South Block plans to leave its current location at Jammin Java for a new spot in the Town of Vienna.
The juice and smoothie bar will take over the space that Starbucks previously filled at (207 E. Maple Avenue), according to Lana Mahmoud, a Jammin Java spokesperson.
South Block plans to open in the spring of 2020, according to its website.
The business originally applied for building permits to revamp the location’s interior and redesign the exterior in early December, according to Fairfax County documents.
An opening date and future hours of operation have not been announced yet.
Photo via South Block/Facebook
Updated 12/20/19 — Six occupants were displaced because of the fire, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue said in an update today (Friday).
Red Cross services were offered but declined. Damages as a result of the fire were approximately $1,059,612, the fire department said.
Updated at 5:20 p.m. — Maple Avenue has reopened, the Town of Vienna tweeted.
Firefighters extinguished a fire in a house in the Vienna area, which closed Maple Avenue for a few hours.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tweeted about the fire in the 8700 block of Westwood Forest Lane around 1:45 p.m. today (Thursday). “All occupants are accounted for,” the tweet said.
“Due to an active house fire in Fairfax County, Maple Avenue is closed to traffic in both directions from Niblick Drive to St. Andrews Drive,” the Town of Vienna’s tweeted around 2 p.m. Westbound lanes reopened about 30 minutes later.
Around 3 p.m., the fire department said that the fire was out. “Fire investigators on scene to determine cause. One firefighter transported to area hospital with minor injury,” the tweet said.
Photos from scene of a house fire in the 8700 block of Westwood Forest Lane in Vienna. #FCFRD #FairfaxCounty pic.twitter.com/jsG1fUybU9
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 19, 2019
Units are on scene of a house fire in the 8700 block of Westwood Forest Lane in Vienna. Crews arrived to find fire showing from the home. All occupants are accounted for. pic.twitter.com/OeM5QgaViE
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 19, 2019
Image via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter; map via Google Maps
The Vienna Town Council was set to hear proposed ideas for how to improve transportation along Maple Avenue area on Monday night — but that discussion got pushed to next year.
Town staff was slated to present recommendations from the Maple Avenue Multimodal Study — a study by Kimley-Horn meant to suggest near- to mid-term solutions regarding transportation along the corridor. But the study wasn’t ready.
Lynne Coan, a spokesperson for the town, told Tysons Reporter that now the discussion of the study and recommendations have been postponed to the Jan. 13 work session.
Town staff already have a list of top priorities they want, along with ideas for future studies and strategies.
Sunrise’s new proposal to build a senior living facility at 380 Maple Avenue will go before the Town of Vienna’s zoning and architectural review boards this week.
The new plans include approximately 950 square feet of ground-floor restaurant space and 85 assisted living units and common areas, along with structured parking and one level of underground parking, according to town documents.
Tonight (Wednesday), the plans head to the Board of Zoning Appeals for a public hearing on the request for the conditional use permit.
Then on Thursday (Dec. 19), the Board of Architectural Review will hold a public hearing on exterior modifications for Sunrise’s plan.
Both public hearings start at 8 p.m. at the Vienna Town Hall (127 Center Street S.)
Image via Sunrise
Fairfax County police said two employees at Freedom Hill Elementary School — and the school’s former principal — have been indicted by a grand jury in connection to assaults on students with intellectual disabilities.
Major Crimes Bureau Commander Edward O’Carroll said at a press briefing today that “18 counts have been handed by a grand jury.”
The two former employees — Cylmeera Gastav and Cecilia Maria Benavides — face charges for allegedly assaulting non-verbal children with intellectual disabilities, O’Carroll said.
Benavides, 59, of Alexandria, was hired by FCPS in 2000, while Gastav, 48, of Herndon, was hired full-time in 2019 after working for FCPS part-time, O’Carroll said.
They were both charged with felony cruelty and injuries to children and misdemeanor assault and battery.
All of the assaults happened at the Vienna school between April and September this year, O’Carroll said.
The investigation began in mid-September after a teacher reported seeing bruises on students, police said.
Police said they believe six children were allegedly assaulted by the Gustav and Benavides.
“We believe with all certainty that all of the victims in this case have been identified,” O’Carroll said, adding that people with any information about the case are urged to contact the police.
O’Carroll said that complaints of suspected abuse were reported to the former principal, Scott Bloom, “however those complaints were not subsequently reported to Child Protective Services or to law enforcement that is required by law.”
Bloom, 39, of Reston, was indicted for allegedly failing to report the assaults.
Bloom was originally hired by FCPS in 2012 as the principal for Freedom Hill Elementary School, according to the Falls Church News-Press. He was hired as the principal for Haycock Elementary School in Falls Church in August and was placed on leave in September involving a personnel matter.
O’Carroll said that the current school administration at the elementary school reported the concerns once they made aware of them.
Marty Smith, a spokesperson for Fairfax County Public Schools, said the school put the two female employees on leave during the investigation.
FCPS assigned new teachers to the classrooms of the former employees and let families know about the staffing changes, Smith said.
The case is an active investigation, and FCPS is cooperating with the police, Smith said.
“We are deeply saddened by this situation,” Smith said. “While the investigation is still underway we are committed to doing all we can to prevent similar actions from happening in the future.”
O’Carroll declined to answer questions about whether or not the victims were in a restraint and seclusion situation or what kinds of injuries the victims sustained.
“The actions of these offenders is shocking. It’s unacceptable,” O’Carroll said.
Image via Google Maps, three mugshots via FCPD
Proposed ideas for how to improve transportation along the Maple Avenue area are set to be discussed at the Vienna Town Council’s work session tonight (Monday).
Town staff is slated to present recommendations from the Maple Avenue Multimodal Study — a study by Kimley-Horn meant to suggest near- to mid-term solutions regarding transportation along the corridor.
“Staff expects a draft of the final report from Kimley-Horn the week of Dec. 9,” according to town documents.
According to town documents, the staff’s top priority recommendations include:
- redesigning the intersection of Church and Mill streets
- redesigning the W&OD Trail crossings at Maple Avenue, Church Street and Park Street
- changing crossing signals so pedestrians have extra time to cross
- adding a local circulator route between Maple Avenue and Church Street destinations
- installing concrete sidewalks along segments of Church Street, Glyndon Street and Courthouse Road
Additionally, the staff would like to see the following studies and strategies done:
- study of parking supply and demand
- traffic impact analysis guidelines
- Bicycle Master Plan to develop a bicycle network for the town
- Streetscape Master Plan and Design Guidelines
The Vienna Town Council is expected to provide feedback on the list of projects to staff.
Image via Town of Vienna
(Updated 12/20/19) This year, Hanukkah begins this Sunday (Dec. 22) and will end on Monday (Dec. 30).
For anyone looking into public celebrations, there are lots of events around the Tysons area where people can gather and join in the festivities
This Sunday (Dec. 22), the Chocolate Gelt Drop at the Freeman House (131 NE Church Street) will feature the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department as it hosts an evening of live music, menorah lighting and festivities. There will be chocolate gelt’s dropped from the top of a fire truck as well as food. All are welcome to this free event from 5 to 6 p.m.
Temple Rodef Shalom is sponsoring a community dinner next Friday (Dec. 27) from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at their place of worship in McLean (2100 Westmoreland Street). They will be serving brisket and Latke, a type of fried potato cake. Tickets are $30 for non-member adults, $18 for kids age 6 to 10 and $10 for kids under 5 years old.
For members of Temple Rodef Shalom, there will be a “low-key” Hanukkah event designed for kids on Friday, Dec. 27, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Temple Rodef Shalom (2100 Westmoreland Street). According to the event page, this event is designed for kids who thrive in low stress and relaxed environments. They will have the opportunity to enjoy a story, crafts, a photo booth and food. Tickets are $5.
On Sunday (Dec. 29), the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia will host Light Up the Night! Community Menorah Lighting from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Strawberry Park in the Mosaic District. People are welcome to gather and light candles, play games, sing together and eat sufganiyot, a type of round jelly donut.
The same day there will be a Hanukkah Master Chef: Latke Edition around 1 p.m. at 226 W Maple Ave. Attendees are asked to RSVP beforehand for this free event.
“A Festival of Lasers — Laser Tag” is an alternative way for people to celebrate Hanukkah among their peers.
Hosted by Gather DC, an organization designed to bring together people of the Jewish faith, this event invites people to enjoy three games of laser tag as well as snacks, drinks and socializing for $25. The event will take place this Wednesday (Dec. 18) at Ultrazone Laser Tag and Amusement Center (3447 Carlin Springs Road) from 6:45-10 p.m. and allow people to meet others around the 20s and 30s age range.
For the entire week, the Chanukah Wonderland will feature crafts, entertainment and a store from Dec.22-29 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. each day. It will be held at 226 W Maple Ave in Vienna.
Photo via Element5 Digital/Unsplash
The Vienna Police Department says a bottle of bubbly was stolen from the Giant along Maple Avenue.
The incident happened around 7:45 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9.
“On Dec. 11 [Wednesday], store security personnel reported a shoplifting incident… when a man stole a bottle of champagne,” police said.
Missing a credit card? Someone turned in a credit card that was found in the parking lot near the Michaels Store (311 Maple Avenue E.) on Wednesday, police said.
P.S. Happy Friday the 13th!
Photo via Facebook
After Wawa chopped down trees it wasn’t supposed to, Town of Vienna officials want to create a plan to prevent anything similar happening again.
Town Manager Mercury Payton told the Vienna Town Council on Monday (Dec. 9) that a committee is working “to identify more efficient communication with residents about construction incidents.”
The town announced last month that Wawa’s actions were a result of “misunderstanding and human error.” The loss of the trees sparked an uproar among locals — what Councilmember Steve Potter called an “extremely emotional” incident at the Monday meeting.
Payton apologized to both the residents who live behind the Wawa site and all of the residents in the town.
“I feel awful about the fact that the town played a role in initiating the action that Wawa took in removing the trees,” Payton said.
Payton told the councilmembers that the town’s urban arborist told Wawa about the health of the trees that Wawa eventually cut — even though they were not included in the approved site plan.
“It is in my view that if the town urban arborist had not brought the matter up to Wawa, Wawa would not have brought the trees down,” Payton said. “They would have stuck to the site plan and the issue would not have occurred.”
Payton said that the arborist should have advised Wawa that a site plan change was necessary, but that, ultimately, the site plan is Wawa’s responsibility.
Payton later said the arborist did not do anything incorrectly when pressed by Councilmember Pasha Majdi about the roles and responsibilities of the arborist.
“I don’t think the best way to run this town is to say that someone should have done something that they are not tasked with doing and it’s not required and it’s not explicated to that staffer,” Majdi said.
“From our perspective, we try to go above and beyond,” Payton responded.
Currently, the town’s departments each manage their own communication with residents about projects, Payton said. The internal review is meant to identify how the departments can follow a unified communication plan.
Several councilmembers expressed support for the internal review, including Councilmember Douglas Noble, who requested to see the outcome of the committee’s findings and recommendations.
“I always like to see what the problem is first… and then work forward,” Noble said.
“The trees are dead. They aren’t alive,” Potter said. “There are a lot of trees that this could happen to again.”
Vienna residents voiced support for new plans for Sunrise Senior Living Facility to use the spot of an approved mixed-use development to the town’s Planning Commission.
Sunrise wants to come to the site of an approved mixed-use development at 380 Maple Avenue after the Vienna Town Council killed Sunrise’s controversial plans for a facility farther up Maple Avenue.
At last night’s meeting, locals praised Sunrise for listening to and incorporating feedback from residents for its plans.
In September, the owner and developer behind the mixed-use development told the Vienna Town Council that selling the project to an assisted living facility could address neighbors’ concerns.
Now, Sunrise wants Vienna officials to approve its tweaks to the approved building designs and use at 380 Maple Avenue.
Representatives from Sunrise said that they want to make “minimal changes” to the previously approved building design for 380 Maple Avenue, adding that they are mindful of the location as a “gateway to the town.”
The majority of the roughly half of a dozen people who testified at the public hearing said they support the project, but do have lingering concerns about cut-thru traffic on Wade Hampton Drive.
Most of the discussion at the meeting focused on whether or not adding time-restrictions to the road would address the issue.
“I really do appreciate the look of the building,” resident C. John Pott told the commissioners before echoing concerns about traffic and safety.
By the end of the meeting, the Planning Commission indicated support for the new plans. The proposal now heads to the Board of Zoning Appeals and Town Council for consideration.
If the changes are approved by the Town Council, a Sunrise representative said that the facility would take 20-24 months to build.
Three images via Sunrise; map via Google Maps
