was 25 days on the market.
The tight supply continued to push prices up. The median sold price for a home in September was $650,000, up 5% from September 2022. The five-year average for median sold price in September is $594,028.
“We’ve been experiencing the ‘ouch factor’ as high mortgage rates have chilled the market. With the resulting limited inventory, sellers choosing to list their homes are receiving multiple offers and have leverage over buyers. The market remains competitive, as there are more people who want to buy than there are homes to sell,” said NVAR CEO Ryan McLaughlin.
The NVAR report covers Fairfax and Arlington counties, the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church and the towns of Vienna, Herndon and Clifton.
Other highlights from the September report:
- Total sold volume: $868.9 million, down 14.4% compared to September 2022.
- Average sold price: $738,772, up 6% from September 2022.
- Number of active listings: 1,661, down 29.8% from September 2022.
- New pending sales: 1,220, down 12% from September 2022.
Specific information for each jurisdiction in September is below:
Photo via Tierra Mallorca on Unsplash. This article was written by FFXnow’s news partner InsideNoVa.com and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.
Fairfax County will sell bonds to finance the Tysons Community Center planned as part of the Dominion Square West housing project.
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority was authorized by the Board of Supervisors last Tuesday (Oct. 10) to sell up to $43 million in facilities bonds to fund the community center, which has an estimated cost of $41 million.
The bond financing will also partially cover the county’s share of infrastructure costs, including the 75 parking garage spaces that will be designated for community center workers and visitors.
“This is a big step in this project,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said Tuesday. “This community center was really important to attracting the funding from Amazon for this project. It’s going to be a really useful asset to the broader community, to that area. It’s certainly going to help make it a great place to live for future residents.”
Designed and built by the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH), the 30,000-square-foot, two-level community center will be located in one of two residential high-rises that the nonprofit developer is building at 1592 Spring Hill Road.
Planned amenities include a full-size gym, sensory and recreational spaces, meeting rooms, fitness rooms, a kitchen and a 1,900-square-foot outdoor courtyard. The center will be open to the general public as well as future Dominion Square West residents.
Replacing a parking lot next to the Jaguar and Land Rover dealership near the Spring Hill Metro station, APAH’s development will provide 516 residential units for households earning 30% to 70% of the area median income, which is currently $152,100 for a family of four in Fairfax County.
Funds for the project’s housing components and construction are coming from a range of sources, including a $55 million grant from Amazon, American Rescue Plan Act funds, developer contributions, and $10 million from the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA).
According to a staff memo, the Department of Housing and Community Development expects to close on all project requirements, including housing bond financing, by mid-December.
As of this summer, APAH anticipated starting construction this December and completing the project in November 2027.
County staff said the community center will “provide social, recreational, health and wellness activities for older adults and youth” that are currently lacking in Tysons. Since July, the county has been offering some programs for teens and families through its Community Services Room at Tysons Corner Center.
(Updated at 5:40 p.m.) The Mosaic District has reeled in a different kind of seafood restaurant.
Kreole, a new concept that blends flavors from Creole and Asian cuisines, will open in the Merrifield neighborhood tomorrow (Tuesday) next Monday (Oct. 23) at 2985 District Avenue, Unit 115. The news was first reported by Eater DC.
“We felt that there were no other concepts that connect the dirty south and far east in this area,” Kreole chef and owner Chad Sparrow said. “The food diversity in Mosaic has most things covered, but this hasn’t been done. We also think it will be a destination spot as so many ppl love seafood and the way we are preparing it is unique and bursting with flavor.”
Kreole takes the place of Junction Bar & Bistro, which opened last fall and comes from the same Alexandria-based restaurant group, Common Plate Hospitality.
Sparrow says the company determined it wasn’t “getting the legs that we had hoped for” from Junction, which still has locations in Alexandria, Capitol Hill and Chevy Chase. But Common Plate Hospitality is confident that Kreole will be a more successful catch for the Mosaic District.
“We thought that this concept is very different and would work better in this space,” Sparrow said.
Located next door to Urbano, a Tex-Mex eatery that also came from Common Plate, the 3,000-square-foot restaurant will have 90 indoor seats and 15 seats outside.
The menu consists of seafood “catches,” including crabs, lobster, shrimps, clams and oysters, that can be customized with different sauces, spice levels and add-ons, such as corn, potato, sticky rice or cajun fries. There are also some items like krispy wings and shaky beef that are designed to be shareable, along with soups and salads.
Hours of operation for the new restaurant will be 4-10 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Driver Injured in Chantilly Crash — “Officers are investigating a single-vehicle crash at Walney Rd and Poplar Tree Rd in Chantilly.” The driver was taken to a hospital with injuries initially considered life-threatening. Their condition was later upgraded, but they remain hospitalized. [FCPD/Twitter]
Antisemitic Flyers Reported in Wolf Trap — “Fairfax County police are trying to find out who left anti-Semitic flyers in a neighborhood near Wolf Trap. Police said at least four or five of the flyers were left in and around driveways, and there may be more they are not aware of yet.” The area was previously targeted by dozens of flyers last year. [WJLA]
Fairfax Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking — “A man pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal cyberstalking charge in relation to sexually explicit and threatening messages and emails he sent to two victims. The incidents started in June 2020, when Michael Ghali…sent the first victim a series of sexually explicit and threatening text messages.” [DC News Now]
UPS to Fill Space Vacated by Huntington Bakery — “Huntington Station is fully leased once again with the recent signing of the UPS Store to the space formerly occupied by Voila Pastry & Cafe. According to Kayla Carter of A.J. Dwoskin & Associates, the property management firm signed a lease with the UPS Store in September, and the shop’s projected opening date is spring 2024.” [On the MoVe]
Route 123 Intersection in Fairfax Begins Operating — “A new intersection on Route 123/Chain Bridge Road north of Eaton Place has been activated — and is expected to be operational on or after Oct. 17. This new intersection will provide vehicular access to and from Willow Crescent Drive at Chain Bridge Road, and a crosswalk that spans Chain Bridge Road” [City of Fairfax]
Virginia Launches Permanent Fund for Mass Shooting Victims — “Legislators in the General Assembly approved a $10 million, one-time appropriation to create the Virginia Mass Violence Care Fund, which experts said is the first of its kind in the nation, designed to provide prompt assistance to victims, survivors and their families when other sources of financial help dry up.” [Washington Post]
Northrop Grumman No Longer Developing Space Station — “Falls Church-area based Northrop Grumman will drop plans to develop its own commercial space station and instead assist a competing effort led by Denver, Colorado-based Voyager Space…Under the new partnership, the companies will cooperate on the development of fully autonomous docking systems for Northrop’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft.” [Fairfax County EDA]
Vienna Kids Help Sell Pumpkins for Charity — “You’re never too young to start giving back, and two Vienna, Virginia, brothers are proof of that. Isaac Kubista, 9, and his brother Anton Kubista, 8, have spent hours on the weekends and after school keeping their church’s pumpkin patch running.” [WTOP]
It’s Monday — The forecast indicates sunny skies in the morning, which will transition to mostly cloudy conditions during the afternoon. The high temperature is expected to be near 60°F. Monday night will remain mostly cloudy, with a low temperature hovering around 47°F. [Weather.gov]
A Maryland teen was arrested last night (Thursday) for a carjacking at Tysons Corner Center where the victim was hit by a mystery fluid that turned out to be candy.
The 14-year-old and another teenager stole a BMW X5 yesterday from a man who was sitting in the SUV while parked in one of the mall’s garages, the Fairfax County Police Department said.
Detectives with the department’s Tysons Urban Team responded to the incident at 6:23 p.m.
“Two juvenile suspects approached the victim, an adult man, who was sitting in his car, and knocked on his window,” police said. “When the victim exited his car, the juveniles threatened to throw ‘acid’ on the victim.”
One of the teens then got into the vehicle, while the other threw a green liquid on the victim before they fled the scene, according to police.
Contrary to the threat, the liquid did “not appear to be caustic,” and no injuries were reported, the FCPD said in a tweet last night. Detectives have now identified the substance as “liquid sour candy,” per an update released today.
The 14-year-old who has been arrested was spotted fleeing in the stolen vehicle by an off-duty detective with D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, according to the FCPD. The teen entered Maryland, where they were taken into custody by Montgomery County police.
Police are still looking for the second teen, who’s described as a boy with short black hair. The FCPD says he was wearing black pants, a black shirt, and red and white sneakers.
The FCPD advises anyone with information to call 703-246-7800, option 5, or submit a tip through Crime Solvers, which can be reached by phone (1-866-411-TIPS) or online.
Officers on scene of a carjacking in the 7900 block of Tysons Corner Center in McLean. 2 suspects took victim's keys, threw an unk liquid on him, and fled the scene in victim's 2022 Blue BMW X5. Liquid does not appear to be caustic. No injuries sustained. Call 911 w/ info. pic.twitter.com/oFemzeuyQA
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) October 12, 2023
Dogs, cats and other household critters in McLean will get an early taste of Halloween when the McLean Community Center’s annual pet festival returns this weekend.
The McLean Pet Fest will unfold at McLean Central Park (1468 Dolley Madison Blvd) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 15). MCC says costumes will be “welcome” at a pet parade scheduled for 3 p.m.
Other attractions planned for the free event include a Fido’s Bone Bar, live music, pet tricks, a photo booth, giveaways, demonstrations and pet-related vendors, such as trainers and rescue and adoption organizations.
Three gourmet food trucks have also been lined up: Arlington-based Ribeye Philadelphia Steak, the frozen yogurt chain Sweet Frog and a new mobile cafe called Frothy Mug Coffee.
MCC Special Events Manager Catherine Nesbitt says the goal of McLean Pet Fest is to provide some entertainment and an opportunity for humans and their pets to spend time outdoors, while also educating community members about adoption, animal health and safety, and other topics.
“McLean Pet Fest is an inclusive community event that brings people and their pet companions to McLean Central Park to learn, be enriched and have a joyful experience together,” Nesbitt said.
Other events coming to the community center this month include a screening of the original Broadway show of “Sweeney Todd” next Thursday (Oct. 19), the McLean Community Players’ production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Proof” starting on Oct. 27, and a Festival of Frights and Trunk or Treat at the Old Firehouse on Oct. 28.
A full calendar of events can be found on the MCC website.
As it develops a budget for the next year, the McLean Community Center is seeking feedback on its programs and services with a community survey. The survey is available in English, Spanish and Korean, and the results will be shared with MCC staff and the governing board.
