July 30 - August 5, 2015
Falls Church, Virginia • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free
Founded 1991 • Vol. XXV N o . 23
Falls Church • Tysons Corner • Merrifield • McLean • North Arlington • Bailey’s Crossroads
Inside This Week News-Press Auto Spotlight Inside
The News-Press takes a look at the automobile industry including the latest trends in car buying, the difference between buying and leasing and repair tips and stories from mechanics around The Little City. See pages 10-11
W. Broad Building Fire Causes $100K Damage There were no injuries in a Monday morning fire at an office building on West Broad Street that resulted in $100,000 in damages. See News Briefs, page 9
David Brooks: The Structure of Gratitude
I’m sometimes grumpier when I stay at a nice hotel. I have certain expectations about the service that’s going to be provided. See page 14
Press Pass with Andrew & Polly
Andrew Barkan and Polly Hall met at Amherst College while making a folk rock record. Now they are married, have a oneyear-old baby, spend most of their time creating and performing children’s music. See page 25
F.C. Council, School Board Put Out ‘RFP’ for Its New 34.6 Acres Developers Invited to Submit Plans for Annexed Property
by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
The final edits were being made yesterday on the final version agreed to by both the Falls Church City Council and School Board of a 21-page “request for conceptual proposal” for development of the 34.6 acres of land annexed into the City as part of the sale last year of the City’s water system to Fairfax County. The request, known as an “RFP,” was due to be released to the public today, posted on the City’s website, the state’s online procurement site, on social media and through a press release, Assistant City Manager Cindy Mester told the News-Press yesterday. It took two joint marathon
Falls Church News-Press
Index
Business News....24 Classified Ads .....27 Comics, Sudoku & Crossword...........29 Critter Corner.......30
Continued on Page 4
AT A SECOND MARATHON joint work session of the Falls Church City Council and School Board this Monday, Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones and City Manager Wyatt Shields were in the midst of the intense deliberation on what should be included in a “request for proposal” for the 34.6 acres recently transferred into the City limits. It was the second three-hour session in as many weeks, the one before being behind closed doors. (Photo: News-Press)
New ‘Mason Row’ Submission Eases Impact on Park Ave.
by Nicholas F. Benton
Editorial..................6 Letters..............6, 18 News & Notes.12-13 Comment........14-17 Calendar.........20-21 Food & Dining.22-23
meetings of over three hours each, one held behind closed doors last week and the other in a public session this Monday, for the City Council and School Board to arrive at a final version to distribute to developers, who will now have until the end of October to respond. The Council voted 6-1 Monday to distribute the RFP over the objections of one Council member, Karen Oliver, who said it was “premature.” The elements of the RFP include either the renovation and expansion or construction of a new high school and middle school and on 10.38 acres whose specific location is not stipulated, commercial development.
Peter Batten, principal of Spectrum Development LLC, notified the News-Press last weekend that his group formally resubmitted a revised plan for the 4.3acre so-called Mason Row mixed use project they’re proposing at the intersection of W. Broad and N. West Streets in the City of Falls Church. Jim Snyder, head of the City’s Planning Department, confirmed to the News-Press the receipt of the new revised proposal, but said it will require some significant
review within his department to determine when it might be ready to be reintroduced into the approval process, including for a public hearing. Batten stated, “The revisions we have made are a direct response to suggestions and concerns expressed by the community, City Boards and Commissions and City Planning Staff and Council. Our entire team is pleased and excited about our revised plan.” Dick Buskell of Spectrum followed the announcement with a summary of the many revisions made to the plan that include, 1. the hotel is moved to the
commercial corner and away from residences, 2. the hotel is now its “own” building, reducing the massing along West Street and W. Broad in the process, 3. operational and design components are fully integrated with input from the project’s new partner, Mill Creek (formerly Trammel Crow and one of the largest and most respected apartment owner/operators in the U.S.), 4. the trash and loading facility is removed from West Street facing the neighbors, and the trash area is enclosed facing the Wells Fargo Bank branch,
5. the Park Avenue frontage (for parcels now zoned detached residential) is completely redesigned, changing use to all residential with lowered heights, 6. the parking garage is hidden behind the new Park Avenue residential so it cannot be seen by neighbors on the north side of Park Avenue, 7. the variance request is reduced to lower parking, leaving abundant parking for all users, 8. bike share is provided along with enhanced pedestrian connections to the W&OD bike trail, 9. a shuttle service to the Metro will be provided by the hotel, 10. refined architectural design is added, 11. retail on the ground level has options for small format grocer or organic grocer, raised to a
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