From Shopping Center to Townhomes — “The owner of Graham Park Plaza in Falls Church has scrapped plans for a mixed-use redevelopment of the aging shopping center. Federal Realty Investment Trust instead will sell almost half of the U.S. Route 50 shopping center… to EYA for a new townhouse development.” [Washington Business Journal]
Samuelson’s Diamonds and Estate Buyers Coming to Tysons — “The store at 8300 Boone Boulevard will be by appointment only and will be run by Allan Rosen, a veteran of Philadelphia’s Jewelers’ Row with 30 years of experience in the jewelry business.” [Washington Business Journal]
Little City Stormwater Taskforce Proposed — “Falls Church City Manager proposed at the Monday F.C. City Council work session the creation of a 5-7 member stormwater task force to prioritize projects for the City in the coming six months.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Falls Church Man Arrested Allegedly Robbing DWS — “A Falls Church man is under arrest after police say he threatened an employee of Designer Shoe Warehouse with a box cutter while he was caught trying to steal shoes from the store.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Fire Department Funding — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has received grants totaling $406,000 from the State Homeland Security Grant Awards. “FCFRD will utilize the funds to support a wide array of emergency preparedness and security operations, equipment replacement, training, planning and exercise programs.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]
Talent in the Tysons Area — “Companies these days prefer to locate where talent is – and this poses both a challenge and an opportunity, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority’s new president and CEO told the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce Oct. 17. Victor Hoskins’ idea: Create a pipeline to deliver talent to businesses.” [Inside NoVa]
Morgan Stanley Buys Falls Church Municipal Bonds — “The sale of $126 million in City of Falls Church municipal bonds, the largest in the City’s history, to pay for construction of an all-new high school, renovation of the city library and stormwater improvement was consummated Tuesday at a remarkably low 2.71 percent interest rate.” [Falls Church News-Press]
What will the future hold for Tysons 30 years from now? Developers and business representatives tackled that question at the “Tysons 2050” event last night (Thursday).
Panelists imaged how people might live, work and play in Tysons several decades from now — and what needs to get done to foster a stronger sense of community.
Julie Clemente, the president of Clemente Development, said that one of the most important aspects to community development is cohesion in the planning process.
Clemente told the audience that Tysons lacks parks and community recreation centers. Without these things, she is worried that community members will become lonely and find it hard to break out of “silos.”
“For Tysons to be successful, it needs to be connected,” she said.
She mentioned the Spring Hill Recreation Center (1239 Spring Hill Road) as one of the closest opportunities for people in the Tysons area but said it wasn’t enough to meet the growing demand.
“The Spring Hill Recreation Center is overused and everyone goes there,” she said.
Clemente hopes that The View — a recently approved mixed-use project by the Spring Hill Metro station — will add the city center that she says Tysons lacks.
In addition to adding the tallest building in the region, the development plans to build a black box theater, an art walk, a seasonal ice loop and an open-air theater on the green, along with a Tysons Community Center at a nearby site.
“Tysons doesn’t have it now — a center of growth, a heartbeat — and that’s what we want it to be,” Clemente said about The View.
Deirdre Johnson, the vice president of asset management for Federal Realty Investment Trust and new Tysons resident, echoed Clemente’s concerns about connectivity and a sense of community.
“It’s been hard to find points of natural, authentic and emotional connection,” Johnson said about her time in Tysons. Places like shared green space and cafe seating — as well as art, medical services and religious worship — can help fill that void, she said.
While roughly 100,000 people work in Tysons during the day, only about 20,000 live in the area, Johnson said.
“After 5 [p.m.] is very important because it helps you become who you are,” she said.
She wants to fix this by creating places where people of all ages — but especially seniors and young people — can feel fulfilled in every aspect of their lives, noting that retail options that appeal to a wide age range and incomes is one solution.
Another idea from speaker Linda Sullivan, the president of ARTSFAIRFAX, is to institute an artist in residency or creative spaces pop-up program around Tysons.
Artists would have the opportunity to take advantage of affordable housing opportunities while focusing on their work, she said. She also threw out the idea of flex spaces hosting comedy clubs.
Ultimately, whatever the future holds for Tysons will likely focus on innovation around living, working and playing in the same community.
Paul Siemborski, an architect focused on designing performing arts facilities, said Tysons has the opportunity to “break the mold” and try new things.
“Art and play is not a luxury. It’s a necessity,” Siemborski said.
(Updated 10/25/19) The City of Falls Church is a 10-minute drive from rapidly expanding Tysons, but members of the Falls Church City Council want to maintain the feeling of a small community while still capitalizing on innovation and growth.
The City of Falls Church operates as an independent entity under the Falls Church City Council while Tysons still has no official governing body of its own, outside that of Fairfax County.
Councilmember Ross Litkenhous said that Falls Church wants to stay unique and its small population and efficient city council allows the city to stay “agile.”
“We are by no means trying to keep up with anybody,” he said.
Tysons Reporter talked to the councilmembers, seeking their input about the future of Falls Church.
“Always Been a Cut-Through”
Several councilmembers said the city is already seeing increased traffic thanks to Tysons’ urban sprawl.
The increase in traffic was brought on by the tolls on I-66 and the increasing popularity of apps like Google Maps, Litkenhous said.
Litkenhous worked in commercial development for 10 years before becoming a councilmember.
Councilmembers were originally told by the Virginia Department of Transportation that the addition of freeways tolls around the area would not impact traffic flow, he said, but people started driving through the city to avoid the tolls.
Now, the city is faced with concerns about pedestrian and bicycle safety that come with more traffic. Litkenhous cited several incidences concerning the safety of residents, especially kids.
There have been a few pedestrian deaths in the last few months in the Falls Church area, which are spurring discussions with officials.
But, Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly noted that it is important to remember that “Falls Church has always been a cut-through” and a “crossroad” in the Northern Virginia area.
“Mini Tysons”
In August, the city broke ground on a new project that focuses on improving pedestrian access and traffic flow near the upcoming George Mason High School.
The $15 million infrastructure investment will make the area safer and open up accessibility to the future mixed-use retail space, Cindy Mester, the Falls Church Assistant City Manager, said.
The mixed-use retail space is being developed by the same people who built the Wharf in D.C., Mester said, adding there will be a grocery store, a senior living facility, an arts center, restaurants and retail shops in the development.
Mester referred to the upcoming space as Falls Church’s own “Mini Tysons.”
Enticing Techies
When it comes to the evolution within the city’s limits, Litkenhous supports the idea of Falls Church evolving as a tech hub.
“Here in Falls Church, we’ve had a chance to capitalize on the indirect spinoff [of Tysons],” Litkenhous said.
With the new startups and tech companies in Tysons, it allows local high school students to take on fellowships or internships with innovative and entrepreneurial companies, according to Litkenhous, further encouraging students to pursue STEM-related fields.
With the new startups and tech companies in Tysons, it allows local high school students to take on fellowships or internships with innovative and entrepreneurial companies, according to Litkenhous.
Though Litkenhous said he would love to have some of these companies move into Falls Church, he realizes offices are limited and added that a co-working space within city limits would be a solution. “We can’t work in a vacuum here and we recognize that,” he said.
A Stroll in a New Direction
Unlike Tysons through, Litkenhous said Falls Church focuses on small businesses and walkability within city limits. “We’ve got Tysons beat on walkability by a mile.”
Last year, the City Council started the “Live Local Campaign,” sparked by Litkenhous, which encourages people to eat, play and spend money within the city’s limits.
Councilmember Phil Duncan said he keeps tabs on local businesses moving into the city and tries to support them by attending grand openings.
“I think there’s a good mix of big names and more local, family-run businesses,” he said, adding that some businesses that would have previously passed up Falls Church might realize that it is a new market.
“This whole area will become a great American city,” Duncan said.
Coming up in November, the city will host its second “Live Local Campaign” to encourage people to spend money within the community by eating at local restaurants and shopping for holiday gifts from small companies.
Both Litkenhous and Connelly said they want people to follow in their example and take advantage of all the dining and shopping options within the area.
Ultimately, Mester said she thinks the people in Falls Church help to make it special and unique.
“We have a caring and wonderful workforce,” she said.
Updated 10/25/19 — “It was a customer-request outage so work could be done on their end,” Peggy Fox, a spokesperson for Dominion Energy told Tysons Reporter.
More than 230 Dominion Energy customers are without power near the intersection of International and Westpark drives above Tysons Galleria this morning (Thursday).
The outage is affecting 237 customers at the northwest corner of the intersection.
Crews are currently working to restore power, which Dominion expects to be back on between 2-5 p.m., according to the Dominion Energy power outage map.
The cause of the power outage is pending investigation.
Map via Dominion Energy
The team behind Sen Khao has a new quick-service sandwich pop-up open in Tysons Galleria’s Urbanspace.
LaoWich recently opened at the mall, according to Tysons Galleria.
The sandwich pop-up shop is located on the third level next to Saks Fifth Avenue, across from Sen Khao.
“Chef Seng is here to cure your sandwich sads with a unique menu of Laotian eats served on brioche buns, all slathered with her signature sen-sauce,” according to Tysons Galleria.
Diners can find a rotating menu of Asian sweets and drinks from 4-6 p.m. at LaoWich.
Photo via LaoWich/Facebook
(Updated 10/26/19) Just a short walk from the Greensboro Metro Station, a meditation center in the heart of Tysons offers free classes for visitors.
The Tysons spot is the second location for Meditation Museum II in the D.C. area — the other is in Silver Spring, Md. Sister Jenna, the founder of the center, said she chose Tysons because it is vibrant, multi-cultural and serves as a convenient place for people in the area.
A few weekends ago, Tysons Reporter attended one of the entry-level sessions.
It’s hard to miss — there’s a giant banner outside an aging building at 1984 Chain Bridge Road, but the museum’s door is a little hard to find. Guests must walk up a set of indoor stairs to reach the repurposed office, which consists of roughly 1,000 square feet of space.
Once inside, people’s shoes get stored in little cubbies before they check-in.
The woman who led the 9:30 a.m. class said she worked as an IT consultant for a cell phone company in Tysons and volunteered at the center in her free time. She seemed very welcoming and willing to answer any questions.
Self-named a “museum,” the location is decorated with informational panels and posters that are supposed to teach visitors about mindfulness and the philosophy of the center, according to the staff member who led the class.
The meditation class turned out to be a very intimate experience with the two people who showed up.
The journey began with a 15-minute pre-recorded guided meditation that repeated mantras such as “You are a child of light” and “Focus your intention.” Participants were asked to gaze at a screen at the front of the room and instructed to “Tell our thoughts to come back later.”
After the time was up and the recording finished, the teacher reemerged and pulled out a whiteboard where she explained to us the difference between our mind, intellect and the physical brain inside our heads.
She also spent a significant amount of time covering the difference between physical needs and well being compared to spiritual wellbeing, along with encouraging participants to share perspectives.
The session ended with yet another pre-recorded mediation session before the hour-long class concluded and attendees could recollect our belongings at the front.
Though it may not have been this reporter’s cup of tea, the center invites anyone from the community to give it a shot.
The philosophy of the center isn’t based on a singular religion but instead aims to help people of all beliefs enhance their lives, according to Sister Jenna.
“When you want to be a better Christian when you leave the door, that will happen,” she said.” If you want to be a better atheist when you leave, that can also happen.”
Anyone wishing to participate in the classes may sign up online. The “Learn to Meditate” classes begin at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and last an hour.
Although classes are free, donations are encouraged since they use the money to pay rent and rely on volunteers so they don’t have to pay overhead, Sister Jenna said.
First photo courtesy Meditation Museum II; second via Google Maps
People in McLean and Tysons have the chance to help others through a series of upcoming donation drives.
With the holiday season approaching, Toys for Tots has set up a drop-off area for toy donations in Tysons, while Soles4Souls will collect gently used shoes in McLean.
Toys for Tots is organized through the United States Marine Corps to help struggling families afford Christmas gifts for their children. Around 97% of proceeds go to families in need, according to the website. The remaining 3% covers administrative costs.
Anyone wishing to donate toys can bring them to Meineke Car Care Center (1524 Spring Hill Road). The last day for donations to Toys for Tots is Dec. 12.
Soles4Souls is a non-profit based in Nashville that fights poverty, according to its website.
Shoes will be accepted at the Joy Deevy Relator Office (6849 Old Dominion Drive, Suite 400) until Dec. 1.
Photo via Toys4Tots/Facebook
Attendees of an upcoming event will have a chance to sneak a peek at the future Tysons.
Tysons 2050 will allow people to explore what community leaders have in mind for Tysons for the year 2050 through numerous keynote speakers divided into three categories — work, play and live.
The event will take place at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner (920 Jones Branch Drive) from 4-7 p.m. on (Thursday) Oct. 24.
Speakers and moderators include guests from Leadership Fairfax, Industrious, Fairfax County Park Authority and several developers invested in the area.
“Through their lenses, panelists will share the challenges, opportunities, and exciting developments that are on the immediate and distant horizon,” the event page said.
General admission tickets are $95 if participants register online beforehand, but will increase to $115 for walk-ins.
Sponsorships for the event are still available and start at $500.
After a Tysons entrepreneur set out to rethink the soap industry, he ended up attracting the attention of thousands of Kickstarter backers for a new product.
Sud Stud is a cover for a bar soap that supposedly conserves soap and acts as a loofah while also being more hygienic than other products, Dale Lin, the products creator and CEO of Silli.Co, told Tysons Reporter.
Within the first fundraising period on Kickstarter, Lin managed to raise more than $57,000 in 36 days from supporters internationally.
“As an alternative to the notoriously filthy loofahs we all use, Sud Stud’s innovative design uses less soap and creates a frothier lather for a deeper clean while also eliminating bacteria build-up while awaiting its next use,” Lin said.
His product is designed to fit any type of soap bar no matter the shape. Users can simply wet the bar and slip it into the silicone sleeve, according to the website. When it comes to cleaning, users can either microwave it or stick it in boiling water.
He began developing the product about a year ago and launched his funding campaign in June.
Lin said runs the company Silli.Co, under which he created Sud Stud, by himself, with occasional packing assistance from his mom. He works in e-commerce full time and is developing the company on the side.
While he said he named the company Silli.Co because he liked the play on words with “silicon company,” he doesn’t put too much effort into product names. He chose the name “Sud Stud” because it was “straight to the point” and summarizes the product well.
Though this isn’t Lin’s first successful Kickstarter campaign, he was surprised how quickly people picked up on his idea. (In the past, he also ran a Kickstarter for specialized fidget spinners, which are still for sale on Amazon.)
“My goal is to develop fun and unique products that solve problems, big or small,” Lin said.
One of his largest challenges so far has been knock-off products that people are trying to sell online. Kickstarter has a policy where entrepreneurs must put almost exact plans and dimensions for the project, which Lin says puts innovators at a disadvantage.
Now, Lin is preparing to ship the product out to customers in December.
After the initial round of Sud Studs gets sent out, Lin told Tysons Reporter that he wants to expand Silli.Co, along with his product line with silicon pillows and a soap brand.
Image via Sili.Co
Fairfax County is looking to scrutinize Fairfax Connector routes for riders around the Tysons area starting next year.
The county plans to start looking at five-year route optimization next year for riders in the Vienna and Merrifield areas next year, FCDOT officials told the Board of Supervisors during the Transportation Committee meeting today (Tuesday).
Then, the county would turn to Tysons, McLean and Falls Church areas in 2021.
Currently, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is seeking the public’s input on proposed service changes to routes in Herndon and Reston.
FCDOT is looking at Fairfax Connector routes because overall ridership is below targetted levels, according to the presentation. Additionally, shifting demographics and job opportunities have changed travel patterns.
