Multifamily housing proposed for Bailey’s Crossroads and Seven Corners
County staff and developers presented information about three major projects proposed in Mason District at a community meeting on Jan. 11.
The projects were nominated as part of the Site-Specific Plan Amendment process (SSPA) for amending the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan provides guidelines for future land use and development decisions.
Eight nominations were submitted in this round for Mason District. The Board of Supervisors determined in December that five of them should continue to be reviewed by the county.
Two of the three projects discussed at the meeting, at Bailey’s Elementary School, are in Seven Corners and one is in Bailey’s Crossroads. The other two nominations are in Annandale and will be discussed at a future meeting.
The Bailey’s Crossroads project calls for a four-story mixed-use building on vacant land along Church Street across from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
The building would have 60 units and 18,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving retail on the ground floor, said David Houston of the Bean, Kinney & Korman law firm. Houston represents the owner of the Bailey’s Crossroads Shopping Center, who also owns the 2-acre vacant property.
Related story: Eight redevelopment projects proposed for Mason District
The Comprehensive Plan recommends retail or office townhouses on that land. That concept predates the more recent town center concept for Bailey’s Crossroads and needs to be updated, said Michael Burton, a planner with the Fairfax County Planning and Development Department.
The proposal calls for the building to be oriented toward Church Street with surface parking at the rear. Burton said the Comprehensive Plan for that area recommends new development be oriented toward Columbia Pike – so that will be an issue staff will look at.
However, there are several small businesses between Columbia Pike and the proposed multifamily building, including a gas station, the German Gourmet, and a small retail strip with Pollo Campero and Cinthia’s Bakery.
The entrance would be on Church Street, Houston said. The developer does not propose an additional access point from Columbia Pike. A sidewalk would be added along Church Street, and the project would include a certain percentage of affordable units.
During the screening process. Butler said staff will consider the impact on traffic, the need for safe pedestrian access, and whether there would be appropriate transitions to the single-family neighborhood nearby.
Eakin Properties submitted a plan amendment nomination for 450 multifamily units and ground-floor retail between Arlington Boulevard and Hillwood Avenue in Seven Corners.
That project would have to be coordinated with the proposed ring road, which would direct traffic around the Seven Corners intersection.
Related story: Seven Corners Phasing Study prepares for ring road around congested intersection
The project would replace New Grand Mart and Pistone’s Italian Inn. The Comprehensive Plan calls for low-level retail or office uses on that land.
“The site is almost entirely paved with underutilized parking. The existing buildings are at the end of their useful lives. We’re thinking about something different,” said Sarah Mariska, Eakin’s land use attorney.
“Our intent is to do something to meet the county’s and community’s needs. We’re looking for an amendment to allow flexibility to explore new options,” said Kevin Eakin, president of Eakin Properties. That company built many of the single-family homes on the other side of Arlington Boulevard.
Seven Corners is already congested, a community member said. Can it deal with two or three thousand more cars?
The impact on traffic will be a big consideration when staff reviews the proposal, Burton said. The ring road would alleviate some of the traffic congestion, and a future bus rapid transit line will help move people along Leesburg Pike.
The EYA development company submitted a proposal for a 300-unit multifamily building and a parking garage on the surface parking lot at the Cavalier Club in Seven Corners. The Cavalier Club is an 11-story apartment building on Wilson Boulevard owned by Southern Management.
Half of the property is in Arlington County, and half is in Fairfax County. The existing apartment building and proposed development are in the Fairfax County section. Forty townhouses are proposed for the Arlington section.
The new building would have ground-floor retail, including such elements as restaurants with outdoor seating. said Amy Friedlander, director of acquisitions at EYA. The garage would have around five levels.
The project would also include an improved connection between McKinley Road and Wilson Boulevard; safer, broader sidewalks on both roads; and affordable housing units, Friedlander said.
Related story: Supervisors streamline the development review process
After the staff completes their initial screening of the proposals, the Planning Commission will hold workshops open to the public and determine whether to recommend them to the Board of Supervisors. Under a streamlined SSPA process approved by the BoS in July, the workshops would be held instead of a public hearing before the Planning Commission.
The first workshop for SSPA-nominated projects will be in February. The Mason District Land Use Committee will also hold public meetings on these proposals.
The Planning Commission would then present its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, which would hold a public hearing. If the board agrees a project should advance, it would then go through a rezoning process.
Fix the fucking intersection first
I agree 100 percent with Santos. The proposed ring road is 40 years from now – and the developer is looking at building their 450 units a lot sooner than that! The Pistone’s property isn’t near any Metro and the bus service there sucks. Traffic is already a nightmare in Seven Corners. Cars block traffic every single day and there is no smooth flow there. I’ve seen a total of ONE Fairfax Police traffic enforcement activity there in the 14 years I’ve lived here.
Make the developers pay for gold standard traffic and road improvements—- that area is a deadly traffic snarl and frequent site of pedestrian death and crime… more development just throws gas on a dumpster fire. County staff need to be thrown out!!
While I don’t have an opinion on the 7 Corners proposal, I object to the language in comment. There have always been opposing positions presented on this blog, but I don’t find a reason for the allowance of an expletive. I am in general not a great fan of anonymous comments in the current environment, but understand why the A Blog permits them. This comment, however, denigrates the entire blog.
I agree!
I see both sides.
On the one hand, the use of the expletive succinctly communicates the commenter’s frustration and exhaustion of patience with the current situation, which in my view is reasonable and understandable. I also note it is significant and relevant the expletive is focused solely on the current unacceptable situation rather than on any person or group of persons.
On the other hand, Mr. Albright appears to be requesting a certain level of decorum and politeness be required from the people allowed to comment on this site.
One other related observation, I don’t expect any significant changes in the current situation (I expect it will get much worse before it gets better) as long as the residents of Mason District, specifically; and Fairfax County, more generally; continue to vote for a largely one-party dominated government with large majority support (the elections are not even close).
The continuance of support for the current party in control signifies strong support for the current situation and current policies (which random complaints and even expletives from anonymous persons on a local community website does not change).
I note that regardless of how you feel about the outcome, when the residents of Arlington County expressed their strong opposition to the already approved Columbia Pike streetcar line by electing an “Independent” candidate to the Arlington County Board, the representatives of the dominant party understood and almost immediately reversed course and ended their support of the streetcar.
Now, of course, it is easier to kill a proposed project than to implement significant changes, but the lesson still holds.
Elections matter. Random anonymous comments on a local community website matter much much less.
Civility is disappearing due to partisan segregation and frustration with both government officials and government planners (for sure); and other apparent but never discussed reasons.
I share the view that the road intersection must be fixed before any other changes. Or as abruptly put before, “fix the @&$& intersection.”
But it’s not going to happen due to County government and staff are one party and with personal long term lock step for benefits from and with developers.
I’m sad Pistone’s will be razed. Not the greatest Italian restaurant, and certainly a bit threadbare, but they have several good dishes and a decent wine list. And entertainment enjoyed by many almost every night.
On another note, not long ago vulgarities in comments were not allowed and the comments were not published. Seems things are slipping a bit with regards to language usage.
It’s an eyesore! Let the dead die with grace. On to bigger and better things, literally.
Leave Pistone’s alone, it’s a neighborhood gem. Let developers go to DC, stop all the high rises and trying to make our Little City into NYC.