Sign for the Woody’s Golf Range located on Route 7 in Herndon. After 35 years in operation, business owner Woody FitzHugh is closing the range. Photo by Ryan Dunn.
1) Ashwell Property/Herndon’s Downtown
Elden Street
Herndon’s Council voted in May to purchase 1.67 acres of land in Herndon’s historic downtown from Ashwell, LLC for $3.519 million.
“Combined with approximately three acres of land already owned by the town, the purchase clears the way for a comprehensive development project in the downtown, in accordance with the Downtown Master Plan adopted by the Town Council in 2011,” according to Herndon town documents.
The town’s Master Plan envisions a mix of retail, office and residential development, to include four-story mixed-use/residential structures; three-story mixed-use/commercial structures; a jointly-funded public/private parking structure; an arts center and more.
“The land will then be rezoned in conformity with the adjacent town owned property, which allows for mixed-use commercial and residential development,” according to the documents. “Completion of these processes will result in nearly five acres of town-owned land, available for private development.
The Town expects to issue an open solicitation to developers by the end of the year.
The Town already owns the municipal parking lot and the parking lot parcel containing ArtSpace.
2) Herndon Fire Station
680 Spring Street
The new Herndon Fire Station, estimated to cost $13.35 million, is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2016. The 14,500 square-foot fire station at 680 Spring Street will be a two-story facility with below-grade parking. A temporary fire station has been constructed at 791 Elden Street so Fire and Rescue can maintain service during construction. The project is funded through a bond referendum that Fairfax County voters approved in November 2014. The former fire station on Spring Street was the oldest station in operation in Fairfax County.
3) Vinehaven Homes
800 Vine Street, Center and Vine streets
Seventeen new homes are coming to the intersection of Center and Vine streets and along the W&OD Trail in Herndon’s Historic District. Evergreene Homes has sold seven of the 17 houses and is marketing its new development to promote its proximity to the Silver Line as well as being in historic Herndon..
See http://myevergreenehome.com/
4) Herndon Silver Line
Phase 2 of Silver Line is projected to open in 2019.
http://www.dullesmetro.com/silver-line-stations/herndon/
“We are so fortunate,” Mayor Lisa Merkel said of the Silver Line. “This is a huge project, one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the country. There’s aren’t many towns that can get involved in projects like this.”
After a recently announced 13-month delay, construction is hoped to begin on Herndon’s future Silver Line Stop in 2016 with its opening by 2019-2020.
The entire Silver Line will be a 23-mile extension of the existing Metrorail system from East Falls Church, through Tysons and Reston, and eventually to Washington Dulles International Airport west into Loudoun County.
The Herndon Town Council approved 38 acres to be set aside for its future Metro stop in February 2012. The Herndon Metro Area Station Plan envisions: a mix of retail, hotel, office and residential space, to include 3.2 million net square feet of additional commercial floor area and 2,400 dwellings by 2035; a promenade, pedestrian and bicycle-friendly trails and enhancements, and recreational amenities; premier office space; parking garages with short-term spaces for kiss-and-ride passengers; and pull-offs along Herndon Parkway for vehicles dropping off and picking up passengers.
“We passed a resolution in February advocating for the County to put a Circulator Bus route for Phase II because we want our residents to get to the Metro without having to get in the car,” Mayor Merkel said. “If we have reliable, frequent transit options, people will use it.”
Merkel wants everything in place by the time the Silver Line’s doors open to Herndon in four or so years.
“People are going to establish their commuting patterns on that first day,” Merkel said. “We are working with Fairfax County because we do want to be ready on day one.”
5) Junction Square/Tradition Home
Monroe and Elden and Nachman Way
Groundbreaking is anticipated for October, including 2,000 square feet of retail space, five mixed use units whose retail fronts will front Elden Street and 18 townhouses. The Town Council approved the rezoning of the property in December 2014.
6) JLB - RZ 2013-DR-017
Dulles Technology Drive/River Birch Road
JLB Dulles Tech wants to develop a 450-unit multi-family development on 11.6 acres. The site is approximately one half mile south of the planned Innovation Center Metro Station on the south side of Dulles Technology Drive east of its intersection with River Birch Road, and is outside the Town of Herndon. The project was approved at the Board of Supervisors on July 28, 2015.
See http://ldsnet.fairfaxcounty.gov/ldsnet/ZAPSMain.aspx?cde=RZ&seq=4181075.
7) Trinity Land, SE 2014-DR-052 Currently Woody’s Golf Range
11801 Leesburg Pike, Herndon, VA 20170
Woody's Golf range is scheduled to close by November. The Board of Supervisors approved Trinity Land’s application for a special exception in June to build 30 single family units using a cluster development configuration on the 28.9 acre property. See http://ldsnet.fairfaxcounty.gov/ldsnet/ZAPSMain.aspx?cde=SE&seq=4192058.