Demolition work under way on Bailey’s Crossroads office building

The Landmark Building

Demolition of the exterior of the Landmark Building at 5872 Columbia Pike is expected to start July 18.

Interior demolition and abatement of hazardous materials – asbestos in the dry wall compound, lead paint, and fluorescent lighting fixtures – is nearing completion, says project coordinator Joan Beacham of the Fairfax County Building Design and Construction Division.

The exterior demolition will be carried out with a protective mesh netting to contain the building material. The steel structure will be dismantled in mid-August, and the site will be stabilized by early fall, according to Mason Supervisor Penny Gross’ email newsletter.

The county agreed to remove the office building, also known as Bailey’s International Center, as part of a public-private partnership to redevelop the Southeast Quadrant of Bailey’s Crossroads. The Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning application from the Weissberg Co. in July 2017 to facilitate redevelopment of the Columbia Crossroads multifamily housing project in the quadrant on close to the intersection of Columbia Pike and Moncure Avenue.

By early fall, all of the remaining structures in that area, including the auto shop building and the foundation of the demolished Safari restaurant, should be all gone, Beacham says. After the buildings are removed, the Weissberg Co., is expected to begin marketing the property to a developer.

Meanwhile, Fairfax County plans to start developing an interim park on the site in spring 2019. The park would not have permanent structures but could include a temporary skate park or farmers market. The county is still in the early stages of the design phase, Beacham says.