Plan to Add Three Buildings to Langston Hughes Middle School Set for Vote

A plan to expand Langston Hughes Middle School (11401 Ridge Heights Road) heads to the Fairfax County Planning Commission today at 7 p.m.

The commission will vote on a proposal by the Fairfax County School Board to add three new buildings to the current site. The school is operating at 115 percent of its capacity, according to current capacity utilization rates,

Plans, reviewed by the county’s Dept. of Planning and Zoning in late December, call for a 3,500-square-foot art studio with a canopy at the front of the school.

A two-story building would be attached to the back of the building, with classrooms and administrative offices on the main level and library and science labs on the second level. A courtyard will rest between the school and the two-story building. Another one-story building will include about 1,350 square feet with an expanded cafeteria.

The number of parking spots will increase from 115 to 153, including new parking that will replace existing multi-purpose courts and 38 spots along Seahawks Drive.

The project is expected to cost roughly $41.7 million in construction-related expenses.

At the meeting, the commission will also hear public testimony on a plan to reduce the age requirement for McNair Senior Apartments (13430 Coppermine Road), which houses 139 independent living units on roughly three acres.

The applicant wants to reduce the minimum age of residents from 62 to 55 and change the project’s official classification from “housing for the elderly” to “independent living facilities.”

The meeting (agenda here) will begin at 7:30 p.m in the board auditorium of Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Pkwy). A livestream will be available online.