The St. James proposes a major expansion
The St. James sports complex is planning a major expansion of its private academy for elite student athletes.
The facility, located on Industrial Road in the Springfield area of Mason District, is proposing a 20,000-square-foot expansion to accommodate future growth of the St. James Academy, a private school that opened in August 2024.
The academy provides an online education program with a flexible schedule for young athletes with extensive sports training and travel needs. It serves students in grades 5-12 plus post-graduates.
Related story: Private school to open at the St. James sports complex
The academy currently enrolls 35 students and has a capacity for 200. The St. James expects future enrollment of up to 800, according to the statement of justification submitted to Fairfax County on Oct. 6 by the Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh law firm along with an application for a zoning special exception.
The St. James Academy provides dedicated learning areas that allow student athletes to complete their coursework in the same location as their sports training sessions, thus making the program more convenient for parents. The expansion would also allow the St. James to make better use of its property during non-peak hours.
The statement of justification says the St. James is proposing the expansion to occur in three phases. Phase 1 would add five single-story modular classroom additions on the west and north sides of the building. The St. James hopes to complete Phase 1 in 2026, increasing capacity to 450 students.
During Phase 2, expected to be completed in 2027, strength, conditioning, and training facilities would be added to the north and east sides of the building. When Phase 2 is completed, the academy will be able to serve a total of 600 students.
Phase 3 calls for a second floor within the double-height gymnasium used for gymnastics in the existing building. The new space would include classrooms, locker rooms, and multi-purpose sports training. Phase 3 is expected to be completed in 2028. At that point, the capacity would increase to 800 students.
The additions, totaling 20,370 square feet, would increase the FAR (a measure of density) to 0.5166, which exceeds the allowable 0.5 FAR, thereby necessitating approval of a zoning special exception.
At 429,735 square feet, the St. James is one of the largest indoor commercial recreation centers in the region. The facility has a field house, sports courts, two ice rinks, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a water park, a hitting house, a golf and squash house, fitness training facilities, a climbing wall, a health club, an active entertainment center for kids, a restaurant, and a spa.
I hope they address parking and the signal at Backlick Road and Industrial Drive. Parking is a nightmare there with overflow parking in North Springfield and and other lots. Traffic backs up with people turning onto Industrial Drive from both directions on the weekends. This makes it hard for anyone trying to make a left hand turn from the McDonalds, gas station and other business across the street from Industrial. Even if cars go down the service road to the light to make a left onto Backlick is difficult as cars try to avoid the backup on Backlick making a left hand turn and come onto the service road to the light to go straight – thus with cars at a standstill across the light no one on the service road at the light can go any direction.
I’m surprised they think there’s demand for up to 800 students for this. Presumably the kids who are going there are ones who are legitimately potential Olympians or good enough to go pro. Are there really that many kids that gifted in athletics in the area?
Yes, way more than that.
There are 1.2 million people in Fairfax County.
Their overstuffed parents think so.
All THE PARENTS THINKS THEIR KIDS ARE GOING TO GET A SCHOLARSHIP OR GOING TO THE OLYMPICS OR GOING PRO!🤣
Serious young athletes who train there get athletic scholarships to top tier schools.
One recent example: My good friend’s 17 year old just got a full scholarship or nearly full scholarship to the school of his choice.
He trained at the St James 5-7 times a week since it opened. His parents were extended paying for the membership, but couldn’t have otherwise afforded the college, so he swam with a purpose and it paid off.
Don’t be jealous of achievements paid for by hard work and sacrifice. If you want what others have, do what they did.
Sounds like the elitist attitudes in our region are rising faster than our property taxes? Best athletes in USA towns are barely graduating HS, might get a gf pregnant, live in their car for a spell, share bedroom w 4-5 other people. (Never mind being taxi’d around in a giant SUV by an intense tiger mom). Will St J offer scholarships for those kids? If not, maybe they should just get a different name and leave the saintly work to the Catholic schools that DO give scholarships. I’m just a blue collar kid who walked-on to a D1 team 30 years ago … and occasionally enjoyed crushing the fragile elitist egos.
What about the st James or kids wanting to be athletes strikes you as an elitist attitude?
Who cares if mom has a giant SUV? Those are good for big families. Wouldn’t your mom have driven a giant SUV if she could have?
Did your coach teach you to enjoy crushing fragile egos or did you come up with that on your own? Did your insecurity worsen with age? LOL
Sounds like u hit a nerve Joe – LoL
You and Joe and your sob stories belong in Pittsburgh or Richmond, not Fairfax County. Fairfax County is one of the richest counties in America. Smoke less weed. Your envy is gross.
They need to fix the parking! I can’t even go work out on the weekends because you drive around for an hour waiting for a parking spot.
The showers by the pool locker rooms have been broken for two years now. The shelves in the showers are broken. Shampoo dispensers broken. I have been telling the management for two years and they still are not fixed!
Go to the hearing on May 13 and speak against the proposed expansion. Everything you said, especially about the parking, is correct.