Local 2022 Design Awards Recipients
Several local architects and properties have received accolades for their work. NAIOP Northern Virginia recognized significant contributions at their November gala, including several in the Falls Church community. Robert E. Beach Architects received the award for Community Enrichment for the design of the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial. The memorial and contemplative garden in Lorton is now owned by NOVA Parks. Other NAIOP Northern Virginia award winners are as follows: Capital Improvement Non-Institutional Award of Excellence for Birch & Broad, with NAIOP Members on the team Federal Realty Investment Trust; and the Multi-Family Residential Award of Excellence to Modera and Verso, submitted by the Hartman Design Group with NAIOP members on the team, WDG Architecture. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors recently awarded Robert E. Beach Architects the Merit Award for Institutional Design Excellence in the 2022 James M. Scott Exceptional Design Awards Program, also for the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial. Familiar to Falls Church, Atlantic Realty Co. and Architecture, Inc. also received a 2022 Merit Award for the 8150 Leesburg Pike Amenities, demonstrating what can be done with a challenging, windowless space.
Fallfax Center Redevelopment Proposal
The property owner of Fallsfax Center, Schupp Companies, has proposed redevelopment of the retail strip on the edge of Idylwood into a residential and retail building. Current tenants include Settle Down Easy Brewing, El Tio Tex-Mex Grill, Victor’s Grill, a Pizza Hut and Huqqa Lounge. The brewery is said to remain under the current proposal. This is one of many proposals for Fairfax County’s site-specific plan amendment program involving land use changes to the comprehensive plan for individual properties.
Creative Cauldron Receives Grant
Creative Cauldron was awarded an FY2023 ArtsFairfax Project Support Grant to support “Artes Para Todos,” an initiative that provides young people attending Fairfax County Title One schools year-round after school drama and arts workshops. The project specifically reaches English learners and young people from homes where Spanish is the first language spoken. In addition to the after-school workshops, participating students and their families receive complimentary tickets to Creative Cauldron’s family-friendly productions throughout the year, and students are offered free or reduced tuition for spring break and summer camps.
Corporate Support for Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus
Virginia Tech is piloting a project-based curriculum for local engineering students in partnership with Falls Church-based Northrop Grumman as well as Boeing and Deloitte. Faculty members currently based at the University’s Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church will work with companies in the tech, aerospace and defense fields on real-world problems for small groups in the Master of Engineering program to tackle
Northern Virginia Workforce Index Survey
The Northern Virginia Chamber is looking for your opinion on the region’s workforce trends. As part of the research, it is aimed at gathering intelligence on the current workforce and talent-related issues for businesses as part of the 2022 Northern Virginia Workforce Index. Conducted in partnership with the Northern Virginia Chamber Foundation and the Northern Virginia Community College, the 2022 report will be available in January at the Chamber’s annual Economic Outlook Conference. Please take a moment to complete the survey and share your company’s data. Take the survey.
