Dalia Palchik | FFXnow

Small businesses scramble to make way for planned VHC Health facility in West Falls Church

Published December 30, 2024 at 1:30PM | Updated December 31, 2024 at 10:28AM

A sign for Graham Center in West Falls Church (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

When it got approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this fall, VHC Health and Intuitive Health’s planned hybrid emergency room and urgent care facility was touted as a clear upgrade for West Falls Church’s Graham Center, transforming the aging strip mall with an innovative health care resource and much-needed road safety improvements.

However, for the small businesses that in some cases have been housed at the Graham Center for decades, the impending redevelopment has brought stress and upheaval, as they consider whether to relocate or possibly close their doors for good.

News

Mental health nonprofit celebrates Tysons move for 50th anniversary

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 13, 2024 at 11:45AM

The Women's Center leaders, Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert and Del. Holly Seibold cut a ribbon to celebrate the nonprofit's new office in Tysons (courtesy The Women's Center)

A Tysons-based mental health nonprofit recognized two milestones with one celebration earlier this week.

The Women’s Center held a ribbon-cutting and open house event on Tuesday (Sept. 10) to mark 50 years of serving in the D.C. area and formally unveil its new office at Courthouse Center (8230 Old Courthouse Road) in Tysons.

News

Tysons office center welcomes steakhouse, plans rooftop amenity

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 12, 2024 at 2:15PM

The entrance to 801 Chophouse in Tysons' Westpark Corporate Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A new steakhouse has settled in at Westpark Corporate Center in Tysons.

The Midwestern chain 801 Chophouse quietly opened its first East Coast location on the ground floor of the office building at 8484 Westpark Drive in early August.

News

All-affordable apartment building near McLean Metro breaks ground

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 18, 2024 at 11:00AM

Officials participate in a ceremonial groundbreaking for Somos at McLean Metro, a 456-unit workforce housing apartment complex in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Construction has commenced on an affordable housing project in Tysons that the developer, local officials and their financial partners touted yesterday (Wednesday) as literally and metaphorically groundbreaking.

With two cranes looming above and excavators rumbling around the cleared site in the background, representatives from SCG Development, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Amazon and more shoveled some dirt to formally celebrate the start of work on Somos at McLean Metro, which will deliver two apartment buildings with 456 workforce dwelling units (WDUs).

Countywide

Civil rights activist who fought to desegregate Fairfax County gets historical marker

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 3, 2024 at 3:30PM

A historical marker honoring civil rights activist Lillian Blackwell is unveiled in front of Oakton High School (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

When students arrive at Oakton High School, they will now encounter a historical marker honoring civil rights activist Lillian Blackwell, whose own children might not have been allowed inside when the school opened in 1967 if not for her advocacy.

Fairfax County officials unveiled the plaque detailing Blackwell’s legacy, including her fight against the segregation of local public schools and movie theaters, at a ceremony on Saturday (June 1) attended by some of her family members and the students who suggested her for the recognition.

Countywide

Fairfax County kicks off menstrual supply drive for Women’s History Month

By Melanie Pincus

Published March 4, 2024 at 9:30AM

Menstrual pads and tampons (via Natracare on Unsplash)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is marking Women’s History Month with a menstrual supply drive.

Starting today (Monday) through March 29, sites throughout the county will collect new, sealed packages of tampons, pads, liners and menstrual cups.

News

County to consider scaled-back vision for housing at Idylwood church site

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 22, 2024 at 12:15PM

St. Paul's Lutheran Church is seeking to sell part of its property in Idylwood, including a now-vacant building, to a housing developer so it can expand its sanctuary (via Google Maps)

Plans to build housing in front of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Idylwood have been resurrected.

After a previous attempt in 2019 sputtered out, the church has found a new developer partner to potentially buy vacant portions of its property at 7426 Idylwood Road and transform it with residential development.

News

County board seeks answers on uncertain timeline for Route 7 bus rapid transit

By Angela Woolsey

Published December 14, 2023 at 10:15AM | Updated June 24, 2024 at 6:29PM

Bus shelters at the Spring Hill Metro station, which will be the northern terminus of the planned Route 7 bus rapid transit system (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 9:25 a.m. on 12/15/2023) The long-running effort to bring bus rapid transit (BRT) service to Route 7 is about to enter a new stage of planning, but for some Fairfax County leaders, the milestone doubles as a reminder of how much more still needs to be done to turn Northern Virginia’s vision into a reality.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement at its Dec. 5 meeting to help fund an engineering study and environmental analysis required to implement the bus system, which will serve the corridor from the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons to the Mark Center in Alexandria.

News

County to consider mixed-use development for former ICF office buildings in Oakton

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 29, 2023 at 11:00AM | Updated January 3, 2024 at 11:48AM

The Hunters Branch office buildings, formerly home to ICF International, in Oakton (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 4:50 p.m.) After initially holding off, Fairfax County is now ready to consider allowing a redevelopment of the former ICF International headquarters in Oakton.

At Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik’s request, the Board of Supervisors authorized county staff on Nov. 21 to craft a comprehensive plan amendment that would open the door for residential or mixed-use development at the Hunters Branch office buildings (9300 and 9302 Route 29).

News

Road diet and bicycle lanes proposed near Dunn Loring Metro station

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 24, 2023 at 11:00AM

Prosperity Avenue outside a Dunn Loring Metro station parking lot (via Google Maps)

Fairfax County is designing a new layout for Prosperity Avenue near the Dunn Loring Metro station.

The new configuration will reduce the roadway from four to two lanes by adding a road diet and protected bicycle lanes between Gallows Road and Prosperity Metro Plaza, the two-building office center whose tenants include U.S. Customs and Immigration Services’ D.C. field office.