If you spend any time in Fair Lakes, you know the area well: Fair Lakes Center, office buildings, residential communities and lots, and lots, of parking. Over the next several years, some of that could start to change.

Fairfax County is moving forward with a long-range plan for how Fair Lakes should develop over the next 20 years and beyond. The vision could bring more housing, redevelopment of underused office properties, a greater mix of residential and commercial uses, and improved pedestrian and bicycle connections. This isn’t a plan to redevelop Fair Lakes all at once. The county is updating its Comprehensive Plan, essentially creating the roadmap that will guide future redevelopment proposals.

Why Fair Lakes?

Fair Lakes has something increasingly valuable in Fairfax County: opportunities to add new development within an already established community. Large office and commercial properties, along with significant amounts of surface parking, could potentially accommodate new uses without redeveloping existing residential neighborhoods. Housing is a major part of the conversation, as is the future of underused office properties. Some of these sites could eventually transition to residential or mixed-use development. The big questions are where redevelopment makes sense, how much should be allowed and what infrastructure needs to come with it.

What Could Actually Change?

Fairfax County is currently working on its Fair Lakes Study, Phase II, which will update the Comprehensive Plan for the area. Based on the work so far, we could eventually see more residential development, mixed-use projects combining housing with retail and restaurants, redevelopment of some surface parking areas, and improved pedestrian and bicycle connections.

But, don’t expect Fair Lakes Center to suddenly disappear.

There is currently no approved plan to tear down the shopping center. Changes are much more likely to happen gradually, with individual properties or portions of large parking areas redeveloped over time. Some change is already underway. The first phase of the Fair Lakes study created an option for up to 400 multifamily residential units on one site. A roughly 22.6-acre property near Pender Drive and Waples Mill Road has also moved forward with plans for a mixed-use development containing hundreds of residential units; the associated rezoning was approved by the Board of Supervisors in May 2026.

And Then There’s Traffic

You can’t talk about adding development to Fair Lakes without talking about traffic. Fair Lakes Parkway, West Ox Road, Fairfax County Parkway and nearby I-66 already carry significant traffic, making transportation one of the most important issues to watch. The county is considering road capacity along with pedestrian, bicycle and other transportation improvements.

Where Things Stand

The Fair Lakes Phase II study is currently in Stage 3 of a four-stage process:

• Stages 1 & 2 – Complete: Existing conditions were studied and the long-term vision was developed with community input.
• Stage 3 – Underway: County staff is refining recommendations for land use, density, transportation and design.
• Stage 4 – Next: Staff recommendations will move to public hearings before the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.

Want to Follow the Fair Lakes Redevelopment?

Now is a good time to get involved, particularly as the county moves toward its final recommendations.

Two important public hearings are currently scheduled:

• Jan. 6, 2027: Fairfax County Planning Commission public hearing.
• Feb. 2, 2027 at 4 p.m.: Fairfax County Board of Supervisors public hearing.

Meeting dates can change, so residents should check the Fairfax County Fair Lakes Study – Phase II page before attending for the latest meeting information, documents and instructions on how to participate.

The Fair Lakes of 2040 could look considerably different from the Fair Lakes we know today. And late 2026 through early 2027 is an important time to pay attention and get involved, because the decisions being made now could guide how this part of Fairfax County develops for decades.

For more information on development happening around Northern Virginia, check out our development updates page. We focus on a different area in Northern Virginia each month.

If you have any questions about Northern Virginia real estate, reach out as we are happy to help.