Planning Commission approves Lincolnia plan
 |
| The Morningside Apartments, an affordable community in Lincolnia. |
The Fairfax County Planning Commission approved a
comprehensive plan amendment July 10 that sets a framework for the future
development of a town center in Lincolnia.
The Planning Commission held a hearing on Phase 3 of the
Lincolnia Planning District Study last week but delayed a final vote over
concerns that the plan didn’t adequately address the need for affordable
housing. Read more about that hearing here.
Lincolnia Planning District Study last week but delayed a final vote over
concerns that the plan didn’t adequately address the need for affordable
housing. Read more about that hearing here.
At last night’s meeting, the Planning Commission agreed to
add clarifying language proposed by Commissioner Julie Strandlie (Mason) that
calls for the preservation of market-rate affordable housing in the transitional
area of the Lincolnia Community Business Center if and when that area is redeveloped.
The Planning Commission also added language to the transportation
section calling for the realignment of N. Beauregard Street and N. Chambliss
Street.
section calling for the realignment of N. Beauregard Street and N. Chambliss
Street.
The Board of Supervisors will hold a hearing on the Lincolnia plan amendment July 16.
11 responses to “Planning Commission approves Lincolnia plan”
Leave a reply
As chair of the task force, I'd like to thank the task force, the citizens who voiced their concerns and participated in the discussion at the 34 meetings over 2-1/2 years, and county staff for all the work that went into the Lincolnia Plan Amendment.
As Commissioner Strandlie stated at the hearing, Mason will finally have a community center.
And for those who do not know, the owner of the biggest parcel in the Lincolnia Community Business Center is highly motivated to make this happen.
This is a huge win for the neighborhood!
Thanks Daren. When you say "community center" do you mean a rec center like Providence has?
Don't hold your breath. Baileys has been in the works for over 10 years, and you all know what that place looks like. Developers are not breaking down doors to develop that place, in fact they are running away from the Penny Gross deluxe homeless shelter high rise and the new Penny Park, which right now looks like a junk yard.
I will hold my breath. I observed a number of these meetings, and feel that the county, committee members, and yes, the private sector, are very interested in making this happen. Nothing happens overnight, sometimes it does take time, but changing the plan is a critical first step. There is definitely something happening, with the new plans for Landmark Mall, the announcement of state funding for Bus Rapid Transit along Beauregard, and the general uptick in property values.
Thanks to those who devoted their time and energy to this effort and lets' hope that, unlike the failed Baileys and 7 Corners plans, this area will actually be rejuvenated.
The "highly motivated" owner of the biggest parcel who claims that commercial offices, which are not office towers, usually occupied 8 to 5, closed week-ends and holidays yet generate more traffic than residential, stands to make big bucks on this project which is what speculators do.
Anon 9:32: To be sure, the owner of Landmark Plaza is not a "speculator". The current development, which dates back to at least the 60s, is still highly successful with long-term leases with good companies: Hobby Lobby, Giant, Verizon, LA Fitness, Total Beverage, etc. The owner is an Alexandria native with deep roots in the area and his interest is in keeping it and improving it.
As I said, this is a very good development for Mason District and it will certainly happen. The owner has already engaged one of the nation's leading architectural designer/city planning firms and, as I stated, is highly motivated to invest in this corner of Mason District.
It will certainly act as a catalyst for the entire area!
Many thanks to Alexandria for initiating this project. Mason District's Lincolnia residents will benefit nicely.
Mason District is still awaiting revitalization plans that have been on the books for years. New plans are drawn up every 10 years and nothing happens. Our situation just gets worse.
This project is in Mason District.
And nothing will happen as long as Gross is in office, I am sorry to say.
Anon 8:21 and Anon 11:46 –
As a fellow citizen of Mason District, I can clarify, as the Blog has that (1) this is in Mason District, Fairfax County and (2) you will begin to see action, in this case the entitlement stage, initiated soon after the Board of Supervisors approve the new Plan Amendment language.
This entire effort will catalyze the owner of the Landmark Plaza to start this process and assuming Penny is re-elected, you will see this happen while Penny is in office.
As I've stated many times on this blog, if you don't like what you are seeing, stop complaining and do something. That is what I personally do and I encourage you to do the same.
You must mean like all the changes Penny initiated in Baileys.