The future of Annandale: more urbanization

What’s the central business district of Annandale going to look like in 2030? According to plans for the Annandale Revitalization District underway in the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning, we could see a more pedestrian friendly town center with a “higher-intensity mix of retail, office, and residential uses,” including a movie theater and hotel, with a rerouted traffic pattern and streetscape improvements.

A 10-story mixed use development is planned for Markham Street, replacing the bowling alley. The Kmart site is also likely to be converted to a multi-use development with offices and retail. A cultural center is under discussion offering space for classes and meetings, as is a small urban park in the center of Annandale featuring outdoor seating areas, fountains, and ornamental plants.

Little River Turnpike could be widened to six lanes in that area, and Annandale Road could be four lanes. The Columbia Pike/Little River intersection could be closed, and Columbia Pike could be realigned with Backlick Road. Some of the side streets could be converted to one-way traffic. Despite some earlier discussions about mass transit connecting Annandale with Tysons Corner and the Springfield mixing bowl, that is not likely to happen any time soon.

Of course it’s up to the private sector to determine what gets built and where it’s located—and that is dependent on the state of the economy. Another key element is the extent to which property owners take advantage of incentives to consolidate small parcels of land.

But all new developments are expected to adhere to the guidelines in the overall plan, which address such issues as building height, facades, and parking. The plan will be revised over the coming months with input from local residents.