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J.R.’s Stockyards Inn, Tysons’ original steakhouse, has been demolished

Where one of the first restaurants in Tysons stood for more than four decades, there is now only a square of dirt surrounded by asphalt.

Built in 1971, the red, two-story building that housed J.R.’s Stockyards Inn — the self-proclaimed Tysons original steakhouse — was demolished last week to make way for an expected redevelopment, though as of Saturday (June 25), its sign on Watson Street is still standing.

Chain-link fencing has been erected around the 1.1-acre site. Fairfax County issued a permit for the demolition of the entire structure on Friday (June 24).

Part of J.R.’s Custom Catering, the restaurant opened at 8130 Watson Street in 1978 and became a popular gathering site for politicians, local business leaders, and the general community before transitioning into a full-time banquet and catering facility in 2011.

That pivot signaled the beginning of the end for J.R.’s Stockyards Inn, whose owners submitted a proposal to replace the restaurant with a mixed-use, residential towers in 2018.

According to the application, J.R.’s spent the previous decade trying to entice adjacent property owners to join it on a larger redevelopment of the land between the Route 123 and Route 7 interchange and Tysons Corner Center. When the other properties declined to sell, the company came up with a plan just focused on its parcel.

“Rather than relegate this prominent block to its current patchwork of suburban commercial buildings, JRs is proposing a signature, urban building to spark redevelopment of this area and has designed that building to facilitate and accommodate a broader transformation,” the application said.

After some delays and changes to the proposal, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to rezone the site for a 26-story building with up to 244 residential units and 3,080 square feet of retail or service space.

The property was sold to AM Tysons LLC, an affiliate of Tysons Corner Center owner Macerich, on Dec. 28, and J.R.’s Stockyards Inn officially ceased operations in January. The restaurant has been auctioning off memorabilia, even putting out a call earlier this month for a sale of the building’s 50-year-old timber.

Macerich declined to comment on its plans for the Stockyards property and whether it intends to move forward with the approved development proposal.

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Camps are just the beginning of what’s in store at Art House 7 this summer. We’re thrilled to offer an array of exciting classes for both kids and adults!Rediscover your creativity with some of our AH7 favorites, such as drawing, hand-sewing, modern embroidery, and our popular 3-week Jump into Crochet classes. But that’s not all! We’ve added some fresh and exciting options to our summer class selection, guaranteed to spark your imagination.

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We invite you to visit our website and explore our full Summer Session schedule, brimming with a diverse range of classes and camps. Classes and camps begin June 20th. Unleash your inner artist, broaden your horizons, and embark on a summer adventure like no other. Let’s make this a summer to remember at Art House 7!

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Potomac Harmony Chorus has a new director! We’re ready
to kick off the season with new music, a new approach, and YOU!

Potomac Harmony is one of 500 choruses in Sweet
Adelines International. We’re a vibrant,
contemporary, inclusive, welcoming, and open community of women singers who
perform four-part harmony, barbershop style, committed to a high level of
achievement through teaching, mentoring, personal growth, and performance. Our vision is to entertain, educate, and
enrich lives through musical expression while promoting the barbershop art
form.

Potomac Harmony recently had our first performance
with our new director, receiving rave reviews! We invite you to stop by any Wednesday
evening and be part of the fun and harmony!

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• Experience outdoor and indoor fun activities, for all

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