Lake Anne Plan Begins 2015 at Planning Commission

The plans for massive redevelopment in the Lake Anne area are ready to move forward in 2015. The first step: a Fairfax County Planning Commission public hearing on Jan. 8.

A 350-page staff report issued by the county planning commission in late December recommends approval of the redevelopment, provided developers Lake Anne Development Partners meet proffer and other conditions.

Lake Anne Development Partners was chosen by the county in the summer of 2013 to redevelop the area, including the 16-acre site of the county-owned Crescent Apartments.

LADP’s plans for the area include 1,037 residential units, including replacement of the 181 affordable units at Crescent; 60,000 square feet of retail; a 15,800-square-foot grocery store; and 78,000 square feet of office space.

The project will also have a 1.1 acre central park, an outdoor amphitheater, a bike share station and 12 public art works, according to the report.

See the entire report on Fairfax County’s website.

Among some of the staff report conditions:

• LADP must contribute $100,000 in four installments to the Fairfax County Park Authority. Additionally, Fairfax County recommends $893 per new resident as a proffer guideline, which means that LADP should eventually contribute more than $1.4 million to the park authority. 
• LADP must contribute $1,006,725 to Fairfax County Public Schools
• Road improvements will include widening Village Road from North Shore to Baron Cameron, with three northbound and two southbound lanes.
• Build an elevated walkway from the Crescent Apartments area and a 10-foot-wide Crescent Trail.

In December, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved comprehensive plan changes for Lake Anne-area revitalization.

The changes approved in December mostly tweaked densities and added continuity to the six separate land bays, including the county-owned Crescent Apartments, that comprise the Lake Anne revitalization area.

The interior of Lake Anne Plaza is under historic designation and will not be altered. However, Lake Anne merchants and Republic Development (LADP’s parent company) President and CEO David Peter have said they hoped added density and additional retail nearby will bring new life to the plaza.

Several Lake Anne Plaza businesses closed in 2014. Among them: Lakeside Pharmacy, Jasmine Cafe, The CupCake Ladi and New Family Naturals.

A new pet supply store, PetMAC, has taken over The CupCake Ladi space. Singh Thai restaurant at Lake Anne will move into the Jasmine space. A dry cleaner has signed a lease for the New Family Naturals vacancy. The large Lakeside Pharmacy space remains vacant and the Lake Anne Coffee House and Lake Anne Florist are both for sale.

The Reston Association Design Review Board approved LADP’s concept in October.

The county planning commission discussion and hearing will take place at the Fairfax County Government Center on Jan. 8 at 8:15 pm. If recommended for approval, the plan will go to the Board of Supervisors for a Jan. 27 public hearing.

Peter said the entire project should take at least 10 years to complete.

The staff report says the project will take place in three phases:

• Phase 1: Demolish the Association of School Business Officials’ building, the Lake Anne Service Station and three buildings at Crescent. Replace the 181 existing affordable housing units, realign Village Road and build grocery store.
• Phase 2: Demolish two Crescent buildings. Construct townhouses at Crescent.
• Phase 3A, 3B, 3C: Demolish Millennium Bank building, currently housing Just Cats Clinic. Demolish convenience store building. Develop residential tower and more multifamily construction.