(Updated at 9:40 a.m. on 3/26/2024) A federal funding boost is coming to help improve pedestrian and bicycle facilities on the Town of Herndon’s main through street and more than a dozen other sites around Northern Virginia.
At its meeting last Thursday (March 21), the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) approved $19.5 million through the federal Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program for 15 non-highway transportation projects in the state.
Five of the projects to receive funds are in Fairfax County or its towns, led by $2.5 million for a plan to improve the safety, accessibility and walkability of Elden Street.
According to a Town of Herndon presentation, the project includes new ADA ramps and crosswalks, a widened sidewalk that moves around existing barriers, and a grass buffer. Spanning 0.3 miles between Center Street and Ferndale Avenue, the improvements will be in close proximity to the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, Herndon Middle School and St. Joseph’s School.
Over in the Town of Vienna, the Locust Street Trail project will get $1.3 million to facilitate the replacement of an existing sidewalk within a 10-foot-wide shared-use path. The project will also address drainage issues that “frequently make the existing path unusable for extended periods,” per a news release from the TPB.
The funding approved for Fairfax County will go to three different Safe Routes to Schools projects, including $140,000 for Shrevewood Elementary School in Idylwood. Developed in response to a fatal crash in 2019, the project will add three new crosswalks with a sidewalk or a shared use path connection.
“In addition to making it safer to walk or bike to school, this project will expand safe access for kids to the W&OD Trail, a key link in the National Capital Trail Network,” the TPB’s summary said.
The project has received another $1 million through other Transporation Alternatives Set-Aside funding, fulfilling the county’s full request, according to the board.
A Safe Routes to Schools program for Lake Braddock Elementary School in Annandale got around $356,000 to improve pedestrian safety and connectivity across the road and school entrance. It includes ADA ramps, new crosswalks and new pedestrian refuge islands.
More broadly, the school system’s overall SRTS program will get $276,000 to educate students on safe walking and bicycling.
“The project will develop maps with suggested safe routes, safety education, bike rodeos, walk and bike to school days, monthly challenges with rewards, build a bike give a bike programs, and the development of park and walk programs for students who live beyond the walking zone,” the press release said.
Two projects in Fairfax City also got funding from the Federal Highway Administration program:
Fern Street Neighborhood Connection, City of Fairfax: $285,119
Utilizing city property, this project will connect commercial and residential areas lacking a paved ADA-accessible pathway. The project prioritizes bikes and pedestrians by building a trail instead of a road extension and supports small area plan recommendations by initiating a pedestrian priority corridor and providing links to potential mixed-use redevelopments.
Chain Bridge Road Shared Use Path, City of Fairfax: $2,098,314
This project will provide a safer and higher quality bike and pedestrian facility along Chain Bridge Road, a busy arterial that feeds into I-66. The project will build a shared-use path between existing trails, including a connection to the National Capital Trail Network’s Custis/I-66 Trail. The project serves an Equity Emphasis area.
The total amount of approved funding from the Transportation Alternatives set-aside program has been corrected from $195 million to $19.5 million.
A chain of bubble tea shops is adding another local link, this time in the Town of Vienna.
Vivi Bubble Tea anticipates opening its newest franchise at 233 Maple Avenue East in mid-April, according to Yaya Zhang, manager of both the upcoming Vienna location and the existing Fairfax City cafe (9974 Main Street).
The shop has moved into the former Elite Tutoring Place in Glyndon Shopping Center, filling out a row also occupied by Pizza Vienna and Bruster’s Ice Cream.
Zhang says Vivi Bubble Tea was interested in adding a franchise in Vienna for “many reasons,” including the opportunity to attract a different customer base than the people it sees in Fairfax.
“Vivi Bubble Tea would like to increase its brand presence and respond to customer demand, and we believe Vienna Town offers an attractive demographic profile and foot traffic,” Zhang said by email. “Compared to the Fairfax City branch, which faces customers with college students and nearby residents, the Vienna Town branch is looking to attract families, young professionals, and other nearby residents.”
Vivi Bubble Tea launched in 2007 with “cutting-edge technology for tea production,” according to its website. Since opening its first store in New York City, the company has expanded to over 100 locations across four continents and 13 countries.
The proliferation of chains like Vivi and Sharetea has fueled a surge in bubble tea’s popularity in the U.S., drawing attention to a longtime favorite of some Asian immigrant communities. First developed in Taiwan in the 1980s, the drink consists of cold, sweet milk tea and chewy tapioca balls, or boba.
In addition to both dairy and non-dairy milk teas, Vivi offers fruit and jelly teas, flavored hot tea, soda and slushes, which come in flavors like strawberry, lychee and Oreo cookie. The variety and ability to customize menu items with toppings and different sugar or ice levels sets the chain apart from other bubble tea shops, Zhang says.
The business also serves Asian street food, including popcorn chicken, bento boxes and takoyaki, a traditionally Japanese snack.
“We believe that by offering a range of food options alongside their bubble tea drinks, Vivi Bubble Tea can attract customers looking for a complete dining experience or those who want to enjoy a snack or meal with their beverages,” Zhang said.
Vivi’s Vienna shop will be its third franchise in Virginia, joining ones in Fairfax and at the Eden Center in Falls Church.
Zhang says the business plans to get involved in the local community, and customers can expect plenty of promotions and discounts.
“We can’t wait to open up and service everyone in Vienna,” Zhang said.
(Updated at 4:20 p.m. on 3/25/2024) Schools in Vienna, Herndon and Fort Belvoir have or are at risk of losing their crossing guards due to budget constraints facing the Fairfax County Police Department.
The Vienna Town Council and Mayor Linda Colbert were informed at a recent work session that the county will no longer provide crossing guards for any schools in the town’s limits because of a lack of funding, Councilmember Howard Springsteen shared at the council’s meeting on Monday (March 18).
The nine affected crossings would instead need to be covered by the Vienna Police Department, which doesn’t have sufficient staffing to handle the added duties, according to Springsteen, whose comments were first reported by Patch.
“Schools are not our responsibility. It’s a county responsibility,” he said. “…I know the mayor’s been working on this and the council’s been pretty upset about this. We’re working on that, but people need to be aware of some of the issues we deal with behind the scenes.”
Vienna isn’t the only place affected. The FCPD said it would also eliminate coverage for one crossing each in Herndon and Fort Belvoir, according to a letter from Vienna Police Chief Jim Morris to Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis.
The Herndon Police Department says it was notified late last fall that FCPD was removing its officers from a crossing at Herndon Elementary School, effective Jan. 1. Because only one spot was affected, the town was able to fill the gap.
“Herndon does not have a school crossing guard program, but we take the safety of our kids very seriously,” HPD spokesperson Lisa Herndon said. “Unlike the Town of Vienna, which has been left with multiple vacancies as a result of the crossing guards being removed, we have only one crossing and have managed to cover it with patrol officers each day.”
Fort Belvoir has also taken over crossing guard duties at its on-base school, according to March 19 memo from the FCPD to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
The crosswalk covered by an FCPD officer was across Meeres Road in front of Fort Belvoir Upper School and the Child Development Center, Fort Belvoir Public Affairs told FFXnow.
The Army installation says it’s “currently working with FCPD, Fairfax County Public Schools, and Fort Belvoir Elementary school leadership to discuss a way ahead.”
“As we gather more information, Fort Belvoir will be in a better position to decide on the best way to ensure crosswalk safety,” Fort Belvoir Public Affairs said. “The safety of our children remains our number one priority.”
The FCPD indicated in a statement to FFXnow that discussions about how to handle the school crossings in Vienna are still in the preliminary stages.
“Given the primary jurisdiction responsibilities afforded to the Town of Vienna for law enforcement and public safety, the FCPD has engaged the Vienna Police Department in preliminary discussions surrounding school crossing coverages,” the department said. “As our conversations continue, all school crossing coverages will be handled by the FCPD.” Read More
Users of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail can now more directly access the Freeman Store and Museum — and, beyond it, the Town Green — in Vienna.
The town has opened a new pedestrian bridge over Piney Branch that links the regional trail to the historic site. Completed in November, the facility replaces a wooden bridge that collapsed in 2016 due to water damage and general deterioration.
“It looks as it did many years ago and restores an important link to the Town’s history, connecting past and present,” the Town of Vienna said of the new bridge.
The town will celebrate the bridge’s reopening this Saturday (March 23) with a ribbon-cutting and reception starting at 10 a.m. Refreshments will be provided, and the Freeman Store will unveil two new museum exhibits: “Exploring Books Throughout Time” and “Vienna Unveiled Through Maps.”
Have you noticed the new pedestrian bridge along the W&OD Trail? After months of anticipation, it's time to celebrate its completion! Everyone's invited to the official ribbon cutting on Saturday, March 23, at 10 a.m. See you there! Details: https://t.co/5bwEBgELgq. pic.twitter.com/zVcig20KRq
— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) March 14, 2024
Vienna officials had been looking to build a new bridge since they closed the previous one in February 2016, but an initial lack of response from contractors and rising costs for lumber and other materials delayed the project.
Construction finally began in February 2023, requiring a temporary detour around the affected section of the W&OD Trail.
Measuring about 53 feet long and 5 feet wide, the new bridge was made out of steel and timber. It’s also ADA-compliant, serving as the only way for wheelchair users to access the Freeman Store.
“Since the Freeman Store opened in 1859, it has been a store, a home, a train depot, a hotel, a hospital, an officers’ quarters, and a fire department, and the pedestrian bridge over Piney Branch to the store’s side entrance has been an integral part of the structure,” the town said in a news release.
Designated as a historic Virginia landmark in 2011, the Freeman Store is run by the nonprofit Historic Vienna Inc. and sells candy, artist prints, pottery, mugs, used books and other Vienna-themed items.
Located at 131 Church Street NE, the Freeman Store is open to the public from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday between March and December. The store closes on most federal holidays.
Photo via Town of Vienna/Twitter
The Vienna Business Association is reviving its Get Healthy Vienna! Expo for 2024.
First introduced last May, the health and fitness showcase will return to the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE) on April 6, from 10 am. to 2 p.m. The event is intended to highlight health-related businesses and resources available in the local community, VBA Health, Wellness & Fitness chair Karen Kerrigan says.
“The 2024 Expo will connect attendees to an array of services, solutions and opportunities that promote wellness and healthy lifestyles,” Kerrigan said. “The process of attaining optimal health and wellness is all about connections, education and taking positive action. I am excited about the wide-array of exhibitors at this year’s expo who are passionate about supporting the health and wellness of our special community.”
This year’s expo will feature up to 50 exhibitors and follow the theme of “Connections to Wellness,” reflecting an emphasis on the importance of social connections to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Outside of the vendors, highlights will include a Kids and Families Zone with children’s activities and demonstrations, such as face painting. The Vienna Singing Princesses will also make “a special appearance” involving superheroes.
For adults, there will be a variety of panels led by health and wellness professionals, who will discuss the root causes of chronic disease, the importance of movement and stretching, and other topics.
Several former James Madison High School student athletes have been enlisted for a panel called “The Importance of a Positive Youth Sports Experience: Lessons for Young Athletes and Their Parents.” Confirmed participants include:
- Football player Nick Dorka (College of William and Mary, Canadian Football League, International Football League)
- Lacrosse player Katie Kerrigan (James Madison University, including a Division I national championship in 2018, and the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League)
- Baseball player Trey Ramsey (Princeton University)
- Soccer player Jack Traxler (Catholic University)
VBA Chairman Greg Kunstbeck said the business association’s board is “excited” to see the event grow in its second year.
“The event continues to grow, evolve and respond to the needs and presence of the many businesses and organizations that provide services in the wellness space, along with the people they serve,” Kunstbeck said. “VBA members are making a positive difference in the health of our community and positively transforming people’s lives.”
The expo will fall in the middle of the fourth annual Mayor’s Fitness Challenge, where Vienna will try to defend its title as the “most fit community” from the rival cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. The contest will kick off this Saturday (March 16) and continue through May 11.
(Updated at 2:40 p.m.) Vienna officials have released a proposed budget that maintains the town’s current real estate tax rate, despite continued economic challenges from inflation and supply chain issues.
The $53.8 million budget for fiscal year 2025, which starts July 1, holds the tax rate at $0.1950 per $100 of assessed value. Combined with a cumulative 3-cent reduction over the previous three years, the town will have cut its tax rate by 14% since 2021, Town Manager Mercury Payton said in a message to Mayor Linda Colbert and the town council.
However, residential property owners can still expect higher bills, thanks to rising home values. Residential properties assessed at over $1 million — the average for a second year — now make up 36.4% of all homes, exceeding their 29.9% share last year and the 26.7% of homes valued at $500,000 to $800,000 this year.
“Real estate taxes have increased due to increasing assessments, as Vienna is a very desirable place to live,” Payton said in the budget proposal. “The average residential tax bill is estimated at $2,204, a 6.5 percent increase over last year, due to a 7.0 percent increase in assessed value of existing (no growth) properties.”
Strong returns on cash deposits, sales taxes and business license fees will help fund a $3.7 million, or 7.5%, increase in the budget compared to fiscal year 2024. Most of that will cover increased costs related to water and sewer needs and borrowing.
The town anticipates borrowing $1.55 million for 22 new vehicles, including four police cars, three police motorcycles, one dump truck, pickup trucks, a tractor, a mower and two trailers.
“Economic trends in inflation and supply chain difficulties continue and are leading to pressure on expenditures without a commensurate increase in revenue,” Payton wrote, noting that meals tax collections have been flat through the middle of FY 2024.
Still, Vienna is projecting a $554,000, or 7.6%, increase overall in local tax revenue — fueled by business
licenses and sales taxes — and parks and recreation fees are expected to go up by $259,000 or 19.7%.
Priorities addressed by the proposed budget include compensation increases totaling 4% for general employees and 5.5% for sworn police officers, which “will assist with…recruitment and retention pressures.”
Starting on July 1, the town will implement new child and family care leave policies for employees who have become new parents or need to care for an immediate family member.
Employees who’ve worked for Vienna for at least 12 months will get six weeks of paid leave to care for a newborn or newly adopted or fostered child, or to get pregnancy-related medical care. The family care leave policy offers up to two weeks or 80 hours of paid time off so employees can care for a sick or injured family member.
Identified as a top priorty of the town council in a Jan. 22 work session, the new leave policies don’t have a direct cost, but they “may result in slight increases in overtime to cover positions utilizing the leave,” according to the proposed budget. Read More
The Town of Vienna will take a critical step this coming Arbor Day toward replenishing its tree canopy, thanks to the late councilmember Maud Robinson.
During its March 4 meeting, the current Vienna Town Council gave staff the go-ahead to spend $50,000 from the Robinson Trust on a planting project that will add 145 trees along local streets and the East Creek Trail.
Established by Robinson’s estate after her death in 2019, the over $8 million trust was mostly intended to support new sidewalks, but a portion was set aside for town beautification projects, specifically tree plantings.
“This is an important contribution to the restoration of our canopy, which probably all of us here desire,” Councilmember Chuck Anderson said before the vote. “…We have to thank Maud for leaving the money specifically for this purpose, so let’s spend it.”
The allocated funds will cover the planting of 70 trees along six streets and 75 trees along East Creek Trail, which is located at the intersection of Ayr Hill Avenue NE and East Street NE.
The streets — Brentwood Court NW, Blair Court NW, Witness Court NW, Counsellor Drive NW, Carters Glen SW and Moorefield Road SW — were chosen based on a town-wide tree inventory completed last year, according to Vienna Parks and Recreation Director Leslie Herman.
Conducted by the urban forestry consultant PlanIT Geo, the final inventory identified over 10,000 trees in Vienna, including around 4,200 that were in need of maintenance, stump grinding, pest or disease control, or removal. The report also pointed out more than 1,200 potential planting locations for street trees.
Herman told the town council that the new trees funded by this project will be a mix of native and non-native species, since native species don’t always thrive in the narrow strip of land between sidewalk and road that’s available for street trees.
“Street trees grow in a variety of harsh conditions,” she said. “There are a number of considerations that go into the selection of street trees in Vienna, to include poor soil, lack of moisture, road de-icing salts, pollution, urination by dogs, overhead utility avoidance, selection for a root system that’s compatible with nearby sidewalks, curb-and-gutter, lawn mowers and the opening and closing of doors.”
The plantings are expected to begin this spring and finish in November, depending on the weather.
Volunteers will be enlisted for the planting effort along East Creek Trail as part of the town’s Arbor Day festivities. An event is being organized for the morning of April 27, a day after the official Arbor Day Celebration at the same site on April 26.
Residents slated to get street trees in front of their homes will be notified in advance of the plantings, Herman said.
Bolstering the town’s tree canopy has become a priority of the Vienna Town Council since an assessment released in October 2022 found that it had lost approximately 163 acres — or 13% — of its tree cover since 2011.
A zoning code amendment that would establish new standards for preserving and adding trees has been in the works since May 2023, but a decision on whether to adopt it has been repeatedly deferred, partly due to a debate over how the ordinance should be organized and partly in anticipation of new state legislation.
A bill championed by state Sen. Saddam Salim would’ve allowed the town to set 10-year tree canopy requirements for developers, instead of the 20-year time frame currently expected. The legislation appeared on track for approval, passing the State Senate on a 28-12 vote, but it was defeated 52-48 in the House of Delegates on Feb. 28, falling short of the 67 “yes” votes needed to pass.
In the wake of the bill’s failure, the town council held a conference session on the proposed tree ordinance on March 4, but it remains unclear when the measure might get an official vote.
Image via Google Maps
Updated at 3:35 p.m. on 4/2/2024 — Yellow Diner officially opened in Vienna on Monday, April 1, operating from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for brunch and 5-10 p.m. for dinner every day except for Tuesdays.
Earlier: An end to the long, winding road to an opening for Vienna’s Yellow Diner is in sight.
The new restaurant is “a hundred percent guaranteed” to open at 501 Maple Avenue West this month, co-owner and operational manager Emanuel Pagonis told FFXnow. A firm date hasn’t been set yet, but the team is targeting the last week of March for a grand opening.
“It’s three years in the making, but it’s a beautiful place, a beautiful restaurant inside,” Pagonis said by phone. “I’m just excited for people to come in and feel happy, honestly. That’s what I’m most looking forward to.”
The concept for Yellow Diner came to Emanuel and his father, Peter Pagonis, who owns the Greek restaurant Nostos in Tysons, during the uncertain days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They wanted to build a “happy community spot” that everyone will feel comfortable visiting at any time of the day, according to Emanuel Pagonis. They also saw a deficit of quality breakfast options in Vienna, particularly following Amphora Restaurant’s closure in 2021.
The Maple Room, a steak and seafood restaurant, opened last year in Amphora’s place, but it offers more of a fine-dining experience, operating only during dinner hours.
“We wanted to make this a new, little beacon of happiness where people can come and enjoy American classics and feel nice and warm when they walk in,” Emanuel said.
The Pagonis family got the Vienna Board of Architectural Review’s approval to replace a defunct SunTrust Bank branch with Yellow Diner in July 2022, but converting a bank originally built in the 1970s into a modern restaurant required an extensive permitting and construction process.
Now that the water, gas lines, electricity and other utilities have been installed, the build-out finally complete, the team is focused on hiring staff and taste-testing their planned recipes. The menu is still being finalized, but it will be completely different from the Greek cuisine at Nostos, Emanuel Pagonis confirmed.
Breakfast and brunch will consist of eggs benedict, pancakes, waffles and other classic American comfort foods, as Tysons Today previously reported. For dinner, which will start at 5 p.m., the restaurant will shift to “American fusion” dishes.
Though it seeks to impart the same feelings of comfort associated with an old-school diner, Yellow Diner will have a different, more modern ambiance than a mid-century establishment like The Virginian, for example, which dates back to 1965.
Among other deviations, it will have a bar with full cocktail and liquor lists, along with fresh juices and lemonade.
Including an outdoor patio, the restaurant can seat 94 people, though it has the capacity to expand in the future, according to Emanuel.
“Until you come inside and see the place, you won’t really know what we’re about,” he said. “Our name is Yellow Diner, but we look a little different than your traditional diner, so we want people to come in and see for themselves.”
Lezzet has closed its Vienna restaurant after less than two years in the town.
The location closed for good “last week unfortunately,” a spokesperson for the Mediterranean restaurant confirmed to FFXnow by email on Friday (March 1), though they didn’t elaborate on what led to that decision.
A notice taped to the restaurant’s front door was similarly opaque, saying only that it was permanently closed.
An expansion of a popular restaurant that started in Centreville in 2020, Lezzet opened in the Cedar Park Shopping Center (262-G Cedar Lane) on April 10, 2022. It was accompanied by El Sabor Grill, a Mexican restaurant and bar also operated by general manager Burcin Can.
El Sabor opened in March 2022 and closed after less than a year of business.
Lezzet was founded by chef Serkan Gozubuyuk, who had more than three decades of experience cooking Turkish cuisine. An immigrant from Turkey, his previous work included stints as an executive chef at Ankara in Dupont Circle and a sous chef for Agora Tysons.
The Centreville location (13850 Braddock Road, Suite E) remains open. It has the same menu as the Vienna location, serving kabobs, flatbreads, wraps and other Turkish and Mediterranean dishes.
Lezzet joins a growing list of restaurant closures in the Town of Vienna, following in the more established footsteps of Noodles and Company and preceding last week’s shuttering of Akai Tori Ramen & Yakitori. The family-owned store Princess Jewelers is also set to close after 38 years on March 16.
Anchored by CVS Pharmacy and Simply Social Coffee, Cedar Park Shopping Center’s remaining dining options include Sushi Koji, America’s Best Wings, Hunan Delight, Pizza Boli’s and The Red Bird, a hot chicken eatery that opened in December.
Some teenage volunteers in Vienna have teamed up with a national nonprofit to show their support for American military service members.
The town’s Club Phoenix Teen Council launched a donation drive this week to collect clothes, non-perishable food and other items that will be assembled into care packages for military troops serving around the world.
Donations will be accepted through March 7 at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE), the town announced on Wednesday (Feb. 28) in a press release. Wanted items include:
- New socks and undershirts
- Non-perishable food items such as beef jerky, canned tuna, or dried fruit
- Hygiene items such as body wipes, hand sanitizer, and sunscreen
- Other common supplies like pens, books, or journals.
The teen council is a volunteer program in Club Phoenix, the town-run teen center that offers after-school programs and services to students in sixth through 12th grade. The council consists of nine members in seventh through 12th grade.
To organize the donation drive, the council has partnered with the nonprofit HeroBox, which aims to “provide physical and emotional support” to deployed service members, according to its website.
Designed to give the council members volunteering experience, the initiative builds on a letter-writing campaign that Club Phoenix conducted during the recent winter holiday season with A Million Thanks, another nonprofit dedicated to supporting members of the military.
“We wanted to continue supporting them, so we teamed up with HeroBox, an organization that helps
troops year-round,” Ianna Alhambra, the town’s after school program coordinator, said.
According to the Town of Vienna, the teen council hopes to collect enough donations to “fill at least 20 medium size USPS care packages for 20 military personnel with 15-20 items per package.”
Items can be dropped off at the community center’s lobby on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday from 12-6 p.m. The Club Phoenix Teen Center, which is located in the community center’s basement, will also accept donations from 2:30-6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 2:30-9 p.m. on Fridays.
