Valentine’s Day will be the final day of business for The Greek Taverna (6828 Old Dominion Dr.) after almost 28 years in McLean.
The impending closure was first reported yesterday by McLean Patch.
Co-owner Christos Karamanos told Tysons Reporter that a variety of factors led him and his wife Popi to decide to close the restaurant that they started in 1994.
Christos says business slowed down significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, with public health concerns discouraging many people from going out.
Closure became inevitable when attempts to negotiate terms for rent forgiveness with their landlord reached an impasse, but the couple is also reaching an age where they felt ready to move on after running the restaurant for 27 years.
“Greece is beautiful and that’s where I want to go spend a lot of time,” Karamanos said.
Still, leaving behind the McLean community when The Greek Taverna closes its doors for the last time on Sunday will not be easy.
The Greek Taverna offers a menu of shish-kabobs, pastitsio, and other cuisine from the Karamanos couple’s native Greece. They came to the U.S. in the 1970s, and this was their second restaurant in Northern Virginia, according to Patch.
“Our customers and friends, we’re going to miss them terribly,” Karamanos said. “I wish that things were different. We met a lot of good customers here and a lot of good friends too.”
Photo via Google Maps
Ribbon Cutting Held for New Scotts Run Trail — “Fairfax County leaders on Feb. 4 cut the ribbon for the new Scotts Run Trail, which with serpentine curves connects the Pimmit Hills neighborhood with the McLean Metro station on the eastern edge of Tysons.” [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]
Sunrise of McLean Residents Get COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic — Residents and employees of the assisted living community Sunrise of McLean “received their first doses at a clinic hosted by CVS on Jan. 28. Sunrise Senior Living is working to schedule a clinic for second doses within the next few weeks in coordination with CVS Health.” [Patch]
Vienna Inn Prepares 61st Anniversary Celebrations — “To mark the 61st anniversary, Vienna Inn is hoping to achieve a new goal with a 1960 meal challenge. The restaurant hopes to provide 1960 meals for front-line workers and first responders by the end of February.” [Patch]
School Board Criticized for Delaying Decision on New School Holidays — “Religious leaders in Northern Virginia are criticizing the Fairfax County Public School board after some members signaled they won’t back a task force’s recommendation to add…four additional days off to observe Jewish holidays Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Hindu festival Diwali and the Muslim celebration Eid al-Fitr.” [The Washington Post]
Fairfax County Seeks Community Input on Affordable Housing — A public comment period has opened on the one-year and five-year plans that guide Fairfax County’s housing and community development goals and how it spends the roughly $8.5 million in federal funds it receives annually to address community housing and human services needs. [Fairfax County Government]
A new pedestrian bridge and shared-use trail linking Tysons Corner Center to the McLean Metro station is on track to start construction this summer, the Virginia Department of Transportation says.
The project will introduce a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists over the Capital Beltway, along with a 4,662-foot-long, 10-foot-wide path between I-495 and Route 123 along the west side of Old Meadow Road.
“I think this is going to be a good thing for Tysons,” VDOT Senior Project Manager Abraham Lerner said. “It will continue to go along with the goals of the Board of Supervisors and Fairfax County staff to implement multimodal measures and to try to reduce the dependence on the private automobile.”
This pedestrian and bicycle improvement at the I-495/123 interchange has been in the works for years as part of a commitment that VDOT and Fairfax County made when the Beltway was widened to accommodate toll lanes.
The I-495 Express Lanes project, which was completed in November 2012, called for the addition of pedestrian and bicycle connections throughout the Beltway corridor from Braddock Road in Annandale to Lewinsville Road in McLean.
However, a crossing at the 123 interchange could not be built at the time because of “a number of physical and geometric reasons,” Lerner says. So, Fairfax County and the state committed to constructing one in the future.
About five years ago, VDOT and the county proposed building a trail along Route 123, but the idea drew public criticism given the safety risks of having crosswalks across multiple Beltway ramps, according to Chris Wells, who manages the Fairfax County Department of Transportation’s Active Transportation Program.
Transportation officials then looked at options for building an overhead bridge across I-495 near 123, rather than immediately at the interchange. Old Meadow Road emerged as the most feasible site.
“Because of the design of the Beltway itself and the express lanes, there was only this one location that we found where we could put a bridge pier in the middle of the Beltway,” Wells said. “Otherwise, we were going to have to span the entire Beltway with a larger bridge structure, which would’ve been much more expensive.”
VDOT held a public hearing on the project in June 2018, and the design was approved in November of that year. But Lerner says the right-of-way acquisition process took over nine months to complete, since the project needed land from six different properties.
The Dolley Madison Apartments and Encore Condominiums were affected the most, with residents citing concerns about the loss of trees, the potential impact on security and privacy, and the safety of a path with no separation between cyclists and pedestrians.
“Because of all the concerns, the issues that were raised during the public hearing process, we needed to work with [residents] to make sure we did the right-of-way acquisition in a very thorough manner,” Lerner said.
The public comment process also led VDOT to incorporate lighting in its design for the planned bridge over I-495.
While VDOT has not identified a contractor yet, construction is expected to cost $8.5 million. The project’s total $13.4 million cost has been fully financed with funds from federal, state, and local sources.
Because the path is off-road, Lerner says the only significant traffic impacts will come when crews work on the bridge over the Beltway. Construction is expected to take a year, concluding in the summer of 2022.
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said in a statement that she is “delighted” that work on the shared-use path and pedestrian bridge will start this summer.
“This bridge will encourage walking and biking, save time, and reduce automobile traffic and carbon emissions,” Palchik said. “Residents won’t have to jump in their cars to drive and park at the mall, and I’m pleased that VDOT will be installing a lighted bridge. We are grateful to the Old Meadow Road neighborhood who worked with the engineering teams to transition the property and make this bridge happen.”
Image via VDOT
CVS COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments Already Fully Booked — CVS is not scheduled to start appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine in Virginia until Friday (Feb. 12), but the available slots were quickly filled up after the registration system opened to state residents on Tuesday (Feb. 9). Only one CVS store in Fairfax County will receive doses in the initial rollout of the pharmacy’s partnership with the federal government. The Fairfax County Health Department says anyone who gets vaccinated by CVS or another provider should email the department to be taken off the county’s waitlist. [Inside NoVA, Fairfax County Health Department]
Virginia General Assembly Heads into Special Session — “Though the Virginia General Assembly technically adjourned on Monday with Republican members wanting to limit work to 30 days, Gov. Ralph Northam ordered a special session saying more time was needed to advance the state’s budget and pandemic relief efforts.” [WTOP]
McLean Eagle Scout Leads Blanket Drive — “For an Eagle Scout project, Eli Witkiewicz enlisted fellow members of Troop 1130 in McLean and their family members to make fleece blankets for Project Linus, a non-profit organization that provides handmade blankets to children in need.” [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]
McLean-Based ID.me Partners with Fellow Identity Services Provider — “ID.me, a federally certified identity verification platform, and Sterling, a leading provider of identity and background services, today [Tuesday] announced the launch of an exclusive partnership that brings a powerful new identity service offering to the employment and screening space.” [ID.me]
Staff Photo by Jay Westcott
Updated at 1:45 p.m. — The power outage that has affected hundreds of people in the McLean and Arlington area was the result of an equipment failure, Dominion Energy spokesperson Peggy Fox told Tysons Reporter.
Fox says the equipment has been repaired, but crews are still working to restore power to some customers, Dominion’s outage map shows.
Earlier: More than 700 people in McLean and Arlington just to the west of George Washington Memorial Parkway have lost power.
The outage has affected 738 customers from Kirby Road to the north and past Glebe Road to the south.
A Dominion Energy crew is currently assessing damage and investigating the cause of the outage. Power is expected to be restored between 1-4 p.m., according to the utility company’s power outage map.
Image via Dominion Energy
Unofficial Snowfall Totals from Sunday — In Fairfax County, snow accumulation from yesterday’s winter storm ranged from 0.8 inches in Langley to 2.9 inches in Herndon. 2.3 inches were recorded around Wolf Trap, and one inch at Dunn Loring and Falls Church, according to unofficial observations. [National Weather Service]
Fall into Ravine Injures Person in McLean — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department units responded to the 9000 block of Old Dominion Drive around 2:15 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 6) when a person fell 12 feet into a ravine. The individual was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. [FCFRD/Twitter]
Falls Church CVS to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccine — “The News-Press has confirmed that the CVS Pharmacy at 134 W. Broad Street in downtown Falls Church will function as a distribution site for the Covid-19 vaccine effort.” CVS announced last week that vaccinations will roll out to stores in 11 states, including Virginia, starting this Thursday (Feb. 11). [Falls Church News-Press, CVS Health]
Fairfax County Imagines Tysons “Green Artery” — County officials have envisioned building a pedestrian/bicycle path and adding greenery, public art, and other amenities under the Metro Silver Line tracks through Tysons to make those spaces look more attractive. [Greater Greater Washington]
The McLean Citizens Association (MCA) board of directors passed a resolution last night (Wednesday) in support of an indepedent living community for seniors that has been proposed for Chain Bridge Road.
Under the name Tri-State Chain Bridge LLC, the McLean-based Tri-State Development Companies has applied for a special exception from Fairfax County to construct a facility with 35 attached condominium units and a 3,600 square-foot clubhouse on a 3.2-acre site at 1638 and 1642 Chain Bridge Road across from Davidson Road.
“The MCA supports this Application because of the desirable and unique situation of the Property for this kind of housing and because it meets an expressed need of the senior residents of McLean,” the MCA resolution says.
However, MCA’s support of the project comes with some conditions.
The community group recommends that Tri-State commit to paying for the installation of a traffic light at the Chain Bridge and Davidson intersection if Virginia and Fairfax County transportation officials ever determine that one is needed.
Tri-State’s statement of justification to Fairfax County states that “a signal is not warranted” for that intersection. A traffic impact assessment found that the proposed facility would generate approximately seven trips during morning peak hours and nine trips during the evening peak, producing an estimated total of 85 daily trips.
MCA board member Winnie Pizzano, who lives near the proposed development site on Westmoreland Street, suggested setting a limit on how long the developer could be obligated to pay for a potential traffic light.
“I’d like to have a light there. It would make a big difference. But I’m not convinced that there’s enough traffic flowing up Davidson,” Pizzano said. “…In the long term, you’re asking this association to pay for a light, the need for which may be generated by other communities that could be built along there.”
The board discussed Pizzano’s proposal, but it was not incorporated into the final resolution.
Other conditions attached to MCA’s support of the project include requirements that Tri-State contract with a transportation service to facilitate outings for residents of the independent living community and a healthcare provider so residents have around-the-clock access.
“The applicant should be bound to stronger covenants to better assure that the contemplated services for seniors will in fact be provided and that the age limitations are enforced,” MCA Planning and Zoning Committee Chair Scott Spitzer said.
A Fairfax County planning staff report on the Tri-State project is scheduled to be released on Feb. 9 before the proposal goes before the county planning commission for a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 24.
Image via Google Maps
The hair salon KLS Studios is moving to the Tysons area.
Tysons Reporter’s affiliate site, Reston Now, reported yesterday that the salon had closed its existing venue at the North Point Village Center on Jan. 30. It is currently operating out of Spa Noa in Reston on a temporary basis.
Co-owner Stephanie Gardiner Stout confirmed to Tysons Reporter that KLS Studios has found a new home at Tysons Dulles Plaza on 1430 Spring Hill Road in McLean. It will be located in Suite 100.
“We moved because we wanted to be in a more urban environment,” Gardiner said.
Gardiner co-founded KLS Studios in 2010 with Karen Grimm. They envisioned having a salon managed and operated by its senior staff, who would also serve as mentors for other members of its hair team.
Describing KLS as “a color specialist salon more than anything,” Gardiner says the new salon will be a more industrial, high-tech space than the previous venue in Reston.
According to property owner CBRE, the suite is 1,671 square feet in size and can be found on the ground floor of the Tysons Dulles Plaza building, which also counts Orangetheory Fitness among its tenants.
Some permits are still pending, but the KLS Studios team anticipates opening the new McLean location in early or mid-March, Gardiner says.
Photo via Google Maps
Winter Weather Advisory in Effect Until 10 A.M. — The D.C. area could experience light freezing rain and ice accumulations up to an inch this morning. Travelers should expect slippery road conditions, slow down, and use caution. [National Weather Service]
Fairfax County Police Chief Retires — Edwin C. Roessler officially retires today after leading the Fairfax County Police Department for eight years. He oversaw key reforms, such as the creation of a civilian review board and the introduction of body-worn cameras, but some officers reported “a disconnect” with department leaders on issues like discipline, compensation, communications and promotions. Deputy County Executive for Public Safety Dave Rohrer is now serving as interim chief as a search for a permanent successor continues. [The Washington Post]
Falls Church Nonprofit Theater Gets Permanent Home — “After a tumultuous six-year journey, Creative Cauldron will have a new home, thanks to the hard work and tenacity of Insight Property Group and the City to bring the best possible project to the Broad and Washington Crossroads.” [Falls Church News-Press]
McLean Art Teacher Finds Success with Zoom Classes — “[Pamela] Saunders, a mom of two who has taught in McLean since 2004, typically teaches classes at Brooksfield School, Chesterbrook Elementary, Franklin Sherman Elementary and Kent Gardens Elementary. But once the pandemic hit, she moved from the classroom to Zoom so students could continue art lessons while staying home.” [Patch]
Photo by Craig Fingar
Fairfax County Expects COVID-19 Vaccine Supply to Remain Limited Until March — The county health department has vaccinated approximately 35,200 people since late December, but the current waitlist has more than 156,000 residents. The pace of incoming doses is not expected to increase until March due to changes in the state’s allocation procedures. [Fairfax County Health Department]
Representatives Request Mass Vaccination Site for NoVA — “Representatives Gerald Connolly, Don Beyer, and Jennifer Wexton, who are all Democrats, sent a joint letter Tuesday to Robert Fenton, FEMA’s acting administrator, requesting that Northern Virginia be selected as the location of one of the 100 community mass vaccination sites that the Biden administration has proposed creating throughout the country as part of its effort to combat the covid pandemic.” [Washingtonian]
Verizon Outage Disrupts Remote Learning for Students — A cut fiber cable in Brooklyn took out Google, Slack, Amazon, and other sites for many Verizon customers on the East Coast, including in the D.C. area. Fairfax County Public Schools acknowledged that the issue might prevent students from logging into their online classes. [Washington Post, FCPS/Twitter]
Lidl Eyes May Opening for Merrifield Plaza Store — Updated at 11:05 a.m. — The grocery store chain announced that it would move into a space previously occupied by Office Depot last June. The $5 million renovation is happening in conjunction with a facelift for the entire shopping plaza. [Greater Merrifield Business Association]
McLean Contractor Lands $87 Million Deal with Navy — “McLean-based defense contractor Alion Science and Technology Corp. announced Monday it has received an $87 million task order to help the Naval Surface Warfare Center develop a vertical launching system and training equipment for the naval base in Port Hueneme, California.” [Virginia Business]
Staff Photo by Jay Westcott
