Artist rendering of the upgraded complex due to be completed in 2026.
As the Richmond Highway area revitalizes, the project at the old Mount Vernon High School plays an important role in helping local residents master technology skills and higher paying jobs.
An important step with that effort is the upcoming groundbreaking ceremony to launch the “Human Development Center,” at the school site.
According to Fairfax County, this center is part of the effort to provide “Pathways to Opportunity” for the community, and will focus on education, workforce development and life skills training programs.
“This is another remarkable $100+ million investment, transformation and tremendous opportunity for our community. While the interior renovations have been ongoing for more than a year and a half, we are now entering the final stages of restoring the former school. This project breathes new life into an iconic site, creating spaces for education, incubation, the arts and community services that will serve our Mount Vernon community for generations to come,” said Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck.
This high school renovation transformation is called an Adaptive Reuse Project, where they will offer educational programs to support workforce development. Phase 1 is budgeted at $81 million. The county decided to focus on a phased approach to redevelopment that would align with the EMBARK and Bus Rapid Transit project along the Richmond Highway Corridor, which is in the planning phase.
The county said the "Complementary Elements,” at the school are the business incubation spaces, and the visual and performing arts programs that are in synergy with the core and anchor element programs. Additionally, the Welcome Center and the current library, which will be converted to an event space with this project, will be used by the community for gatherings. In the meantime, the property has not gone unused. This includes the renovation and opening of the gym, a satellite Fire Marshal’s Office for the South County area, a Fairfax County Public Schools registration site, and relocation of the teen/senior center from the South County Center, according to county documents.
Although the completion date has been loosely set in the Summer 2026, officials have construction updates periodically on the website. The last one on Sept. 9, 2024 included some utility installations adjacent to Maury Place nearby, demolition activities and investigation of existing conditions.
Architectural Elements
Years ago, officials looked at the architecture of the original Mount Vernon High School which is on a 22-acre piece of property that was once part of George Washington’s estate. The school was built in 1939 in the Colonial Revival, style of architecture and it was worth preserving.
In 1987, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources determined that the high school property was eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, the county said. The school was listed on the Virginia Historic Landmarks Register in December 2017, and in the National Registry of Historic Places in May 2018. The approximately 140,000-square-foot OMVHS facility consists of the main high school building and several smaller buildings to the west and south of the main structure. There are two athletic fields to the southeast of the property that are scheduled for community use, the county said on their website.
If you go…
GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY
Original Mount Vernon High School Renovation
Saturday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m.
8333 Richmond Hwy.
Mount Vernon, Va
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/publicworks/capital-projects/original-mount-vernon-high-school