(Updated at 9:25 a.m.) Fire and Rescue Rejects Agreement in Sexual Harassment Complaint — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found that a former Fairfax County firefighter was sexually harassed by a captain in 2017 and demoted after she reported it. But the county fire department has refused an agreement requiring improved efforts to address sexual harassment, new training, and a $150,000 award to the woman, raising the possibility of a federal lawsuit. [The Washington Post]
Pedestrian Killed in Lorton Crash Identified — The Fairfax County Police Department says Keith Thomas, 24, was walking in the southbound lanes of Richmond Highway when he was hit by the driver of a 2005 GMC Sierra at 1:28 a.m. Friday (July 8) at the I-95 interchange. The driver called for help, but Thomas was struck by other vehicles and ultimately died at the scene. [FCPD]
McLean Man Sentenced for Covid Relief Fraud — “A McLean businessman who bilked nearly $1.6 million from federal coronavirus relief programs and spent much of the money on a mansion with its own movie theater and cigar room was sentenced Friday to two years and nine months in prison.” [The Washington Post]
West Springfield House Fire Reported Yesterday — “House fire on 7/10 in 8500 block of Grigsby Drive in West Springfield area. Heavy fire on arrival. No occupants were home at time of fire. Five occupants were displaced. There were no reported injuries. Fire is under investigation. Damages: $594,825.” [FCFRD/Twitter]
Burke & Herbert to Consolidate in Kingstowne — “The bank will remain headquartered at 100 S. Fairfax St. in Old Town Alexandria, but a ‘large portion’ of its local workforce, currently dispersed across the area, will shift to 5680 King Centre Drive in Kingstowne. Burke & Herbert paid $22 million for that 113,000-square-foot building July 1, according to Fairfax County records.” [Washington Business Journal]
Virginia Workers Leave Over Telework Policy — “More than 300 employees from five state agencies have resigned since Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Virginia’s new telework policy in early May, according to records obtained by 8News. This includes 183 Virginia Department of Transportation employees, 28 of whom cited ‘telework options’ as the reason for leaving.” [ABC8]
Vienna Band Director Steps Away — “A long commute to and from Anne Arundel County, Md., has prompted Cornelius Young to give up his post as music director for the Vienna Community Band, but he leaves with good memories of the group and the town. Young, who has been with the band since October 2014, decided to try for the job after not being selected to lead Annandale High School’s band.” [Sun Gazette]
Reston Student on Performing “Newsies” — “Reston Community Players’ new apprentice program is designed to help students ages 13 to 18 interested in theater gain pre-professional performance and technical experience. That’s exactly what Anna Schoenborn, a rising junior at South Lakes High School in Reston is gaining this summer with RCP’s production of ‘Newsies.'” [Patch]
It’s Monday — Clear throughout the day. High of 82 and low of 66. Sunrise at 5:54 am and sunset at 8:37 pm. [Weather.gov]
Vienna’s former Outback Steakhouse will soon be demolished — and yes, it’s getting supplanted by a bank.
With Chase Bank taking over the site, a chain-link fence has been erected around the now-vacant, standalone building in the Maple Avenue Shopping Center, where the restaurant had operated for 25 years before closing in August 2020.
Fairfax County processed a demolition permit for 315 Maple Avenue West in March, and a permit to disconnect the property’s water and sanitary utilities was issued on June 10, according to county records.
Construction on the new Chase Bank will start “in the next few weeks” in anticipation of a December opening for the branch, a company spokesperson told FFXnow last week.
While this will be Chase’s first location in the town, it will have plenty of company along Maple Avenue, joining branches from Wells Fargo, TD Bank, Bank of America, Freedom Bank of Virginia, Northwest Federal Credit Union, Apple Federal Credit Union, Truist, United Bank, and Burke & Herbert.
There’s even a PNC Bank in Maple Avenue Shopping Center, but Chase Bank doesn’t seem concerned about oversaturating the market.
“Although there may be other banks in the shopping center, there is only one Chase,” Angie Royster, Chase’s Northern Virginia market director, said. “At Chase, we are committed to being the bank for all, serving our community, supporting small businesses, and helping our clients with all of their financial needs through a team of experts.”
Royster says the site is ideal for both Chase and its customers, because the area is heavily trafficked and has “easy accessibility to other necessary establishments such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants.”
The bank will be 3,300 square feet in size and feature a drive-through ATM facility that will provide service 24 hours a day, though the main building will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays, according to a Town of Vienna staff report.
Since the new building will only be about half the size of the 6,400-square-foot Outback Steakhouse, the lot has the space for a drive-through.
“We strive to make banking easy, giving clients options to bank where and how they like,” Royster said. “Not all of our branches have the real estate to accommodate a drive-through ATM, so we are excited to have it at our Vienna location.”
The Vienna Board of Zoning Appeals granted Chase Bank a conditional use permit for the drive-through facility on Dec. 15 — despite a lack of support from the Vienna Planning Commission, which voted 5-1 on Aug. 25, 2021 against recommending approval.
Commissioners primarily took issue with the facility’s proposed location, which was parallel to Maple Avenue and just 15 feet away from the street’s sidewalk. The drive-through was later repositioned to be perpendicular to Maple and moved approximately 117 feet from the sidewalk.
A new bank is slated to take the place of a bank that shuttered earlier this year in Reston’s Spectrum Center.
First National Bank will replace Capital One at 11874 Spectrum Center, according to county permits. An application to install two illuminated wall signs at the location was processed by the county on May 4.
First National Bank did not return multiple requests for comment from FFXnow.
Anchored by Harris Teeter and located next to Reston Town Center, the center is home to tenants like The Container Store, Not Your Average Joe’s and PetSmart. Other banks in the center include Citibank, Trustar Bank and United Bank.
Photo via Google Maps
Popeyes is hoping to rekindle a different kind of warmth into a Fairfax site that was destroyed by a fire in 2018.
The fried chicken spot has filed plans with the county to bring a 2,265-square-foot location to Fair Lakes Shopping Center. If approved, the restaurant would occupy space that was home to United Bank.
A fire broke out at the single-story bank in May 2018. While no injuries were reported, the structure of the building was significantly damaged, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.
Since then, the property consists of just pavement with some trees.
Popeyes plans to install a one-lane drive-thru at the site and offer 42 seats at the restaurant.
Here’s more from the applicant on the facade of the restaurant:
In order to establish a distinct identity for the restaurant, the Applicant is proposing to provide a building with four-sided architecture which will be designed to complement the existing retail uses within the shopping center. The building will include brick material in red and orange, which emulates Louisiana’s heritage.
Plans were filed on Feb. 22 and have not been accepted for review by the county.
Photos via handout/Fairfax County Government
