DEVELOPMENT NEWS: Mad Fox Brews Root Beer Too

By FALLS CHURCH CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

September 2, 2010

Mixed Use Project News

Spectrum retail – Mad Fox Brewery can hardly keep up with the thirsty “Little City”!  Brewmaster Bill Madden reports brewing 32 batches = 480 barrels =960 kegs of beer as of August 27.  They have also introduced their own root beer that is brewed in house.  So far, most of that is flowing just as quickly.  You can get your taste of the new root beer at the Taste of Falls Church on September 11. Sorry, no beer allowed on public property for the Taste.

Spectrum residential condos – 59 units settled, 36 Pathway to Homeownership and 4 ratified contracts – of 189 units.

Spectrum office condos – No changes reported.  $310 per square foot to purchase includes “warm dark shell” and $15 per square foot tenant improvement allowance; $33 per square foot plus electric and cleaning to lease.

Pearson Square Apartments – 94% occupied.

Pearson Square retail – Brokers for the space are planning a broker’s event at Pizzeria Orso in September to entice commercial brokers to visit the site to see the retail space they are marketing.  EDO staff continues to try to work with Transwestern brokers and Pearson owners to attract businesses to the space. A letter of intent for one space is pending.

Byron – Delays in filling space continue due to market conditions and technical issues that apply to zoning/occupancy of the vacant spaces.

800 West Broad – Sfizi Café (http://www.sfizi.com/) now has their building permit and work on the space should begin soon.  Hoping to see a late fall opening.

Broadway – A letter of intent for a 3,000 SF retail space is being considered.

Northgate – Hekemian is working on final site plan approval and a site plan amendment to incorporate the approved North Washington Street Streetscape design.  Demolition date for the old Pearson Funeral Home is not yet known.

Shopping Center News:

Original House of Pancakes – Two letters of intent have been submitted for what will be the “old OHOP” space.  OHOP owners have advised that they are still experiencing permit delays for their new space in Fairfax County; they hope to be able remain at Broaddale until the end of October. (Lease technically ended August 31; Broaddale management to decide on extending). Broaddale Management is analyzing letters of intent for compatibility with other tenants, parking and other issues.

BB &T (at Falls Plaza/former Chicken Out) – No new news on when a site plan submission will be submitted, so that a Planning Commission hearing date can be scheduled. .

Real Estate and other News:

Syms site – New lease not yet signed but is now anticipated “very, very soon.”

350/360 S. Washington/510 W. Annandale: All three buildings are posted on Co-Star and the City’s on-line commercial space database as for sale.  500 W. Annandale has recently been updated with new paint, carpet, etc. and will soon be occupied by Educational Options, Tom Sawner’s company.  Strong tenant interest has reportedly also been received for 510 W. Annandale, so that building could also be leased up and then sold.  EDO staff has made multiple referrals to brokers and prospective buyers for all of the buildings.

BJ’s Wholesale Club– October 16 is the anticipated grand opening date; soft opening on the 9^th.  They hope to begin on-site employee training and “around the clock” store stocking soon.

306 Hillwood/old Taco Laredo – new restaurant (Lesly Restaurant Bar & Grill) has applied for an ABC license and has received a business license.

New Businesses in the City – Commissioner of the Revenue’s staff reports 16 new business licenses in the City with issue dates between July 2 and August 30, including three meals tax generating ventures, the new NVS Kitchen and Bath store in 800 W. Broad, three medical professionals, two retail online businesses, three new Eden Center businesses, a music lesson business and a music instrument sales business, a delivery business and BJ’s.

City’s 24/7 commercial space database:  www.fallschurchva.gov/Content/Docs/CommercialDatabase.pdf?cnlid=2713