New Route 7 Rapid Bus System Plans — “A new conceptual engineering report lays out 18 specific bus rapid station locations from Tysons to Alexandria. It also details the spots where buses would have their own lanes in the middle of the road or on the outside of the road, and where buses would share lanes with car traffic.” [WTOP]
Update on Park Police Shooting of Tysons Man — “The two U.S. Park Police officers who fatally shot unarmed motorist Bijan Ghaisar in 2017 will not be charged with any crimes in connection with the incident, federal prosecutors said Thursday. The decision came just days before the second anniversary of the slaying.” [Washington Post]
Orange Line Work Next Year — “Orange Line trains could run on a single-track at West Falls Church, and Orange and Silver Line trains could pass through East Falls Church without stopping. The closures would run as long as May 23 (Memorial Day weekend) through about Aug. 28 (before Labor Day weekend).” [WTOP]
Residents Displaced From Falls Church Fire — On Saturday, firefighters battled a “fire in a garden-style apartment building in the 7300 block of Lee Highway in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County. Multiple people have been rescued.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter]
Questions About American Legion Bridge’s Reconstruction? — The Washington Business Journal has answers about how much the bridge work will cost, who is paying for it and more. [Washington Business Journal]
The Fairfax County Planning Commission is still tackling a proposal to reduce parking requirements for the county’s largest malls after a contentious public hearing last night (Wednesday).
The proposal would affect the four largest malls in Fairfax County — the two in Tysons, Fair Oaks Mall and Springfield Town Center — and was based on a review of the parking rates and demand at large regional malls by consulting firm Nelson/Nygaard.
County documents indicate that the proposal is meant to help Fair Oaks Mall.
“Fair Oaks Mall is also currently looking at redevelopment opportunities and an evaluation of the parking rates is viewed as critical to ensure the long-term vitality of the mall,” according to a county staff report.
Yet most of the discussion about the proposal last night focused on the inclusion of the two malls in Tysons — Tysons Galleria and Tysons Corner Center.
Dwight Fuller, a managing partner with Great American Restaurants, told the Planning Commission that parking is a problem for staff and diners in the Tysons area.
“Taking away parking — or even insinuating taking away parking from Tysons — I think is a bad way to go,” he said.
“It’s hard to do this one size fits all,” Vice-Chairman James Hart said, asking if there could be a way to eliminate the other malls from the proposal. “Is there a way to do this for the mall that seems to need this?”
Zoning Administrator Leslie Johnson told Hart that the staff could have tried to define the proposal in a way that would only make it applicable to Fair Oaks Mall.
Tysons Malls Have Flexibility With Parking
Despite concern about parking at the Tysons malls, county staff told the Planning Commission multiple times throughout the evening that the Tysons malls “have additional flexibility” already when it comes to parking.
During the discussion between the staff and commissioners, it was unclear how much of the conversation revolved around both Tysons malls or just Tysons Corner Center. Yet the feedback from staff suggested that both Tysons malls already have the opportunities to pursue reducing their parking limits if so desired.
“[The proposal] does not have a lot of relevance to the Tysons malls because they can go to zero [parking spaces,]” staff said. Yet, for economic business decisions, the malls are unlikely to drastically cut or eliminate parking, staff said.
Tysons Corner Center is a part of the Planned Tysons Corner Urban District’s (PTC) parking rates, according to the staff. Tysons Galleria is not a part of the PTC District, but could opt-in, staff said.
Tysons Corner Center also proffered to pursue parking reductions with the redevelopment of part of the site, staff said.
The staff presentation noted that declines in retail parking demand are expected to continue because of mall locations near other transit options and the prevalence of online shopping. The presentation noted that lower parking rates could lead to better utilization of surface parking.
When asked by the commissioners if the proposal would serve as a catalyst for the Tysons malls to cut their parking, the staff said, “No, it would not.”
A Call For More Data
The proposal is based on a Nelson/Nygaard study that evaluated parking data for Fair Oaks Mall collected by the property owner in December 2017 and December 2018, along with data about the Springfield Town Center that the firm collected in June.
The firm found that less than 65% of the available spaces were occupied during peak times from a parking count for the Springfield mall and analyzing data from the Fair Oaks Mall. The study did not evaluate the two malls in Tysons.
County staff insisted that the study looked at the peak shopping month — December.
Commissioner Ellen Hurley, who represents the Braddock District, criticized the limited range of the Nelson/Nygaard study and that there isn’t any data about the parking demand for the day after Thanksgiving.
“I think it’s disingenuous to say the ‘peak day of the peak month’ when most shoppers realize the peak day is the day after Thanksgiving,” she said.
Hurley called for a survey of mall shoppers to provide more data about the parking demand. She also noted that not everyone has access to the Metro.
“It’s kind of feeling like you’re saying that Tysons could eliminate all parking,” she said. “From the lens of equity that doesn’t seem like a really smart way to go.”
Commissioner John Carter, who represents the Hunter Mill District, also called for more data about malls’ parking rates.
Carter suggested a table with the parking rates for 10 or so malls in Fairfax County and surrounding jurisdictions.
“I don’t question that malls are evolving tremendously,” he said.
“Relatively Simple and Straightforward”
Tony Calabrese, a DLA Piper attorney representing Fair Oaks Mall, said that the proposal was “intended to be relatively simple and straightforward.”
Addressing Hart’s comments, Calabrese said that trying to make changes to the proposed amendment might lead to more confusion.
Calabrese said that Fair Oaks Mall does survey its shoppers and claimed that the day after Thanksgiving is not nearly as the holiday peak in December.
Calabrese noted that the amendment would not affect the Tysons malls from being able to reduce their parking if they wanted to — the Tysons Galleria, while not a part of the PTC currently, could opt-in with the zoning administrator’s approval, staff said.
“The parking requirements have to be dropped,” Calabrese said.
“Supportive But With Reluct-ness”
The Planning Commission voted to defer the decision to next Wednesday, Nov. 20.
At-Large Commissioner Timothy Sargeant said that deferral will give the commissioners time to consider the comments from the public hearing.
Commissioner Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner, who represents the Providence District, asked the staff if they could exclude the Tysons malls. Staff replied that the proposal would barely impact the malls, which already could find ways to reduce their parking requirements.
While Niedzielski-Eichner said he would prefer to see the Tysons malls kept out of the proposal, he said he is “supportive but with reluct-ness.”
Ultimately, he said that he wants to help Fair Oaks Mall and doesn’t want to risk having to over through the process again if this proposal is rejected.
The proposal is slated to head to the Board of Supervisors for a hearing on Dec. 3.
As of today (Thursday), Tysons West has a new fast food option by the Spring Hill Metro station.
B. GOOD (1495 Cornerside Blvd, Suite 118) opened its doors this morning at 10:30 a.m. and now offers customers a variety of smoothies, burgers, bowls, sandwiches, salads, sides and “Flexitarian” options, for those who are vegan or environmentally conscious. To celebrate, the location is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony today followed by giveaways, samples and live music by a local acoustic guitar player.
Tysons Reporter attended a sneak-peak preview of the new location yesterday along with people who volunteered to test out the food.
“It gives us an opportunity to work out the kinks and is a training opportunity,” Lizzy Jenkins, a company spokesperson.
Around 11 a.m. yesterday, people started to trickle through the doors — some were curious about the new restaurant while others wanted to inquire about job opportunities. Many of the customers so far were families or young professionals from out of town, Jenkins said.
The eatery is decorated in a comfortable yet clean style with wooden tabletops, lantern-like hanging lights and Virginia-themed art scattered throughout the restaurant.
When it came time to sample the fare offered by B.GOOD, Jenkins ordered her favorite dishes which included the “Sweet Heat Flex Burger,” the “Spicy Avacado Lime Bowl” and “Chicken Avacado Sandwich,” which was accompanied by sweet potato fries and pink lemonade.
The “Sweet Heat Flex Burger” is a vegan burger made from beets and pineapple, topped with heaping caramelized onions, spicy slaw and beet hummus. The burgers on B.GOOD’s menu rage in price from $7.50 to $9.50.
The “Spicy Avacado and Lime Bowl” consists of kale and quinoa base and is topped with sauteed veggies, tomato, cilantro, black bean and corn salsa, accompanied by a side of chipotle vinaigrette. The bowl is one of the most popular items on the menu, Jenkins said. Prices for bowls range from $10 to $11.50.
The “Chicken Avacado Sandwich” is a simple dish that is exactly what it appears to be — chicken breast with slices of avocado, lettuce and tomato. Sandwiches start at $7.
Smoothie prices range from $6.50 to $7, while salads run from $9 to $10.
When it came to menu design, B.GOOD made a distinctive choice not to follow suit with vegan options like the Impossible Burger. Instead, the company created other vegan-friendly sandwich options, which they call “Flexitarian.”
“We are from the land, not the lab,” Jenkins said, who added that they recognize people decide to be vegan for a variety of reasons. Some of their Flexitarian burgers are vegan, while others contain eco-friendly meat options, like turkey.
The location will be open from 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sundays. The eatery is running a promotion where guests can enjoy a variety of sides for $2 from 2-5 p.m. until the end of the year.
The company also designed a rewards app that allows regulars to rack up points for free drinks and food. For every $1 someone spends, they will receive one point. At 50 points, people will earn a soft drink, at 75 points a smoothie or breakfast item and at 100 points, they will receive a free entre.
Families may have noticed that the playground at Tysons Pimmit Park isn’t open.
Located in Pimmit Hills just off of Leesburg Pike, the temporary closure at 7584 Leesburg Pike will allow for the replacement of the existing picnic shelter, according to Fairfax County.
“Work on the installation of a picnic shelter with new metal roofing is scheduled to begin Nov. 7 and continue through Feb. 28, 2020,” according to the county.
The project costs $120,000 and is being funded by the 2019 Park Bond, according to the county.
After several weeks of being closed, the new Burlington store along Leesburg Pike is preparing to reopen.
A sign on the door says that the store is reopening on Friday (Nov. 15).
“Our team is working hard to present the best shopping experience for our customers,” the sign says. “Thank you for your patience.”
The store opened at 8355 Leesburg Pike in September and then closed after smoke entered the store from a trash compactor fire on Oct. 4.
Jay Westcott contributed to this story.
Fairfax County police are investigating a burglary at the Stohlman Automotive Subaru in Tysons.
The incident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday (Nov. 11) at the 8433 Leesburg Pike.
“Someone broke into the dealership and stole a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta,” police said.
Image via Google Maps
Tysons company Urgent.ly has scored a high spot on Deloitte’s new list highlighting the fastest-growing tech companies in North America this year.
The roadside assistance company nabbed the #6 spot on the “2019 Technology Fast 500 Ranking.”
Earlier this year, the company gained national attention for its partnerships with Uber, Volvo and Amazon.
In total, five Tysons-based companies made the list.
The other Tysons companies on the list are:
- #59: Ridgeline International Communications
- #184: Binary Fountain Software
- #333: GTT Communications, Inc.
- #411: KLDiscovery Software
The list “provides a ranking of the fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, and energy tech companies — both public and private — in North America,” according to Deloitte.
The companies on the list were chosen based on percentage fiscal year revenue growth from 2015 to 2018.
Image courtesy Urgent.ly
A Tysons tech company wants to boost fundraising, sales and marketing efficiency for both non-profits and businesses by using artificial intelligence.
BoodleAI (1751 Pinnacle Drive), which eventually branched out to also create guidonAI, began as a small startup roughly three years ago and managed to expand its client base to include around 30 non-profit groups and businesses once product development was complete.
BoodleAI works with non-profits to expand their donor bases, while guidonAI exclusively works with businesses to boost marketing strategies and sales, France Hoang, the chief strategy officer and co-founder, told Tysons Reporter.
Both companies offer predictive analytics to help organizations by taking the clients’ pre-existing data and cross-referencing it with more than 500 other data points on each person, using only names and email. All of the data sets are then analyzed by AI to come up with a predictive model that will be tested for power and reliability, according to the company’s website.
Hoang began the company because he felt that non-profits are an “underserved market.”
“I know the pain non-profits go through trying to raise funds for their mission,” Hoang said.
The company names were inspired by Hoang’s time at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated before serving time as Special Forces in Afghanistan, moved onto law school at Georgetown University and eventually become an entrepreneur.
Everything had its place at the academy, he said, adding that all of the cadets were expected to keep things extremely organized.
“The one exception to that is that you are allowed one exception of cookies, candy and things sent to you by your friends and family back home,” he said, adding that things come in a box and the contents are referred to as “boodle.”
GuidonAI was inspired by the flag that represents a unit. “If you want to know where to go, you look towards the guideon,” Hoang said.
The company offers decreased pricing options for non-profits but the cost will ultimately depend on variables including the size of the organization, the amount of help they need and the size of the problem, Hoang said.
“We would like to be the prime, dominant builder of people-focused, predictive applications,” Hoang said after being asked where he wants to see the company in five years.
Unlike competitors, boodleAI focuses on the fit of a person’s needs rather than on their online behavior, Hoang said, adding that their algorithms can pick out the target market four out of five times.
Hoang said that he loves connecting the world with issues they care about through outreach and the company’s work with non-profits.
“I’m passionate about solving problems in new ways. It’s in my blood.”
Photo via BoodleAI
TenPenh plans to stop serving up contemporary Asian fare in Tysons next week.
Known for its wide selection of drinks and $5, $6 and $7 bites for happy hour, the restaurant (7900 Westpark Drive) combines cuisines from Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and the Philippines.
The restaurant’s last day will be next Friday, Nov. 22, according to a post on the restaurant’s website.
“Many thanks to all of our great guests and foodies who joined us over the past three years,” the post says. “We’ve loved getting to know and feed you all! We hope you will stop by to bid us a fond farewell!”
“In addition to TenPenh, Passion Food Hospitality Group also owns connected spots District Common and Burger Tap & Shake and two locations of Passionfish, one in Reston and one in Bethesda,” according to Washington Business Journal, which first reported the restaurant’s upcoming closure.
The restaurant itself is inspired by the layout of a traditional Chinese courtyard house and even includes a contemporary moon gate, according to its website.
TenPenh is open 5:30-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5:30-11 p.m. on Friday and 4-11 p.m. on Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sunday.
A meeting tomorrow night is set to give locals an update and a chance to comment on proposed changes to Magarity Road.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is gearing up to make walkway improvements to Magarity Road, which creates the border of where East Side neighborhood of Tysons stops and the Falls Church area of Fairfax County begins.
The project is set to provide a continuous curb and gutter and an 8-foot-wide asphalt walkway along the south side of Magarity Road and in front of Westgate Elementary School, along with new crosswalks across the road at Tremayne Place, Cherri Drive and Ware Road, according to county documents.
The project also plans to make the drop-off and pick-up turning movements at the school safer and relocate several bus stops.
More from Fairfax County about the project:
Residents of Pimmit Hills, the neighborhood south of Magarity Road, and the Westgate Elementary School requested a walkway on the south side of the street to allow more children to walk and bike to school safely.
The project will provide connectivity to the school, with other area planned trail projects, and to the McLean Metrorail Station.
The meeting is set to take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday (Nov. 13) at the cafeteria at Westgate Elementary School (7500 Magarity Road) in Falls Church.
At the meeting, FCDOT staff will give an update on the scoping and design changes since the June 2018 meeting.
People have until Nov. 27 to provide feedback and can submit comments online or in writing to FCDOT.
Map via Google Maps
