FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Katherine Johnson Middle School students asked Fairfax City leaders Tuesday to imagine a greener, safer and more youth-friendly future for two major redevelopment areas: Northfax and Courthouse Plaza.
The students presented their ideas during the Fairfax City Council’s June 2 work session, where City Planner Amy Lynne Denny said the voluntary project challenged students to think about stormwater, pedestrian connectivity and economic development.
The presentations focused on two areas: Northfax and Courthouse Plaza Shopping Center. Students said both areas have too much asphalt, not enough greenery and opportunities to become more walkable, bikeable and community-centered.
The first group — Claire, Mohana and Halima — presented a plan they called “” Their ideas included adding more pervious surfaces, bringing an underground stream back to the surface, planting more trees, adding solar panels and creating safer places for people to walk and bike.
Mohana told council members that Northfax has three main environmental issues: stormwater runoff, a car-centered design and a lack of greenery.
“There’s a lot of impervious surfaces that leads to runoff and flooding,” Mohana said. “There’s just too much concrete and little grass.”
The students also pointed to the area’s heat island effect, saying asphalt and other hard surfaces absorb heat and make the area hotter. They proposed rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs, permeable surfaces, better sidewalks, shared-use paths, bike lanes, improved crosswalks, better lighting and traffic calming.
Claire said the students wanted Northfax to include more gathering places and community amenities, including a park, fitness and wellness uses, a 24-hour essential store, restaurants, coffee and dessert shops, a smoothie bar, board game cafe, yoga and art studios, a bookstore, picnic areas and more trees.
“Our idea of Green North Facts is adding more pervious surfaces, bringing the stream above the ground, adding more greenery to the area, and adding more solar panels,” Claire said.
Halima said the students wanted Northfax to become a place designed for people, not just cars.
“Right now it’s too loud and hard to get around,” Halima said. “We can fix this by planting more trees for shade, adding more lights so people can see at night, and painting crosswalks clearly so we can cross streets safely.”
The students also proposed bus shelters topped with solar panels, saying they could protect riders from rain, generate power and help reduce car trips.
In their closing request, the Northfax group asked city leaders to require green infrastructure standards in redevelopment, prioritize walkable and bike-safe design, increase tree canopy and establish a youth consultation requirement before project approvals.
“We bring essential lived experience, and we are the future civic engagement,” Claire said. “We are the future.”
The second group — Kamelah Michel, Adele Wiseman, Henry Street and Milana Comella — presented ideas for reimagining .
Adele said the shopping center has “a lot of empty space” and “a lot of asphalt,” with not much greenery. She said students and adults already use the area, including kids arriving by e-bike and electric scooter, and the students wanted to give people a better place to gather.
“We would love to bring something new to this community and give kids and adults alike a place to go,” Adele said.
The Courthouse Plaza group said they had developed their ideas before learning that the property owners were considering a change from commercial use to mixed use. Because of that, the students’ designs did not include housing, though they acknowledged the property owners were considering that possibility.
The students drew inspiration from Mosaic District, Fairfax Corner, Tysons Corner and a green neighborhood in Kenya called The Grove. They proposed underground parking, pervious sidewalks, solar panels, stormwater detention systems, shaded seating, tree canopy, green space and a pedestrian-focused design that would reduce conflicts between cars and people.
Adele said the students wanted a “car-free shopping center” where visitors could arrive through elevators from underground parking.
“Cars cause more stress when you’re shopping, and it’s nice to have a more quiet area,” Adele said.
Their first design included shops and restaurants aimed at different age groups, while keeping Safeway because nearby residents rely on it. The students suggested businesses such as a Pilates studio, teen clothing stores, a Capital One Cafe, Skate N Fun Zone, Bards Alley bookstore, Ted’s Bulletin and Raising Cane’s.
Kamelah said the group wanted to preserve Fairfax Surf Shop, calling it a long-standing local business and a community gathering place for teenagers.
“It’s a great sense of community for a lot of teenagers in the area,” Kamelah said. “Skateboarding is a very big thing in Fairfax.”
The students also proposed community gardens, a street art wall by local artists, solar-powered shuttle stops, rooftop solar panels, drinking fountains and gathering spaces. Kamelah said a small music venue or youth center could give young people a place to go and help strengthen the local economy.
“A youth center doesn’t really center around certain interests, it just brings community together and brings friends together,” Kamelah said.
Henry presented a second design and suggested renaming the property Lord Fairfax Plaza to give it “a new light.” The plan included restaurant areas, pervious surfaces, public seating, small-business booths that entrepreneurs could rent without committing to a full storefront, underground parking, elevators, a central green space with a fountain and a bioretention pond with boardwalks, plants and a covered pavilion.
Henry said the bioretention pond could be more than stormwater infrastructure.
“You could take a walk, enjoy the pond,” Henry said, adding that people could read a book, play a board game or spend time with family there.
The Courthouse Plaza students also asked city leaders to increase tree canopy, add shaded seating, include green infrastructure and pervious surfaces, and create safe places to walk and bike.
“We want to have our voice heard, because in this area we are going to be here for a very long time throughout high school, and maybe after,” Adele said.
Mayor Catherine Read praised the students, their teachers and city staff for helping connect classroom work to real civic decisions.
“You’re right, you live here, you have an opinion,” Read told the Northfax students. “It’s important for us to help you continue to do this well beyond this class, this grade.”
After the Courthouse Plaza presentation, Read also credited Combined Properties, the owner of Courthouse Plaza, for meeting with the students before the council presentation. She said the company has a long history in Fairfax City and a long-term interest in its future.
“It doesn’t surprise me that they were interested in hearing your ideas and talking to you, because they are as interested in the future of the city as you are, for different reasons,” Read said.
Council members praised both groups for the depth of their work.
Councilmember Stacy Hall told the Northfax group she appreciated their focus on bringing the creek back above ground.
“I was very disappointed when the creek kind of went underground in certain areas, and I love some of your ideas here,” Hall said. “I would really love to see some of your ideas incorporated into what is somewhat in the works at this point.”
Hall also praised the Courthouse Plaza proposal, saying she liked it more than what is currently being considered for the site.
“I think that this is exactly something along the lines of what we need,” Hall said. “I think we need some better shopping.”
Councilmember Anthony Amos said the Northfax students made clear connections among zoning, transportation infrastructure and environmental issues.
“You all did a phenomenal job, to the point where I don’t have questions, and that’s a rare thing,” Amos said.
After the Courthouse Plaza presentation, Amos said one or more of the students might become architects.
“Some of what you presented is what I see from architects when we’re trying to apply for something,” Amos said, specifically praising the idea of a bioretention pond with a boardwalk.
Councilmember Tom Peterson said the Northfax proposal showed “the magic of design,” when people collaborate to come up with ideas that are both creative and practical.
“What I see in what you’ve done tonight is exactly that, and it is a great breath of fresh air,” Peterson said.
Peterson also asked the Courthouse Plaza group how their design would work for cyclists. The students said they wanted bike lanes, bike racks and safe places for people to park bikes and scooters.
Councilmember Rachel McQuillen said she loved the idea of bringing the Northfax stream above ground and asked students which idea they would prioritize. One student said bringing the water above ground would be first.
McQuillen later said she was impressed by the detail in the Courthouse Plaza presentation.
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“The depth of detail that you all included in this presentation was so impressive,” McQuillen said.
Councilmember Billy Bates encouraged the students to keep pursuing urban planning and local policy. He said the Northfax group’s idea for a board game cafe caught his attention because Fairfax does not have many spaces like that.
Bates also praised the Courthouse Plaza group’s idea for small-business booths, saying it reminded him of a previous city economic development program that allowed local artisans and vendors to sell products in a shared retail space.
At the end of the student presentations, Read thanked the students, teachers and staff members involved.
“You all have done a lot of work,” Read said. “Not only that, you really spent a lot of time making presentations to people who are the decision makers, so I applaud you for your extra effort.”
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