Annandale Church’s “Black Lives Matter” Banner Vandalized — “Someone tore down banners at Little River United Church of Christ in Annandale during the night of Sunday, Aug. 13. One banner said ‘Black Lives Matter.’ The other said ‘Be the church'” and phrases like “fight for the powerless,” “reject racism” and “embrace diversity.” [Annandale Today]
Tysons Concourse Office Buildings Acquired — “A Rockville developer has acquired a 1980s-era office complex near Metro’s Silver Line in Tysons with an eye toward eventually redeveloping it as a mixed-use property with a focus on residential.” The new owner, Berman Enterprises LP, says its short-term plan is to lease the twin seven-story buildings at 1593 Spring Hill Road, but it will later evaluate “what a redevelopment could look like.” [Washington Business Journal]
FCPD Promotes New Internal Affairs Commander — “John Lieb has been promoted to Major and will serve as Commander of the Internal Affairs Bureau. Major Lieb previously served as the Captain of the Franconia District Police Station.” Police Chief Kevin Davis also announced promotions for director of crime control strategies and data analytics, the operations support bureau’s traffic division captain and captain of the IAB’s compliance division. [FCPD]
Hot Chicken Restaurant Opens in Annandale — “New location alert!! @hangryjoeschicken is
NOW OPEN in Annandale, VA. Come and visit us at 7042 Little River Turnpike Space G…We are bringing the heat to you! We’re serving up the best Nashville-style hot chicken sandwich and wings” [Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken/Instagram]
Vienna Library Plans Will Be Finalized Soon — “Design plans for the…new Patrick Henry Library in Vienna, along with a parking structure that also would be used for public parking, are on track to be finalized and presented to the Vienna Town Council this fall, said Jessica Hudson, director of Fairfax County Public Library.” [Gazette Leader]
Local Arts Organizations Awarded Grants — ArtsFairfax has allocated over $590,000 “in Operating Support Grants to 50 nonprofit arts and culture organizations based in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, and the City of Falls Church.” This year, the nonprofit lowered the minimum eligible budget and raised the maximum request allowed “in recognition of the rising costs of labor and materials.” [ArtsFairfax]
Singer to Make Virginia Debut in Reston — “Singer/songwriter and activist Tae Phoenix makes her Virginia debut Friday at 6 p.m., at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston…Phoenix has worked extensively with Herndon-Reston Indivisible, a local political action group…and was honored to make her first Virginia performance in Reston with the support of that group.” [Patch]
Beware Traffic From GMU Move-ins — “Beginning…August 16, until August 20 there will be high traffic volume on George Mason’s campus for Move-In. Freshmen move in August 16 and August 17 from 9am-5pm and Upperclassmen move in August 18-20 from 9am-5pm. Traffic impacts will occur around campus, particularly near Braddock Road, Roanoke River Road, Lots J and K, and the Rappahannock Parking Deck.” [Supervisor James Walkinshaw/Twitter]
It’s Wednesday — The forecast for Wednesday is sunny with a high temperature near 86°F. As night falls, the sky will turn partly cloudy, and the low temperature will reach a mild low of 69°F. [Weather.gov]
More reports of the spotted lanternfly are popping up throughout Fairfax County, according to local officials.
The invasive insect — which is native to China, India and Vietman — has been seen in more areas of the county, the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services says.
Officials are asking the public to help kill the pest. So far, the Maryland Department of Agriculture has been working closely with the county to determine how to reduce its numbers.
After first arriving in a grocery store shipment to Annandale, the bugs have primarily proliferated in the western area of the county, including Herndon, Centreville and Chantilly. Infestations have also been reported in Burke and Dunn Loring, according to a DPWES graphic.
The insects feasts on more than 70 plant species, particularly the invasive tree-of-heaven, and is particularly problematic for Virginia, where they’re threatening the peach, apple, grape and wine industries, DPWES says.
“Spotted lanternfly has the potential to cause severe nuisance to residents by feeding on trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants in unusually large numbers and leaving a sticky, smelly mess when they leave,” DPWES said. “While plant mortality is not a widespread concern, the nuisance created by these insects could cause some reactionary behaviors, leading to unnecessary pesticide use and the potential removal of valuable tree canopy and other vegetation.”
Egg masses are common in September and throughout the first few hard frosts. Vehicles help spread the pest around, particularly those near trees or the edges of a forest.
Here’s more from DPWES on how to help:
If you find spotted lanternfly, please report your findings through the mobile app iNaturalist or call 703-324-5304.
You can also report your findings by email at [email protected]. Provide photos and an address with your report.
After careful identification, trap or kill the insect, and scrape and smash the egg mass.
Check your vehicles, trailers and mobile equipment (tractors, bobcats, etc.) before visiting other locations.
Photo via Magi Kern/Unsplash
Tysons is increasingly becoming a place where people live, but a recent market study from the Tysons Community Alliance raised some questions about its future as a place where people work.
Released on Aug. 4, the study paints divergent pictures of the two commercial sectors that have defined Tysons since the 1960s — office and retail — as they navigate a post-pandemic world of remote work and online shopping.
While retail visits in Tysons have returned to 92% of the 2019 average, foot traffic at office buildings is at 77% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the study, which was conducted by consultants HR&A, Toole Design and Wells & Associates.
That’s still better than D.C., where office visitation is at just 70% of pre-pandemic levels, but the study found that Tysons is seeing “somewhat slower employment growth” both in general and among office users than Fairfax County and the overall D.C. region — a lag expected to continue through 2028.
“Tysons grew more slowly than surrounding Fairfax County and the D.C. [metropolitan area] in the last three years and is projected to continue growing more slowly in the next five years,” a workforce growth analysis summary said, identifying health care as the industry projected to add the most jobs in Tysons over the next five years.
Even though over 85% of Tysons workers are in industries that traditionally use offices, led by 47,100 workers in the broad category of “professional services,” the area’s office vacancy rate has climbed from 14.8% in 2019 to 20% so far this year.
That exceeds the county’s 16.7% vacancy rate, which is a 10-year high, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority leaders told the Board of Supervisors at an economic advisory committee meeting on July 18.
Constituting 5.6 million of the area’s 27.6 million square feet of office space, the vacancies have particularly affected lower class, older offices built before 1990, suggesting a “preference for newer and nicer properties,” the study report says.
Despite the “historically high” vacancy rates, average rents have grown 24% since 2015 to match the D.C. area’s average of $39 per square foot, driven in part by the $65-per-square-foot asking price at the Tysons Central office building that was completed last year.
Tysons also has an additional 1.9 million square feet of office under construction or planned, though the majority of upcoming development is residential.
“If vacancies remain high, future deliveries could result in stagnant rents and continued high vacancy,” the report says. “For developers to fill pipeline office space, office-using jobs in Tysons need to grow at 1.4 times the projected growth of 3,300 jobs between 2023 and 2033.”
As office owners try to adapt with renovations and redevelopments, the Tysons retail market has proven more resilient even after Covid fueled a nationwide rise in e-commerce, according to the market study.
While it hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, the vacancy rate has stayed relatively low over the past few years, declining from 3.2% in 2021 and 2022 to 3% this year, below Fairfax County (3.1%), the D.C. area (4.4%) and Arlington (4.8%).
Expanding its inventory by 7% over the past five years, Tysons has a total of 5.7 million square feet of retail, led by clothing stores and food service establishments. Another 123,000 square feet is under construction.
About 65% of the $2.4 billion spent in Tysons comes from visitors, rather than residents, according to the study, which shows particularly high demand for cars and car parts, reflecting the area’s abundance of auto dealerships.
As the local population grows, the study suggests Tysons could support more bars “to improve its positioning as a post-5 p.m. district” and entertainment options, which it says are limited compared to Arlington’s Crystal City and Pentagon City despite having more residents.
“Tysons entertainment offerings are heavily skewed towards retail stores, such as sporting goods, hobbies, and crafts while leading commercial districts are pivoting to experience-based recreation,” the study says. “An emphasis on experiential entertainment could allow Tysons to better compete in a post-pandemic market.”
The area’s malls at least appear to be starting that pivot, with Tysons Corner Center regularly hosting pop-up “experiences” and Tysons Galleria branching out from apparel with the additions of Bowlero and CMX CinéBistro. The virtual reality gaming venue Sandbox VR was supposed to open at The Boro this summer, but a launch date still hasn’t been announced.
Despite the struggles facing office and the hospitality industry, whose slow recovery stems in part from a focus on business travel over leisure, Tysons remains a critical part of Fairfax County’s economy, the Tysons Community Alliance says.
“According to the Market Report, Tysons accounts for only one percent of Fairfax County’s landmass but generates eight percent of its tax revenue,” TCA Board Chair Josh White said. “The results of the study make it abundantly clear that Tysons continues to be a major economic driver for Fairfax County.”
Fairfax County is making another push to fund pedestrian safety improvements at Shrevewood Elementary School in Idylwood.
The long-gestating crosswalks project is one of five that the Fairfax County Department of Transportation intends to submit to the state for funding consideration under the federal Transportation Alternatives grant program.
“This program invests in community-based projects that expand non-motorized travel choices and enhance the transportation experience by improving the cultural, historical and environmental aspect of the transportation infrastructure,” FCDOT said in a press release last week.
For fiscal year 2025, which starts July 1, 2024, the department will request a total of $9.2 million to fill walkway gaps to the Mason Neck Trail in Lorton, add a shared-use path on Compton Road in Centreville, and support three Safe Routes to Schools projects — a program that encourages students to walk and bike to school.
Shrevewood Elementary School — Safe Routes to School
- Total estimated cost: $2.99 million
- Grant request: $1.14 million
Part of a larger effort to improve safety in the Shreve Road corridor after a fatal crash in 2019, this project will add marked crosswalks at Fairwood Lane, the school’s eastern driveway and across Virginia Lane at Virginia Avenue. The Fairwood Lane crosswalk will include a pedestrian refuge island.
FCDOT says the crosswalks “will provide neighborhood access to school amenities” and the nearby Washington & Old Dominion Trail.
Bush Hill Elementary School — Safe Routes to School
- Total estimated cost: $3.66 million
- Grant request: $1.86 million
Approximately 850 feet of sidewalk will be added on Bush Hill Drive between Ninian Avenue and Larno Avenue in Rose Hill.
“Completing this missing sidewalk link will improve safety and accessibility for children walking and bicycling to school,” FCDOT said.
Lake Braddock Secondary School — Safe Routes to School
- Total estimated cost: $2.55 million
- Grant request: $2.04 million
Crosswalks and a pedestrian signal will be constructed at the school’s entrance on Burke Lake Road. The project will also reconstruct a sidewalk on the road’s south side to be 6 feet wide and bring six ramps up to ADA standards.
Mason Neck Trail
- Total estimated cost: $13.96 million
- Grant request: $1.7 million
The project will build missing pieces of the walkway along Gunston Road from Richmond Highway (Route 1) to the existing trail.
Compton Road Walkway
- Total estimated cost: $9.3 million
- Grant request: $2.5 million
Approximately 550 feet of a 10-foot-wide, paved shared use path will be added on the east side of Compton Road, connecting the Cub Run Stream Valley Trail with an existing path crossing to the Bull Run Regional Events Center’s entrance.
The project will also widen a bridge over Cub Run to accommodate the shared use path.
FCDOT Communications Specialist Lynn Krolowitz noted that the grant request amounts could be revised if the project cost estimates changed before the applications are finalized in October.
“FCDOT select projects based on several factors such as program eligibility criteria and project readiness requirements, the need of continued funding for existing projects, and previous Board approval/consideration, which assumes some level of public involvement,” Krolowitz said in an email to FFXnow.
To be eligible for Transportation Alternatives grants, projects must have already gotten public feedback, be ready for design, require less than four years of construction, have a “logical” endpoint — such as an existing sidewalk or a road intersection — and be beneficial even if no other improvements are made in the area, according to FCDOT.
Three of the projects under consideration in this round, including the Shrevewood project, have previously gotten the grants, giving them priority in the selection process, Krolowtiz says.
FCDOT will host a virtual public input meeting to discuss the proposed projects at 6 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday).
Image via Google Maps
With autumn just over the horizon, Capital One Center has lined up an expanded roster of events, vendors and musicians for its fifth Perchfest.
The biannual weekend festival will return to The Perch (1805 Capital One Drive) in Tysons on Sept. 15-17, marking about two years since it launched in 2021 to celebrate the skypark’s opening.
In addition to the usual live entertainment and lawn games, the upcoming festival will feature a mini golf tournament called the Perch Putt Open to benefit Miriam’s Kitchen, a D.C.-based nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness that will serve as the event’s charity partner.
“Each year the program grows,” Meghan Trossen, head of Capital One Center’s public affairs, said of Perchfest. “We are thrilled to team up with Miriam’s Kitchen, which has served our community for over 40 years to end chronic and veteran homelessness in the DC Metro Area.”
The tournament is open to event sponsors and anyone who buys spots for four people at $500. Noting that there are only a few sponsorships remaining, Trossen says interested participants can register by contacting her directly at [email protected].
The Perch Putt Open will kick off the weekend’s festivities from 3-7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15.
For those not participating in the mini golf tournament, this fall’s Perchfest will still offer a new attraction in the form of a Shop Made in VA pop-up market showcasing apparel, home goods and other products from local artisans.
The 18-hole Perch Putt mini golf course, its accompanying food trucks and Starr Hill Biergarten will also be open throughout the festival.
The full schedule is below, though Capital One Center says it’s subject to change depending on the weather:
Friday, September 15th
- 3-7 p.m. — Perch Putt Open, Tysons community vendors on the Great Lawn
- 4-6:30 p.m. — Starting Early at Starr Hill Biergarten
- 7-10 p.m. — Run for Cover at Starr Hill Biergarten
Saturday, September 16th
- 12-12:45 p.m. — Free “Sweat Sesh” fitness class from Body Fit Training (BFT) on the Great Lawn
- 12-2 p.m. — Free Flowing Music Experience at Starr Hill Biergarten
- 12-7 p.m. — Shop Made in VA and Tysons community vendors on the Great Lawn
- 2:30-4:30 p.m. — Texas Chainsaw Horns at Starr Hill Biergarten
- 3-6 p.m. — Four Roses (Wren’s private label) barrel release party
- 5-7:30 p.m. — Sidemen Band at Starr Hill Biergarten
- 8-10:30 p.m. — Kleptoradio at Starr Hill Biergarten
- DJ/MC afterparty with Captain/2nutz at Starr Hill Biergarten until closing at midnight
Sunday, September 17th
- 10:30-11:15 a.m. — FitCoach Caroline HIIT Workout at Starr Hill Biergarten
- 11 a.m.-5 p.m. — Tysons community vendors on the Great Lawn
- 12-2 p.m. — The Vandalays
- 2 p.m. — Pie-eating contests sponsored by Wegmans and Capital One Center
- 2:30-5 p.m. — NovaKane at Starr Hill Biergarten
Coming from Wren, the Japanese restaurant in The Watermark Hotel, the Four Roses barrel release party will require separate registrations. More details on that particular event will be coming soon, Capital One Center says.
Perchfest is free to attend, but advance registrations through Eventbrite are encouraged.
In the past, the festival has drawn about 15,000 people over three days, according to Capital One Center. The most recent edition in May offered a preview of three restaurants — Sisters Thai, Stellina Pizzeria and Ox & Rye — coming to the mixed-use development, though now, they’re not expected to open until next year.
Meeting Tonight on Burke Centre Parkway Safety — Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw is hosting a virtual community meeting at 7-8 p.m. tonight (Tuesday) to address the roadway’s safety after last month’s fatal crash. Police will touch on recent traffic enforcement, and VDOT will share the process for “potential design changes.” [The Walkinshaw Advisory]
People Found Sleeping in Reportedly Stolen Car Arrested — “Two people were arrested in a Lorton shopping center parking lot after they were found sleeping inside a vehicle that had been reported stolen, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.” [Patch]
How to Help Hawaii Residents Affected by Wildfires — “The D.C. region has a thriving Hawaiian community, and many are worried about the safety and wellbeing of their loved ones on the island. Kaimana Chee, a local halau instructor and chef, says the disaster on Maui hits close to home.” [DCist]
Fairfax Starts Changing Streetlights to LED Bulbs — Fairfax City has begun “Phase 1 of installing new LED streetlights in place of the aging natural gaslights in Old Town Fairfax. Work is expected to continue through Oct. 1” and will be conducted from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the dates listed below. [City of Fairfax]
Rehab Planned for Aging Annandale Bridge — “The Virginia Department of Transportation is providing a virtual public involvement opportunity on plans to rehabilitate the King Arthur Road (Route 3679) bridge over Accotink Creek to improve safety for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians and extend the overall life of the bridge.” Feedback on the proposed improvements is being accepted through Sept. 5. [VDOT]
GMU-Led Play Wins Festival Award — Audiences at last month’s Capital Fringe festival in D.C. gave a best drama award to “The Road to the End,” a play with a cast and crew composed entirely of George Mason University students and graduates. The play was inspired by a trip to the Grand Canyon that Oakton-based writer Bella Panciocco took to mourn her late grandfather. [GMU]
Annandale School Dedicates Building to Former Leader — “The Pinecrest School’s board of directors dedicated its lower building to former Head of School Nicole McDermott in honor of her 18 years of visionary leadership, from 2005 to 2023…A plaque naming the building the Nicole McDermott Lower School Building…was unveiled on Aug. 10.” [Annandale Today]
Principals Wanted for Southeast County Schools — “It’s back to school time [on] Aug. 21 for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), and several schools around the Richmond Highway Corridor are in the process of finding new principals following some recent departures. Three of the seven county-wide FCPS schools without a permanent principal are in Region 3” [On the MoVe]
It’s Tuesday — There is a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 88°F. At night, the chance of showers and thunderstorms drops to 30% before 11pm, followed by a slight chance of showers between 11pm and 2am. Expect partly cloudy conditions with a low around 67°F. [Weather.gov]
VHC Health is making a big push to bring its health care services closer to Fairfax County residents.
With a ribbon-cutting ceremony last Wednesday (Aug. 9), the health system introduced its new Vienna practice to the community as part of a building-wide open house at 527 Maple Avenue, which also recently welcomed the gym Advanced Fitness & Sports Performance.
At its 4,000-square-foot office, VHC Health Physicians offers primary care services for patients 6 and older as well as OB-GYN services for patients 14 and older. The practice is currently staffed with two primary care physicians, an obstetrician and three advanced OB-GYN practice providers.
“In our office in Vienna, we’re really excited about being in such a great community,” VHC Health President and CEO Chris Lane said. “We had a great open house…where a lot of community members came out and really thanked us for providing this option and this choice for them to be able to access the great care from VHC.”
Formerly known as Virginia Hospital Center, VHC Health rebranded last year in conjunction with plans to expand both within and outside of its flagship hospital in Arlington.
In less than two years, the nonprofit has opened clinical offices in Annandale, Tysons, West Springfield and Kingstowne on top of the Vienna practice. Opened in June, the Kingstowne office served as an multi-specialty replacement for a Hybla Valley office that permanently closed.
The services available at each location vary. For instance, the Tysons office at 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 305, has specialists in cardiology, gastroenterology and urology, along with primary care and OB-GYN practitioners.
Lane says the recent expansion reflects an evolving focus in VHC Health on preventative care and a desire to bring that care out into the community “where people work and people live.” The health system has also strengthened its telemedicine services in response to the pandemic.
“Our differentiator is we want to be able to provide that care out to the community,” Lane said. “Patients want a choice, and they want to have the ability to choose where they go and have an option, and VHC is a great option for people to receive that care right near their home.”
When looking for potential office locations, VHC Health considers the area’s demographics and what kinds of health care services are already available, Lane says.
To that end, the nonprofit is already working on another local office, this time in Merrifield. The facility at 3025 Hamaker Court will provide surgical services, something that VHC doesn’t yet offer in Fairfax County.
Construction is underway on the practice, which will be in a medical office-heavy area between the Mosaic District and the Inova Fairfax Hospital campus. The work is on track to finish this year, likely in the fourth quarter between October and December, according to Lane.
While other specific locations haven’t been identified yet, Lane says VHC Health plans to continue expanding. After an attendee at Wednesday’s open house in Vienna suggested an office in Reston, perhaps a site west of Route 123 could be next.
“People speak to us, they want the VHC brand and they want the VHC great quality of care in their community, so it’s something we obviously would have to consider,” Lane said.
Santi is no longer coming to Capital One Center — at least not in the immediate future.
Michelin-starred chef Pepe Moncayo, who recently opened Jiwa Singapura in Tysons Galleria, has paused plans to bring a new Spanish restaurant concept to Tysons, he confirmed through a public relations representative.
“The financial climate and the escalating costs of materials and construction made us take the decision to put a hold into the project waiting for a more favorable time to arrive,” Moncayo said in a statement to FFXnow.
Moncayo and his partners behind the Spanish-Japanese fusion restaurant Cranes in D.C. leased about 7,000 square feet in the mixed-use neighborhood around Capital One’s headquarters, the Washington Business Journal reported in March 2022.
While little was initially shared about the concept, a now-defunct website indicated that it would be called Santi and celebrate “Spanish culinary tradition.”
Capital One Center doesn’t list Santi among the current and upcoming dining options on its website, but Moncayo still “hopes to bring the restaurant to Capital One Center at a later point,” his representative said.
For now, Capital One workers and Tysons foodies can still look forward to the impending arrivals of Sisters Thai, Stellina Pizzeria, the steak-and-whiskey restaurant Ox & Rye, the Tex-Mex concept Ometeo, and Starr Hill Brewpub, an expansion of the beer garden currently operating at The Perch skypark.
While none of the eateries have determined opening dates, Ometeo is expected to launch this year, a Capital One Center spokesperson confirmed. The other businesses are all projected to get 2024 openings.
In addition to Starr Hill Biergarten, The Perch is home to the bar Rhum Roost and a line of food trucks next to the Perch Putt mini golf course. The development also has Wren, a Japanese restaurant that opened with the Watermark Hotel in 2021.
Victims in Fatal Friday Crashes Identified — Fairfax County police have identified a pedestrian killed on Kirby Road on Friday morning (Aug. 11) as 86-year-old Brigitte Forster of McLean and a man who died after a three-vehicle crash on Arlington Blvd in Merrifield as “Paul Hession, 85, of the Churchill neighborhood.” Police also provided more details of a crash that shut down Route 50 that day near Fair Oaks Mall. [FCPD 1, 2, 3]
County Sticks With Contractor for Meals on Wheels — After previously relying on volunteers for the program, which delivers meals to seniors and people who are homebound, Fairfax County started “engaging a contractor to drop meals on a more limited once per week schedule” during the pandemic. At least one volunteer leader hopes Virginia will reject the county’s plan to keep using a contractor and the reduced schedule. [DCist]
Fairfax County Public Library Adds “Study Pods” — “Visitors to some Fairfax County library facilities, including Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library, may have had their curiosity piqued by…vertical ‘quiet study pods’ that vaguely resemble phone booths.” Donated by a local company, the pods have proven popular, library officials say, but no decision has been made yet on whether more will be acquired.” [Gazette Leader]
Tysons Tech Startup Goes Defunct — “A once-promising Tysons tech company that just two years ago was on the verge of going public now appears to have shut down. Qomplx Inc., an analytics and cybersecurity firm founded by two military veterans, laid off dozens of workers less than two weeks ago and looks to have shut down operations entirely at the end of July, according to an email” to a partner company. [Washington Business Journal]
Worker Fears Bone Found in Vienna Is Human — “An employee found a bone in the parking lot [of 115 Park Street SE] that she believed may have been a human vertebrae. Officers sent a photo to the medical examiner who confirmed the bone was animal, not human remains.” [Vienna Police]
Pay Incentives Boosted FCPS Substitute Hirings — “An incentive program introduced to help fill substitute teacher jobs showed promising results in Fairfax County Public Schools last year…Teacher jobs had a substitute fill rate of about 83%, according to data obtained by WTOP through a Freedom of Information Act request. That’s a 9.5% improvement compared to the 2021-22 school year.” [WTOP]
Herndon Recognizes Pakistan Independence Day — “The Herndon Town Council has proclaimed August 14th as Pakistan Independence Day, or Yom e Azadi, to commemorate Pakistan’s independence from the UK in 1947. Herndon is the proud home of many Pakistani Americans.” [Town of Herndon Government/Facebook]
It’s Monday — There is a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm, with partly sunny skies and a high near 89°F. Monday night sees a 60% chance of increased precipitation, with intermittent showers and thunderstorms, mostly cloudy skies, and a low around 73°F. [Weather.gov]
Tomorrow will be the chance to taste Blend 111’s tapas and cocktails.
The European and Latin American fusion restaurant will serve diners one final time on Saturday (Aug. 12) after more than four years at 111 Church Street in Vienna, an employee confirmed.
In its place, restauranteur Nancy Sabbagh and chef Roberto Donna, her husband, are preparing to open Le Bistro, a pop-up French bistro that will serve traditional dishes like snails with garlic and parsley and pâté.
The couple are behind Roberto’s Ristorante Italiano, which opened on Feb. 8, 2022 at 144 Church Street NW — less than a block down the street from where Le Bistro will set up shop. Their plans were first shared publicly by Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema.
“No chemicals, no magic, no special prix cuisine, just great French, authentic style,” Donna said when asked about the menu.
Opened in August 2019 by longtime Vienna resident Michael Biddick, Blend 111 brought a mix of food and wine from Spain, France and Venezuela. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it closed temporarily and reinvented itself with a new culinary team and a popular outdoor patio shared with next-door neighbor, Bazin’s on Church.
The restaurant later introduced a seafood tapas pop-up, and its brunch was named a finalist in the 2022 RAMMY Awards, though a public vote gave the win to A&J Restaurant in Annandale.
However, Biddick clashed with town leaders and some residents living near Church Street who took issue with the noise levels from the patio. He said he was “deeply saddened and shocked” when the Vienna Town Council adopted outdoor dining rules in May 2022 that prohibited the patio, which has since turned back into parking spaces.
It’s unclear whether the loss of outdoor dining played a role in Blend 111’s demise, but Donna told Washingtonian yesterday that Biddick opted to return to his day job in the information technology world. He and Sabbagh decided to buy the space once it hit the market on Aug. 1.
The couple told FFXnow that they were contemplating an expansion based on the town’s embrace of Roberto’s, which is run by Sabbagh and serves both regular and seasonal menus designed by Donna.
“We’re so happy by the warmth and the love the community has shown us,” Sabbagh said. “We love Vienna and our surrounding areas. The neighbors have been incredible to us, which is obviously why we wanted to expand our business to another restaurant here.”
They were initially exploring the possibility of a pizzeria, but given how it was built out for Blend 111, they decided it would better suited for a more upscale concept.
With no construction planned beyond some interior design changes, Le Bistro will open in “about a month, give or take,” Sabbagh says. Though it’s conceived as a pop-up, the couple hasn’t ruled out the potential of a more permanent establishment.
“We’re going to see how the market is and how the community receives it,” Sabbagh said. “There’s a need for a French bistro, and we want to see what our community really is asking for and wants, so it’s a fun concept for us to try. We don’t have any real limits on ourselves. If…it’s not the right niche, then possibly we’ll visit the pizzeria concept again.”
