RA Design Review Board OKs Crescent Concept

A boutique grocery store, two five-story affordable housing buildings, a two-level parking garage and a wide central park.

These are some of the features of Lake Anne Development’s Partners’ plans for a revitalized Crescent Apartments and surrounding areas near Lake Anne. The plans were approved in concept by Reston Association’s Design Review Board on Tuesday.

That means the basic plans have passed the first steps toward redevelopment. It will still need to go back to the DRB, as well as Fairfax County officials, for more discussion before the many projects get underway.

LADP has been working on its vision for a revitalized Lake Anne since summer 2013, when it was selected by Fairfax County through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process.

Overhauling the county-owned Crescent affordable housing complex, rebuilding the farmers market and creating additional office and retail space is slated to take 10 to 12 years, David Peter, president and CEO of LADP’s parent company, Republic Land Development, has said.

Historic designation prevents big changes to the retail and residential components of Lake Anne plaza. The plaza currently has a number of empty stores, but Lake Anne residents and business owners say they are hopeful added density will aid in a renewed retail atmosphere at Lake Anne.

The parking garage will be built on a swath of land that the developer acquired last year in a land swap. In the deal, Reston Association’s board trading an acre of RA’s land at Lake Anne for a parcel along Baron Cameron Avenue, as well as financial incentives and improvements.

To see the full plans, visit LADP’s website.

Photo: Rendering of new housing near Lake Anne/Credit: LADP