Fairfax County Accepts Application for New Housing and Retail Around The Boro

(Updated at 12:35 p.m.) The Meridian Group is following up its mixed-use development, The Boro, with plans for an expansion along Westpark Drive.

Fairfax County recently accepted a rezoning application from Meridian that involves about 9.37 acres of land in the west quadrant of Westpark Drive and Greensboro Drive, the developer’s legal representative Elizabeth D. Baker told Tysons Reporter.

The application concerns two buildings in a larger conceptual development plan that calls for four buildings — Buildings I, J, K and L — that will be developed with residential, continuing care, health club, and retail and service uses, she said in an email.

“This development will be an extension of The Boro, which is a successful transit-oriented mixed-use development across Westpark Drive,” said Baker, who is the Senior Land Use Planner for Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh.

Fairfax County accepted plans for Buildings I and K on Feb. 25. It has also accepted and is evaluating a plan for a proposed continuing care facility in Building J by Silverstone Tysons.

Meridian is proposing the following specifications for Building I, which would be adjacent to Westpark Drive:

• Maximum of 200,000 square feet — up to 175,000 square feet for residential use and up to 25,000 for retail
• Maximum of 130 dwelling units, likely condominiums
• Approximately seven stories with a maximum height of 90 feet
• Underground and above-ground parking structures

“In addition to interior residential amenities, Building I includes an elevated outdoor terrace that looks out onto a central park,” Baker said.

Building K would be located west of Building I with frontages on Greensboro Drive. It has the following proposed specifications:

• Up to 430 residential units
• Up to 20,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving retail use
• Approximately seven stories with a maximum height of 90 feet
• Underground and above-ground parking structures

“Two interior courtyards providing amenities for the buildings’ residents are located atop the parking garage podium,” Baker said.

In addition to a central park, Meridian envisions creating a linear park along Westpark Drive. It would be a combined pedestrian and bicycle circuit designed to accommodate leisure bikers and walkers, according to Baker.

“Known as the Community Circuit, this park will include marked pavement, wayfinding signage, bike and pedestrian amenities, and focal elements such as public art, benches, and specialty landscaping,” she said.

The Meridian Group acquired the National Automobile Dealers Association headquarters building at 8400 Westpark Drive and an adjacent site in 2018, the Washington Business Journal reported. The developer paid $33.7 million to the NADA, which relocated to 8484 Westpark Drive that October.

A separate development is in the works at nearby Westpark Plaza.

The lot at 8401 Westpark Drive will be converted into an interim public “reading park” with new vehicle storage after the Fairfax County Planning Commission granted developer Dittmar’s request to amend its plans on Dec. 9. The amenities will occupy the site until Dittmar kicks off its idling plans for two residential buildings, a new hotel, and retail.

Image via Google Maps