Sung's American Martial Arts Center hopes to move from its current location in the Pickwick Shopping Center to a new home in the Marketplace at Centre Ridge.
And Tuesday night, it moved one step closer with an approval from the West Fairfax County Citizens Association (WFCCA) Land-Use Committee.
Owners Sharon and Master Yunho Song of Oak Hill have operated their business for 16 years. But it's proved so popular that business is booming and they need a larger space.
Classes are offered in Tae Kwon Do, as well as Haedong Kumdo — traditional, Korean, sword martial arts. Students learn everything from defense and striking techniques to meditation.
There are programs for adults and children, and one is just for women. Participants receive high-energy workouts strengthening both their bodies and minds, and children are taught according to their own, individual ability and skills.
The Songs hope to open their new facility in the former site of the now-defunct Centreville Mini Golf & Games. It's a 7,000-square-foot building On Multiplex Drive, across from the movie-theater parking lot.
"This will allow me to have larger rooms and offer better service to my customers," said Yunho Song. "I'm also trying to have a playground outside for the siblings of the kids taking classes."
The martial arts center will be open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and Armand's Pizza, which is still in business there daily, from 10 a.m.-10 p.m., will continue to operate. Classes will be mainly indoors and, although two outside exercise areas were initially proposed, land-use attorney Jane Kelsey said Tuesday they may not come to pass.
"There'd be a lot of drop-off and pick-up traffic," noted WFCCA's Scott Miller. But Song replied, "We'll have parking in back and signs telling people to park there if they're going to stay longer than 10 minutes." Added Kelsey: "We have 44 parking spaces, which more than meets the requirement."
WFCCA's Carol Hawn then recommended approval, subject to a positive report from county staff, and the panel made it unanimous. The matter goes to the Planning Commission on March 1, and the Board of Supervisors, March 12.