After an earlier deferral and walking tour, a planned mixed use development dubbed the Broad & Washington Project is headed back to the Planning Commission tomorrow for a work session.
“Planning Commission is requested to hold a work session to discuss the Broad and Washington mixed-use development proposed at the intersection of East Broad and North Washington Streets on approximately 3.16 acres of land including the City Lot on Park Place,” staff said in a report.
The Planning Commission work session is scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday).
The proposed seven-story development would include 339 multifamily apartment units above a Whole Foods, theater, and other retail options.
The meeting is not planned to include a recommendation to the City Council, but will instead focus on discussion. The project has already stirred considerable controversy in the community, with a public comment page times longer than the staff report.
The public comment submitted in advance of the work session was almost unanimous opposition to the project. Much of the opposition was concern about the loss of parking for nearby local businesses, like the State Theater, during construction and concerns that the replacement spots in the new underground parking garage won’t be equivalent to what is lost.
According to Fred Bonner, a local resident:
I would like to urge you to not agree to sell the municipal parking lot as part of the Broad and Washington Streets project. I have been following the development of the project over the past few years and my impression is that most of the changes have been detrimental from the city’s perspective, primarily making it mostly residential. While there are still reasons to accept the overall project, I do not believe losing the municipal lot is necessary or good for the city. The developers offer to ‘replace’ the spots in their underground garage cannot be considered equivalent, and the loss of those spots during the construction and after will be devastating to Thompson’s, Clare and Dons and the State Theater.
Several other local residents argued that eliminating the lot would harm local establishments like Clare and Don’s.
The plan has already been through several updates that increased the shared public parking and dedicated residential parking at the site. A staff report noted that while there have been changes, concerns from local businesses remain for how changes to interim parking could affect customers during construction.
“65 offsite parking spaces are provided at 107 and 111 Park Place, within 800 Feet of City Lot, while public parking is unavailable onsite during construction,” the staff report said. “The previously proposed 6 to 8 months period of offsite parking was reduced to 3 to 6 months; in terms of adjacent business support, the latest comments received from Thompson Italian and Clare & Don’s detail concerns they have about how the project, particularly the construction period, will adversely impact their business.”
Image via City of Falls Church
It’s been a long and bumpy road, but the 26-story mixed-use building replacing J.R.’s Stockyards Inn finally has its long-sought Board of Supervisors approval.
Attorney John McGranahan acknowledged the new development had been a challenge to push forward.
“This was a challenging case,” McGranahan said. “The big issue was consolidation.
The project had faced pushback after staff argued earlier iterations of the project didn’t meet goals for promoting the Tysons street grid or public park space, but ultimately the plan was altered and a street grid implemented to staff’s satisfaction.
At the Board of Supervisors meeting earlier this week, both the applicant and supervisors expressed optimism about what the new development could bring to the area.
“The idea is that this would be that building would be the first redeveloped site in sub-area 5 of Tysons and would spark other neighbors to come in with their own development proposals,” McGranahan said. “We saw this as the first piece of a puzzle.”
Supervisor Walter Alcorn, representing the Hunter Mill District, expressed similar hopes.
“This is a really interesting step in Tysons in terms of how, potentially, smaller properties can come forward and help achieve the broader goals,” Alcorn said. “I want to compliment both the applicant and staff, this looks pretty good.”
Palchik called it a keystone development that will act as a catalyst for future development in the area near the Tysons Corner Center.
“It is nice to see, while we’re losing a nostalgic landmark for a lot of us, it is nice to see the evolution in Tysons and some of the original owners who have seen a lot of the changes around them happen [are] able to participate in that,” Chair Jeff McKay said.
Image via KGD Architecture
AMT Looking for Buyers or Partners for ‘City View Tysons’ Development — “On AMT’s behalf, Cushman & Wakefield recently began marketing 7901 Westpark Drive to interested buyers or equity partners. The ‘shovel ready’ development site is approved for a 215,547-square-foot building, per marketing material from the commercial real estate brokerage.” [Washington Business Journal]
Local Bluesy Stoner Rock — “On Friday, Virginia’s dark, bluesy stoner rock outfit Pimmit Hills — featuring former members of King Giant — will release their new EP, Heathens & Prophets.” [Treble]
ManTech CEO Becomes Chairman of Board of Directors — “”Kevin has done an outstanding job as CEO and he is clearly the right individual to lead the board going forward,” said Barry Campbell, a ManTech independent director.” [ExecutiveBiz]
Providence District Council Polls Local Residents — The Providence District Council, a group of local citizens’ associations, has put out a survey asking locals what issues are most important to them. [Providence District Council]
After years of delays, arguments and a little arson: Vienna Market at the former Marco Polo restaurant site (245 Maple Avenue) is coming back for review at tonight’s Vienna Board of Architectural Review (BAR) meeting.
The project is a mixed-use development planned to include 44 luxury condominium townhomes and 8,200 square feet of retail.
The designs for the project were approved last September, but Northfield Development and NV Homes are headed back to the BAR after a few errors in the design process came to light.
According to a memo from the Town of Vienna:
- During the permitting phase of the project, several front façade configurations were shown reversed from the original approved elevation drawings. The facades were modified to match the interior floor plans. The floor plans shown in the original drawings would require stairwells on exterior walls;
- The final site plan review process revealed an error in the 35′ height calculation on the rear of the parcel that required reducing the height of two additional town homes and removing the roof access structure on one townhome
- An error in the original rendering showed the end elevations on Church Street in the incorrect lot order. The Church Street elevation schemes have been adjusted to match the front elevation scheme proposed.
Town Code states that any changes to the approved design, even fixing errors, has to be approved.
Rendering via Northfield Construction and Development
Silverstone Senior Living is slated to build senior housing in Tysons, becoming the first potential tenant at a proposed new development that will serve as an extension for The Boro.
The “continuing care home”, will have 200 available units for seniors and will include a fitness center, a barbershop and salon, a theater and multiple dining areas, according to documents from developer the Meridian Group. Senior housing in Tysons has been traditionally hard to come by, and much of the housing in the pipeline is not cheap.
The senior housing is a part of a 1.1 million square foot extension of The Boro, an upscale development in Tysons with apartments, offices, a movie theater and a Whole Foods. If approved, the extension will be a mixed-use development with residential housing, ground-floor retail space and a health club along with senior housing.
The site of the proposed development will be on the former grounds of the National Automobile Dealers Association Headquarters located on 8400 Westpark Drive after Meridian Group acquired the property in 2018 for $33.7 million, according to the Washington Business Journal.
Plans call for four buildings on the site with Silverstone’s senior housing to be inside a 180-foot-tall structure with 260,000 square feet of gross floor space. A representative for the Meridian Group declined to comment as no other details for what will go inside the planned development have been released.
The other planned projects include two other residential buildings with ground-level retail space that will be have a maximum height of 90-feet-tall. The fourth building is slated to become the health club if approved.
“The vision is to extend The Boro development across Westpark Drive and to continue the transformation of Tysons from a suburban office park to an urban center,” Elizabeth Baker, a senior land use planner for Walsh Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh told Tysons Reporter in May.
Rezoning for the proposed development is still in the review process and likely won’t go before a public hearing until 2021, Baker said.
Image via Google Maps
A plan to demolish one of Tyson’s oldest restaurants and to replace it with a new high-rise, luxury apartment building is awaiting its next step of approval next week after hitting a recent snag.
The planned residential development, which if approved will replace the J.R. Stockyards Inn, located on 8130 Watson Street, will go before the Fairfax County Planning Commission for approval on Sept. 16.
The proposed development hit a snag in its approval process in July, with Fairfax County planning staff originally recommending the Planning Commission reject the application for the proposed apartment building because it proposal did not meet the county’s requirements for “a functioning grid of streets and provision of public parks.”
But after the developers made changes to the proposal, planning staff signed off on it and now it will go before the Planning Commission for approval. Those changes included adding funding for needed street modifications and a stronger commitment to upgrading the planned park space.
“When completed the luxury apartments on Watson Street will become an iconic image in the skyline in Tysons Corner,” KGD Architecture, the firm tasked with designing the development writes on its website. “Its striking architecture will feature a cylindrical glass tower anchored by high and low curvilinear residential towers arcing to the west and south.
Originally proposed in 2018, the proposed 26-story apartment building will be a mixed-use development with luxury apartments and an underground parking garage. Developers are billing their proposal as an attempt to help bring new life to the retail space in Tysons, with the proposed development being located next to Tysons Corner Center between Tysons and Greensboro Metro stations.
J.R. Stockyards Inn, a two-story, 42-year-old steakhouse, was one of the first restaurants to open outside of Tysons Corner Center. But since 2011, the restaurant has closed its daily service.
Photo via Fairfax County
Funding Metro Project — “A project submitted by the Fairfax County government remains in contention for Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) funding, even as a number of other regional projects have been delayed for consideration due to sharp dropoffs in available funding.” [Inside NoVa]
Acquisition Takes Flight — “McLean-based communications satellite services provider Intelsat Corp. announced Monday it will acquire in-flight broadband connectivity provider Gogo Inc.’s commercial aviation business for $400 million.” [Virginia Business]
New Space for Shows — “The Creative Cauldron, a home-grown theater with some of the more successful performance and educational programs in the Little City’s history, has been promised 5,000 square feet for an expanded venue as a part of the Broad and Washington project.” [Falls Church News-Press]
New Auto Care Shop Rolls Into McLean — “McLean Automotive Service Center, a family-run business for nearly 70 years, has been turned into another locally-owned business.” [Patch]
Photo by Michelle Goldchain
As Tysons continues to urbanize, the Meridian Group’s planned extension of The Boro may bring new locations for Silverstone Senior Living and Life Time Fitness.
Silverstone Senior Living, which is headquartered in Texas and has an office in Tysons, wants to put in a continuing care facility near Westpark Drive and Greensboro Drive, according to county documentation. The living facility would include 200 senior living units and 53,000 square feet for memory care and assisted living services.
“The applicant’s objective is to provide seniors with state of the art facilities and residential offerings with appropriate levels of care and service to meet their health needs,” the application said.
The building would occupy one of the areas in Meridian Group’s proposed mixed-use redevelopment of the National Automobile Dealers Association site.
In addition to the senior living facility, the redevelopment wants to include residential units, retail space and an urban park, according to county documents.
The rezoning application for the senior living facility is currently being reviewed by Fairfax County, according to Lynne Strobel, the attorney representing the project. “We have filed a final development plan in conjunction with the rezoning,” she said.
Along with the senior care facility, there is also a possibility that a Life Time Fitness facility might open as well, Strobel said.
Photo courtesy Hilde Kahn
More Delays for Dittmar’s Project in Tysons — “The Dittmar Co. is pushing back plans once again for its massive redevelopment of an old hotel site near the Greensboro Metro station in Tysons. The Arlington developer is asking Fairfax County for another delay for its Westpark Plaza project, proposing in late July to build a new public park, car storage and commercial parking space on the site as an interim use.” [Washington Business Journal]
McLean Company Lands Big Contract — “The U.S. Navy awarded McLean-based defense contractor Alion Science and Technology Corp. an $896 million contract to provide an integrated program to deliver a multidomain live, virtual and constructive training platform.The contract was awarded through the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) SeaPort-NxG multiple award contract.” [Virginia Business Monthly]
Feedback Sought on Grab and Go Meals — Fairfax County Public Schools are seeking feedback via a survey on its grab-and-go meal program for the next academic year. The survey will help the school system determine the best locations and bus routes for meal services. [FCPS]
Photo by Michelle Goldchain
A newly proposed senior living community in McLean aims to promote aging in place.
Tri-State Chain Bridge Road wants to build 33 townhouse-style units on just over 3 acres on the north side of Chain Bridge Road near Westmoreland Street. The townhomes would be for seniors ages 60 and up.
Lori Greenlief, the land use planner with McGuireWoods who is representing the applicant, said that the proposal fills a need for senior living in McLean, noting that several options in the area are multi-family, four- to seven-story buildings.
Roughly 15% of the units will be affordable, and all of the units would be designed for aging in place with one-level living and options for an elevator and live-in caregiver suite, according to a document from the applicant to the county. The proposed community would also have a 3,600-square-foot amenity building for gardening classes, on-site physical therapy appointments, a fitness center and more.
Tri-State Chain Bridge Road said that the proposed independent living community is about one-fourth of a mile away from McLean’s downtown area.
More from the applicant:
Supported by the 50+ Community Action Plan Initiatives for housing and the well-documented need for senior housing in the Policy Plan of the Comprehensive Plan, this community will offer area residents the opportunity to remain in the McLean/Great Falls area and age-in-place in a purpose-built community designed for seniors.
The community will provide the array of amenities and services desired by the older adult population with homes designed to allow residents to age-in-place. Both the 50+ plan and the Comprehensive Plan highlight the need for options for seniors and the attached product proposed in this application will provide an alternative to the multi-family independent living lifestyle.
The focus of this community will be to create an atmosphere where residents will be able to interact for weekly or daily dining, classess, and a myriad of recreational and educational activities, with like-aged and like-minded people who are dealing with similar lifestyles and issues. At the same time, they will have the freedom to own their own space.
This community will be a safe space in that if there arises a need for added security, such as a pandemic, residents will be able to insulate within the community in their own homes but stay in community. This type of community will become more and more important as our seniors adapt to the “new normal.”
The applicant recently submitted the proposal to the county, which will get reviewed by county staff. Once accepted, the county website will add the scheduled hearing dates for the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.
So far, Tri-State Chain Bridge Road has reached out to the surrounding neighborhoods and the McLean Citizens Association (MCA), Greenlief said.
Scott Spitzer, the chair of MCA’s Planning and Zoning Committee, told Tysons Reporter that the committee is currently evaluating the application.
Winnie Pizzano, the president of the Stoneleigh Homeowners’ Association, told Tysons Reporter that she has heard support for the project from her board, which oversees 134 townhomes.
“It’s obviously needed given the demographic is so much older in McLean than anywhere else,” Pizzano said, adding that it will be a good alternative to assisted living for people looking to downsize.
Greenlief noted that the proposal is in its early stages and that there is plenty of room for citizen input. Some aspects of the proposal are still getting figured out, like specifics around what “60+” will mean, Greenlief said.
People who want to provide feedback can contact Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, Greenlief at McGuireWoods and Tri-State Chain Bridge Road. Once a staff coordinator is assigned, people will also be able to reach out to the county staffer.
Map via Google Maps
