Tag: property maintenance
Renovation of Barcroft Plaza under way
The Bank of America will stay open during renovations. Work has started on the renovation of Barcroft Plaza, beginning with the standalone building housing Bank of America and Fairfax Landromat. According to Andrea Simpson, vice president of marketing at Federal Realty, that building is getting a new façade; new tenant storefronts; and improved tenant signage, … Continued
Despite complaints, Backlick Park still in bad shape
The slide has been broken for nearly two years. Nearly a year after Annandale resident Binod Gupta started complaining about the neglected state of Backlick Park – a complaint that was picked up on a TV newscast – a few improvements have been made, but the park is still in substandard condition. The slide is … Continued
Supervisors urge VDOT to step up grass mowing
An overgrown median strip. Supervisors Jeff McKay (Lee) and John Cook (Braddock) announced June 19 that they are sending a joint letter to Virginia Department of Transportation officials calling for improved grass maintenance in Fairfax County. The supervisors urge Virginia Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne to reinstitute the policy of six mowing cycles a year. They … Continued
Developer secures vacant houses overrun by squatters
The vacant house at 3408 Washington Drive has been boarded up. The vacant houses on Washington Drive and Charles Street in Bailey’s Crossroads that had been taken over by homeless squatters were boarded up on March 31. Neighbors had been complaining for weeks about the properties, but Spectrum Development finally responded after WUSA Channel 9 … Continued
Neighbors upset by homeless men in vacant homes
Homeless men exiting the vacant house at 3408 Washington Drive. Bailey’s Crossroads residents concerned about squatters in two vacant houses that will be torn down to make way for a new retail center on Leesburg Pike are hopeful that some action will be taken to secure the properties. The police have been called to the … Continued
Local governments can regulate Airbnb rentals
This Annandale house is listed on Airbnb for $75 a night. The Virginia General Assembly passed legislation that would allow local governments to regulate short-term home rentals, such as those arranged through Airbnb and similar companies. The legislation, which is expected to be signed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe, also sets up a statewide mechanism for collecting taxes … Continued
Seven Corners businesses honored for attractive landscaping
The front yard at the Bank of America building. The Bank of America Financial Center and Dogfish Head Alehouse in Seven Corners are the recipients of the first-ever beautification awards from the Bailey’s Crossroads/Seven Corners Revitalization Corporation. The award to Bank of America was presented to Catherine Morrison and Chris Carter at the Oct. 18 … Continued
Spectrum vows to clean up Route 7 development site
Six mattresses piled up behind the old Geico building. Spectrum Development, the company planning to build a retail center on Leesburg Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads, is planning to remove the trash, old mattresses, and furniture piling up on the site. Residents who live nearby have sent several emails to Mason Supervisor Penny Gross in recent … Continued
County seminar will address neighborhood problems
Attention community association and HOA leaders: Want to learn how to deal with neighborhood problems and recruit more volunteers? The Neighborhood Concerns Seminar is for you. It’s Saturday, March 5, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., at Falls Church High School. This free event is sponsored by the Fairfax County Department of Code Compliance and is open to … Continued
Scene around A-Town: Big bag of trash hanging on a tree
Thank you to the bus riders who are depositing their trash in a bag instead of leaving litter all over the ground. This bag of trash has been hanging on a tree for weeks at a bus stop in front of Justa’s Chicken at 4711 N. Chambliss St., Lincolnia. The Annandale Blog first heard about … Continued
Supervisors approve restrictions on donation drop boxes
Donation boxes on John Marr Drive in Annandale. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved new zoning rules Nov. 17 to regulate donation drop boxes. The new rules, which take effect immediately, are needed because the boxes – which are supposed to be for old clothes and shoes – often attract litter and have … Continued
Litter and human waste mar Route 50 pedestrian bridge
A stairwell corner on the pedestrian bridge. A week after a July 31 news report about the filthy condition of the pedestrian bridge over Route 50 in Seven Corners, the bridge stairwells were still littered with trash and smelled like urine – and yes, there were still “piles of human feces,” as the piece by … Continued
Supervisors approve resolution regulating donation boxes
A donation box on Markham Street in Annandale. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution June 2 calling for stricter regulation of donation boxes. The resolution states that while the boxes can provide a convenient place to dispose of clothes, shoes, and small household items, “they can also attract the dumping of unwanted … Continued
Facade improvements proposed for Annandale
Could a few simple aesthetic fixes improve the appearance of central Annandale? That’s the idea behind the Fairfax County Office of Community Revitalization’s (OCR) proposed façade improvement pilot program. The program would encourage business owners to make improvements like landscaping, painting, awnings, flower boxes, planting trees, screening dumpsters, and installing more attractive signs. OCR planner … Continued
County budget would end enforcement of grass ordinance
The owner of this healthy lawn received a warning from a community association. Local lawns could be a lot messier next year, if the Board of Supervisors agrees with a budget recommendation to eliminate enforcement of the grass ordinance. Some neighborhood groups are concerned that could lead to declining property values, deteriorating quality of life, … Continued