Pedestrian and driver safety, the City/GMU charrette and various redevelopment projects were among the items discussed during the Fairfax City Council’s Jan. 12 mini-retreat at the Blenheim Interpretive Center. Also on hand were members of City staff.
“The area between Judicial Drive and Sager Avenue is wide, five lanes, like a racetrack, with a crosswalk,” said Councilwoman Janice Miller. “So it’s dangerous with cars speeding and isn’t aesthetically pleasing. I’d like us to put in a grass-and-tree area like we have south of there, along Armstrong Street.”
“I think the landscaping idea is a good one and we’ll certainly look into it,” said City Manager Bob Sisson.
Miller also noted that, between Burke Station Road and University Drive, “There are not many places you can safely make a left turn. Can we see what we can do to improve safety in that area?” Mayor Scott Silverthorne said they could.
Then Brooke Hardin, director of Community Development and Planning, gave an update on what has happened since the November 2014 charrette. He said teams were assigned tasks and they continue to meet.
“They’re working on a downtown map marking access to restaurants and the CUE bus,” said Hardin. “And regarding late-night access to Metro after CUE bus hours, Mason is working with Reston Limousine, which runs ’til 3:45 a.m. So they’re identifying stops between the Metro station and GMU.”
He said City Transportation Director Wendy Block Sanford is moving forward on bike lanes for the Mason to Metro bike route. “It involves federal funds, and we hope to put it out to bid this spring,” said Hardin. “A bike-sharing program has been discussed, but we need more planning done with regard to transportation [before we can go ahead with it].”
“George Mason Boulevard between Armstrong and School streets is very dark at night for pedestrians, and I’ve had complaints about it from both students and residents,” said Councilman David Meyer. “Can we get some 30 percent VTA funding for streetlights?” Sanford replied that it could be an eligible project because it deals with pedestrian safety.
Miller said she thinks it’s also dark in the downtown area, and Sisson said the City has increased the lighting intensity outside Old Town Hall.
NEXT, the Council members received an update on approved and proposed redevelopment projects. Hardin said Fairfax Circle Plaza is currently in site-plan review. Already approved is a huge, new, mixed-use project entailing a grocery store, retail businesses and multifamily housing. The goal is to transform a 1960s strip shopping center into a modern place for people to live, work and dine.
“The developer is still in discussion with Harris Teeter and with Giant, as an alternate,” said Hardin. “Groundbreaking is estimated for this spring.”
He said Novus Fairfax Gateway is also undergoing site-plan review and the developer envisions the project getting underway this spring or summer. A mixed-use project is planned on 8.3 acres between Fairfax Boulevard and Lee Highway. Some 403 multifamily apartments, 29,000 square feet of first-floor retail and commercial uses will be built, as well as a 5,000-square-foot restaurant.
As for the Davies property between University Drive and Chain Bridge Road, Hardin said a developer is interested in it and is developing a concept for it for multifamily homes. And at Railroad Square, he said there is “some interest” in redeveloping the Offices on Main Street for other uses. He also said the Fairfax Trucking property on Pickett Road might need a rezoning for a retail use.
THE ENCLAVE will be built at the Mantua Professional Center on Pickett Road. It will consist of 80 condos in two, four-story buildings, each above a one-level parking garage. “It’s also in site-plan review and everything seems to be moving along fine with that property,” said Hardin. “They could potentially be under construction by this summer.”
“I think, once these projects get underway, they’ll be embraced [by the residents],” said Silverthorne. And, added Hardin, “There’ll be pre-construction meetings on all of them so we can discuss and let people know about the impacts.”
Hardin also noted that the Fairfax Plaza Building is being marketed for sale “and we’re receiving ideas for potential uses. The Castro property at 9715 Fairfax Blvd. is being marketed for sale, too.”
Silverthorne asked if that property could be a potential site for a new fire department, and Sisson said it is. “Or we could tear down the existing fire station and rebuild it on site with more parking,” said Sisson. “That might be more economical than building it elsewhere. An architect is looking at a feasibility study and will be ready to report back to you in 30-45 days.”