Longtime Annandale shops, AnnSandra and Party Co., are expanding
With so many Annandale businesses closing in recent months (Bloom, Room Store, Sunset Grille, to name a few), it’s nice to see some retail expansion going on. The Party Co., at 4421 John Marr Drive, is planning to relocate to the much larger space that used to house Super Pets in the same strip mall. … Continued
ExxonMobil leaving Fairfax County – along with 2,100 jobs
ExxonMobil’s Merrifield campus ExxonMobil will close its 118-campus in Merrifield, the company announced June 6, and will relocate that operation to Houston, beginning in early 2014. That means a loss of 2,100 jobs for Fairfax County. That complex, which is owned by Exxon Mobil, housed the offices of ExxonMobil’s Refining and Supply Co., ExxonMobil Research … Continued
Parents, community get a first look at Annandale’s newest elementary school
The entrance, with the office on the left. Parents, community residents, and students are getting their first look at Mason Crest Elementary School, as the principal, Brian Butler, and his staff are conducting tours of Annandale’s newest school over the next couple of weeks. [See the school’s website for a tour schedule.] Mason Crest will … Continued
Merrifield offers model for redevelopment
The Mosaic District at Merrifield shows what could be happening in central Annandale if developers and property owners could get their act together. The first store to open at the Mosaic development will be the Target, set to open in October. The Angelika Film Center is slated to open in spring 2013. The other stores … Continued
Man arrested for extorting money from Annandale business owners
Federal officials have charged a Korean man with extorting money from Annandale business owners by threatening to report them for employing illegal immigrants, the Washington Examiner reports. Je Hyung Yoo, 29, was charged in the U.S. District Court in Alexandria with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats of violence. Yoo, also known as “Justice,” … Continued
FCPS holds public meeting on proposed charter school
The public is invited to a meeting on the charter school application submitted by the founders of the Fairfax Leadership Academy (FLA). The meeting will take place Tuesday, June 12, 7:30 p.m., at the Gatehouse Center, 8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church. It will cover the objectives and instructional approach of the proposed charter school, its … Continued
Land use experts weigh in on revitalization strategies for Seven Corners
The pedestrian bridge over Arlington Boulevard With Fairfax County in the earliest stages of exploring redevelopment possibilities for Seven Corners, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) issued a brief report in May outlining how land use experts think the area can be improved. Fairfax County’s efforts for dealing with Seven Corners began with a “visioning exercise” … Continued
The sun sets on Annandale’s dive bar
The Thrillbillys final set at the Sunset Grille The regular crowd turned out in droves last night to rock out to the Thrillbillys one last time at the Sunset Grille. The popular nightspot shut down for good on May 31, as the owner, Shel Youtz, determined it’s no longer financially viable. Revenue has been declining … Continued
Voters’ guide to the primaries
Primary elections on Tuesday, June 12, will determine a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, a Republican House of Representatives candidate for the 11th district, and a Democratic candidate for the 8th congressional district. Republican primary-Senate Voters in the Republican primary will have a chance to choose one of these four Senate candidates to fill … Continued
Sunset Grille shutting down after 23 years in Annandale
Annandale will lose a major landmark and fun nightspot, when the Sunset Grille closes on May 31. There were rumors that the Sunset was closing in February 2011, which were denied by the management, but this time it’s for real. A message on the chalkboard says the bar is closing, and the staff are … Continued
Dunn Loring man dies in fire
The first fire fatality in Fairfax County since September 2010 occurred May 24, when Carroll Adams, 91, succumbed to his injuries from a fire in his apartment at 1808 Old Meadow Road in Dunn Loring, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reported May 29. According to fire investigators, Adams’ clothing caught fire while he … Continued
FXCO purchases and demolishes house on floodplain
The vacant lot in the photo above used to be the site of a single-family house in the Annandale area. The house, at 6613 Dearborn Drive, was torn down earlier this spring after it was purchased by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for $705,000, using federal FEMA funds. This was the first time the … Continued
Communities have little recourse in dealing with unfinished projects
A huge structure in the backyard of a small house on Virginia Street has been under construction for years Just about every neighborhood in Mason seems to have one—a major home remodeling project that never seems to get finished. Often these houses are eyesores, with front yards full of construction debris. The house in the … Continued
Man arrested for immigration scam at Landmark Plaza
Kamara Fairfax County police have arrested man who approached women at Landmark Plaza and promised to help them obtain citizenship and provide immigration assistance for their relatives abroad. Ousseynou Kamara, 41, of 3707 Pogonia Court, Hyattsville, Md., was charged with six felony counts of obtaining money by false pretenses, two counts of forgery, and identity … Continued
Park Authority Board updates
The following report is the latest in a series of occasional updates about Fairfax County Park Authority Board matters by at-large member and Annandale/Falls Church area resident Marie Reinsdorf. Greetings! Since my last update in early January, the Fairfax County Park Authority Board voted to approve the following: The Park Authority Board approved an agreement … Continued