Across the U.S., malls are trying to make a comeback in a post-pandemic world, pulling consumers back to spaces once considered to be on the decline amid the rise of e-commerce.
Yet, representatives for Springfield Town Center argue that the actual risk to malls comes not from e-commerce, but from a failure to evolve with shifting consumer preferences.
The Container Store is set to open its new Springfield location this weekend at Springfield Plaza and plans to give out free prizes to the first 100 customers.
The Texas-based company, known for its home and office organization products, announced earlier this week that the new store will open on Saturday, June 15, at 6412 Springfield Plaza. The release also noted plans to open another location in Ashburn on July 27.
Three people were killed last night (Wednesday) after being hit by a cargo train near Lake Accotink, police say.
Two adults and a child appear to have been walking on the train tracks above Accotink Creek near the Accotink Park Road crossing, according to the police and the Norfolk Southern Railroad Company, which operates the tracks.
“All were declared deceased on scene,” the Fairfax County Police Department said.
A Norfolk Southern spokesperson confirmed that a crash involving a northbound train occurred around 8:20 p.m. yesterday on the bridge over Accotink Creek. There were no reported injuries to the train crew, they told FFXnow.
Per scanner traffic on Open MHz, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department units were dispatched for a “medical emergency” on the train tracks at 8:25 p.m. By 8:38 p.m., responders reported that they had located all three victims on the creek banks under the railroad bridge.
The train tracks were shut down by Norfolk Southern, a dispatcher said at 8:38 p.m.
The FCPD initially described the victims as one adult and two children, but after further investigation, officers and detectives have identified the victims as 28-year-old Annandale resident Diego Arriaza, 28-year-old Lincolnia resident Yeraldin Pardo, and Pardo’s 8-year-old child.
Police believe the three people were walking on the northbound elevated train tracks when they “encountered a travelling freight train.”
“Detectives believe Arriaza was struck by the train, and Pardo and the child fell from the bridge,” the FCPD said.
Based on a preliminary investigation, police don’t believe speed or alcohol factored into the crash for the train engineer, but detectives are still determining whether alcohol may have been “a factor” for the pedestrians.
Norfolk Southern operates about 19,500 miles of cargo railroads in the eastern U.S. that transport fuel, agriculture, construction equipment, and other goods. In April, the company reached a $600 million settlement with residents affected by a toxic chemical spill that resulted from a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3, 2023.
Screenshot via Google Maps
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has asked CSX Transportation to share the load when it comes to moving sewer infrastructure affected by its plans for a third passenger rail line connecting Franconia and Lorton.
Last week, the board unanimously approved a letter to the North American rail company urging it to assist with relocating several sanitary sewers at risk of contamination during the construction of the Virginia Railway Express rail line.
The international bakery and cafe Paris Baguette is slated to open another franchise in Springfield later this fall.
Known for its French-style bread, pastries, desserts, and sandwiches, Paris Baguette’s upcoming location at 6811 Bland Street will be its fifth in the Fairfax area, joining other sites in Tysons, Herndon, Fairfax City and Centreville.
A proposal for 40 new townhomes in Springfield is heading to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for a vote next month.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval last Wednesday (April 24) for developer JR Real Estate Group’s plan to construct 40 single-family homes on a 5.81-acre property located near the Franconia-Springfield Parkway.
Fairfax County Police have arrested another individual involved in a “street takeover” in Springfield earlier this month.
On Friday, April 19, Baltimore County Police Department detained a 20-year-old man from Parkville, Maryland, according to FCPD. He faces charges of abduction, assaulting a law enforcement officer, wearing a mask in public and obstruction of justice.
Several people have been identified and charged in connection to a “street takeover” in Springfield on Sunday (March 31).
The Fairfax County Police Department announced today (Wednesday) that detectives arrested and charged an 18-year-old man from Woodbridge and a 17-year-old Arlington man who allegedly took part in a rowdy “mob” in a parking lot in the 6600 block of Electronic Drive around 3 a.m.
The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) is seeking public input on several projects vying for inclusion in its six-year funding program.
The biggest request by far comes from Fairfax County, which applied for $587.2 million to fund four major projects — more than the other eight localities participating in the fiscal year 2024-2029 Six-Year Program combined.
Multiple people were taken to the hospital early yesterday morning (Sunday) after an attempted drag race on I-395 turned into a police pursuit, resulting in a crash.
According to the Virginia State Police, troopers responded to southbound I-395 around 12:16 a.m. in response to an alert that two drivers were trying to race each other along the interstate in the Springfield area.
