While proud of its historic heritage, Fairfax City is continually modernizing and warmly welcoming new residents, businesses and commercial development. Here are details about some of the projects on the horizon:
Overlook at Fairfax Boulevard
The 1950s-era Breezeway Motel on Fairfax Boulevard and the Fairfax Gardens Apartments on Cedar Avenue have both been demolished so Pulte Home Co. may construct townhouses, two-over-two condos and a commercial building in their place. This new residential project is called Overlook at Fairfax Boulevard, and the site is bounded by Cedar Avenue, Fairfax Boulevard, and Walnut and Oak streets.
Now under construction are 60 homes with 141 parking spaces. There’ll be 40 townhouses, 40 feet high, with 80 parking spaces, plus 20 condos, 51 feet high, with 40 parking spaces and 21 surface spaces. Also planned are 8,000-10,010 square feet of commercial space with 44 parking spaces.
Selling prices of the four-level townhomes start in the $900,000 range, with prices of the two-level condos beginning around $600,000. Nearby amenities include restaurants, grocery stores and Pat Rodio Park.
Utilities will be underground, and there’ll be a playground and picnic area, plus four areas of open space – three, accessible to the public. Each unit will have a sidewalk connecting to the street, and there’ll be a 10-foot-wide sidewalk/multi-use trail on Fairfax Boulevard. Also planned is a connection from the multifamily homes to the future commercial development, as well as crosswalks on the adjoining public streets.
Access points to the commercial part of the site are from Fairfax Boulevard and Walnut Street. There’s also entry from Walnut Street to the condos, and access from Oak to the townhouses, plus emergency access to the townhomes from Cedar. There’ll be a Metro bus stop on Fairfax Boulevard, and traffic impact from the project is expected to be minimal.
City Centre West
One of the gateways to Fairfax City is getting a major upgrade courtesy of City Centre West. Arising at 10501 Main St., between Judicial Drive and West Street, it will be an eight-story building with 210,029 square feet of residential, office and commercial uses.
A project of Ox Hill Realty, it’ll replace a former bank, an old office building and an unsightly, burned-out restaurant. Fairfax City Council approved it in July 2023, and Ox Hill representative Bob Brant said this mixed-use structure will be something “Fairfax can be proud of and a landmark for the City.”
Situated on 1.78 acres, City Centre West will feature 79, for-sale condominiums and penthouses with amenities and a rooftop pool, 8,500 square feet of medical offices and 28,200 square feet of commercial-office space. There’ll also be a drive-through bank, ground-floor retail, a restaurant and a .31-acre pocket park/plaza.
The top six floors of the building will house the one-, two- and three-bedroom residential units, with the 18,000-square-foot bank and offices on the lower floors, and four levels of below-grade, structured parking (309 spaces) for all the uses. The plaza will be for outdoor dining and a space where people may gather for events. It’ll be accessible to the public and connect to downtown Fairfax.
The project will provide new road connections to Main Street and to the Fairfax County Judicial Complex. Ox Hill will also build a 10-foot-wide, landscaped sidewalk on Main Street. Construction is expected to take two years.
Beacon Landing Affordable Apartments
A project of The Lamb Center (TLC) and Wesley Housing, Beacon Landing will provide permanent, supportive housing for 54 homeless people. It’ll replace the ancient, dilapidated Hy-Way Motel on Fairfax Boulevard with a modern, environmentally friendly, five-story apartment building that’s 100-percent affordable.
“Giving someone a roof over their head is life changing,” said Tom Barnett with Fairfax County’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. “It means they won’t return to homelessness, and it’ll help them build long-time stability.”
The building will be at 9640 Fairfax Blvd., a block from TLC’s daytime drop-in shelter on Campbell Drive. Wesley Housing, the project developer, will manage the property. There’ll be 42, 350-square-foot efficiency units; 10 one-bedroom; and two two-bedroom, for residents needing caregivers. And 15-percent will be ADA-compliant.
Since they’re permanent homes, residents will have their own rental leases with no time limits. Supportive means a variety of services will help residents stay in and maintain their apartments, find employment/income and address their physical- and behavioral-health needs. And this housing will be affordable – no more than 30 percent of a resident’s income, or a minimum of $50/month.
The second floor will feature a community room for the residents, plus space for Lamb Center case managers to assist residents with living independently and make sure they take their medication and obtain the services they need.
The 1,400-square-foot first floor will be an employment center to help building residents find entry-level jobs. The front door will be access-controlled, and there’ll be security cameras, plus a 24/7 staffed front desk. A bus stop will be outside the building, and racks for 26 bikes will be provided.
TLC Executive Director Tara Ruszkowski says this project will serve “the people most vulnerable, marginalized and at-risk, including the elderly and those with disabilities.” Apartments will be fully furnished, including washers and dryers. With an anticipated construction time of some 14-16 months, the building is expected to open in 2026.
WillowWood (N29 Apartments) Phase I
Capital City Real Estate LLC plans to replace a surface parking lot in Fairfax City’s Northfax area with the N29 Apartments – a seven-story, mixed-use building with up to 260 units and some 5,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. On a nearly-3-acre site at 10306 Eaton Place, this project also includes a 10-level parking garage to the rear of the building, with one level below grade.
The parcel is in the WillowWood Plaza Office Center and is one of two there owned by Capital City Real Estate LLC. That area already has office and commercial uses, so these apartments will provide a residential component. The new residents will be able to hike on the George Snyder Trail or easily catch a CUE bus to go elsewhere. The site is also close to existing retail uses, including restaurants, as well as a grocery store.
There’ll be a courtyard with a pool, and about a third of the parcel will be open space. A pocket park will be adjacent to the garage, and there’ll also be some outdoor café seating for a cool and casual vibe. The retail uses will front on Eaton Place and the building will border a future, linear park. The City envisions this park as a large, green space where the community could gather for recreation and events.
Glebe View Townhouses
Fairfax Presbyterian Church, at 10723 Main St. and Presbyterian Way, has donated some 1.6 acres of its land for affordable homes, called Glebe View Townhouses, to be built there. Habitat for Humanity NOVA is the developer, and nonprofit Homestretch/Sacred Homes will own two of the houses. HomeAid will provide building materials and tradesman expertise at reduced prices.
Constructed will be 10, brick-exterior, three-level townhouses, each with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus one-car garages and driveways. Ten visitor parking spaces will go on the western side of the property, and a new, 30-space parking area – including much-needed, handicap-accessible spaces – will be built in the southwest corner for the church’s use. A walking path will go around the 8.25-acre church property, and there’ll be two stormwater-management facilities where today there are none.
To help keep utility bills low, the builder will incorporate energy-efficient construction practices, appliances and lighting – including rooftop solar panels for all townhouses. The communal green area in front of the townhouses will include a pergola, solar pathway lights, benches and landscaping.
The townhomes will go on the property’s east side, adjacent to the Cameron Glen townhouse community. A sidewalk with steps will connect the church with the nearby Autumn Woods community. And a connection on the north side of the townhouses to the adjacent, existing trail by Accotink Creek will also be added.
Eight of the units will be sold to Habitat NOVA families earning less than the area median income. The other two will be sold to Homestretch for its Sacred Homes program lifting families out of poverty. Habitat homeowners will work alongside other volunteers to help build their homes. Sale prices will be below market value because the church is providing the land. Groundbreaking is slated for Sept. 28.