Residents of Luttrell Road have intimate view of beltway construction
The residents of Luttrell Road in Annandale literally have a front-row seat to the beltway construction project. Until a new sound wall is built, Norma Smith and her neighbors have views like the one pictured on the left from their front doors. The houses and sound wall that used to be across the street have been … Continued
Annandale real estate market shows some improvement
The real estate market in Annandale is doing somewhat better in June 2010, compared with June 2009. The average price of a home sold in zip code 22003 was $371,396 during June 2010, compared to $363,758 in June 2009, according to statistics provided by Vivianne Couts of Coldwell Banker. The median price of a home … Continued
Major police training exercise to be held at Lacey Center on Friday morning, beginning at 3 a.m.
Don’t be alarmed if you hear a lot of noise near the Lacey Center early Friday morning. Members of the Fairfax County Police Department’s Special Operations Division will be conducting hostage/barricade training at the Lacey Center (3705 Crest Drive, Annandale) in the Broyhill Crest neighborhood on July 23 beginning at 3 a.m. and continuing through about 2 … Continued
Mason District to be designated a ‘community wildlife habitat’
The National Wildlife Federation plans to certify Fairfax County’s Mason District as a “Community Wildlife Habitat.” The certification will be formally presented at a September meeting of the county Board of Supervisors. The Community Wildlife Habitat program is an extension of the NWF’s Certified Wildlife Habitat program, which recognizes people and groups who make their backyards, … Continued
Fairfax Police SWAT team conducts training exercise at Lacey Center in Annandale
In case you heard some shooting and explosions earlier today in the Broyhill Crest area of Annandale, don’t be alarmed; it was just the Fairfax County Police SWAT team carrying out an “explosive entry” training exercise at the Lacey Center. That’s what the police do when they have to break into a building to rescue hostages … Continued
FCPS School Board to approve construction contract for new elementary school on Lacey site
The Fairfax County School Board is expected to approve a recommendation July 22 to award a contract to the CFI Construction Corp. for $13.749 million for the construction of a new elementary school on the site of the Lacey Center (3705 Crest Drive, Annandale; see map below). CFI’s bid for the project was the lowest … Continued
Old Lee Highway theater demolished, clearing the way for Merrifield redevelopment
I’ve spent many a date night at the Lee Highway Multiplex in Merrifield, and it was a little sad to the see the building demolished. The site has been cleared to make way for the new Mosaic District, the $450 million redevelopment project to create a new Merrifield Town Center in the area between Gallows Road and Lee Highway. … Continued
107 people in Annandale zip code reported that they felt the earthquake
The 3.6 magnitude earthquake that struck the area at 5:04 a.m. this morning, caused “weak” shaking in the Annandale zip code (22003), the U.S. Geological Survey reports. According to the USGS website, 107 people in that zip code responded affirmatively to the question, “Did you feel it?” Annandale is 37 kilometers from the epicenter in Gaithersburg, … Continued
Annandale HS students raise money for Somali schools
Kudos to Annandale High School students Bashir Warsame and Sahnun Mohamud for creating a foundation to help the children of Somalia. A recent report on the teens on News Channel 8 explains their plan to raise money for educational equipment, like laptops and projectors, for Somali schools. They hope that improved opportunities for education will … Continued
Fairfax County supervisors approve Annandale plan amendment
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a redevelopment plan for Annandale July 13, paving the way for a comprehensive transformation of the suburban community into a walkable, urban, and active mixed-use center. The Annandale Community Business Center Comprehensive Plan Amendment adopts a new form-based approach that provides flexibility by using building form and height to … Continued
Dollar Tree and Petco coming to Little River Shopping Center
A couple of the vacant properties in the Little River Shopping Center in Annandale will be occupied within the next few months. A Dollar Tree is moving into the spot next to the Blockbuster [in photo], which was vacated by the Seoul Department Store. A Petco will move into the long-empty site that once held … Continued
Something Special closing after 42 years in Annandale
It’s the end of an era. After 42 years at Annandale’s Little River Shopping Center, Something Special is closing. Meanwhile, until the shop finally shuts its doors for the last time—in August or September—everything is at least 20 percent off and some items are 70 percent off. Owner Jeff Kay, who’s been at the store … Continued
Weird wildlife siting
Construction starts on Korean pavilion and bell garden
The first Korean bell pavilion on the East Coast and only bell garden in North America is being built at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, a regional park in Vienna near Wolf Trap. The bell garden is the brainchild of Jeung Hwa Elmejjad-Yi, the chair of the Korean-American Cultural Committee, based in Annandale. Many local residents and … Continued
Arrest made in Annandale sexual assaults
Fairfax County Police arrested a 17-year-old allegedly responsible for the sexually motivated assaults that took place in the Avant Apartment Complex in Annandale in recent weeks. The Annandale-area teen was taken to the juvenile detention center and charged with three counts of sexual battery and one count of “animate object sexual penetration,” the police reported … Continued