School board split on accelerating Falls Church HS renovations
A sink in a FCHS science lab. The Fairfax County School Board spent an hour at a work session last week talking about the possibility of renovating Falls Church High School sooner than scheduled. But there wasn’t enough support to do that, so the school is still slated for the 2019 school bond, which means … Continued
Blog readers select Collector’s World as one of area’s best gift shops
The Annandale Blog presented 2014 Annie Awards to six local businesses during our fifth-year anniversary party, Blogapalooza, on June 28. The winners were chosen by Annandale Blog readers in an open-ended online survey. Collector’s World and AnnSandra, which was profiled July 10, got the same number of votes in the best gift shop category, so … Continued
Planning Commission defers vote on Bailey’s Crossroads shopping center
Washington Drive, looking toward Leesburg Pike. The shopping center would be at the left. [Google Maps] The Fairfax County Planning Commission deferred a decision on a shopping center proposal for Leesburg Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads until July 30, primarily because commissioners felt there was not enough information on a plan to align Charles Street with … Continued
Annandale real estate market in the doldrums
This house in the Brook Hill Estates community is on the market for $1.475 million. The housing market in Annandale was pretty flat in June, reports real estate contributor Vivianne Couts of Coldwell Banker. The average price of a home sold in Annandale (zip code 22003) last month was $508,564, down 4 percent from June … Continued
Tenant sought for former bookstore building
This building is available for lease. Bandi Books, the Korean bookstore at 4305 Markham Street, Annandale, closed a couple of weeks ago for the same reason that bookstores everywhere are shutting down. It’s too hard to compete against online book sellers and there’s so much free information available on the internet, says property owner Gary … Continued
Armed robbery at Route 50 jewelry store
The Route 50 Gold & Jewelry Exchange When armed robbers hit the Route 50 Gold & Jewelry Exchange July 14, they took irreplaceable items of sentimental value. That’s what happened to one local resident who went to the store the next day to retrieve a couple of pieces of jewelry she had pawned and learned … Continued
The ABCs of Annandale
How many of these letters can you identify? They are all from signs on businesses in Annandale.
Diamond ring donated to Annandale Goodwill store sells for $11,600
The Annandale Goodwill Someone donated a 3-carat diamond ring to the Goodwill store in Annandale. The store had been prepared to sell it for $200, but it was put on the Goodwill online auction site instead, where it sold for $11,600 on July 15, says Kiri Grant, general manager of the store on John Marr … Continued
Courtland Park residents raise concerns on proposed retail center
The site of a proposed shopping center on Leesburg Pike as seen from Charles Street. With a public hearing scheduled before the Fairfax County Planning Commission July 17 on a proposal for a shopping center on Route 7 in Bailey’s Crossroads, local residents are urging that the project be modified to protect the Courtland Park … Continued
Annandale Blog readers pick Cue Club as best local bar
This is the third in a series of profiles of the winners of 2014 Annie Awards, presented to local businesses at Blogapalooza on June 28. The winners were selected by Annandale Blog readers in an open-ended survey. Cue Club manager John Kim. The Cue Club “is your neighborhood bar, no matter what your neighborhood is,” … Continued
All types of music featured at free concerts in local parks
Looking for some free entertainment nearby on a summer evening? The Spotlight by Starlight series at Mason District Park and Ossian Hall Park are the places to go. Here’s a video by Bob Kovacs of Jeff Little performing “Orange Blossom Special” on July 11 at Mason District Park during a show that also featured Wayne … Continued
Middle Eastern restaurant planned for central Annandale
After a long break, the construction project under way at 7250 Columbia Pike in Annandale is back on track with a new contractor. The building, across from Walgreens, is house a Middle Eastern restaurant, reports Derek Sielewicz, owner of ADS – Architecture Design Services. The lower-level will offer regular eat-in dining and carryout, and … Continued
Police executing search warrant off Ravensworth Road
UPDATED July 13, 11 p.m. A couple of blocks in a townhouse community on Ravensworth Road, Annandale, have been blocked off with police tape since the early hours of July 13 as Fairfax County Police are carrying out a search for an “explosive device,” according to a police officer on the scene. The occupants of … Continued
You’re never too old to be an Olympian
A competitor in the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics. [NVSO photo] Registration is under way for the 2014 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics. Competitions for people age 50 and over take place Sept. 13-24 in venues throughout the region. Events include track and field, tennis, swimming, cycling, horseshoes, and much more. There are plenty of less-strenuous events, … Continued
VDOT outlines drainage plan for Annandale Acres
A burlap-lined ditch on Auburn Street recently put in by VDOT. The Virginia Department of Transportation has come up with a preliminary plan for a permanent solution to the drainage problem in Annandale Acres. The estimated cost is $5.6 million and Fairfax County’s share of the cost is expected to be an equal amount. It’s … Continued