Vienna Town Council punts on roof fixes for former Faith Baptist Church

The cross on the former Faith Baptist Church in Vienna will be removed (file photo)

The cross atop the former Faith Baptist Church in Vienna will come down, but otherwise, the town has opted for a “wait and see” approach to the 3-acre property it purchased in 2020.

The Vienna Town Council unanimously voted on Aug. 29 to indefinitely postpone repairs to the roof of the aging building at 301 Center Street South.

While staff argued that improvements are needed to stop recurring water leaks, council members balked at the idea of investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into a building that they could ultimately decide to demolish.

“I would like to do the absolute minimum, even if that does cause some further damage to the building, rather than commit a lot of money,” Councilmember Chuck Anderson said. “If you spend a half million dollars on a roof, psychologically, you’re committed to that building, and I personally have not reached the conclusion that the best use for that property involves some sort of rehabilitation and repurposing of the existing structure.”

Built in 1956, per Fairfax County property records, the former church — now informally dubbed the Annex — will require substantial renovations to meet current building code standards and get approved for occupancy, a study by Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP found.

Read more…

Recent Stories

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors faces tough decisions ahead of next week’s budget markup session, following demands from local unions to increase county employees’ wages.

Tysons Corner Center visitors will get another opportunity to sample the mall’s culinary scene this spring. After drawing a big crowd when it launched last year, the Taste of Tysons…

Morning Notes

Virginia bluebells bloom in Reston (photo by Marjorie Copson) Clifton Family Mourns Sons Killed in Fire — “When Fairfax County firefighters found two boys inside a fiery Virginia house earlier…

Sign for a private parking lot limited to Vienna Shopping Center customers and tenants (staff photo by Angela Woolsey) Vienna is considering several options to improve parking availability along its…

×

Subscribe to our mailing list