SpringfieldSpringfield Dig Pink Franconia ❖ Kingstowne Returns Home Newington News, Page 8 Page 11 Follow on Twitter: @SprConnection on Twitter: Follow Classified, Page 13 Classified, ❖ Sports, Page 12 ❖ Former and current Entertainment, Page 10 members of the West Springfield Spartans Volleyball team — from left: Jessica Slezak, Amanda Hayes, Sophie Supervisors Stonelake and Taylor Betts — join together Urge Action for the 10th Anniver- sary of Dig Pink on Tuesday, Oct. 14 in on John Geer Springfield. Slezak and Hayes were part of the 2004 team that Shooting won the district Investigation championship. News, Page 7 Changes in Store News, Page 3 Photo by Abigail Constantino/The Connection www.ConnectionNewspapers.comOctober 16-22, 2014 online at www.connectionnewspapers.comSpringfield Connection ❖ October 16-22, 2014 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Springfield Connection ❖ October 16-22, 2014 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Springfield Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic News 703-778-9414 or [email protected] Renderings courtesy of Vornado/PREIT A cluster of new, upscale restaurants like Maggiano’s and the Yard Vastly improved lighting, both natural and artificial, was a major reno- House will help attract shoppers and diners to Springfield Town Center vation consideration. from around and outside Springfield. ‘Transformative’ new Springfield Changes in Store Town Center to open Oct. 17. By Tim Peterson “We talk a lot about revitalization projects years in the making. Vornado has invested around a quarter The Connection and their value,” said McKay. “This is one “Patience is a virtue; in Springfield it can of a billion dollars, though earlier this year on steroids.” almost be a religion,” said Bruce Waggoner, announced it was selling the mall for $465 ee District supervisor Jeff McKay Vornado Realty Trust purchased the prop- president of the Springfield Civic Association. million to retail specialists Pennsylvania has been preparing for Friday’s erty in 2006 and had it rezoned in 2009, “When these things finally occur, it renews Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT). The LSpringfield Town Center ribbon with the plan to redevelop the whole area your faith in why you live here. Otherwise, deal is set to close some time in spring 2015. cutting since he was a kid. as mixed use. why would you? People are invested.” “The trade area, with density, high in- “As someone who’s spent my entire life “All those phases are what really makes In June 2012, Vornado closed everything come, low unemployment and a growing here,” said McKay, “I’ve been acutely aware the Town Center such a benefit to our com- but the three main retailers and began re- population, and the location are unmatched of the decline over the years.” munity,” said Nancy-Jo Manney, executive construction. They effectively gutted the in our minds,” said Heather Crowell, PREIT McKay knew the mall in its heyday, de- director of the Greater Springfield Cham- existing structure and in the remodel paid Vice President Corporate Communications cades ago, when its prestige brought the ber of Commerce. “Live, work and play in special attention to safety features like light- and Investor Relations. “We saw tremen- likes of Princess Diana and Prince Charles that area, smack in the middle of transpor- ing and dead-end hallways, negatives in the dous opportunity in what is currently a through the doors of JCPenney. He saw what tation heaven.” old mall. market that is underserved by retail.” the retail center of Springfield could be. And To compete with the likes of Tysons and Whether that opportunity is realized will as neglect and disinterest from the owner- WITH THE VAST OVERHAULS that took Dulles Town Centers, and to attract the cli- depend on response to the new mall’s up- ship in the late ’90s and into the ’00s saw place with the Springfield interchange and entele that would potentially drive the resi- scale tenants. the property fall into crime-ridden disrepair, infrastructure in the area, McKay believed dential and corporate development phases, “The impact is really going to be founded he saw that prestigious community center the old mall was wasting his constituents’ Vornado assembled a more upscale list of based on whether they can bring in high of Springfield deteriorate. resources. stores and restaurants, including J. Crew, paying clientele,” said George Mason Uni- The heavily renovated and rebranded When Vornado said they wanted to move Michael Kors, British retailer Top Shop, versity professor of finance Gerald A. Springfield Town Center that’s set to open forward with redevelopment, McKay helped Maggiano’s Little Italy and Yard House rock Hanweck, “and get a volume into what was Friday is just the first of a multi-phase, prioritize and organize the zoning and per- pub. a sinking ship.” multi-million dollar redevelopment effort mitting processes. “The mall is going to be bigger, in what it set to play out over the next decade and a “We made those investments as the pub- SHOPPERS CAN ALSO EXPECT lifestyle can produce beyond itself,” said Waggoner. half. The goal is for the new mall to drive lic,” he said. “We expect the private sector to enhancements including a completely re- “It’s not just the mall, but what other people the future phases, which include residen- repay on those investments.” imagined food court, movie theater com- want to develop here and do business here tial and office space, as well as open air So far, the surrounding community is sup- plex and an LA Fitness gym, with swimming because of the mall. It’s the nucleus, and walking and biking connectivity. portive of the redevelopment that’s been pool and basketball courts. the center of gravity for the community.” ‘Net Positive’ Home Under Construction in Springfield nce completed, this house will whose Manassas firm John F Heltzel AIA who wants to do this type of foundation Ogenerate more electricity than has been handling the design and imple- design, or thermal system, or roof fram- it requires to operate. More mentation. “It’s unbelievably complex.” ing,” said Heltzel. “Maybe one or two gets and more houses are employing grids of Every inch of the roughly 4,000-square- sprinkled in. The owner wanted all of solar panels to supplement the electric- foot home is custom, and literally lined with them.” ity they draw from power companies. Photo by Tim Peterson/The Connection energy-saving features. Some of the most Putting all these systems together in Forty panels on the roof of this Spring- This Springfield house should gener- notable on a job site walk-through are a one place not only makes the design com- field residence will help generate 12 ate more electricity than it needs. central courtyard (the numerous additional plex, but mucks up the county approval megawatts of electricity a year, 10 more windows help spread more natural light process as well. The project has been than what the owner expects to need. solar Renewable Energy Certificates earned, throughout the house), single-sheet insu- ongoing since the owner’s family moved The house will run two Dominion elec- back to Dominion. lated wall panels (replacing the typical stud- to Northern Virginia in 2010. tricity meters (input and output) and be To achieve such a difference, the solar foam-stud model), a geothermal heat pump “I’m just so relieved for the family it’s part of the company’s Solar Purchase panels have to work in concert with a host (complete with three underground thermal finally coming together and they can see Program. The homeowner will techni- of energy-saving measures. wells) and a foundation of 12.5-inch thick it’s actually happening,” Heltzel said. cally own the solar power system but sell “There probably isn’t another house like thermomass insulated concrete. the net positive energy, as well as the this on this planet,” said John F Heltzel, “It’s not uncommon that I get someone — Tim Peterson www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Springfield Connection ❖ October 16-22, 2014 ❖ 3 News Marriage Equality in Fairfax and Beyond County courthouse Free Ceremonies The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of marries all couples. Fairfax (UUCF), a leading advocate for marriage equality in Fairfax County, is celebrating the Oct. 6 legalization of same-sex marriage in Virginia. By Reena Singh To help make marriage a reality for the many The Connection Fairfax-area couples who have long dreamed of this opportunity, UUCF will offer clergy and facilities for brief religious marriage ceremonies earing matching hot pink free of charge through the end of the year. For outerwear and short, spiky more information on available dates and clergy, Whair in front of the Fairfax contact 703-281-4230 or [email protected]. County Government Center on Oct. 6, Yvonne Landis and Melodie Mayo happy for the state to recognize equality.” of Falls Church were the first same sex Even more so, she was overwhelmed with couple to say “I do” in the county. support when her family and neighbors After nearly two decades of commitment, found out about their courthouse union. the couple was able to make their love offi- When they first came out about 40 years cial after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a ago, she said, it was taboo to even talk writ of certiorari in the case that overturned about, she said. the state’s gay marriage ban. “That’s probably brought more tears than “On Sept. 30, I was diagnosed with breast the whole thing,” she said. cancer,” said Landis. “We felt that is was an According to NOVA Pride Vice President important thing to have that legal status.” Kyle Rohen, many of the organization’s She was lucky, she said, that it was caught members had already married in other early.