Four years after BoConcept closed its doors at Tysons Galleria, the high-end furniture retail chain is preparing to try again.

From 2004 to 2015, BoConcept operated out of the mall’s third floor until the area was converted into a food hall — first the ill-fated Isabella Eatery, now Taste of Urbanspace. But Washington, D.C. franchisee Tim Machenaud said the new location on the main floor will give the store more visibility.

Machenaud said there have also been a few changes in the store and in the mall since then that make him more encouraged about the prospects a second time around.

“BoConcept ownership change three years ago has shifted the brand to a slightly more premium positioning,” said Machenaud. “We still have affordable furniture items but we have increased our quality standards as we want to be the leader in quality design furniture. This position shift is in line with the premium brands that you can find at Tysons Galleria.”

While stores nationwide have faced increased competition from online retail like Amazon, Machenaud said creating a superior retail experience in showrooms, like the one at Tysons, is integral to the furniture shopping experience.

Machenaud said feedback from clients has shown that most people buying furniture will visit and average of three to four stores before making their decision.

There are currently two other furniture brands in Tysons Galleria — Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams and Calligaris — and Machenaud said having multiple furniture brands in one location will help turn the mall into a quality furniture destination.

Meanwhile, the mall is planning to replace the now-closed Macy’s at the north end of the mall with a new suite of retailers like an Apple Store, an iPic movie theater, and a Balducci’s grocery store. A new fitness-themed area is also planned inside the space that was Legal Sea Foods.

“Retail is changing… so the malls need to review their approach, their offers, their client’s experience,” said Machenaud. “Being next to the upcoming extension of this mall gives us the responsibility and honor to be at the gate between the current and the future.”

Be warned, Fairfax County is under a wind advisory and it’s beginning to have residual impacts across the region.

Winds are expected to last all day with the strongest winds around noon.

⚠️ A Wind Advisory has been issued for today.
🕗 8 am- 8 pm; the strongest winds are likely from late morning and through the afternoon hours.
💨 Expect 20-30 mph winds with gusts up to 50 mph.
📱Keep electronic devices charged as scattered power outages are expected. pic.twitter.com/fxdGxS09oU

— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) April 15, 2019

According to the National Weather Service, the maximum wind gusts up to 50 mph are expected throughout the region, with most locations seeing up to 30 or 40 mph wind.

The strong winds are also having an impact on some local roads. Early this morning, Westmoreland Street at Orland Street in McLean was closed due to low hanging wires. The situation has been resolved since then and the street is now open.

UPDATE: Westmoreland St at Orland St in McLean now open. https://t.co/9jWkZUlUWY

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) April 15, 2019

Image via Twitter

From now until May 15, local residents have an annual opportunity to influence the funding of transportation projects in Northern Virginia.

When tolls were put in place along I-66, the Commonwealth of Virginia decided that toll revenue would be used to fund public transportation and mobility infrastructure projects in the area.

Every year, policymakers decide which projects to fund. This year, they have about $20 million — a lot, but not enough to fund all the proposals. That means they need your help to make the decision about what gets cut and what gets funded.

Twenty different proposals are under consideration, several of which could affect the Tysons area.

Nine of the proposals have to do with improving commuter bus service from places like Fairfax Government Center to downtown D.C. Two of the proposals are for Capital Bikeshare implementation in Fairfax City and in Vienna. Other proposals are for trail improvements that will help people get to train stations, improve intersections, and encourage people to take advantage of slug lines.

See here for a list of all the proposed projects.

The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, responsible for the program, will be accepting public comments until May 15. There are several ways to express your thoughts.

You can email the Commission at [email protected] or leave a voicemail message at 703-239-4719. You can also fill out their online form.

To dive into greater depth, you can attend one of the two open house events that the Commission will host to discuss the program. The first will be from 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23 at the Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School located at 7130 Leesburg Pike, Fall Church. The second will be from 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, May 2 in the lobby of the Navy League Building, 2300 Wilson Blvd, Arlington. Immediately after the second open house, the Commission will hold its monthly meeting, which includes a public hearing.

After a large amount of local consternation over the group homes for a rehab facility proposed near McLean High School, Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust and other local officials are putting together a meeting to clear things up.

The Newport Academy, a therapy program for teens with mental health or addiction problems, recently purchased three residential homes (1620, 1622, and 1624 Davidson Road) in McLean with the intent of using them as a treatment facility.

Another project is also planned for 1318 Kurtz Road in the Salona Village neighborhood.

The meeting is planned for Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. in the McLean High School Auditorium (1633 Davidson Road).

Foust is expected to be joined at the meeting by a pair of local state lawmakers, Dels. Rip Sullivan and Kathleen Murphy. Representatives from Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and from Monroe LLC  — the company that runs the Newport Academy — are also planning to attend, to explain the new facility.

According to Foust’s office:

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the operations of the homes, licensing and permitting authority, relevant legislation and regulations, and resident concerns. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments.

Photo via Google Earth

A Vienna resident angrily cursed out a town employee in a confrontation over a running fire hydrant Wednesday.

The incident happened around 10:30 a.m. on the 300 block of Windover Avenue, NW, according to the latest Vienna Police Department crime report.

“A Town of Vienna employee was running a fire hydrant to clear the water when a resident became angry and confronted the employee using profanity,” the crime report said. “The neighbor advised he was upset because the water was flooding his yard.”

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

If Tysons is going to become a destination, it’s going to need an Eiffel Tower — and slower, more pedestrian-friendly streets.

On the “Connect with County Leaders” podcast run by the Fairfax County Government, Deputy County Executive Rachel Flynn talked about the increasing importance of establishing a “destination” feeling with urban design to draw in a younger crowd.

“Millennials are deciding where they want to live before they get the job, then they move there and get the job,” Flynn said. “That’s the sign of a robust economy. So what can Fairfax do to say ‘we attracted that person?’ We don’t have an Eiffel Tower or a Chrysler building, but I think Tysons is the start of that.”

On its quest to become America’s next great city, Flynn said the area will have to be notable for something — presumably other than the historic Toilet Bowl building. Flynn referenced the example of San Francisco, noting that icons like the Golden Gate Bridge come to mind before any other details about the city.

But the other side of the coin to draw businesses and residents to Tysons, Flynn said, will be making the streets more walkable.

“We’re hearing that people want to walk more,” Flynn said. “They don’t want to be as car-dependent.”

But sometimes, Flynn noted, good pedestrian design can come at the cost of car-focused improvements, like more turn lanes. While Fairfax County has traditionally been built on its highways, Flynn said Tysons is going to need to continue switching to a more urban style street grid — specifically referencing Old Town Alexandria as a model for pedestrian-friendly design.

“Every time you add an extra right turn lane, someone is paying for that,” Flynn said. “Someone has to maintain that… and you just made a wider intersection for a pedestrian or cyclist, so maybe they don’t cross that street… Pedestrians know where they’re wanted, and that’s where they want to stay. So we need to slow down traffic and get more people out of their cars.”

For Tysons, Flynn said people should expect narrower lanes and slower traffic than they’d find in other parts of the county. Slower traffic, Flynn said, will not only add to pedestrian friendliness but will make retailers more likely to set up shop nearby.

“People are really drawn to a sense of place, that’s why Mosaic has been such a big hit and Tysons is becoming that way,” Flynn said. “People want to be at a place that feels good you have lots of choices of what to do.”

Photo via Fairfax County Government

Three years after construction started, the 32-story luxury-apartment tower Lumen in the heart of Tysons is now leasing and soon to open.

The building is still undergoing the final phases of construction, with hard hat touring of the location starting later in April. The first move-ins are planned to start this summer.

Lumen Apartments is located northeast of the Leesburg Pike-Chain Bridge Road junction, and since it topped-out last July it has dominated the Chain Bridge Road skyline. The Lumen is part of a series of new mixed-use projects planned near the Greensboro Metro station, which notably include The Boro project just to the north.

The Lumen project contains 398 units on 25 floors, from studios to two-bedroom apartments. The 15th floor of the building has a fitness center and yoga area.

Rental rates at the Lumen are not currently available, but a representative of the apartment complex told Tysons Reporter the information would be forthcoming over the next 30 days.

A new education-oriented music studio, called Crescendo Studios, just opened in Merrifield, near the Mosaic District.

Eddie Fuentes, director of the studio, said the goal is to provide individualized music lessons and to teach students to be creative thinkers in a diverse, nurturing environment.

“Our mission is to bring culture, diversity and a wealth of experience to the education of our students,” Fuentes said. “Too many times education of the arts is homogenized and every individual is treated the same. This method of teaching can work for some but there are many students who become unmotivated and underwhelmed because they are not being engaged the right way.”

The studio opened inside the old MHz Studio at 8101 Lee Highway. Fuentes said the facility has seven private lesson rooms, four band rooms, and a recording studio.

Private music lessons at Crescendo Studio are $35 for a 30-minute lesson or $65 for a one-hour lesson. Small group classes for 6-9 year olds are $35 for one-hour lessons and the Prelude Piano Program for 5-7 year olds is $35 for a one-hour lesson.

The studio is planning to host an open house on Saturday, April 27 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., giving prospective students, parents or instructors a chance to tour the building and meet the studio’s teachers.

“Our initial goal is to establish ourselves as the go-to location for music education,” said Fuentes. “In our second phase, we aim to bring other art forms into our school such as dance, musical theater, canvas art and more.”

Photo via Facebook

Editor’s note: Over the next several weeks, Tysons Reporter is profiling the eight districts of Tysons. This is the fourth article in that series.

For those seeking a calmer but still urban lifestyle within a short walk of parks and of the emerging downtown Tysons, the East Side might be your best bet — and that will only become more true as the Tysons Comprehensive Plan is implemented.

The East Side extends along the eastern fringe of Tysons, from Route 7 in the south to the Dulles Access Road in the north, bounded by Magarity Road in the east and Tysons East to its west. Today, it’s mostly composed of garden-style apartment developments like Tysons Landings and the Dolley Madison Apartments.

Over the next few decades, it will remain primarily residential, forming a smooth gradient of transition from downtown Tysons to single-family Pimmit Hills. It will not witness rapid increases in density like Tysons East, but rather it will gradually take on a more urban character. That means neighborhood retail, like corner stores and local restaurants, and it means a more cohesive and walkable network of streets.

The district might include some offices, which planners hope to configure into a “live-work” combination — imagine the 21st-century equivalent of a craftsman living upstairs from his shop.

Park Connections

This district is closely tied to Tysons East, and in a way it is the residential backyard to that district’s vibrant center. Right now, the two are separated by a forest, the Scotts Run Stream Valley Park, that can make it difficult to get from one to the other.

This year, though, Fairfax County will be taking the first steps to change that park from a barrier to a gateway, building pedestrian and bicycle paths to connect the East Side to Tysons East through one of Tysons’ greatest natural treasures.

Getting Around

Most of the East Side is only a short walk away from the McLean Metro station, and that walk will become significantly easier – and more pleasant — with the opening of the Scotts Run Trail. The 3T bus on Magarity Road offers reliable and comfortable service to downtown Tysons and to the center of Falls Church.

However, right now it is remarkably difficult to walk from anywhere on the East Side to downtown Tysons. That will soon change, though, with the construction of a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Beltway. The bridge will link the East Side directly with Tysons Corner Center and contribute to a more complete network of access throughout the area.

The Comprehensive Plan calls for a circulator system of public transit to span the entirety of Tysons, and although its precise location is still in question, the Plan indicates that it will likely be placed along Old Meadow Road.

Gradual Development

In stark contrast to nearby Tysons East, which is slated for near-total redevelopment in the next few years, the East Side will see change come more gently — or, at least, in the farther future.

The only project currently on file is a new hotel, and even that is located in the extreme southern part of the East Side — its only office-focused corner. Just because change is coming more slowly, though, does not mean it will never come.

Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods is back at Wolf Trap for a new series of concerts and shows aimed at children and their parents.

Since 1971, the program has been an annual tradition at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. Acts vary from puppetry to dance and music.

The first performance will be David Engel’s Willy Wonka-themed magic show on June 18 and 19. The event is planned to include bubble-play and puppetry.

Performances run Tuesday through Saturday at 10:30 a.m., beginning June 18 and running through August 3. Tickets range from $10 to $12 and children under two may attend free of charge.

Other upcoming shows include:

• June 20: SaulPaul
• June 21, 22: Experiential Theater Company — Aesop’s Fables
• June 25: The Gottabees — Squirrel Stole My Underpants
• June 26: Moona Luna
• June 27: Taratibu Youth Association — Unspoken Stories
• June 28: Ants Ants Ants
• June 29: Maru Montero Dance Company
• July 2: Nomad Dancers — Dancing from Cairo to Samarkand
• July 3: Hopalong Andrew — Songs of the Urban Cowpoke
• July 5 and 6: Madcap Puppets — The Great Space Caper
• July 9: The Mömandpöp Comeback Special!
• July 10 and 11: The Deedle Deedle Dees
• July 12 and 13: Kira Willey — Rockin’ Yoga Concert
• July 16 and 17: Jojo & the Pinecones
• July 18: Shannon Dunne Dance
• July 19 and 20: Vital Theatre Company — Angelina Ballerina The Musical
• July 23: Falu
• July 24 and 25: Red Yarn
• July 26 and 27: Maryland Youth Ballet — Cinderella
• July 30: Aaron Nigel Smith
• July 31: Culture Shock, Washington, D.C.
• Aug. 1: Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers — The Legend of the Banana Kid
• Aug. 2 and 3: The Okee Dokee Brothers

For the adults, this summer’s concert series feature Lionel Richie and other big-name acts.

Photo via Wolf Trap