Maple Avenue can be famously slow to change, and it’s left Vienna with rampant vacancies in the middle of a region seeing a surge of new development.

But aerial photography shows this hasn’t always been the case. Throughout the last 65 years, Maple Avenue has undergone a radical transformation.

Critics of a new four-story Maple Avenue development said too much was changing in Vienna too quickly, but at least from the air, the only 20-year period where there’s been very little change along Maple Avenue was between 1997 and 2017.

The Maple Avenue of 1953 looked quite different than the Maple Avenue of 1976. Maple Avenue transformed from a handful of small properties surrounded by farmland into islands of commercial property surrounded by residential streets.

Between 1976 and 1997, the gaps between those islands of commercial property had become filled in with smaller stores.

But the 1997 Maple Avenue is virtually identical to the 2017 Maple Avenue.

One of the most high-profile developments in downtown Vienna’s recent history was the establishment of the Town Green and redevelopment along Church Street, which runs parallel to Maple Street. The changes made there were cited by Vienna Town Council members during hearings for the controversial development — which was ultimately approved — as examples of ways development can still fit with a small town feeling.

Past and Present is a Tysons Reporter series looking at locations in our area as they’ve changed over the last century. Check out our articles for Tysons Corner Mall and Tysons Galleria/Leesburg Pike

The man struck by a car near Vienna on Monday has died after two days in critical condition.

Fairfax County Police say Daniel Benson, a 77 year-old Vienna resident, was assisting his wife after she was involved in a separate crash at the intersection of Old Courthouse Road and Westwood Drive.

Benson was carrying items from his car over to hers when he was struck, first by a Chevrolet Cruze traveling westbound, then into the side of a Toyota Echo in the eastbound lane, according to FCPD.

Police say both drivers remained at the scene and cooperated with detectives. Neither speed nor alcohol is being considered a factor in the crash and no charges are expected to be filed.

On Tuesday, a tipster told Tysons Reporter that the victim “was crossing the street carrying a bag and umbrella and very unfortunately did not look either way.”

“The westbound car in front of me braked as he walked, and then he just kept walking across the median” and was struck by an oncoming vehicle, said the witness.

Photo via Google Maps

Last Wednesday an employee at Vienna Jewelry (131 W. Maple Ave.) noticed several women in the store “acting suspiciously” and called police, according to the monthly Vienna Police highlights.

The employee followed one of the women as she quickly exited a back room and fled out the side door with the other women to a waiting van. The vehicle took off northbound on Lawyers Road and then stopped a few blocks away from the store, with the women running off in different directions. Police found and identified some of the van’s occupants.

According to the report, the store employees are checking the store’s inventory but did not immediately notice anything missing.

Also in the crime report, food is showing up in some unwelcome places around Vienna.

A resident on the 500 block of Walker Street called the police to report that an unknown person dumped a large garbage bag full of dozens of loose donuts into the bed of his truck sometime after last Sunday (Nov. 4). Several donuts also wound up in front of the storm drain on the street. According to the tongue-in-cheek report on the incident, “the officer was upset to discover that the donuts were no longer edible… wild animals had gotten to those donuts before the officers could.”

Finally, two residents reported vandalism by eggs just days apart. On Oct. 29, a resident on the 900 block of Echols Street SE said someone threw eggs at one of her home’s windows. Then, on Halloween, a resident on the 400 block of Echols Street SE said someone threw eggs at both his vehicle parked in front of his residence and one of its second-level windows.

Photo via Facebook

Update on 11/15/18: The man has died, according to police.

(Updated at 4:45 p.m.) A man is in critical condition after a pedestrian-involved crash in the Vienna area last night.

The incident occurred at the intersection of Old Courthouse Road and Westwood Drive at 5 p.m. Monday. Police initially reported driver who had been involved in a crash and had exited his vehicle.

Sometime after the first crash, police said the man was carrying items from his wife’s car across the street back to his when he walked in front of an oncoming car which struck him.

Fairfax County Police said the driver who struck the man remained on-scene. The victim remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, police told Tysons Reporter.

Our Crash Reconstruction Unit is investigating after a man was hit at Old Courthouse Rd NE & Westwood Drive around 5 tonight. The man was outside his vehicle inspecting the damage after a crash when he was hit by another vehicle. He’s at the hospital w/ life-threatening injuries. pic.twitter.com/IAd15obete

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) November 13, 2018

Photo via Google Maps

Wondering what to do with your long weekend? Never fear, Tysons Reporter has you covered.

Throughout the weekend, Tysons Corner Center mall will be one of a handful of locations nationwide where players will be able to demo popular Nintendo brawler Super Smash Bros. Ultimate one month before its release.

The game will be playable at kiosks in the mall, along with other Nintendo games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Just Dance 2019. The kiosks will be open tomorrow (Saturday) from 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Tonight (Nov. 9)

• Opening Night at Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights (5:30-10 p.m.) — The Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna (9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court) will be lit up with a half-mile stretch of light displays. Tickets are $14 for regular admission or $8 for child admission. Be warned, light rain is expected tonight, and cold weather is expected tomorrow. The Walk of Lights will run until Jan. 6, 2019.
• Happy Hour Fundraiser for Vienna Volunteer Fire Department (6-9 p.m.) — The Tysons Biergarten will donate $2 to the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department (VVFD) for every person that shows up with the Facebook event flyer either printed out or on their phone. A percentage of bar sales from 7-8 p.m. will also be donated to the VVFD.

Saturday (Nov. 10)

• Wolf Trap Mega-Adoption Event (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) — The Wolf Trap Animal Rescue’s adoption events typically have around 30 animals available, but for National Adoption Weekend the organization will have nearly 100 puppies and kittens up for adoption Sunday morning at the Tysons PetSmart (8204 Leesburg Pike). A full list of animals up for adoption is available online.
• Veterans Expeditions BBQ and Blues Fundraiser (6:30-9:30 p.m.) — Veterans Expeditions is hosting a fundraiser at J.R.’s Stockyards Inn (8130 Watson St) in Tysons to support its mission of arranging outdoor adventures for veterans. The event will feature live retro-blues music and barbecue.
• Gordon Biersch Tysons Corner Veteran’s Day Fundraiser (Noon-5 p.m.) — A percentage of food and beer sales at the Tysons Corner (7861 Tysons Corner Center) brewpub will go towards the EOD Warrior Foundation, a charity that provides assistance to explosive ordnance disposal veterans and their families. Veterans eat free from a special menu.
• Sabado with Jeff Carr (8 p.m.-2 a.m.) — Guest DJ Jeff Carr will host a night of salsa and bachata dancing with hits from Latin house music and Latin pop at the newly opened nightclub Palladium (1524 Spring Hill Road). Salsa and Bachata classes start at 8 p.m. with cover free for anyone who arrives before 11 p.m.

Sunday (Nov. 11)

• SyteraYoga Grand Opening Celebration (1:30-3:30 p.m.) — The yoga studio that launched in January in downtown McLean will open its doors in a new location (6888 Elm Street) with a celebration that includes chair massages, local vendors, food and drinks.
• Tyler Ramsey at Jammin Java (8 p.m.) — The former lead guitarist for Band of Horses will be performing at Jammin Java in Vienna (227 Maple Ave E). Tickets are $13 in advance or $15 for same-day purchases. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Image via Nintendo

Runners will be able to “wattle” to the finish line in the 16th annual Vienna Turkey Trot. Registration is open for the annual 10K, 5K, and fun run through Vienna next Sunday (Nov. 18).

The course starts at the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department at 400 Center Street. Following the race, music and refreshments will be offered at a festival near the finish line.

Today (Friday), tickets for the 5K are $35 and tickets for the 10K are $40, but starting tomorrow each price increases by $5.

Those who register before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11 will be entered to win a $25 Whole Foods gift card. Those who enter by noon Friday, Nov. 16 have a chance to win a free teeth whitening at Tysons Elite Dental if they “like” the Facebook page.

To avoid long race-day lines, race packets can be picked up on Friday, Nov. 16 from 4-7 p.m. at Vienna Whole Foods (143 Maple Ave E) or Saturday, Nov. 17 from noon to 7 p.m. at Road Runner Sports (1120 West Broad Street).

All proceeds from the race benefit the James Madison High School Band and the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department.

Photo via Facebook

Ten restaurants around the Tysons area made it onto this year’s Northern Virginia Magazine Top 50 Best Restaurants list, including five of the list’s top 10.

At the number three spot in the list is Maple Ave Restaurant at 147 Maple Ave W, just a few blocks west of the Vienna Town Green. It’s a small restaurant, but inside it’s an eclectic mix of American and European cuisine. The restaurant is open seven days a week for dinner, with lunch available on weekdays and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

At the eastern end of Maple Avenue is Clarity, which comes in at number five on the list. Clarity offers a seasonally rotating menu of modern American cuisine. A nightly “tasting menu” offers a guided tour of the restaurant’s cuisine. Tonight (Thursday), it’s a three-course meal a variety of seafood and roasted duck, accompanied by Suntory Japanese Whisky and followed by a chocolate almond torte.

But Vienna doesn’t take all the culinary credit for the region. At number seven on the list is Asian Origin, a Chinese restaurant just west of Tysons Galleria at 753 Pinnacle Dr. The restaurant serves a mix of traditional Chinese dishes as well as pan-Asian cuisine like sushi. Asian Origin also boasts a variety of vegetarian dishes.

At number nine is 2941, the modern American restaurant in Falls Church (2941 Fairview Park Dr) near Merrifield. The restaurant puts a French spin on classic American dishes, like a Bordelaise sauce on a rib eye steak.

Lastly, Esaan near downtown McLean (1307 Old Chain Bridge Rd) comes in at number ten on the list. Esaan is a Thai restaurant that offers a variety of specialty items and “street style” dishes from the northeastern region of the country. There’s none of the usual Pad Thai, but offerings like the spicy papaya salad offer a more unique Thai experience.

Also included on the Top 50 list are:

• Amoo’s Restaurant (6271 Old Dominion Dr) – A Persian restaurant in McLean
• Assaggi Osteria + Assagia Pizzeria (6641 Old Dominion Dr) – An Italian restaurant with a focus on fish and pasta in McLean
• Elephant Jumps (8110 Arlington Blvd) – A Thai restaurant in Merrifield
• Nostos (8100 Boone Blvd) – A Greek restaurant in Vienna
• Tachibana (6715 Lowell Ave) – A Japanese restaurant in McLean

In contrast to the hustle and bustle of Tysons, Vienna is known for its small town, closer-to-nature feel.

Tomorrow (Wednesday), the Hunter Mill Tree Forum will help educate Vienna residents on how to care for and maintain that greenery.

The event will start at 7 p.m. in the Vienna Town Hall (127 Center St S). The forum is free and open to the public.

Representatives from the Town of Vienna, the Vienna Community Enhancement Commission, Virginia Department of Forestry, and Fairfax County are all scheduled to speak about the benefits of trees and how they are impacted by increasing development.

The forum will also look at pests and diseases affecting trees in the area.

Photo via Visit Fairfax

The following article excerpt is from our content sharing partner, FairfaxNews.com.

Something new and colorful and about 200 feet long is coming to Vienna: A mural will soon be created on the back wall of the Vienna Shopping Center, visible as you travel down Cottage Street.

Artists Eleanor Doughty, a Vienna native who now lives in Seattle, and Emily Herr, who lives in Richmond, plan to start work on the mural, an overview of Town buildings and area landmarks, beginning November 5 and expect that the project will take up to two weeks, depending on weather, to complete.

Student-volunteers from James Madison High School will work alongside the artists from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2:30-6 p.m. the weekend of November 9-11. Students interested in helping out with the mural, even if only available for an hour or two, should contact Doughty at [email protected].

The town’s newest public art project is being funded by Rappaport, owners of the shopping center at 180 Maple Avenue.

“We love the mural,” says Tiffany Jones, marketing representative for the Vienna Shopping Center. “We love the brightness and color that it’s going to add to the shopping center.”

Read more at FairfaxNews.com

Photo via Google Maps

There’s activity in the shuttered Rite Aid at 215 Maple Ave. in Vienna as workers transform the former pharmacy space into a Dollar Tree.

Dollar Tree is a discount store that has been thriving and expanding despite e-commerce outlets like Amazon devastating other retail chains. When the new Vienna store will open is unclear, but today workers were busy renovating the building’s interior.

A pair of folders were taped to the front door for those seeking employment to pick up and drop off applications.

The new store will fill a vacancy at an end of Maple Avenue badly in need of more commercial activity. A few feet west of the new Dollar Tree is the charred husk of the Marco Polo restaurant, which was destroyed in a fire last month, and the A.J.’s Sports Stop, which is likely to be closed within a year.

There are other signs of new life and development at the west end of Maple Avenue. Just two blocks away is the Wolf Trap Hotel, which earlier this week was authorized by the Vienna Town Council to be converted into a new four-story mixed-use development.

Hat tip to Laura Schwartz