Residents urge new approach to Seven Corners redevelopment
The Mason District Land Use Committee is scheduled to review the Seven Corners Task Force proposal March 24. The residents plan to ask the MDLUC to delay that discussion. The Seven Corners plan is on the Fairfax County Planning Commission’s agenda for May 7.
The Seven Corners amendment to the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan, as approved by the task force last fall, calls for nearly 6,000 apartment units. While the task force was charged with coming up with a plan for the entire Seven Corners redevelopment area (consisting of areas A, B, and C), its recommendations only addressed areas A and B, which are currently occupied by the two Willston Center shopping centers, the Willston Multicultural Center, the apartments between Route 50 and Wilson Boulevard, and the Seven Corners Shopping Center.
The task force failed to reach a consensus on area C, so Gross formed a Special Working Group, made up of representatives of nearby neighborhoods, to develop a plan for that area, which includes Sears and two office buildings.
That group, chaired by Marty Faga of Ravenwood, took residents’ concerns about density and traffic into account. Its final recommendations, approved March 7, call for 275 multifamily units, 60 townhouses, and a mix of retail, professional offices, and entertainment uses.
The letter to Gross proposes a similar “community-based approach to review and recommend the specific development composition of Parcels A and B.”
OMG, we will be talking about this after they land that one way trip on Mars. Maybe I should take that trip, it will probably happen faster and everyone at 7 Corners will be boarding white vans for mass transit instead of modern busway lanes or street cars.
This place is doomed! BTW, there may be more life on the red planet:-))))))))))
You're comment about the white vans probably isn't too far off the mark. The Fall Church metro station is an underutilized transportation source for residents living south of Arlington Blvd because there's no convenient way to get there. Connecting the Seven Corners area to EFC by shuttle bus or even Fairfax Express service would go a long way toward providing residents with another valuable transportation option.
I said this earlier, but my comment didn't get published: Kaye Kory needs to stop acting like the shadow Mason supervisor and school board member. Her legislative record is execrable and it's time for her to do something that justifies her presence in Richmond.
To Anon 11.07 p.m.
The Committee that just completed its work on Parcel C (Sears site) deliberated a plan to the satisfaction of adjacent and neighboring communities. The 7 Corners Task Force Plan for Parcels A & B that was completed in September 2014 remains contentious because the concerns of these neighborhoods fell on deaf ears and were unheeded.
Kaye Kory is a resident and taxpayer in the 7 Corners area. She has as much right to voice her concerns as you. Pot shots at concerned residents are out of place in this dialogue.
Kaye Kory may be a resident and taxpayer, but she is abusing her position as a state legislator to try and dictate what should be a local matter. Her involvement in this matter is pure politics, and her teaming up with Tina Trapnell is incredibly suspicious and ridiculous. Perhaps if Kaye spent more time focusing on the issues in Richmond, and less time trying to place Mason District king-maker and sticking her nose in local issues, she might actually have a record of accomplishments.
I have to say that Anonymous @ 3/23 11:07pm and 3/24 10:03am makes a lot of sense.
While Kaye is a resident in 7 corners she is also an elected official in the State Legislature in Richmond. What should we expect next from Kaye? This smells strongly of someone (Kaye) who wants to control the local officials in Mason District.
What are the issues in Richmond that Kaye Kory should be working on?
It is getting very hard to find people who don't want to oust Penny Gross. 20 years is way too long to be the supervisor of a continuously failing district with failing schools, failing neighborhoods, failed zoning. There has to be some one, preferably someone under 50, who can help us dig ourselves out of this hole.
MASON DISTRICT STATION
PURSUIT/DWI, 6100 block of Leesburg Pike, 3/22/15, 1:52 a.m. A police officer attempted to stop a driver of a vehicle for suspected driving while intoxicated. The driver attempted to elude the officer and struck several parked vehicles. The driver then attempted to flee on foot but was taken into custody. A 14-year-old juvenile male was charged with DWI, speed to elude, no driver’s license and seven counts of hit and run.
FOURTEEN YEARS YOUNG! Getting a start on Life…
Was this article changed? I recall several other names mentioned in the article that have been removed?
Enough with the delays. At this rate nothing will be built, though that might be the overall goal of these groups… unless of course what is built is what they want. How does Arlington do it? At the end of the day not everyone is gonna be happy with what is proposed, that's the way it goes, but that should not prevent something from being built. Enough delays, let's get moving on revitalizing The MD.
Castigating Kaye for being involved in her neighborhood is our of line and vindictive.. I searched for a productive comment or suggestion among the vitriol and there wasn't a single one.
Kaye is introducing facts into the conversation and has as much a right to her opinion as the ranters.
Reaching a compromise that would bring much needed
revitalization is the objective. Addressing the current gridlock and infrastructure problems is an essential and logical first step.
Lets get real. Kaye Kory is out to oust penny Gross. She has no business meddling in local matters. Her track record in Richmond is not much to write home about. But, that's where her focus should be. If she wants to be a deal maker in Mason District, then be honest about it, and challenge Penny in the primary.
Same old, same old. Any time Kaye makes a comment,"she's out to get Penny". I believe that Jessica Swanson is the one challenging Penny in a primary.
What has this tired conversation got to do with the issue of 7 Corners revitalization?
Oh here we go again like a carousel or more like a lazy susan……we just keep going round and round.
Seven Corners/Baileys Crossroads needs to become an activity center, with direct metro access either via busways, street cars maybe a zip fly for the millenniums. It needs to be dense enough to support that infrastructure investment that needs to be made. It needs to be multi-use: housing, business/offices, retail, restaurants, cultural, recreation and services. It needs to be a destination not a "that use to be a successful mall." It needs to be the landmark of Mason District. It needs to be a place where people can work so they do not have to commute. Without sufficient density it will be just another watered-down/lifeless row of townhouses with low rise buildings. If we build another generic uninspired collections of low density housing it will be another Culmore and it will turn into Paradise 8 by the lake. Beware LBarcrofters; you may be setting the stage for a failed project.
Seven Corners needs to excite, it needs to be the place, and from what I can see shown in the plans it is not. There is no "there-there", there is no heart or soul. Build something exciting, they will come, build something bland they will run!