Editor’s note: Starting March 24, Tysons Reporter will have “Morning Notes” every weekday instead of twice a week to accommodate more news.
Here are the latest stories about the Tysons area that the Tysons Reporter team has been reading:
Tysons-Based Appian Tracking COVID-19 — Appian has an application that is free to its members and companies with more than 1,000 employees. The COVID-19 Response Management application collects employees’ health information and locations, keeping it in a HIPAA-compliant cloud. [Appian]
Sick? Stay Away From Fire Stations — “Unless it is a case of severe difficulty breathing or illness: there is very little, if anything we can do as far as treatment for flu symptoms. We also have NO way to determine what kind of virus someone might have. If you are feeling sick, please do not visit a fire station for evaluation.” [Fairfax County Professional Firefighters & Paramedics/Facebook]
Real ID Deadline Delayed — “President Trump on Monday said the federal government will delay requirements for Americans to obtain a Real ID to travel, citing the coronavirus.” [The Hill]
Closed Tysons Tower Club Fundraising — “During this time of uncertainty and challenge, the Women in Business Committee of the Club (WIBC) has set up the Tower Club Employee Relief Fund to help support the amazing staff of the Club who work hard to make each of us and our guests feel at home. All proceeds will be distributed to Tower Club Employees.” [GoFundMe]
The Kensington Needs Supplies — “Clorox wipes and 500 adult face masks are needed at the facility where two residents have tested positive for Covid-19. N95 respirators are preferred but the center will take any masks, including DIY versions.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Plenty of shelf-stable food at the Lebanese Butcher in Falls Church pic.twitter.com/V1dPQAanVn
— Falls Church Views (@fallschurchview) March 23, 2020
1 Million Cups Fairfax decided to move weekly meetings online to keep helping local startups and tech gurus during the coronavirus outbreak.
The group’s meetings and community events, which were usually in-person on Wednesday mornings, will be held online until further notice through a free digital software called Zoom, Silvia Ferguson, a spokesperson for the group, said.
Ferguson added that more details will be released online shortly.
1 Million Cups Fairfax, which is a part of a chapter initiative, allows local entrepreneurs to network with one another and receive feedback on business pitches.
Though Ferguson said that she isn’t sure how the economic downturn will potentially affect startups, she did say that members of Office Evolution — a co-working space that sponsors 1 Million Cups — and attendees that she has spoken to seem to be in good spirits.
The next 1 Million Cups Event will be held digitally this Wednesday (March 25) from 9-10 a.m. People should be able to visit the event page soon for an updated link to the digital event, according to Ferguson.
Photo via 1 Million Cups/Facebook
(Updated at 12:55 p.m.) The streets and shops around Tysons are growing increasingly deserted as more and more people stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic.
It appears that local residents are taking social distancing and staying at home — if possible — seriously from photos sent to Tysons Reporter by readers to a visit by our staff photographer last week.
Traffic data from Google Maps showed that traffic was reduced around 10 a.m. than it normally is at the same time on most Mondays.
The Virginia Department of Transportation’s traffic cameras show few cars on Leesburg Pike in Pimmit Hills, Chain Bridge Road at the Tysons-Vienna border, Route 50 in Falls Church and I-66 in Merrifield.
Meanwhile, I-495 near Old Dominion Drive in McLean had some cars on the highway, the cameras show.
On Wednesday (March 18). Jay Westcott, Tysons Reporter’s staff photographer, noticed a “fair amount” of traffic in the area, but less congestion on I-66 in the morning.
Westcott noted that usually busy streets around Tysons were empty.
Traffic camera footage in Tysons, McLean, Vienna, Falls Church and Merrifield this morning: https://t.co/lUBvJiaKJx pic.twitter.com/cnGaRqyp02
— Catherine Douglas Moran (@c_douglasmoran) March 23, 2020
@TysonsReporter Right now on Route 7 Leesburg Pike.
Photo by Ed Schudel pic.twitter.com/MdIH6XAq1h— WFO (@WFOcom) March 22, 2020
Not that there would be much to do for people who decide to venture outside — movie theaters, performing arts centers and many retailers are temporarily closed or pivoted to online options, while events have been canceled.
While they are still open, Tysons Galleria and Tysons Corner Center have altered their hours of operations and upped their cleaning schedules.
Local resident David Endres recently spotted seating blocked off at various spots in Tysons Corner Center:
To lower the risk of spreading the virus, eateries that have not temporarily closed have switched to delivery and take-out only options.
Westcott spotted orange plastic fencing around the seats at the McDonald’s at the intersection of Old Courthouse and Chain Bridge roads.
Meanwhile, Endres noticed these signs around Capital One’s headquarters near the McLean Metro station:
While Westcott saw few people in downtown Tysons by the malls, he did spot several people getting fresh air at local parks, like Spring Hill District Park, and along the W&OD Trail in Vienna.
While Fairfax County has closed its indoor park facilities and recreation, nature and community centers through March 29, people can still use the county’s outdoor parks and trails.
Have you recently snapped some photos of what the Tysons area is like right now? Feel free to share them with us by sending them to [email protected] or DMing us on our social media accounts: Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Staff photographer Jay Westcott contributed to this story
An employee at Tysons-based Alarm.com has tested positive for coronavirus.
“We can confirm that an employee who works in our Tysons HQ facility tested positive,” Christopher Basso, a spokesperson for the company, told Tysons Reporter.
Headquartered at 8281 Greensboro Drive, Suite 100, the company offers security systems for homes and businesses.
“We continue to make the health and security of our employees and our communities our top priority and have taken the recommended actions to reduce the likelihood of further spread,” Basso said.
Several other employees at other Tysons-based businesses have tested positive for the virus as well, including someone who works for a tenant at 8075 Leesburg Pike, a Capital One employee and an employee for a tenant at 7799 Leesburg Pike.
Image via Google Maps
The fire station in Tysons is at the top of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue’s list of old fire stations that need updates.
During the Planning Commission’s hearing on the Capital Improvements Program for fiscal years 2021-2025, Assistant Fire Chief Jason Jenkins said that Tysons Fire Station 29 is one of six stations built in the 1970s and 1980s that the fire department wants to revamp.
“Any of the fire stations built in the 1970s through the 1980s are reaching the end of their life,” Jenkins said. “Their capabilities, their flexibilities, their workforce — it becomes challenging to have to relocate personnel due to the lack of capabilities.”
Fire Station 29 in Tysons (1560 Spring Hill Road) was built in 1978 and is roughly 9,500 square feet, according to the CIP presentation.
Jenkins gave an overview of the plethora of deficiencies at Fire Station 29, which include:
- too few apparatus bays (three)
- inadequate living quarters for women
- limited gym and fitness area
- lack of decontamination area
- lack of fire sprinklers in apparatus bays
As the population boom continues in the county, Jenkins said that the fire facilities need to be able to expand.
In response to Commissioner Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner’s question “How do we do fire fighting in the high-rise level?” Jenkins said that fire stations need to have double the equipment to cut back their response times, which are increased due to building heights.
“So in lieu of waiting for a neighboring station to respond to a high-rise, you have duplicative resources that can respond simultaneously,” he said, adding that those resources include double the engines and paramedic units.
Now, the fire department is looking to double the size of the fire station, which would have five drive-thru bays, with funding from development proffers.
A proffer for the fire station that was negotiated in 2011 currently covers about 10% of the project’s cost.
More from the proposed CIP:
$1,417,152 has been received to date from negotiated proffer obligations to support the design and construction of a 5-bay replacement Tysons Fire Station. Additional proffer funding for the fire station will be provided as the designated Tysons development occurs.
“We have enough funding to start the design of the project,” a staffer from the Department of Public Works said.
Originally, the fire station was going to be built on the bottom of high-rise, but the plans fell through, Laurie Stone, a planner for the fire department, said. Now, the developer is providing the proffer funding over time.
“It was going to be the first proffered fire station,” Stone said. “We’re going to need the station before we have all of the proffer funding.”
The design process for the fire station begins early this spring, Jenkins said. Elsewhere around Tysons, work is underway to build the new Fire Station 44 near the McLean Metro station.
Image via Google Maps
Happy Friday. Here are the latest stories about the Tysons area that the Tysons Reporter team has been reading:
Non-Coronavirus News:
McLean Student Nabs State Pageant Title — “McKenzie Watt, the 9-year-old daughter of Philip and Andra Watt of McLean, has been awarded the title ‘Little Miss of Virginia’ 2019-20 and moves on to national competition.” [Inside Nova]
Religious Broadcaster Wants Tysons-Based Tegna — “Phoenix investment firm Najafi Cos. is teaming with a faith-based broadcaster in Texas in an effort to buy Tysons-based Tegna Inc.” [Washington Business Journal]
New Format for Vienna Candidates Debate — “The Vienna town government will record and repeatedly broadcast an audience-free Vienna Town Council candidate debate to be held April 2.” [Inside NoVa]
Coronavirus News:
FCPS Prepping for Distance Learning — “If FCPS schools cannot reopen as scheduled on April 14, our plan is to begin distance learning either online, or by learning packets at that time. Over the next two weeks, we will begin distance learning training for teachers and give teachers the opportunity to plan and prepare for distance instruction and reconnect with their students. ” [FCPS]
COVID-19 Hurting Little City Restaurants — “The hospitality industry in Falls Church and beyond is being hit especially hard with the public ramping up its social distancing effort and authorities implementing new restrictions on restaurant and bar service in an effort the prevent the spread of COVID-19.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Tysons CEO Slams Social Distancing — “Michael Saylor, the CEO and founder of Tysons technology firm MicroStrategy Inc., called social distancing measures enacted to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus ‘soul stealing and debilitating’ and stated the company would not close any of its offices around the world unless legally required to do so.” — [Washington Business Journal]
McLean Group Helping At-Risk People — “Unlike most of her peers, senior Sophie Howery has been spending her time off to help fight the spread of the virus. To do this, Howery created the Fairfax County Community COVID Aid Project, hoping to help support those who may be at risk of contracting the coronavirus.” [The Highlander]
How Will COVID-19 Impact the Local Economy? — The Stephen S. Fuller Institute at George Mason University’s recent report says that “the Washington region’s economy will also contract in the last three quarters of 2020, primarily because of decreased consumer spending and lost productivity.” [Washingtonian]
Tysons’ 1st Stage Theatre is taking it day by day as businesses around the Tysons area face closures and uncertain futures due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The theater recently announced that the suspension of its upcoming productions due to concerns about spreading the coronavirus. Plans for “A New Brain,” which was set to run March 26-April 19, are still to be determined.
The coronavirus announcement came a few days after the theater unveiled its upcoming shows for the 2020-2021 season.
Tysons Reporter talked to 1st Stage’s Artistic Director Alex Levy about the upcoming season, impacts of the coronavirus and ways people can help support the Tysons theater.
Tysons Reporter: The theater announced that it will compensate the production personnel “most impacted by this sudden closure” and that the performers, designers and technicians for the show will be paid their full contract salary. Are other theaters doing that or just 1st Stage?
Alex Levy: I won’t speak for everybody else. I know a lot of other theaters are not able to do that. I’m really proud to be at this theater where all of the artists for this season and for “A New Brain” will get paid in full.
TR: Walk me through how you picked the five shows for the 2020-2021 season.
AL: It’s a long and complicated process. We read hundreds of plays every year to come to the right collage of plays to make up a season. We have an aesthetic here at 1st Stage.
As the only professional theater in our area, we are trying to provide something for everyone. The entire staff spends well over a yeat reading plays and fitting them together.
It’s a multitiered approach.
We have a database of plays we look at — playwrights who excite us or topics that are interesting to us or plays at other theaters. The rule here is that first reader should be thinking of anything practical — not if it will sell or who the actors will be — if they feel it would be right for us. If the second reader likes it, then it will go to the whole team.
Ultimately, it’s my decision, but with input from everybody.
TR: Is there usually a certain number of finalists?
AL: No. Excellence is at the top of our list. It’s about a season. We don’t stop until we get the right five plays.
We have things we look for in plays. We look for plays we think are worthy of really great artists and engaged audiences. We look for plays that have a unique place. We look for plays that have writing for the stage — we’re not looking for things that work in a movie or TV show or novel.
We also look at angles — music, comedy, drama, traditionally structured plays, more experimental work.
TR: So you’ve already started planning the 2021-2022 season?
AL: Yes. With the coronavirus, we have a lot more reading time lately. We are well into 2021-2022.
TR: How is the coronavirus impacting all of this?
AL: I don’t think I can overstate how scary this is for both organizations and for individuals. The idea of being out of business for a prolonged period of time is terrifying.
The arts usually have not been prioritized the way I think they ought to be in state and local governments. There is a fear that we’re not being remembered in conversations on how to boost businesses up.
For actors and staff, this is a gig economy. We’ve made a commitment to make sure all the artists get paid.
We are pausing our productions. We are hopeful the next show we produce will be “A New Brain.”
TR: What are some things people can do to help 1st Stage out financially?
AL: Subscriptions are a really great way to support us. It’s incredibly helpful to know people will come back.
We are a charitable organization, so people can make tax-deductible donations.
Our biggest concern right now is keeping everyone employed and paid.
TR: Are you planning fundraisers?
AL: We know that is going to have to happen. There will absolutely be opportunities to join us in the near future.
TR: Are you considering any digital or online alternatives?
AL: It’s complicated — it can be a significant expense and there are legal issues too. Some writers in the union are trying to relax those rules.
We are going to launch next week aggressive social media content with music and storytelling. People can look out for that.
We just want to put some good energy out to folks because times are tough. There’s a little piece of “A New Brain” that we recorded for our recent benefit on our Facebook page.
I suppose anything is possible. We are very aware that we don’t know what the future will look like. We have to wait and see how the changes, hopefully in weeks, not months.
This interview has been lightly condensed and edited for clarity.
Images (2-3) via 1st Stage
Crews are working on the new Scotts Run Fire and Rescue Station 44 in Tysons East.
The project broke ground in September on the new fire station (1766 Old Meadow Lane), which will relieve the overburdened Fire Station 29 by the Spring Hill Metro station.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tweeted yesterday (Wednesday) photos of the work being done to build the two-story station, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The fire station — which Fairfax County planners want to achieve LEED certification, according to TRINITY Group Construction — will have three bays, offices, living quarters for up to 12 crew members per shift and restrooms for people using the future adjacent athletic fields.
The parking lot for the fire station will have 22 spots for staff members and four public parking spaces.
The fire station was part of a proffer for Cityline Partners LLC’s Scotts Run Station South development.
Photos via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter
Movie theaters and performing arts venues in the Tysons area have shut down the coronavirus pandemic continues.
The temporary closures come on the heels of the White House recommending that gatherings with 10 people or more be avoided.
Yesterday (Tuesday), Gov. Ralph Northam issued an order “that allows law enforcement to enforce a ban that prohibits more than 10 patrons in places such as restaurants, fitness centers and theaters,” Inside NoVa reported.
The newly opened Showplace Icon (1667 Silver Hill Drive) in The Boro is now “temporarily closed until further notice,” according to its website.
Over at Tysons Corner Center, which is open with reduced hours, AMC Tysons Corner 16 “is temporarily closed in accordance with local, state and federal guidelines,” according to the AMC website.
“It will re-open when those guidelines allow,” the site said. “Please continue to check back here for updates.”
Yesterday, the Angelika Film Center in the Mosaic District announced a temporary closure.
“The health and well-being of our guests and our theater teams is our top priority, and we believe that this step will be the most effective way to both retain that priority and mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” says a note on the theater’s website.
The theater did not say when it plans to reopen.
Tickets bought in advance –either from Angelika or from a third-party vendor — for movie showtimes that won’t play due to the closure can be refunded.
Performing arts-goers will have to wait to watch their next play or concert in the Tysons area.
Tysons’ 1st Stage Theatre announced yesterday that it’s suspending upcoming productions.
Plans for the theater’s upcoming production of “A New Brain,” which was set to run March 26-April 19, are uncertain at this point.
The Alden Theatre at the McLean Community Center is closed until April 12.
Wolf Trap is postponing all of its performances, classes and events between March 13-31.
“We are working with the artists to reschedule their performances for future dates and will share that information as it becomes available,” according to Wolf Trap’s website. “All current tickets will be honored for the rescheduled performances.”
All of the public shows between now and April 3 are postponed at The State Theatre in Falls Church.
Updated 12:45 p.m. — Updates information on the Board of Supervisors’ meeting on March 24.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission has canceled its meetings for the rest of March. Here are the proposed projects that have delayed for consideration this spring.
The Planning Commission was originally set to hold a public hearing tonight (Wednesday) on a continuing care facility near Wolf Trap. The facility would have 172 beds at 9439 Leesburg Pike, according to county documents.
Now, the Planning Commission will consider the proposal on April 22.
A public hearing on plans to open Valo Park, an office park in Tysons, to the public and add restaurants, a 9/11 memorial and a bocce court has been postponed from the now-canceled meeting next Wednesday (March 25) to April 2.
London-based Tamares is looking to redesign roughly 19,000 square feet of the ground floor space and some areas of the garage to accommodate new retail and restaurants, according to the applications submitted to the county.
The plans also include an outdoor gaming area with a bocce court, horseshoes, cornhole and a fire pit. The public would be able to use a 20,000-square-foot health club, along with a possible rock climbing facility.
While the county’s Board of Supervisors will have its meeting on Tuesday (March 24), the public hearing on the office tower near the McLean Metro station will be postponed, according to a county spokesperson.
It’s unclear yet if coronavirus-prompted changes will impact the dates for two mixed-use projects by the Spring Hill Metro stop, which are set to go before the Planning Commission on April 22, and the commission’s hearing in June on a late-night cafe at 7787 Leesburg Pike.
Photo via Valo Park
