Bailey’s Crossroads residents say crime should be addressed before redevelopment
Several community members who attended a Fairfax County Planning Department presentation on a proposal for a major mixed-use project on the Food Star site in Bailey’s Crossroads said the county should address the immediate problems in that area first.
Those problems include crime, litter, traffic, weeds in the median, safety and trash issues at Skyline Park, and the lack of safety for pedestrians.
“This is a high-crime area, with drug traffickers and prostitution,” said one nearby resident. Another resident said there’s a house of prostitution on Dannys Lane in the Sunset Manor neighborhood.
“It’s a great plan but we have things that need to be done now,” a resident said.
The proposal is for an amendment to the Bailey’s Crossroads Comprehensive Plan addressing subunit B-5 of the town center district, explained Project Manager Andrea Dorlester.
The project calls for multifamily high-rises with ground-floor retail in the 9-acre block bordered by Leesburg Pike, Carlin Springs Road, Seminary Road, and Gorham Street.
George Hong, the owner of the Food Star property at 5521 Leesburg Pike, is proposing a multi-building development with about 1,120 residential units.
The project would consist of three 14 or 15-story towers along Leesburg Pike and mid-rise four-story buildings next to less dense residential areas. It also includes 45 townhouses along Seminary Road and below-grade parking garages.
Related story: Major development proposed for Food Star site in Bailey’s Crossroads
The current comprehensive plan for that area, approved in 2010, allows up to 500 units in sub-unit B-5 and buildings with up to four to six stories – with an option for seven stories if all the land in B-4 and B-5 is consolidated.
In addition to Food Star, the businesses in the block under consideration include Bank of America, Somali Fashion Center, Tobacco Mart, Crown lounge, a nail salon, and an auto body shop. A Shell service station at the corner of Seminary Road and Carlin Springs Road is likely to stay, said Dorlester.
The Board of Supervisors authorized the consideration of a comprehensive plan amendment for sub-unit B-5 last May. Although the Carousel Apartments on the other side of Seminary Road are part of sub-unit B-5, they would not be covered by the proposed plan amendment.
In response to questions from community members about specific aspects of the proposed project, Mason Supervisor Penny Gross clarified that this is a proposal for a plan amendment, not a rezoning. “We’re not that far along,” she said.
Comprehensive Plan amendments look at broad issues, such as density and the types of uses that should be allowed. If the Board of Supervisors approves the proposed amendment, the property owner would submit a rezoning proposal, which would include more details.
Gross said the pedestrian safety issues raised by residents are under consideration by VDOT. Regarding the complaints about crime and prostitution, she urged residents to contact the new commander of the Mason Police Station and invite her to a community association meeting.
[The new commander is Loriann LaBarca, formerly commander of the Animal Protection unit. The former Mason Police District commander, Capt. Shawn Adcock, is now the commander of the Special Operations Division, which includes the SWAT, explosive ordinance, marine patrol, technical response, and K-9 units.]
If the redevelopment project advances, actual construction is likely to be at least seven years away.
Hong’s attorney, Keith Martin, said, “We’re ready to go forward. We think this is an exciting proposal.”
Public hearings on the plan amendment would be scheduled sometime this spring or summer.
There’s a brief survey about Bailey’s Crossroads and the plan amendment online.
Hopefully environmental concerns will be taken into account. Green or solar roof, permeable parking surfaces, gray water retention, green space, use of energy efficient materials, fixtures and utilities, on-site or nearby Zip Car and bike hubs, etc. Seems like soon we will have the density to justify new mass transit options. Is this to be luxury, workforce or low cost housing or a combination?
What is any of this? This is literally Bailey’s Crossroads we’re talking about here.
What will this area look like in 10-20 years when all these retail spaces below residential are outdated and empty? Also, who can afford these apartments? Huge giant buildings, ugly and vacant. No green space. Fill it with retail that will fail vs online.
Here’s the thing. Police are not allowed to chase suspects unless they witness a felony. I am not sure what it will take for the public to understand the repercussions of that. In other words, crime can’t be cleaned up until this FCPD policy is removed.
If we want improvements to our area we need to move away from the high density housing. We already have lot of high density housing but not a lot of family friendly developments. Cameron Station is a good compromise.
Bailey’s Crossroads has been ignored for a long time. Penny Gross has been part of the problem. I still remember when she advocated to put a DMV in the Barcroft Plaza. The community had to fight tooth and nail and eventually Harris Teeter advocated to its landlord. Glory Days went in and that strip had a huge revitalization and now is a lovely complex. It has become the last nice stop before the slums of Baileys.
Green spaces, playgrounds, parks built into communities is what is needed.
“..Several community members who attended a Fairfax County Planning Department presentation on a proposal for a major mixed-use project on the Food Star site in Bailey’s Crossroads said the county should address the immediate problems in that area first….”
I don’t see why we can’t get all these valid problems addressed AND get much needed, long overdue development in the Bailey’s/Seven Corners area. We’ve had enough projects delayed or cancelled while the area gets left behind time and again.
Finally someone said it. Granting new development wont hinder it, if anything it will ease these problems
Is this the kind of development we want? Our area will never have cool development like Mosaic (which is near a metro line) and appeals to young professionals. If we don’t attract educated, professionals to the area then we won’t see bars, restaurants, and higher end retail.
Um, yeah…absolutely. I support this project, I also supported the Mill Creek Project, the Sears site and the plural Moncure ave. projects over the years. All cancelled. It’s way better than what is there right now and each project was a massive improvement over the current situation. We should be glad for the redevelopment, there are literally millions of place in the world and including the U.S. that are desperate for this kind of investment.
No we are not Mosiac because we don’t have the mass transit as you mentioned but that is another botch. You’d think the aspirant East End Transitway and Route 7 BRT be would something heretofore absent BOS, local and federal reps of the area would get behind with some urgency. Invariably that would spur proper development. But maybe we need to put the carriage before the horse. This project perhaps spurs other stalled, cancelled or new developments and maybe THAT will finally bring urgency to transit projects.
Safety is my main concern. Please don’t forget to think of a Place for community safe gathering. I walk and shop at the Food Star store and I would like more family friendly community space in the area. Yes, the traffic awful and homeless people are often seen in the bus stop area hanging out all the time. Safe community.
Safety is my main concern. Please don’t forget to think of a Place for community safe gathering. I walk and shop at the Food Star store and I would like more family friendly community space in the area. Yes, the traffic awful and homeless people are often seen in the bus stop area hanging out all the time.
The folks who went to this meeting need to understand that this meeting was about a private land owner trying to complete a project. The least effective way of trying to influence a project is to say ‘I don’t want you to do that you should do something else instead’. If you’re concerned about pedestrian safety ask for safety improvements to be part of the project. Concerned about traffic? Ask that public transportation improvements be included.
You’re not voting on the project, you’re giving feedback. Make sure the feedback is actionable.
“Increase police presence in the area because they have abandoned us. Remove the policy preventing cops from chasing suspects in cars.”
It’s tough for police now. If someone runs and resists arrest and someone is recording then more than likely the police will get arrested themselves.
I don’t think this is a problem the county can solve.
This is a dramatically ignorant statement.
Need law inforcment to catch high speed drivers with loud exhaust noise, specially late night. Trash problem is obvious…
I use a wheelchair as my primary means of mobility. I live in Skyline house on S George Mason Dr, and I am currently unable to cross Leesburg Pike without serious concern for my safety. Before considering this redevelopment proposal, I would ask the committee to consider a raised sidewalk over this section of route 7. Thank you.
Sorry to hear of your difficulty crossing the street, Michelle. That area is so bad to cross. I hope you get some traction on your idea, and please stay safe!
I hear that Amazon Fresh has bailed at the Crossroads Shopping Center after doing a more diligent demographic study. They determined that the demographics could not support a high end grocery store.
Go figure?
The answer to this is to get rid of the County Attorneys that hide in their McLean homes w private security while they handicap code enforcement and the police to do their jobs.
It’s not just the Bailey’s location that is in limbo. Several other planned stores in more affluent areas are also affected by their decision to halt expansion of their grocery store concept.