Lego attraction coming to Springfield
A Legoland Discovery Center is coming to the Springfield Town Center. The Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, the owner of the shopping mall, announced an agreement with Merlin Entertainments to open a 32,000-square-foot indoor attraction in 2023. The Legoland Discovery Center will offer Lego-themed rides, a 4D theater, and other attractions, as well as a … Continued
Zoning board rules against treehouse
The Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals ruled Feb. 2 that the Dapoigny family cannot keep their treehouse on the front lawn of their home in the Wakefield Chapel Estates subdivision in Annandale. “This is a difficult decision,” said BZA Vice Chair James Hart, but the BZA cannot overrule the zoning regulations approved by the … Continued
Falls Church HS renovation to start soon
Construction will finally start – this spring – on a major renovation and expansion of Falls Church High School. The project is expected to be completed in summer 2025. As described at a community meeting Feb. 3, the school will get a new entry, library, lecture hall, science labs, classrooms, performing arts and music suite, … Continued
Registration open for Pinecrest camp
Registration is open for Pinecrest Pavilion, a summer camp program at Pinecrest School in Annandale. Pinecrest Pavilion offers rising K-6 grade campers a fun-filled day of indoor and outdoor in-person play and learning. Activities include arts and crafts, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) experiments, nature discovery, games and puzzles, and more. There are … Continued
Nature center to close temporarily
The Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale will be closed Feb. 14-June 10, but outdoor programming will continue, the Fairfax County Park Authority reports. The nature center, at 7701 Royce St., is undergoing a $1.6 million renovation and expansion. The project, funded with a 2016 park bond, includes an additional classroom, kitchen area, and interpretive … Continued
An early win for school boards in mask mandate suit
A judge with the Arlington County Circuit Court has granted a temporary restraining order Feb. 4 against Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s ban on mask mandates. The ruling by Judge Louise DiMatteo involves a lawsuit filed by seven school boards, including Fairfax County, Alexandria, Arlington County, Falls Church, Hampton Roads, Prince William County, and Richmond. Related … Continued
Recent crimes: Reckless discharge, robbery
The Fairfax County Police Department reports the following recent crimes in the Annandale/Mason District area: Several community members reported hearing gunfire at the Fairmont Gardens apartments on Wadsworth Court in Annandale at about 7 p.m. on Jan. 29 and saw a potential suspect leaving the area on foot. When officers found the man, a 27-year-old … Continued
The Annandale Greenway gets a green light
By James Albright Much has happened since my last post on the proposed Annandale Greenway, the four-mile “braided” trail that winds its way through Northern Virginia’s most intriguing community. As I described it last year, the trail crosses Annandale just to the north of Little River Turnpike, providing an alternative east-west passage that accesses six … Continued
New stores at Landmark Plaza
Several new shops have recently opened or are coming to the Plaza at Landmark in Lincolnia. America’s Best Wings opened in late January at 6244-E Little River Turnpike in the spot formerly occupied by GNC. The shop offers 33 flavors of buffalo wings, says co-owner Ahad Ali. Some of the popular varieties include garlic parmesan, … Continued
Little River Turnpike targeted for improvements
The state of Virginia has identified a section of Little River Turnpike in Annandale as in need of improvements. The goal is to reduce congestion and make the corridor safer for bicyclists and pedestrians. A study assessing traffic capacity and safety on a half-mile stretch of Route 336 between Prosperity Avenue and Wakefield Chapel Road … Continued
Lane closures on Duke Street
There will be lane shifts on Duke Street in the Landmark area starting today as Virginia Department of Transportation crews work on the bridge over Interstate 395. The westbound lane between S. Walker Street and Oasis Drive will be closed this morning for the installation of temporary striping for the traffic shift. Around 3 p.m., … Continued
Resident injured in house fire
A resident of a house in the 4700 block of Autumn Cove Court in Lincolnia was injured in a house fire on Jan. 29, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reports. The occupant was transported to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. When firefighters arrived at the two-story, single-family house shortly after 1 a.m., fire … Continued
Woodson fire causes $8 million in damages
Investigators with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department estimated the fire on the Woodson High School campus Jan. 30 caused more than $8.85 million in damages. The two-alarm fire was accidental and started in an office in an administrative building next to the school. Woodson is located at 9525 Main Street in Fairfax. Related … Continued
Should Mason District be renamed?
The Redistricting Advisory Committee has agreed to consider whether five of the nine Fairfax County supervisory districts should be renamed. That list includes Mason District, as well as Lee, Mount Vernon, Springfield, and Sully. The committee will make a recommendation by March 1 on whether any of those districts should be renamed but will not … Continued
Metrobus to resume regular service
Metrobus will return to regular weekday service on Feb. 7, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced. Metrobus has been operating on a modified Saturday schedule, offering approximately 75 percent of normal weekday service, since Jan. 10 due to Covid-related staffing shortages. The Covid Omicron surge has affected about 10 percent of Metro’s workforce since … Continued