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.

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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Around Town

Glory Days Grill not reopening in Merrifield after fire, new tenant sought

By Emily Leayman
Glory Days at 3059 Nutley Street in Merrifield's Providence Place shopping center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Months after an August 2025 fire, Glory Days Grill has decided to make its closure in Merrifield permanent.

The sports bar, located at the Providence Place shopping center (formerly the Pan Am Shopping Center), announced the closure in an email to customers. A Fairfax County notice posted outside the 3059 Nutley Street restaurant deemed it unsafe to occupy following the Aug. 22, 2025 kitchen fire.

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Around Town

Fairfax City Restaurant Week returning with specials at over 20 eateries

By Emily Leayman
Curry Mantra (via Fairfax City Restaurant Week)

Fairfax City Restaurant Week will return for its winter rendition later this week, offering specials at 20-plus restaurants around the city.

The restaurant week will run from Friday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 8. Full-service restaurants will offer multi-course special menus, while fast-casual eateries will set their own specials.

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News

Herndon’s Harding Park closes as playground replacement begins

By Emily Leayman
Construction on Harding Park in Herndon (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

The Town of Herndon has closed Harding Park and is in the process of replacing the playground, among other improvements.

A groundbreaking was held Tuesday (Feb. 17) at Harding Park (749 Van Buren Street), Town of Herndon spokesperson Reid Okoniewski told FFXnow.

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Around Town

Sushi, Korean BBQ restaurant opens at growing Reston Row development

By Emily Leayman
Noku Sushi at Reston Row (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

A restaurant serving up Japanese and Korean specialties is one of the first dining additions to the new Reston Row.

Noku Sushi is now open at 1800 Reston Row Plaza, Suite 120 in the newly-developed section of Reston Station. An employee confirmed to FFXnow that the restaurant opened on Monday, Feb. 16.

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News

Officials narrowing down source of gas leak behind Centreville house explosion

By Emily Leayman
Eric Craven, the assistant chief of operations for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, speaks at a news briefing on Feb. 18 about the Centreville home explosion (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

Authorities are still working to stabilize and identify the exact source of the natural gas-related home explosion in Centreville on Sunday (Feb. 15). The ongoing leak has led to days-long evacuations and gas service shutoffs for nearby homes.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates gas transmission pipeline incidents, is leading the federal investigation into the home explosion.

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Around Town

New restaurant Wow Nepal brings couple’s favorite home recipes to Fairfax

By Emily Leayman
Wow Nepal in Fairfax (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

Though Fairfax City has a varied dining scene, a couple from Nepal saw a void that they could fill with their home country’s cuisine.

The resulting restaurant Wow Nepal, located at 10728 Fairfax Blvd, had its soft opening on Jan. 28. Chef Bewek Bastola runs it alongside his wife, Samrina Pandit.

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Around Town

Indoor trampoline park targets opening later this year at Fair Oaks Mall

By Emily Leayman
Children jump at Sky Zone (courtesy of Sky Zone)

Sky Zone, an indoor trampoline park, will soon bounce into the remaining space left by Sears at Fair Oaks Mall.

The indoor trampoline park chain confirmed to FFXnow that it is targeting a late 2026 or early 2027 opening at 1750 Fair Oaks Mall #1230. Sky Zone has four other Northern Virginia locations, including one in Springfield and one that just opened on Feb. 9 at Dulles Town Center in Sterling.

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