FOOD: Zucchini, Zucchini, Zucchini

By Claire McConnell
August 31, 2012
Special to the Falls Church Times

The zucchini is probably the best-known member of the summer squash family. Originally from Italy, the zucchini is a variety of marrow squash that is harvested before it is fully ripe. The most flavorful zucchinis usually measure between 6 and 8 inches. They tend to grow plentifully in many different conditions, which in turn make them extremely affordable. They are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin A; they also contain fiber, vitamin C, and folic acid.

Zucchini and other types of summer squash are one of those things that I look so forward to during the summer months, but after weeks of stuffed zucchini, zucchini bread, roasted zucchini, and ratatouille with zucchini I begin to wonder why I got so excited about this overly plentiful vegetable in the first place. Here are two new and exciting zucchini dishes that will make you fall in love with this vegetable all over again.

For both of these recipes I purchased my zucchini and eggs from Potomac Vegetable Farm. The farm has two locations: in Vienna, Va., and Purceville, Va. www.potomacvegetablefarms.com. They’re ecoganic, which means they not only farm with organic practices but also in a sustainable way, and most importantly their vegetables and eggs always taste delicious.

Zucchini Tart

Equipment: 1 large bowl, 1 medium bowl, 1 small bowl, 1 8-inch spring-form pan, rolling pin, 1 mandolin

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour — $0.28

1 ½ tsp. salt — $0.02

1 ½ tsp. sugar — $0.03

6 ounces butter, cold, unsalted butter, cut into ¼ inch dice — $1.04

2 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk — $1.17

4 tsp. water — $0.00

1 ½ tsp lemon zest — in restaurant lingo this is considered a free-be ingredient, because the juice will be used for another recipe.

¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano — $0.50

2 – 3 medium zucchini, no larger than 1-½ inches in width — $2.15

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil — $0.15

Salt and pepper

Total cost of this dish = $5.34

For the dough:

Sift the flour, salt, and sugar into a medium bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture, using your fingertips, until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the center. Mix the eggs, water, lemon zest, and all but 1 tablespoon of pecorino in a separate small bowl. Pour wet mixture into the well of the flour. Mix to form soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently just until it is smooth and well mixed. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before use.

For the zucchini:

Slice the zucchini on a mandolin about an 8^th of an inch thick. They should all be about the same round shape and thickness. If you do not have a mandolin you can use a very sharp knife, but unfortunately you will not achieve the same desired size with a knife. In a large bowl add sliced zucchini, olive oil and salt and pepper to season. Set aside.

To assemble:

Roll dough out to a 10-inch round on a counter top with dusted flour. Carefully place rolled dough in a spring-form pan until the dough reaches the top of the pan. Next, place slices of raw zucchini in the dough, shingling them all the way up to the top of the dough. Sprinkle the top of the zucchini with reserved Pecorino. Bake at 350* for 1 hour or until a sharp knife can be inserted all the way through the zucchini. This dish is better to be a little over-baked than under-baked. Let the tart cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Zucchini Pancakes

Equipment: 1 box grater, 1 large bowl, 1 colander, 1 large frying pan or pancake griddle, paper towels on large sheet pan to collect oil.

2 medium zucchini — $2.15

2 tbsp. shallot – grated — $0.37

1 egg – beaten — $0.39

1 tsp. baking powder — $0.09

1 ½ tsp. salt — $0.02

½ tsp. pepper — $0.02

½ tsp. turmeric — $0.11

6 tbsp. flour — $0.07

Olive oil and butter combo for frying — $0.80

Total cost of this dish = $4.02

Grate zucchini into a colander over the sink. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of salt on the grated zucchini and allow to drain off its excess liquid; about 15 minutes. Squeeze off any additional liquid and add drained zucchini into large mixing bowl. Mix in all additional ingredients minus 3 tablespoons of flour. Mix until well combined. Depending on how wet or dry the mixture looks add the remaining flour accordingly. It should be the consistency of cake batter.

Place the griddle over medium-heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of oil/butter combo on the griddle, and heat until melted and sizzling. Place a 2 tablespoon-spoonful of zucchini mixture onto the griddle and cook for 90 seconds on each side. Set a timer, it is exactly 90 seconds for a 2-tablespoon scoop. Allow pancakes to drain on paper towels before serving. Enjoy!

Makes 20, 2-inch pancakes

I like to serve these pancakes with a little sour cream and smoked trout, or if you prefer smoked salmon goes well, too.

Crime Report for August 21 – 27

By FALLS CHURCH POLICE DEPARTMENT

August 29, 2012

NOTE: This report is not a definitive list of all criminal activity and  is subject to change upon investigation.

Larceny of Vehicle Parts, 112 W. Jefferson St. (Blair’s Towing).  On Aug. 21 light bars were stolen from tow trucks sometime during the evening of Aug.  20.

Narcotics Violation and Providing False ID to Law Enforcement, 300 W. Broad  St. (Stratford Motor Lodge).  On Aug. 22 a 26 year old Alexandria man was arrested  for Possession of Codeine and Providing False ID to Law Enforcement.  The suspect was also served a Fairfax County warrant for Failure to Appear in Court for  previous Grand Larceny charges.

Larceny from Vehicles, 100 block E. Broad St. and 100 block N. Washington St.  On Aug. 23 an unknown suspect(s) smashed window of two parked vehicles and stole an iPad, a briefcase, a cell phone, and a computer in the evening.

Narcotics Violation, 700 block Parker Ave. On Aug. 24 an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  A 30 year old Fairfax man was arrested  and released on summons for Possession of Marijuana.

Graffiti, 200 block W. Marshall St.  On Aug. 25 graffiti were found on two  traffic signs.

Vandalism to Vehicle, 200 block W. Marshall St.  On Aug. 25 a vehicle was found with a shattered windshield.

Vandalism to Vehicle, 6700 block Wilson Blvd. (Eden Center).  On Aug. 25 a parked vehicle was found with graffiti scratched on the side of the vehicle.

Public Drunkenness, 200 block E. Broad St.  On Aug. 25 a male 26 year old Falls Church man was arrested for Public Drunkenness.

Narcotics Violation, 500 block S. Washington St.  On Aug. 26 an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  A 25 year old Sterling man was arrested and released on summons for Possession of Marijuana.

Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Public Drunkenness, 1000 block S.  Washington St.  On Aug. 27 an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  A 16 year-old City of Falls Church man was arrested  and released to a guardian for Public Drunkenness.  The driver, a 21 year old Arlington man, was arrested and released on summons for Contributing to the  Delinquency of a Minor.

Larceny from Building, 1222 W. Broad St. (Haandi Restaurant).  On Aug. 27 a  padlock was found cut and oil waste was stolen from the rear of the restaurant  sometime before Aug 23.

City’s Commercial Buildings Start Shaping Up

By STEPHEN SIEGEL
Falls Church Times Staff
August 26, 2012

Falls Church City’s commercial buildings are getting a makeover.

The changes comes for a variety of reasons. Among them: new businesses moving into an already-vacant building; a fire occurs, requiring extensive renovation; or a new owner with big plans.

While there may be nostalgia for the appearance of the old buildings and the businesses they housed, the new buildings are more modern and updated, and give the city a fresher look.

The Times has previously written about the new Dominion Jewelers on the 900 block of West Broad Street, which is replacing the dilapidated former El Zunzal restaurant. But it’s not the only new building coming to the City.

The long-vacant Syms building at East Broad and Roosevelt is nearing completion for its new tenant, 24 Hour Fitness. The location will be the company’s first in Virginia, and is scheduled to open Sept. 21. It will be interesting to see how much call there is for late-night aerobics in the City, but the company, which calls itself a “high-end” fitness center, presumably has done its due diligence.

Also nearly complete is 101 East Annandale, which suffered severe fire damage in September 2010, displacing many businesses, including the popular Lebanese Butcher restaurant. It has been rebuilt almost from the ground up and is looking much more architecturally striking than its predecessor. Its new storefronts are now for lease.

Kitty corner from that building, local developer Bob Young is preparing a major change to the site at 300 South Washington Street. Originally, Mr. Young planned to raze the squat, one-story buildings on the triangular site and construct a mixed-use building with retail and offices on the first two floors and apartments above. But City officials wouldn’t agree to his proposal to allow the residential and commercial tenants to share parking, so Mr. Young is planning to rehab the property instead.

Some of the existing tenants will be gone, such as granite supplier ACI Stone, which will remove its giant slabs of the popular kitchen counter material from the corner of the busy intersection of Washington and Annandale. But Mr. Young is hoping to keep the popular Middle Eastern restaurant Meat in a Box, as well as auto loan firm Fast Auto Loans, Inc.

“We’ll make it look very nice,” he says.

Meanwhile, Mr. Young says the proposed Hilton Garden Inn, at 706 West Broad, should be getting underway shortly.

FOOD: Road Trip!

BY Kathleen Nixon

August 24, 2012

Falls Church Times Staff

I love road trips. Just get in the car and get away! For me the kicking off for any road trip used to be a stop at the gas station to fill up on petrol, Cheetos and root beer, but now things are a bit different. I don’t succumb to the fast food traps that inevitably happen on a road trip.  You know the ones I am talking about – the quest to get somewhere quickly, only to get caught in traffic or with your favorite place with a long line or worse, not even open.  Cranky hunger pains settle in and threaten to ruin any get away plans.

While I frequently pass through Maryland and Pennsylvania, I rarely stop at a restaurant as I want to put as much mileage between me and the Capitol Beltway as possible.  On a rare occasion, we will stop at the Cracker Barrel in Wilkes Barre but more than likely will hit the drive thru Starbucks next door. The beauty I find in Pennsylvania and New York are there are many rest stops with gorgeous views that are the perfect setting for a picnic, so the cooler is usually packed with great items to enjoy while sitting at a picnic bench.  By the time I am in the beginning of upstate New York, my hunger for a sit down meal is more pressing than a rest stop.

In the Hudson area, my two food destination stops are Mexican Radio and Baba Louie’s. Mexican Radio is the outpost of its sister restaurant in New York City and Baba Louie’s has two other restaurants in the area in Great Barrington, MA and Pittsfield.   Mexican Radios’ décor is so much fun and creative building upon the Day of the Dead theme with a Haight Ashbury twist. You are mesmerized by the creative combinations that adorn the walls, and ceiling. Their drink menu is extensive focusing on killer margaritas that take the edge off of any 600 mile trip.  Many of their dishes are vegetarian and gluten free. Each time there, I have always had the specials as they are intriguing and satisfying. Most recently a chicken enchilada topped with a raspberry salsa. Spicy and sweet, and definitely not your store bought Mexican fare.  And being from California, my husband and I have had some great and not so great Mexican meals. Mexican Radio is as good as the best we have had in California.

Mexican Radio

537 Warren Street

Hudson, New York 12534

<a href=”http://mexrad.com/”>http://mexrad.com/</a>

Baba Louie’s is primarily a pizza place and the pizza is really good. There is a great beer and wine list. The selection of lunch and dinner entrees that include salads, pastas and pizzas (gluten free) are enough to satisfy any traveler. The pizzas can be ordered to go which helped us out one night when traffic delayed us significantly.

Baba Louie’s

517 Warren Street

Hudson New York 12534

<a href=”http://www.babalouiespizza.com/”>http://www.babalouiespizza.com/</a>

When we are planning to stay overnight along the way, we find hotels that are pet friendly and have good restaurants. For the last several years, our stops have been at Hotel Indigo near the Albany Airport and in Beechwood Hotel Worcester Massachusetts.  The Hotel Indigo is a cute, modern hotel with art deco interiors and the Blu Stone Bistro right off the main lobby. Good wine list and selection of creatively created dishes featuring local seasonal ingredients.

Hotel Indigo Albany Airport

254 Old Wolf Road

Albany, NY 12110

<a href=”http://www.hotelindigo.com”>http://www.hotelindigo.com</a>

Blu Stone Bistro

<a href=”http://www.blustonebistro.com/dnn/”>http://www.blustonebistro.com/dnn/</a>

The Beechwood Hotel is a little bit off the Massachusetts Turnpike and a great place to stop on your way to points north. The hotel is comfortable, clean and very charming and serves as the conference hotel for many of the teaching hospitals in the area. The restaurant, Ceres Bistro, features steak and seafood along with local seasonal fare.

Beechwood Hotel

363 Plantation Street

Worcester, Massachusetts 01605

<a href=”http://www.beechwoodhotel.com/”>http://www.beechwoodhotel.com/</a>

Ceres Bistro

<a href=”http://www.ceresbistro.com/”>http://www.ceresbistro.com/</a>

My fellow Falls Church Times contributor, Christianna Sargent, shared some of her places to stop along the road.  Christianna’s go to place in Warrenton for a pit-stop on the road is Iron Bridge Wine Company for a relaxed wine bar atmosphere intermingled with a quaint dining room. Food is fabulous with an excellent, fair-priced wine list

The Iron Bridge Wine Company

29 Main Street,

Warrenton, VA
<a href=”http://www.ironbridgewines.com/”>http://www.ironbridgewines.com/</a>
Another big road stop for us (usually returning from Roanoke, VA where my parents live) is Trummer’s on Main in Clifton. You can take your kids to the bar/lounge where they have a phenomenal cheese plate, lite fare, or a full on dinner with a mixologist at the bar and a sommelier at your service.
Trummer’s on Main

7134 Main Street,

Clifton, VA

<a href=”http://trummersonmain.com/”>http://trummersonmain.com/</a>
In Charlottesville the pit stops I would have to say are right of 64 at the foot of Afton Mountain where Route 250 crosses Route 64. There is this gorgeous eclectic country store called Greenwood Gourmet–it’s a full on wine shop of mostly Virginia wines but more, with an awesome Boar’s Head delicatessen with all sorts of gourmet snacks and trinkets made locally and jams, jellies, canned goods, etc.

Greenwood Gourmet

6701 Rockfish Gap Turnpike

Crozet, VA 22932

<a href=”http://www.greenwoodgourmet.com”>http://www.greenwoodgourmet.com</a>

What is your favorite place to stop at or go to on a road trip?

Crime Report for August 14 – 20

By FALLS CHURCH POLICE DEPARTMENT

August 22, 2012

NOTE: This report is not a definitive list of all criminal activity and  is subject to change upon investigation.

Destruction of Property, 400 block Parker Ave.  On Aug. 14 an unknown  suspect(s) shattered glass to an entry door.

Narcotics Violation, 400 block Roosevelt Blvd.  On Aug. 15 an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  The driver, a 32 year old Springfield man, was arrested for Possession of Cocaine.

Public Drunkenness, 6600 block Wilson Blvd.  On Aug. 18 a 31 year old Falls Church man was arrested for Public Drunkenness.

Narcotics Violation, 300 W. Broad St. (Stratford Motor Lodge).  On Aug. 18 a 22 year old Falls Church man; a 21 year old Annandale man; a 22 year old Falls Churchman; and a 19 year old Falls Church woman were arrested and released on summons  for Possession of Marijuana.

Driving Under the Influence, 600 block Hillwood Ave.  On Aug. 18 an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  The driver, a 32 year old Falls Church man, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.

Public Drunkenness, 6621 Wilson Blvd. (New Moon Restaurant).  On Aug. 18  officers responded to the location for a report of a fight.  A 29 year old Falls Church man was arrested for Public Drunkenness.

Driving Under the Influence, 1000 block Hillwood Ave.  On Aug. 19 an officer  conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  The driver, a 24 year old Falls Church man, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.

Public Drunkenness, 300 W. Broad St. (Stratford Motor Lodge).  On Aug. 20  officers responded to the location for a report of a fight.  A 22 year old Washington, DC man was arrested for Public Drunkenness.

Larceny from Building, 803 W. Broad St. Suite 510 (Novus Construction, Inc.).  On Aug. 20,a victim reported an unknown suspect(s) stole a wallet from an  unattended purse sometime on Aug. 17.

ASK THE TIMES: What is City’s Plan on Day Laborers?

By STEPHEN SIEGEL
Falls Church Times Staff
August 20, 2012

Times reader Mel Watson asked August 18 if the City has “any plan for dealing with the increasing number of those looking for day work who assemble on Broad Street in front of the U-Haul and Staples stores?”

The short answer is that the day laborers are legally allowed to congregate on any public spaces, including the sidewalk, as long as they don’t harass people or block access.

“Under federal Constitutional law, the City cannot enact or enforce no-loitering laws that prohibit standing on a public sidewalk or right of way,” said City Spokeswoman Susan Finarelli. “If anyone is breaking existing laws relating to obstructing passages or public intoxication, for example, they could face charges.”

However, the laborers frequently loiter on private property as well — primarily the U-Haul property, but also the parking lot in front of the Staples store; that property is owned by the big mall operator Federal Realty Investment Trust.

Falls Church City Police told the Times they won’t enforce trespassing laws against day laborers just on sight; the business must call police first. Officials say 11 laborers have been “banned” from various properties by police in the last two years. Violating a banning order would lead to more severe sanctions. “If the subject returns after they have been banned, they are then subject to arrest,” Ms. Finarelli said.

Some of the businesses have been aggressive in trying to stop the day laborers from loitering on or in front of their properties. A U-Haul employee told a reporter they added anti-loitering signs, have called police, and also have cameras monitoring their parking lot. But he said it’s a constant problem there and at other U-Haul locations as well, including one in Bailey’s Crossroads.

Asked if Federal Realty had a policy or statement on the day laborers, Andrea Simpson, a Boston-based spokeswoman for the company, promised to inquire for the Times. A day later, she kindly wrote via email that “I wanted to check in to let you know that I have not forgotten you.” That was on March 7. Ms. Simpson has not returned repeated phone and email messages since then.

Opinions on the day laborers are mixed. Many have asked if their loitering is legal. Some say they don’t have a problem with them being there and looking for work. Others object and assume at least some are illegally in the country. Still others suggest their behavior has been inappropriate and harrassing, such as a person who posted a comment on the same Times story as Mr. Watson, but without giving a name or a real email address.

For its part, the city says it has received no complaints about day laborer harrassment or sidewalk obstruction.

FOOD: Grilled Herb Hanger Steak with Watermelon Salad

BY Claire McConnell
August 17, 2012
Special to the Falls Church Times

Summer is officially in full swing, and there is no better way to celebrate summer’s bounty than by shopping at your local farmer’s market.  A chef once told me a good rule of thumb when it comes to food pairing: “What grows together, goes together.” I like that saying, but I also like the saying, “ There is no better way to enhance food than by keeping it simple.” By taking fresh, seasonal ingredients and mixing them with proper cooking techniques, you can make a dish exciting and flavorful with very little work.

Summer also brings another word to mind: grilling. And nothing is better than grilled beef, especially a steak. I love the taste of a well-marbled rib eye grilled to perfection. But often, the words “beef” and “inexpensive” do not go hand and hand, especially humanely raised, grass-fed beef with no added hormones.  So instead of heading for a rib eye or a New York strip, I like to find cuts that are equally delicious but much easier on the wallet.

A few of my favorite budget-friendly cuts are flank steak, skirt steak and hanger steak, but for this particular recipe I used hanger steak. Hanger steak, sometimes called the hanging tenderloin, hangs from a steer’s diaphragm in the primal section known as the short plate. In the past, it was sometimes called “butcher’s steak” because butchers would often keep it for themselves rather than offer it for sale. It is marbled with fat and extremely flavorful. I have found grass-fed, hormone-free hanger steak between $10 and $12 per pound at some local markets, but Valentine’s Meats sells it for just a bit more. I pay a little bit extra because their beef is very lean, but still retains its luscious flavor – and I like to support local businesses.

Seven of the ingredients for this dish are from the Falls Church farmers market. The grass-fed, hormone free, free-range hanger steak is from Valentine’s Country Bakery and Meats in Orange, Va., http://www.valentinescountrymeats.com/. The watermelon is from Lois’s Produce in Leedstown, Va., http://loisproduce.com/home.html. The red onion is from Laurel Grove Farms in Oak Grove, Va. The Persian cucumbers are from Toigo Orchards in Shippensburg, Pa., http://www.toigoorchards.com/. The aged feta cheese is from Blue Ridge Dairy in Sterling, Va., www.brdairy.com. And the pesticide-free, ecorganic tomatoes and oregano are from Potomac Vegetable Farm. The farm has two locations: in Vienna, Va., and Purceville, Va. www.potomacvegetablefarms.com.

Equipment: 1 small marinating dish or baking dish, 1 large mixing bowl, 1 small mixing bowl, a charcoal grill or large grill pan for over the stovetop, and skewer sticks.

Ingredients

1-pound hanger steak – cut into 2-inch cubes — $13.49

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil — $0.10

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar — $0.07

1 tbsp. fresh oregano – roughly chopped — $0.25

3 cups watermelon – cut into 1-inch dice — $1.50

¼ cup red onion – thinly sliced — $0.25

3 Persian cucumbers or 1-½ cups – cut into ½ inch dice — $1.50

½ cup Kalamata olives – pitted and sliced in half — $1.25

3 large tomatoes or 2 cups – cut into 1-inch dice — $3.75

8 ounces feta cheese – cut into ½ inch dice — $5.00

½ cup extra virgin olive oil — $0.40

1/3 cup red wine vinegar — $0.34

2 tbsp. fresh oregano — $0.50

1 tbsp. salt — $0.02

1 tsp. pepper – freshly ground — $0.02

 

Total cost of this dish =  $28.44

• This is my most expensive dish yet, but I like to remember that occasionally eating high-quality beef that was humanely raised is better than frequently eating grain-fed, feed-lot beef.

 

For the Beef:

Wisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar and fresh oregano. Pour the mixture over the pieces of beef that have been cubed, and massage into the beef. This may not seem like much marinade, but it’s just enough to add depth of flavor without losing the true taste of the meat. Refrigerate overnight in a plastic zip bag, but make sure the bag is in a dish to prevent leaking into the fridge. Pull the beef out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking so that the beef can come up to room temperature. Place the meat on paper towels to dry off any excess moisture. Skewer 4 to 5 pieces of beef onto each skewer, making sure the pieces are tight together. Season it liberally with salt and pepper. (Reference picture)

 

When you are ready to grill, it is imperative that your grill is very hot. This particular cut doesn’t take long to cook, so to achieve maximum caramelization, your grill needs to be smoking hot. Cook on each side for 4 – 5 minutes for medium doneness. (Reference picture below.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Watermelon Salad:

Mix olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh oregano, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Set it aside.

Place the watermelon, red onion, cucumbers, olives and tomatoes in a large mixing bowl.  Add dressing and mix until thoroughly coated. Right before serving, add the diced feta cheese and fold gently so as not to break up the cheese. Enjoy!

 

Serves 4 – 5 people.

Plans for New Harris Teeter Store Tangled in Litigation

By STEPHEN SIEGEL
Falls Church Times Staff
August 14, 2012

A plan to bring a Harris Teeter grocery store to Falls Church City is alive but mired in litigation, the Falls Church Times has learned.

The plan, which first surfaced last year, would bring the upscale grocer to the 300 block of West Broad Street, where the now-vacant old Post Office building, two parcels of city-owned land, Anthony’s Italian Restaurant, and a Burke and Herbert bank branch now stand.

The project, which also calls for several floors of apartments or condominiums above the grocery, may also encompass the overflow parking for the Falls Church Bowl bowling alley, at the northwest corner of Maple Avenue and Annandale Road.

But if you ask city officials about it, including new city councilor and former Economic Development Authority chair Dave Tarter, he will say that he “can’t talk about it.” Other city officials also demur when asked about the topic.

The reason they are reluctant to speak on the subject is that the project is the subject of a lawsuit filed by the City against Atlantic Realty, the huge regional development company that originally was tapped by the City to build the now discarded City Center proposal, which went down in flames when the economy declined in 2008.

The suit, which now is scheduled to be heard before a judge in April 2013, seeks to have the City Center plan, and Atlantic’s role in it, declared null and void — presumably so the City could engage a new developer to build the Harris Teeter complex.

Atlantic is fighting the suit.

Documents filed in Arlington County show the city sent a “notice of default” to Atlantic dated March 2, 2011, arguing that the developer “failed to perform its obligations under the agreement” between the city and the developer. Among those obligations, the city says, was for Atlantic to “diligently” pursue efforts to obtain a site plan approval from the city, that would be required before the project could proceed.

The city’s suit also asserts that Atlantic no longer even has the capacity to get the needed site plan approval because it doesn’t own, or have control over, all the land necessary for the City Center project. It cites the fact that Falls Church Bowl, Inc., owner of the bowling alley, refused to sign necessary documents to execute the plan. The bowling alley would have been demolished as part of the 2008 proposal.

On January 20, 2012, the city sent Atlantic a letter formally asserting that the agreement between the two sides is terminated. But on February 9, Atlantic sent a letter back that said it was not. “Atlantic vehmently disagrees that it is in breach of the agreement with the City and the Economic Development Authority,” said the letter, which was signed by Executive Vice President Adam Schulman. Mr. Schulman did not return a call seeking comment.

But despite the legal wrangling, the new project appears to still be moving forward. Multiple sources tell the Times that they saw soil samples being taken at the site about a month ago. Typically, soil samples would be conducted after a contract is signed between a landowner and a developer. Their purpose would be to see if the ground is contaminated; if it is, extensive cleanup would be required before new construction could begin.

In an interview, Mr. Tarter said a grocery store is a great revenue generator for the city because the high volume of sales would result in significant tax flows into the city’s coffers. The project also would enhance the value of what is now either underutilized land — such as the tiny, one story bank branch on the site’s east end — or tax exempt and vacant land — the lots owned by the city and the city’s Economic Development Authority, and the now-vacant Post Office building. That would lead to higher assessments and higher property taxes.

But it also would generate controversy over density, because it would, like the other mixed-use buildings on Broad Street, such as the Spectrum, Byron, Broadway, and Read, add many residents to the already-congested Leesburg Pike corridor.

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