ANNANDALE
The Crossroads of Northern Virginia TMRead Annandale's News Magazine,
ENDEAVOR
Annandale News & Latest Articles
Annandale News: ALDI to Open Annandale Location
Annandale News:A Green Community-The State of Our Streams
Annandale News: Information on Voting in Fairfax County
Annandale News: Your Tax Dollars at Work
Annandale News: Bicycle Lanes are Coming to Annandale
Annandale News: It Takes a Community to Build Business
Annandale News: Heritage Mall Redevelopment
Annandale News:Trust Properties, Commercial Real Estate
Annandale Shopping: Artisans United-Year Round Gift Shop
Annandale Business: Creative Work Spaces
Annandale Real Estate:Crunching Numbers, Reading Tea Leaves
Military History: The Medal of Honor
ANNANDALE News,
Events & Networking
Thursday, October 6
Vendor Forum & Reverse Trade Show 2016
Fairfax County’s highly acclaimed annual Vendor Forum and Reverse Tradeshow invites you to participate. Learn how you can be a part of the county’s diverse and highly competitive annual $700M procurement spend. Bring your entrepreneurial spirit and learn how to grow your business opportunities. Participants will:
1. Discover current trends and issues impacting the county’s supply chain process.
2. Gain insight into the county’s supply requirements
3. Learn effective selling techniques through face-to-face contact with county departments
Register now and connect online with #FairfaxSmallBiz to receive business updates and helpful tips. MORE INFORMATION? Visit the Vendor Forum.
QUESTIONS? Call Jason Im at 703-324-3104 or Email: Jason.Im@fairfaxcounty.gov
For information on Voting in Fairfax County
In Virginia you must bring a photo ID to your polling place. Acceptable forms of photo ID are:
- Valid Virginia Driver’s License or Identification Card
- Valid Virginia DMV issued Veteran’s ID card
- Valid United States Passport
- Other government-issued photo identification cards (must be issued by US Government, the Commonwealth of Virginia, or a political subdivision of the Commonwealth)
- Tribal enrollment or other tribal ID issued by one of 11 tribes recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia
- Valid college or university student photo identification card (must be from an institution of higher education located in Virginia)
- Valid student ID issued by a public school or private school in Virginia displaying a photo
- Employee identification card containing a photograph of the voter and issued by an employer of the voter in the ordinary course of the employer’s business
For More Information on Voting:
Office of Elections: 703-222-0776
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/
voting@fairfaxcounty.gov
J Rides is a volunteer supported rides program so that more non-driving adults 55+ will be able to attend programs and special events at the Jewish Community Center.
Volunteers:
- The length of your commitment depends on your availability. J Rides provides volunteer drivers access to our ride scheduling software that lets you select your driving assignments, offering volunteers a flexible schedule
- All volunteers must complete an application and attend a brief orientation
- NV Rides will pay for a required background and a DMV check for all volunteer drivers
- Volunteers are required to have a valid driver’s license, proof of auto insurance
Passengers:
- This is a free service to any non-driving senior (55+) who would like to attend the J or a J program.
- Riders must be ambulatory and able to self-transfer into and out of the vehicle
- Wheel chairs cannot be accommodated
- The J reserves the right to determine rider eligibility
- Please obtain a passenger application from the front desk or by calling 703.537.3074. The application must be completed and returned to the NV Rides office by mail or in person prior to utilizing the service
- A rider can schedule transportation by contacting J Rides at 703.537.3074. Rides are not guaranteed and subject to availability of a volunteer driver
- We suggest scheduling your ride in advance - at least 5 days before the ride is needed. Same day rides are not available.
J Rides
703.537.3074
JRides@JCCNV.org
8900 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, VA 22031
J Rides is part of the Northern Virginia Ride Program. NV Rides is a network of service providers aiming to enhance and improve volunteer transportation throughout the region. In partnership with Fairfax County and Jewish Council for the Aging (JCA), the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia (JCCNV) is administering this community-wide initiative so that more non-driving older adults will be able to get where they need go at no cost, and “age in place” for as long as possible. www.jccnv.org
ALDI, One of America’s Favorite Grocers
Will Open Annandale Store
ALDI, one of America’s favorite grocery stores*, will offer the community a fresh shopping experience as it opens its store in Annandale. The new store will be anything but ordinary. ALDI has a unique style when it comes to grocery shopping, and by doing things a little differently, will help deliver big savings to Annandale shoppers. To be conveniently located in the Annandale Shopping Center on Columbia Pike at Gallows Road, ALDI will be a welcome addition to Annandale retail. Further details (grand opening and hiring) will be available in the months ahead on the Annandale Chamber of Commerce website.
ALDI is an easy-to-shop grocery store that offers the best weekly must-haves like fresh meat and produce, bread, dairy, and household items, all while helping customers save up to 50 percent** on their grocery bills.
“We’re eager to open our store in Annandale,” said Jeff Baehr, Frederick division vice president for ALDI. “We look forward to showing the Annandale community the significant benefits that can come from shopping at ALDI, both for their wallets and lifestyles.”
To help shoppers save money, ALDI stores are 90 percent exclusive brands – with a few national brands mixed in. ALDI will bring Annandale shoppers a wide range of groceries, such as organic produce, USDA Choice beef, the liveGfreeTM gluten-free product line and the SimplyNature line of products free from over 125 artificial ingredients and preservatives. All ALDI exclusive brand food products are free of certified synthetic colors, partially hydrogenated oils and added MSG. Trying new things at ALDI is risk-free because of the Double Guarantee: If for any reason a customer doesn’t like an ALDI exclusive brand food item, ALDI will replace the product and refund the customer’s money.
At ALDI, shoppers don’t pay for bells, whistles, smoke or mirrors. ALDI chooses to save
Premium quality groceries at the lowest possible prices make for a combination shoppers love. That’s why ALDI is one of the fastest growing retailers in the US – with 31 stores in the state of Virginia. In fact, by the end of 2018, there will be nearly 2,000 ALDI stores from coast to coast making grocery shopping simple and enjoyable for 45 million customers each month.
The Annandale Parade
The popular Annandale Parade will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2016 beginning at 10:00 am. Marching along Columbia Pike from the historic white church and the Annandale Shopping Center near Gallows Road, all the way to the Bowling Alley-Safeway, thousands of participants from Clowns, Storybook Characters, and Marching Bands to Antique & Military Cars, Fire Trucks, Civic Organizations, Scouts, and beautifully costumed International Dancers will parade before the residents of Greater Annandale. Sponsored by the Annandale Chamber of Commerce, this sixty-six year old tradition only gets bigger and better every year. Register early, before all spaces are taken.
Creative Work Spaces
According to a 2013 U.S. Workplace Survey by Gensler, a global design firm that partners with clients to develop smarter workplaces, only one in four U.S. workers are in optimal workplace environments. The rest are struggling to work effectively, resulting in lost productivity, innovation, and worker engagement. This telling figure reinforces that design matters in the workplace and that it has a positive effect on the company’s competitiveness, employee satisfaction, and ultimately its bottom line.
Workplace design has changed dramatically over the past few decades. So gone are many of the traditional work spaces that are closed off and offices that serve one particular department. They are being replaced by glass walls, open space work areas, game rooms, relaxation spots, and even a reduction in the number of coffee stations to encourage face-to-face interaction and engagement with different departments.
I would have never believed that workspace design had that big of an impact on employee satisfaction, performance and company profits, but I’ve learned firsthand that it does. Across the country businesses are working with innovative design firms to reimagine their workspace to ensure that it’s pleasant, engaging and supportive of the work that needs to be done. Businesses are really embracing this concept because surveys prove that employees who are happy and work in a refreshing and engaging atmosphere are more likely to perform better. So, there are actual returns on investment for businesses by changing the office environment. But moving a few desks around, painting walls bright yellow or taking them down all together isn’t for every business. You wouldn’t design a space for sales or graphic design departments the same way you would for an accounting firm. In workplace design, the type of business matters greatly as do company goals.
READ MORE...
A Green Community: The State of Our Streams
By: John Paul Miller
Annandale is named for a Scottish town along the mouth of the Annan River and features a tree prominently on its flag, so it should come as no surprise that it takes great pride in being a green community. First time visitors quickly note the thick, mature stands of forest that shade local neighborhoods and provide ample recreation amongst the twenty-six parks contained within its boundaries.
The Accotink Creek and Holmes Run stream valleys comprise the backbone of these forest parcels and serve as precious urban green space for both road-weary residents and wildlife. While these well-trodden green corridors may appear widely appreciated and valued, the waterways that sustain them remain in a substantially degraded condition.
Accotink Creek and Holmes Run are both listed.....READ MORE
Bicycle Lanes Are Coming to Annandale
Driver and Pedalist re-training will be necessary.
Starting this summer, bicycle lanes are coming to Annandale. The first roads to be repaved and striped are Ravensworth, Heritage, Patriot Dr., portions of John Marr, the southern portion of Markham/McWhorter, and Evergreen. Incidentally, Evergreen was scheduled to be repaved last year, and then fell off the schedule without explanation, despite numerous attempts to find out why. Now we know.
In the years ahead, Little River Turnpike, Braddock, Annandale Road, Gallows Road, Maple Place, Hummer Road, the remainder of John Marr & Markham along with a few other inter-neighborhood arteries are slated for the same treatment. Unfortunately, neither the Commonwealth, nor Fairfax County can afford to build proper bike trails, and let’s face it, they have left it too long, having built-out to their full easements years ago in most of the inner suburbs. The build-out did create a far better flow of commuter traffic and has provided many traffic calming measures, but that is about to change, as bike lanes are to join motorists along the secondary routes. It is unfortunate that bicycle trails can not be built as found in Bethesda, and many revitalized suburban communities, as they are the safest passage for bicyclists, and known to encourage use. But, that ship has sailed.
How will room be found for bike lanes? Many roads will lose one lane of motor traffic in each direction while having a shared center turn lane inserted. (See illustration of John Marr Drive) Others will see the width of each lane shrink from 14 feet to 11 feet, as on Ravensworth Road; and, others will be designated as shared lanes for use by both bicycles and automobiles. To give you a visual, the average recycling trash truck is 10 feet in width, so there will be very little room for error in an 11’ wide lane, nor will visibility around them exist. Driver & Pedalist re-training will be necessary. READ MORE.....
(If you are uncomfortable with bike lanes, think they are dangerous, hinder overburdened roadways, or have any comment or question, please go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/masondistrictbikelanes.htm and fill out a comment card.)
The New Face of Dentistry
Millennium Business Model Contributes to Patient Care
With the advent of water fluoridation in 1945, dentistry came into a new age of prevention, followed by mass education on dental hygiene. Today, power toothbrushes, power scalers, dental microscopes, sealants, bonding, composites, implants, soft tissue lasers, and digital radiography are but some of the latest tools and techniques utilized to provide a far heathier national dentition.
Modern Dentistry remains dedicated to eliminating disease and alleviating pain, but it is also concerned with the patient’s self image. From the baby boomer generation through the millennium, all anticipate retaining their teeth for life, unlike past generations where dentures were often as inevitable as reading glasses. And since there is a strong understanding that oral health affects body health, more Americans than ever are seeking comprehensive dental care on a regular basis.
In Annandale, The Center for Dentofacial Aesthetics represents the new face of dentistry.
READ MORE
Annandale Real Estate: Crunching Numbers, Reading Tea Leaves
When you are in the real estate business, you look at economic indicators to see both the present and the future. Mind you, the wind can always shift and blow your data out the window, but if you keep an eye on things you usually are not caught unaware.
What we see in the Annandale region is a slight increase in home values over last year. Although nationally the value of homes has risen over five percent in the past year, here in Annandale it’s closer to 1.5%. Why?
Housing prices throughout the Country continue to bounce back against the recessionary forces of 2008-9. But in Annandale we have fully recovered from those bleak years, therefore, housing prices in our area are only creeping up based on minimal inflationary pressure.
Unemployment remains well below the national average at around 3.5%. When combined with the rising rate of Fairfax County sales tax receipts, and a recent bump in consumer confidence numbers, our real estate market appears steady and strong.
We do not make much of the fact that the average time on market for houses has increased to around 69 days. Spring came late this year as did buyers entering the market (yes, weather matters). Therefore, this is seen as an indicator of nature rather than a valid test of market strength.
Period Splendor: Walnut Hill
For those who grew up in Annandale, the words Walnut Hill conger an image of Southern grandeur. Walnut Hill was a thirty acre estate built by Joseph L. and Antoinette Arnold in the 1940’s along Annandale Road. Gently rolling hills, expansive well manicured lawns, thoughtful landscaping, and a gracious circular driveway were on view for all to enjoy. The estate included the manor house, which was built to resemble Tara, a twelve stall stable, a mile long track for equine work-outs, a clover shaped swimming pool, a two story guest lodge, and a duck pond.
The manor house consisted of twelve rooms. Surprisingly, it only had three bedrooms, but each was the size of a basketball court while their sunken baths boasted marble steps and gold banisters. Each room was designed for maximum comfort and function. The Arnolds enjoyed hosting large dinner parties in a dining room which seated forty. The walls of the den were covered in elegant white leather. The trophy room sported as many trophies and equestrian ribbons as the spacious shelves and cupboards could accommodate. Behind the main house was another impressive structure, the Guest Lodge, which would dwarf the McMansions of today.
This Guest Lodge could seat 75 at the bar and 200 in the dining room. It had a full gymnasium plus a billiard table, male and female saunas and an open hearth with grill. The surrounding barbeque pit would serve 500. Before hotel and banquet space was available in this area, or even regional parks, local organizations often requested use of the Guest Lodge. In 1954 The Annandale Businessmen’s Association (now known as the Annandale Chamber of Commerce) held their Eighth Annual Banquet on March 17th in the Walnut Hill Lodge. The meal was prepared by Harvey’s Hickory House. They specialized in barbeque chicken and frequently booked catering commitments using the enormous grill and pit barbeque at Walnut Hill.
It Takes a Community to Build a Business
The Most Important Key to Our Success was to Open Our Doors in Annandale.
Almost a decade ago we opened our first business venture -- Beanetics Coffee Roasters -- in the heart of Annandale. Many of our family members and friends thought we had lost our minds leaping into the world of entrepreneurship. As we look back and think about the hundreds of choices that we made (or avoided) there is one that stands out as the most important key to our success – our decision to open our doors in Annandale.
Coffee is a ubiquitous product, enjoyed by nearly every ethnic, racial, religious, and socioeconomic group. Our mission was to introduce a higher-end product than offered by the traditional coffee shop chains. But if we built it and roasted it, would the customer come?
We thought that choosing Annandale would give us a fighting chance to succeed because we believed it was a community with a pool of potential customers who would indeed come if we took the risk and made the investment. READ MORE
The Annandale Comprehensive Plan: Not Always so Comprehensive
Comprehensive Planning is a term utilized by land use planners to describe a process that determines goals, in terms of community development. The outcome of comprehensive planning is the Comprehensive Plan which dictates public policy such as transportation, utilities, land use, recreation, and housing. Comprehensive plans typically encompass large geographical areas, a broad range of topics, and cover a long-term time horizon. (1) The latest plan for Annandale was enacted in 2011 and can be read in full on the chamber’s website under Our Community/Revitalization.
In general, the plan dictates how Annandale will look and function in the future, and what amenities the community can anticipate. Annandale is a community, not a township, meaning that our government services come out of Fairfax County. In all other important ways, Annandale is a close assemblage of people united by 329 years of history; mirroring the history of America. Turn the looking glass to our forefathers and we march in-step with our early Gaelic settlers, following their example, we welcome any hungry or tired traveler to our communal door. Annandale’s distinctive personality has been developed by embracing layer upon layer of rich cultural experiences. We also have the most central & convenient location, earning us the title of, “Crossroads of Northern Virginia.” TM
Read More
Trust Properties: A Proud New Chamber Partner
Trust Properties was founded in 1994 and is committed to providing a broad range of Commercial Real Estate Services throughout the Greater Washington Metropolitan area. Staffed by knowledgeable, experienced and dedicated career professionals, Trust Properties takes pride in delivering impeccable levels of service and exceptional results to their clients and customers.
Greg McGillicuddy is a Vice President and Principal Broker at Trust Properties. Greg grew up in Arlington and returned here after completing his studies at Harvard. Greg is one of the most knowledgeable brokers in local real estate, with more than 27 years of experience in the sales and leasing of office, retail and industrial properties and has managed more than two million square feet of properties in the Greater Metro area, including numerous properties here in Annandale. READ MORE
NVM Contractors: A Proud Chamber Partner
NVM Paving & Concrete, Inc. is a full-service asphalt and concrete company serving DC, 
Maryland, and Virginia. They have the ability to provide commercial services throughout Delaware, North Carolina, and South Carolina, in addition to offering nationwide resources.
Established in 1985, NVM has completed quality work for property owners, property managers, municipalities, homeowner associations, and general contractors for more than 25 years. They began with the idea that ONE company should be able to provide asphalt and concrete services. Throughout the next two decades, the company followed that goal and grew into a full-service pavement company. Today the company continues to grow and is large enough to handle any size project, while continuing to provide each client with the personal attention and detail they deserve.
NVM also provides snow removal services to industrial, retail, and multi-residential housing complexes throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia. With more than 100 pieces of equipment, their professionally trained crews specialize in snow removal operation. Arrange snow removal services early in the year before all crews are booked at
contact@nvmpaving.com
NVM Paving & Concrete, Inc.
PO Box 1467 . Annandale, VA 22003
703.426.2700
contact@nvmpaving.com
www.nvmcontractors.com
Farmers Markets in Annandale
Organized by the Fairfax County Park Authority, these Farmers' Markets offer a wide variety of freshly picked fruits, vegetables, herbs and cut flowers. There are also fresh eggs, baked goods, fresh pasta, honey, jam, teas and cider to purchase. Milk and cheese products, and homemade ice cream, along with a wide array of meat products, round out the edible delights offered. If gardening is an interest, many vendors have small plants at the beginning of the season, while other vendors have larger landscape plants for those ambitious projects. Master Gardener Plant Clinic on site, at both Mason District and Wakefield Park, to answer questions about plants in your landscape. For dates, times and locations READ MORE
Summer Concerts in the Park
Spotlight by Starlight is a free summer concert series presented by the Fairfax County Park Authority at Mason District Park. All performances are on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday beginning at 7:30 PM. Performances for children are held on Saturdays beginning at 10 AM. A full schedule of children programs will be available after May 1st at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances. In the event of inclement weather, call 703-324-SHOW after 6 p.m. for performance cancellation updates.
Mason District Park: 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003
703-941-1730 ~ www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances
At Last, High Speed Passenger Rail to Richmond
Over the past two hundred years, trains have dramatically changed both industry and the settlement of nations. From steam trains to the modern Bullet Trains, millions of passengers, and ton upon ton of freight have been carried to all corners of the earth. The development of many civilizations can even be mapped by train routes. Just look at the journey from the east coast of the US to the west. It used to take up to two months, but with the dawn of train travel, it could be accomplished in a few days.
Today, urban environments depend on underground systems to carry millions of commuters each day. Over 40% of worldwide goods are carried by train between communities and countries. There is also a well-deserved romanticism associated with train travel. The simple mention of the Flying Scotsman, The Yankee Clipper, the Spirit of the Outback, or the Himalayan Queen conjures images of fine dining, amazing scenery, masterful engineering feats, and leisurely travel.
Let’s face it, however necessary automobile travel to points south of Washington may be, it is stressful. READ MORE
Artisans United, Annandale VA
Your Year-Round Craft Show & Gift Shop
Artisans United, Inc., (AU) was officially established in 1988. As a creative forum where craftspeople may exchange ideas, experiences, and materials, AU offers instruction in the visual arts and crafts and provides public service programs for groups and institutions. AU serves as a community resource through its demonstrations, displays, and classes. We are pleased to share our love of crafts with the public, school groups, social clubs, scouting groups, and with those who are just interesting in learning something new and fun.
Today this non-profit organization consists of individual crafts people and members of the following local Guilds: Northern Virginia Carvers, Potomac Polymer Clay Guild, Capital Area Woodturners, Potomac Fiber Arts Guild, Waterford Weavers, Northern Virginia Handcrafters Guild, National Capital Art Glass Guild, Quilters Unlimited, High Country Basketry Guild, and Knitting Artists of Northern Virginia. Each of these Guilds seeks to promote its craft and attract new members, and in many instances they reach out into the community to do good. For example, the Capital Area Woodturners make canes for the Wounded Warriors project; the Knitting Artists of Northern Virginia make items for homeless women in the area; and the High Country Basketry Guild is participating in a program with the Vanderbilt Hospital for Children in Nashville by making Angel Baskets. READ MORE
Chamber Membership is an Effective Business Strategy
According to a recent study conducted by the Shapiro Group:
“When consumers know a small business is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 49% more likely to think favorably of that business, and 80% more likely to purchase goods or services from the company in the future.” For more information on benefits when joining the AnnandaleChamber of Commerce please see......
Membership Information.
The full study can be viewed at: http://www.acce.org/news/2012/11/acce-news/survey-chamber-membership-is-effective-business-strategy/
(Copyright © 2012 Annandale Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. (Photographs & images, on this page, and on this website, are not available for use by other publications, blogs, individuals, websites, or social media sites.)
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& Partners to learn more.
The Annandale American Legion Post 1976 is recruiting new members. Veterans and family members welcome to join. Party hall rental is free for all members. Call 703-408-9123 and ask for Diane Ramsey.
4206 Daniels Ave, Annandale, VA 22003
(behind the Bank of America building on Columbia Pike)
The Annandale Volunteer Fire Dept. host BINGO every Monday and Thursday with doors opening at 4:30pm – Early Birds start at 6:45pm – Regular Sessions starts 7:45pm.
- 42” LCD TV monitors display next ball to be called.
- Must be 14 yrs of age to play bingo at AVFD.
- ATM machine available.
- Bingo Hotline is 703-941-1328
- Non-smoking inside format
7128 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003
Ample parking on site.
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Annandale: Comprehensive Plan Amendment
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