Major changes are taking place in Fairfax City, all with the mission to bring more residential and retail.
By Lynn Norusis
If you’ve driven through Fairfax City, along Rts. 50 or 29 you’ll have noticed all of the construction that is paving way for retail and residential spaces.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Scout on the Circle is the main focus at Fairfax Circle which, once complete, will house 400 apartments above a 54,000 sq. ft. Giant grocery store and 29,000 sq. ft. of general retail space.
Two single-family home neighborhoods are moving into Fairfax City. The first is Cobbs Grove tucked in on Chain Bridge Road before I-66, which is made up of luxury, custom homes by Robinson and Thayer. The other is Stonewood by Carrhomes along Mosby Road that will be a small enclave of five homes.
Point 50 is a project that is taking over Rt. 50 in the city as an old strip mall was demolished to make room for a 30,000 sq. ft. grocery store (rumored to be a Whole Foods) and 18,000 sq. ft. of other commercial space.
Adjacent to Kamp Washington shopping center Fairfax Gateway is under construction. Through a few revisions of the original plans, developers are building 403 multifamily apartment units, 24 of which are affordable units, 21,249 square feet of commercial space, 4,000 square feet of office space for a non-profit group and 17,249 square feet of commercial space for a restaurant and general ground floor retail.
APPROVED PROJECTS
George Mason University is expanding more into the city, somewhat. With the Capstone Collegiate project, is bringing more residential into the downtown area and will provide housing geared towards students to include two 4- to 5-story multifamily residential buildings that will house 275 multifamily dwelling units with options of studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 4-bedroom units.
Once Paul VI High School moves out to Loudoun County later this year the land will turn over to residential. The city approved the project in 2018 and includes 266 residential units, of which 144 will be condominiums, 115 townhomes and seven single-family homes. There will also be 20,000 square feet of retail space. The main building of the school will remain and will contain a mix of commercial and/or undefined community uses.
UNDER REVIEW PROJECTS
Starting on the west end by Westmore Elementary School on Rt. 29 before the intersection of Lee Highway, Main Street and Rt. 50, there is a 13 townhome community called Park Road Townhomes that is under review by the City. This project requests to demolish current low-rise office space along with some undeveloped lots.
Just east on Rt. 50, Pulte Homes is proposing 42 townhomes, 20 condo units and commercial space in their Breezeway project that would take over the current space occupied by Breezeway Hotel, Fairfax Gardens and four single family homes.
Over by Ratcliffe Park, Madison Homes is seeking to redevelop what is currently four parcels with two single-family homes and undeveloped land to 21 townhomes in what would be called Mathy Park.
Further east at Pickett Road, EYA is proposing to redevelop what was a church lot into a 60 townhome community called Metro Church.
