Author: Emily Leayman

Emily Leayman is a senior reporter at ARLnow, ALXnow and FFXnow. She was previously a field editor covering parts of Northern Virginia for Patch for more than eight years. A native of the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, she lives in Northern Virginia.

News

Providence Rec Center closing for two-week maintenance project

By Emily Leayman
The Fairfax County Park Authority's Providence Rec Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Visitors to the Providence Rec Center will have to find another location for their workouts later this month.

The Fairfax County Park Authority announced plans yesterday to close the facility at 7525 Marc Drive in West Falls Church from Monday, March 23 to Sunday, April 5 for maintenance and upgrades.

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Around Town

Mosaic District restaurants partner for late-night pop-ups

By Emily Leayman
Mom and Pop at night in the Mosaic District (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Two eateries around the Mosaic District’s central green space are teaming up to bring new late-night experiences to the mixed-use district.

On two Saturdays (March 7 and 14), NAJA Mediterranean and Mom & Pop will host a late night shawarma and coffee pop-up outside the latter’s location (2909 District Avenue in Merrifield) from 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

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News

Fairfax City sidewalk project rejected for federal funding

By Emily Leayman
Norman Avenue west of the Chain Bridge Road Service Road (via Google Maps)

The City of Fairfax will have to look for other funding means to add a new sidewalk after it missed out on potential financing from the regional Transportation Planning Board.

The city had applied for $3.25 million in funding to construct a sidewalk on Norman Avenue between the Chain Bridge Road Service Road and Hill Street. The funding would have covered a significant part of the project’s $10.8 million estimated cost.

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Around Town

Arlington-founded bakery aims to open Vienna location this spring

By Emily Leayman
A sign for Bakeshop has appeared on the future storefront at 421 Maple Avenue East in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Arlington-founded Bakeshop is getting closer to opening in the former location of Skorpios Maggio’s Greek Family Restaurant in Vienna.

Monica Garcia, the general manager at Bakeshop, told FFXnow that the bakery expects to open at 421 Maple Avenue East in early April. The business had originally hoped to open sometime in 2025.

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Around Town

Moo Thru targets summer opening for next ice cream shop in Burke

By Emily Leayman
Moo Thru's future location in Burke (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

Moo Thru, a Virginia-based ice cream franchise, is working to open its next ice cream shop in Burke.

Franchise owner Morgan Johnson confirmed to FFXnow that the shop plans to open this summer at Burke Town Center (6025H Burke Centre Parkway). The timing is dependent on permit approvals and construction.

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Countywide

Braddock school board seat to be decided today, as redistricting referendum nears

By Emily Leayman
Vote dividers at a Fairfax County polling place for the 2023 general election (file photo)

Some voters will cast ballots in a special election for the Braddock District seat on the Fairfax County School Board today (Tuesday), while early voting for a statewide congressional redistricting amendment will begin later this week.

Polls opened at 6 a.m. and will remain open until 7 p.m. throughout the Braddock District. The special election is only open to registered voters in the Braddock District, but district residents can also register and vote a provisional ballot on Election Day at their assigned polling place.

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Countywide

Newly approved FCPS bus plan leaves out some elementary, middle schoolers

By Emily Leayman
A school bus on Lawyers Road near Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

After approving new school attendance zone boundaries in January, the Fairfax County School Board opted to provide bus transportation to affected high school students, but not their elementary and middle school counterparts.

The school board voted 7-4 last Thursday (Feb. 26) to approve bus transportation for Fairfax County Public Schools high school students who have been drawn into new school boundaries but are eligible to remain in their current school.

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Countywide

Bills to allow by-right housing in commercial districts concern Fairfax County officials

By Emily Leayman
Del. Dan Helmer chairs the Counties, Cities and Towns Committee meeting on Feb. 27 (via Virginia General Assembly)

While the Fairfax County has worked on boosting affordable housing, local officials are wary of state bills that would reduce local zoning authority over residential development in commercial zones.

HB 816 by Del. Dan Helmer (D-10) and SB 454 by state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-16) would require local zoning ordinances to permit by-right multifamily and mixed-use residential development on a portion of commercial or business zoning district land.

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News

Fairfax City Council weighs revised shopping center overhaul, office redevelopment

By Emily Leayman
Courthouse Plaza Shopping Center proposal at full buildout (courtesy of Combined properties via City of Fairfax)

The Fairfax City Council was briefed Tuesday (Feb. 24) on two proposed redevelopments — a revised pitch for the Courthouse Plaza Shopping Center and an office-to-residential conversion.

Council members received pre-application presentations on the multi-phase mixed-use development for the Courthouse Plaza Shopping Center at 10300 Willard Way and 3922 Blenheim Blvd as well as a potential conversion of an office building into a six-story multifamily residential building at 10340 Democracy Lane.

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Around Town

Large-scale farmers market to open near Reston Town Center Metro

By Emily Leayman
EatLoco Farmers Market location in Brambleton (courtesy of EatLoco Farmers Markets)

EatLoco Farmers Market is preparing to open a location at the Halley Rise mixed-use development, bringing a new weekly farmers’ market to Reston.

The new market will be held Sundays, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the parking lot of Halley Rise near the intersection of Reston Parkway and Sunrise Valley Drive. March 29 will be the opening day.

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