A task force meeting next week will tackle proposed retail, residential and public facilities near the University of Virginia Northern Virginia Center, as Fairfax County looks to revamp an area by the West Falls Church Metro station.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and Virginia Tech submitted proposals as part of the county’s 2017 Site-Specific Plan Amendment Process.

The county has initiated a planning study of the proposals, which would add public facilities and government mixed-use and possibly residential units, on the WMATA parcels and up to 130 dwelling units and 43,800 square feet of retail and office space on the Northern Virginia Center parcels.

“The proximity of the Northern Virginia Center property to the WMATA site presents an opportunity to plan the area in a more holistic manner,” the Fairfax County website says. “This approach would allow consideration of their joint land use, transportation, and public facility impacts. Therefore, the proposals will be evaluated concurrently as a special study separate from the Site-Specific Plan Amendment process timeline.”

A community meeting in January gave an overview of the county’s planning and review process.

After that meeting, a task force made up of residents in the area has been working with the county to evaluate the proposals to make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. The task force is analyzing transportation, public facilities, schools and environmental impacts.

The task force meeting, which is open to the public, is set for Tuesday, May 21, from 7-9 p.m., at The Northern Virginia Center (7054 Haycock Road) in Falls Church.

In addition to the task force, the county plans to hold meetings to get the community’s input.

First image via Google Maps and second image via Fairfax County 

The Falls Church City Council recently voted to move forward a series of developments that would transform the area south of the West Falls Church Metro station into a new commercial center and gateway into the city.

The council unanimously approved the signing of a comprehensive agreement with EYA, PN Hoffman and Regency Centers for their planned development of nearly 10 acres at the George Mason High School, the Falls Church News-Press reported.

The current George Mason High School is set to be demolished and replaced with a new commercial area like the Mosaic District in Merrifield.

The approval of the comprehensive agreement now allows the Falls Church City Schools to solidify plans for the construction of a new high school next to the current one, the Falls Church News-Press noted.

The council decided to delay a final vote to July 8 on the specific exception entitlement after the development faced last-minute changes, which included removing the structured parking lot near the new high school and reverting back to a surface lot for school use, according to the Falls Church News-Press.

Rendering via City of Falls Church

The Capital Bikeshare network soon could reach out to even more spots in the Tysons area.

At a Fairfax County Board Transportation Committee meeting today (Tuesday), staff went through plans to add new bike share stations throughout Tysons, Vienna and Merrifield, with potential to add them to McLean.

Currently, 30 Capital Bikeshare stations are located in Fairfax County, with 16 in Reston, 13 in Tysons, and one at the West Falls Church Metro station. The most recent Capital Bikeshare station in Tysons was installed in December at the McLean Metro station. On Friday (May 17) a new station is scheduled to activate at Hilton Headquarters (7930 Jones Branch Drive) on the other side of the Jones Branch Connector.

There are 17 proposed locations for new Capital Bikeshare docks in the Tysons area to be launched next year — including docks along the Route 7 corridor between Tysons and Falls Church and the Gallows Road corridor between Tysons and Merrifield.

In Merrifield, three new stations are planned to activate on May 22 at:

• Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station (2700 Gallows Road)
• Halstead Square Dunn Loring Metro Apartments (2729 Merrilee Drive)
• The Mosaic District (Merrifield Cinema Drive)

Six new stations are planned to launch in the area next spring.

A collaborative study for bike share expansion in Vienna was completed in March, and staff said the study recommended expanding the system throughout Vienna and considering a dockless bike share feature sometime in the future.

Along that route, Fairfax County recommends additional stations at:

• Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station (2700 Gallows Road)
• Vienna Metro station (9550 Saintsbury Drive)
• Gallows Road corridor
• Nottoway Park (9537 Courthouse Road)
• Circle Towers (9335 Lee Highway)

The Capital Bikeshare expansion in the study area is planned to be funded from the I-66 Commuter Choice program.

In the Town of Vienna, new bike share locations are proposed at:

• Town Green (144 Maple Avenue E.)
• Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street S.E.)
• Maple Avenue Shopping Center (180 Maple Avenue W.)
• Navy Federal Credit Union (820 Follins Lane)
• 444 Maple Avenue W. (currently a redevelopment project)

Yesterday (Monday), Capital Bikeshare also expanded into Falls Church with 11 stations.

There are few details, but the staff report indicates that future expansion could add the Capital Bikeshare to other areas like McLean.

A casual Italian restaurant is set to open later this month in downtown Falls Church.

Named after the couple that runs the restaurant, Thompson Italian will fill the former space (124 N. Washington Street) of Argia — another Italian restaurant.

Gabe Thompson, who was the executive chef for RPM Italian in D.C., plans to incorporate seasonal, local ingredients into the menu, while pastry chef and Arlington native Katherine Thompson will oversee the desserts, Arlington Magazine reported.

From the restaurant’s Facebook page:

Thompson Italian is a family affair–one that started when Katherine and Gabe met in 2007 while working in New York City’s top Italian restaurants. More than ten years and two children later, the Thompson’s are bringing their inventive and inviting cuisine to downtown Falls Church. Inspired by traditional Italian and flavors from a Texas background, Gabe’s menu is a modern interpretation of an osteria that features local produce and handmade pastas made from scratch daily. Katherine’s dessert menu features cannoli, cake, gelato, and sorbet, all changing with the seasons. Thompson Italian will open for dinner service in late May, followed by lunch and brunch service this summer.

While the restaurant says that it will post its menu soon on social media, diners can look forward to Katherine’s olive oil cake with crème fraîche mousse, raisin jam and Maldon salt, which the Facebook posts says “will definitely be making an appearance.”

The restaurant currently has a pending liquor license application to serve wine and beer.

Thompson Italian’s Facebook says that it plans to open in late May.

Photo via Facebook

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

I’ve seen so many memes going around Facebook that make fun of women in their 30s and 40s and our early bedtimes.

One of my favorites says “One day you’re 23 enjoying happy hour in a crowded bar, the next you’re in your 30s avoiding social events and watching murder documentaries to relax.” Truer words have never been spoken. So if you’re in the mood to leave the house and be social, here are some ladies night ideas to try out:

• Music Venues: Jammin Java has an 80s night, which includes food and drinks, or the 80s coverband the Legwarmers at State Theater in Falls Church. The State Theater also has 90s night in August.
• If art and wine are more your thing, try Muse Paintbar in Mosaic.
• Trivia night might be another low key option if the neon side ponytails are not your thing. You could try Lost Dog, Blackfinn, Caboose Commons, Art’s Tavern or Paddy’s Bar for trivia.
• If you’re looking for moral support to try a new exercise class, there are a few Spin classes, Purre Barre, Orange Theory, Crossift on Mill Street, or tons of Yoga options.
• Another artistic option is Board & Brush, where you can create your own wood sign.
• There’s a hidden gem among Vienna called the Culinaria Cooking School, where you can sign up for a cooking class.

I would LOVE to hear from you on ideas or topics for future posts. What are you looking for and/or what info do you need?

Tysons Companies on “50 Great Places to Work in Washington” List — Washingtonian’s roundup of great places to work focused on flexibility, including these Tysons companies: Cassaday & Company, Insignia Federal Group and Splunk. Novetta in McLean and Glassman Wealth Services in Vienna also made the list. [Washingtonian]

McLean Students Win National Merit Scholarships — “Six students from McLean have been named winners of the 2019 National Merit $2,500 Scholarship. The merit scholar winners, announced Wednesday, were among 2,500 winners nationwide and were selected from a pool of more than 15,000 finalists.” [McLean Patch]

Fallen Tree Briefly Closed McLean Road Today — The Fairfax County Police Department tweeted that a fallen tree closed Old Dominion Drive between Balls Hill and Swinks Mill roads in McLean for about two hours earlier this morning. The road reopened shortly after 8 a.m. [FCPD/Twitter]

Where Providence District Candidates Stand on Walkability, Growth — Four of the five candidates running for the Providence District Supervisor seat answered a questionnaire from Greater Greater Washington about affordable housing, walkability and transportation. [Greater Greater Washington]

Kids’ Entertainer Faces Child Pornography Charges — “Police believe Steven Rossi, who goes by the stage name ‘Mr. Knick Knack,’ had numerous files containing illicit images. He was arrested on April 30 and is scheduled to appear in court on June 11… Investigators do not believe that Rossi had contact with the children in the images.” Rossi performed at the Silver Diner Tysons Corner in February. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800. [Reston Now]

A Peek Inside The Boro Development — A reporter is sharing what a recent tour around the Boro Tower, the 20-story building at 8350 Broad Street. [Washington Business Journal]

Falls Church Hospice Care Provider Moving — “Hospice services provider Capital Caring will relocate its headquarters later this year to a 50,000-square-foot space in Falls Church as part of an organizational expansion. The nonprofit Capital Caring plans to sell its current 31,000-square-foot space at 2900 Telestar Court… The organization has signed a 15-year lease for its new space at 3180 Fairview Park Drive.” [Washington Business Journal]

Updated at 10:05 a.m. — Police tweeted before 10 a.m., “The traffic signal was repaired and officers have cleared the intersection.”

Fairfax County police want people to avoid Shreve Road and W. Broad Street in Falls Church.

The intersection is just south of the West Falls Church Metro station and right by Giant and George Mason High School.

The police department tweeted shortly after 8 a.m. today (May 9) that the area is experiencing a traffic signal problem.

“Please use caution while officers control the intersection,” the tweet said.

UPDATE: The traffic signal was repaired and officers have cleared the intersection. Thanks for your patience. #FCPD #FairfaxCountyhttps://t.co/Dacmzj5C2Z

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) May 9, 2019

Map via Google Maps 

The regionwide Capital Bikeshare is scheduled to open in Falls Church on Wednesday (May 8).

There are 11 new stations in total, with six located either on Broad Street or within one block of it, according to Falls Church Communications Director Susan Finarelli. Other new stations include one at the West Falls Church Metro and one near a bicycle trail near Tripps Run Creek.

The stations are planned to activate this week for a “soft opening” with an official ribbon-cutting planned Monday (May 13), according to Finarelli.

The stations offer bicycles to rent through a membership and can be ridden to any other Capital Bikeshare station.

“We’re excited to be connecting to the regional network,” said Finarelli.

Finarelli said the opening is planned for 6:30 p.m. at the Capital Bikeshare station between Clare & Don’s Beach Shack and The State Theater on N. Washington Street.

Delighted to see @bikeshare has reached #FallsChurch. Thanks, @FallsChurchGov pic.twitter.com/uClakx2yA7

— FallsChurchLife (@FallsChurchLife) May 2, 2019

Map via City of Falls Church

Fairfax County is looking for election officers for the June 11 Democratic primary election.

The Fairfax County Office of Elections needs officers to serve in parts of Falls Church, Vienna and McLean.

Officers will be paid $175 for a full day or they can volunteer their time.

Registered Virginia voters can sign up online, call 703-324-4735, TTY 711 or email [email protected]. Before they can work at polling locations, election officers must complete a three-hour training. Training classes will be offered through late May.

Bilingual election officers who can speak Korean or Vietnamese, in addition to English, are also needed, especially in Falls Church.

On election day, officers will arrive at the polling place at 5 a.m. before the polls open at 6 a.m. and stay about an hour after polls close at 7 p.m. to help tally votes and pack up equipment.

Some of the officers’ responsibilities throughout the day might include helping voters with voting machines, monitoring phone lines, putting up signs, answering questions and checking in voters, according to a Fairfax County Government video. “Experienced election officers will be on hand to help or handle tricky situations,” the video says.

Flickr pool photo by Mrs. Gemstone

(Updated 2:35 p.m.) Falls Church Police have made two arrests after they say a massage parlor customer was sexually assaulted.

“Police responded to Rainbow Massage (800 W Broad St., Unit 101) after a victim reported inappropriate touching during a massage,” according to a police press release.

On Friday (April 19) police arrested 60-year-old Dongfang Chen and 55-year-old Zao Wen Xie. Chen was charged with Sexual Battery and Massage Permit Violations. Xie was charged with allowing an Unlicensed Massage.

Detectives believe there may be more victims, the press release says. Anyone with information can contact the City of Falls Church Police at 703-248-5053.

More from the press release:

Per City Code Sec. 8-74, a massage establishment must have a permit to operate in the City of Falls Church. All massage therapists must be certified by both the Virginia Board of Nursing and have a massage therapist permit from the City of Falls Church. Customers have the right to view all appropriate permits and licenses upon request.

Image via Google Maps