On January 9, the F.C. Economic Development Authority had its first meeting of 2024, and meeting minutes show a great deal of news for the many development sites around The Little City.
In the West Falls Church area, the B3 parking garage has been completed. Seven buildings are currently under construction (including two kiosks and a garage). A medical office building and remaining garage will be completed early this year, with a celebration of occupancy scheduled for February 7. Condo building presales are expected to start soon. Plans for the Tierra Encantada preschool are currently under review, and this summer will see the opening of a new hotel. In late 2024 to early 2025, a condo building will open, as well as an apartment building with a ground floor grocer.
The construction of Founders Row II, at the corner of S. West St. and W. Broad St., is now 15 percent complete, with occupancy expected after the 2025 fiscal year.
Founders Row I has signed new leases for Semicolon Cafe, a coffee and sandwich cafe located on Market Square, and an optometrist in a small storefront adjacent Ellie Bird. The much-anticipated movie theater, by Paragon Theaters, is under construction and estimated to be 5 percent complete. Inspections are underway at Rumble Boxing, and plans are being reviewed for clinic and medical spa 4Ever Young. The EDA is awaiting plans for the Seoul Prime restaurant expected this year.
The Broad & Washington development is now 40 percent complete, with plans for a Whole Foods, and a new location for Creative Cauldron, under review. The first residential apartment units will likely be delivered in May or June, and the overall building completion is expected in this fall.
At Birch and Broad, the Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care is under inspection and 80 percent complete.
Along Broad St. the EDA is awaiting a building permit application and revised plans for Cafe Zevian, a new concept by the owners of Sfizi Cafe to take the space previously occupied by Famille at 700 W. Broad St. Building permits are ready to be issued for Troika Gastronom at 502 W. Broad St. Fyzical and Smoothie King have opened at 603 W. Broad St., under temporary occupancy certifications while they wait for permanent certification. The occupancy application for stylish Patina’s 248 W. Broad St. location, previously Galleria Florist, is under review.
Remodel plans are being reviewed for the Dunkin’ Donuts at 101 E. Annandale Rd., as are plan revisions for Corral Restaurant Lounge & Cafe at 442 S. Washington St. The EDA is awaiting an occupancy application by Rice Guys for the 301 S. Washington St. location previously home to Kamayan Fiesta. A Building permit has been issued for a new food hall at the Eden Center.
The Meeting House, at 419 W. Broad St., has applied to separate its second floor into two suites, with Godfrey’s occupying one suite with a cocktail lounge, limited to 37 occupants. VicturaPark at Meeting House, a pop-up wine garden by the Hilton brothers previously at The REACH at the Kennedy Center, is expected to find a final home on the back side of The Meeting House building — though no changes to the plans have been received.
Demolition for the old Stratford Motel is underway, with the back building removed. A revised site plan for “Stratford Garden,” from the owners of Dominion Wine and Beer, was passed by the Planning Commission on December 20. The plan for the 300 W. Broad St. location involves a 3,722 square foot addition to the front building, and indoor and outdoor dining.
Across the street from Stratford, founders of Pupatella Anastasiya and Enzo Algarme purchased the building at 106 Little Falls St., and plan to open a French creperie and cafe.
At 455 Tinner Hill, the former Target space has a prospective tenant, and discussions are “still on track.” The current building owners inherited the Target lease, which mandates that the termination of the lease cannot be initiated until February 2024, so hopefully more information on the location’s future will be available after the lease is terminated.
The owners of 455 Tinner Hill have partnered with GrillMarx Steakhouse and Raw Bar, and expected to open a fourth location for the Maryland-based chain in The Little City by the end of 2024. The deal is nearly complete, with plans for an indoor-outdoor space seating about 180.
An application submission has been received for the Maple & Annandale space (next to Harris Teeter and across from Bowlero). This includes purchase of some Burke & Herbert’s land (they will remain) and some City land, totaling just over one acre, with plans to build a seven-story building with 196 residential units on top of 11,930 square feet of commercial space.
The EDA also highlighted Falls Church Restaurant Week, coming up January 19-28 with 40 restaurants participating, as well as The Little City Gift Card Program, which sold out its Bonus Cards ($104,349 in total) in just 23 days. Over 3,600 Little City Gift Cards were purchased, with just over $325,000 in total value (including Bonus Cards). So far just over $110,000 have been redeemed, with 66 percent spent on food and drink, 19 percent on shopping, 8 percent on barber/beauty services, 4 percent on health and wellness, 2 percent on entertainment, and a fraction of a percent on fitness.
