Seven Corners Task Force favors lower density project on Sears site
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| The Sears site on Leesburg Pike. |
Members of the Seven Corners Land Use and Transportation Task Force agree with local residents’ concerns that a proposed apartment complex
on the Sears site would be too big.
on the Sears site would be too big.
The group’s July 8 meeting focused on revisions suggested by task force members to the language for the Seven Corners amendment to the Fairfax County Comprehensive
Plan drafted by county staff. Most of the discussion,
however, was about Land Unit C, also referred to as Leesburg Pike Village,
located along the southwestern edge of Leesburg Pike.
Plan drafted by county staff. Most of the discussion,
however, was about Land Unit C, also referred to as Leesburg Pike Village,
located along the southwestern edge of Leesburg Pike.
The Foulger-Pratt development company wants to build three
apartment buildings with nearly 800 units plus 52 townhouses and a small amount of convenience retail on that site, which
is currently occupied by the Sears department store and two office buildings.
It would be the first project in the Seven Corners redevelopment area since the
task force was formed two years ago.
During a June 23 task force meeting open to public comment,
many residents of Ravenwood Park, Buffalo Hills, Sleepy Hollow, and other neighborhoods close to Sears argued that the high-density Foulger-Pratt proposal would overwhelm the
community and would lead to more traffic on already-congested roads.
many residents of Ravenwood Park, Buffalo Hills, Sleepy Hollow, and other neighborhoods close to Sears argued that the high-density Foulger-Pratt proposal would overwhelm the
community and would lead to more traffic on already-congested roads.
At the July 8 meeting, task force member Dick
Knapp, a senior vice president at Foulger-Pratt, indicated reducing the number of units would make the project economically unfeasible. He said, “720,000 square feet is
break even for us.” Requiring a lower density would be “gutting a central
component of Seven Corners revitalization” and would be an “arbitrary,
draconian approach.”
Knapp, a senior vice president at Foulger-Pratt, indicated reducing the number of units would make the project economically unfeasible. He said, “720,000 square feet is
break even for us.” Requiring a lower density would be “gutting a central
component of Seven Corners revitalization” and would be an “arbitrary,
draconian approach.”
In a July 8 email to task force members, Knapp noted that the
current real estate tax assessment for the 12-acre site, including the existing
buildings, is $24 million. “It was our initial hope to obtain density that would
create a value in excess of this $24 million and thus provide us with an
incentive to undertake the development risk to create Leesburg Pike Village,
fund proffers, off-site costs, lease buy-outs, and demolition.”
current real estate tax assessment for the 12-acre site, including the existing
buildings, is $24 million. “It was our initial hope to obtain density that would
create a value in excess of this $24 million and thus provide us with an
incentive to undertake the development risk to create Leesburg Pike Village,
fund proffers, off-site costs, lease buy-outs, and demolition.”
When task force co-chair John Thillman asked members to give their views on the Sears proposal, several people cited residents’
concerns and said they favored reducing the size of the project.
concerns and said they favored reducing the size of the project.
Mark Silverwood, whose company owns a couple of apartment complexes in Seven Corners, said the Sears project would work with fewer apartments, and Blake Smith, a resident of Juniper Lane who works for the National Association of Homebuilders, said, “The community is more
comfortable with the numbers in the charrette.”
comfortable with the numbers in the charrette.”
The charrette was a land-use planning exercise undertaken by the task force last summer that resulted in a
recommendation for 385,000 square feet of residential development (which could
accommodate about 385 apartments), 134,000 square feet of retail, and 200,000 square feet
of office space for Land Unit C. Combining the retail and office space would equal about 150 townhouses. There would also be space for about 30,000 square feet of local-serving retail, such as a coffee shop and restaurant, on the ground floor of one or two multifamily buildings.
recommendation for 385,000 square feet of residential development (which could
accommodate about 385 apartments), 134,000 square feet of retail, and 200,000 square feet
of office space for Land Unit C. Combining the retail and office space would equal about 150 townhouses. There would also be space for about 30,000 square feet of local-serving retail, such as a coffee shop and restaurant, on the ground floor of one or two multifamily buildings.
Thillman said he supported the idea of revising the language
in the staff-written draft amendment, which recommends 720,000 square feet of residential uses on the Sears site, and returning to the density levels that came out of the
charrette. He asked Fairfax County Office of Community Revitalization staff to develop
a couple of scenarios for redevelopment of Land Unit C with lesser amounts of
residential density than proposed by Foulger-Pratt.
in the staff-written draft amendment, which recommends 720,000 square feet of residential uses on the Sears site, and returning to the density levels that came out of the
charrette. He asked Fairfax County Office of Community Revitalization staff to develop
a couple of scenarios for redevelopment of Land Unit C with lesser amounts of
residential density than proposed by Foulger-Pratt.
The task force never officially considered the Foulger-Pratt proposal, Thillman explained later. It was just “one person’s idea that never made it to the task force for any level of formal consideration or for any level of staff review.” The action taken by the task force July 8 was not a change. “It was a reaffirmation to stay with the charrette numbers that we had already decided to adopt because it seemed that a reaffirmation was necessary for the community.”
In response to residents’ suggestions to build more office
or retail on the site and less housing, Knapp said he didn’t want to compete
with other retail in Seven Corners, and offices are “totally unbuildable.”
Thillman noted the county has 19 million square feet of vacant office space.
or retail on the site and less housing, Knapp said he didn’t want to compete
with other retail in Seven Corners, and offices are “totally unbuildable.”
Thillman noted the county has 19 million square feet of vacant office space.
Thillman announced additional task force meetings to
ensure the group can meet its goal of submitting a Comprehensive Plan amendment to
the Fairfax County Planning Commission in October. The task force’s next meeting, Aug. 12, will be open for
public comment. The group will also meet Aug. 26, Sept. 9, and Sept. 23. The task force is not expected to vote on a plan amendment until the Sept. 23 meeting.
ensure the group can meet its goal of submitting a Comprehensive Plan amendment to
the Fairfax County Planning Commission in October. The task force’s next meeting, Aug. 12, will be open for
public comment. The group will also meet Aug. 26, Sept. 9, and Sept. 23. The task force is not expected to vote on a plan amendment until the Sept. 23 meeting.
8 responses to “Seven Corners Task Force favors lower density project on Sears site”
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More recreational area is needed in this area for the residents. More green space. Some of this land should be set aside for a new public school! It would be short-sighted not to do so!
"… task force member Dick Knapp, a senior vice president at Foulger-Pratt…" Is the Sr VP of the company with the proposal on the task force? Is that a conflict of interest?
I think it is a conflict of interest.
I agree that I would love to see some green space and recreational space incorporated into this area. Also, the area must be more walkable or none of this redevelopment will matter.
I'm sure there will be green space, park space and adequate pedestrian areas in any design undertaken as that is part of the process and will come up in the proffer stage
You can't rely on that. Foulger Pratt is a for-profit company in the business of making money. It is not economically beneficial for them to carve out space for public use, when they can make money off it. The Land Use Committee must require significant green space and park space and make that requirement part of their recommendation to the Planning Commission.
If the developers won't go down on the density, then, even though revitalization would be a plus for this area, I would rather kill the entire plan altogether than build this 'draconian' plan that is on the table.
It's obvious Foulger-Pratt cares nothing about the neighborhood and only about maximizing revenue and enticing the Board of Supervisors to go along by showing the increase in property taxes they so dearly seem to enjoy endorsing no matter what.
Yep.