Architects want to open the view inside and outside of McLean's Community Center, which is scheduled for construction in the fall of 2016. Plans for the expansion are scheduled to be presented to the Department of Planning and Zoning this summer. Photo by Ken Moore.
An occasional series on development and land use in McLean.
* McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave.
Construction to renovate McLean's Community Center is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2016 and will be completed by 2018. The renovation will add 7,750 square feet, including a fitness room. The McLean Community Center was built in 1974 when centers were designed similar to schools, "institutional facilities that could withstand all sorts of abuse," said architect Greg Lukmire. Now, the renovation plans include an open courtyard, natural lighting throughout the building, open lobby and hallway, and a glassy facade on the back to allow connectivity between the library, outdoors. "It's set in an environment that is natural and quite lovely," said Lukmire.
* McLean Government Center
1437 Balls Hill Road, McLean
A $20 million project to renovate and expand McLean Government Center at 1437 Balls Hill Road is scheduled for completion this year. Dranesville Supervisor John Foust and staff moved in this past week. The center also houses the Fairfax County Police Department's McLean Station, McLean Visitor Center and the McLean Chamber of Commerce. The renovation expands the facility from 21,600 square feet to 39,200 square feet.
* Lewinsville Senior Center
1609 Great Falls Street, McLean
Plans to renovate the former 1965 Lewinsville Elementary School date back to 2003 for this 8.66 acre property on Great Falls Street. The Board of Supervisors assumed ownership in 1985 and created 22 units of affordable independent senior housing, a senior center, adult day care and child day care. The Board of Supervisors approved the renovation this past March for Wesley Hamel to build 82 units of independent residential housing. The county will renovate the senior center, the adult day care and two childcare centers. Construction is scheduled to begin in Spring 2016 and residents are scheduled to move back into their homes in the Fall of 2017.
* Langley High School Renovation
6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean, Va.
Langley High School continues to give updates on renovation progress on its website at fcps.edu/LangleyHS. “If you have driven by Langley High School since school let out, you will notice a lot of work has been done, according to an update from June 24. “When school resumes in September, we will have the same parking lot footprint and the Kiss and Ride and bus loop will remain the same. As always, we appreciate your flexibility and patience as we progress through this renovation project.”
Three more years of construction at Langley High School will completely modernize the McLean/Great Falls school that was originally built in the 1960s. Fairfax County voters approved the $68 million project in a 2013 bond referendum.
Mount Daniel Elementary School
2328 North Oak Street
BC Consultants for the Falls Church City School Board and the City of Falls Church staff seek to expand the existing Mount Daniel Elementary School, located at 2328 North Oak Street, just on the border of McLean. Falls Church proposes to expand Mount Daniel to 36 classrooms with an enrollment of 792 students, and 84 employees. The addition, if approved, would add approximately 47,303 gross square feet for the entire school for a total of 91,421 square feet. The McLean Citizens Association adopted a resolution to oppose the project, saying the extent of the Mount Daniel expansion would be excessive and incompatible with the neighborhood. The proposal is scheduled to be voted on by the Fairfax County Planning Commission on Sept. 17, 2015.
Sunrise LLC - SE2014-DR-068
1988 Kirby Road, McLean
This past June, Sunrise Development, Inc. withdrew its application to seek a special exception to permit an assisted living facility on a 3.7 acre property zoned R-1 at 1988 Kirby Road. Sunrise had sought to develop approximately 73 assisted living units in a 40,309 square foot building at 1988 Kirby Road. See http://ldsnet.fairfaxcounty.gov/ldsnet/ZAPSMain.aspx?cde=SE&seq=4195655
* McLean Plaza, JBG
6862 Elm Street
RZ 2012-DR-019
FDP 2012-DR-0217
On July 1, 2014, the Board of Supervisors approved this mixed-use project on a 4.43 parcel at 6862 Elm Street for a 263,806 square foot, 240-unit, 73-foot-tall multi-family residential building with retail space. The existing 90-foot tall office building (109,600 square feet) will be retained and a ground floor addition will be made for 7,010 square feet of retail use. The proposal includes 595 underground parking spaces, 73 surface parking spaces and 35 percent open space. The proposal rezoned the parcel in the Community Business center from C-3 to Planned Residential Mixed Use. http://www.jbg.com/#McLean-Plaza-6862-Elm-McLean-property-overview
* Scotts Run Station North, Cityline Partners LLC
Intersection of Scotts Crossing Road and Dolley Madison Boulevard
On June 2, Fairfax County approved another 1.5 million square feet of development in Tysons, including residential, office, retail, and possible option for a hotel on a 9.4 acre site at the corner of Scotts Crossing Road and Dolley Madison Boulevard. This completes CityLine’s development concept for the area. In 2013, the developer received approval for its Scotts Run South, more than 6.6 million square foot project spread over 23 acres on the east side of Route 123.
Scotts Run North sits on the original Mitre Corp. headquarters site, about a quarter mile from the McLean Metro Station. Although the building is gone, the parking lot remains, and it serves as a temporary, 711-space lot for Silver Line riders under an agreement with the county.
* 856 and 872 Dolley Madison Boulevard
SE 2014-DR-072
An application by PS Holdings, LLC for a special exception to allow a private school of general education on this 3.3 acre property zoned R-1, has been deferred indefinitely. The applicant originally proposed to serve 250 pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in a 21,5741 square foot building. Based on staff and community concerns the applicant is revising the scope of the project. Planning and Zoning was scheduled to write its staff report in September. http://ldsnet.fairfaxcounty.gov/ldsnet/ZAPSMain.aspx?cde=SE&seq=4195830.
* Survey of Aircraft Noise in McLean by McLean Citizens Association
McLean Citizens Association's (MCA) Transportation Committee is planning a public meeting with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) regarding impact of aircraft noise and this survey solicits data for assessing the impacts of aircraft noise on the community. Here is the link to the online survey: Aircraft Noise Survey. http://goo.gl/forms/O69ALu365Z Survey is due by September 30, 2015.