Work Slated To Start On New Boulevard VI Project

Press release from the City of Fairfax:

08/25/2020 1:59 PM

The Catholic Diocese of Arlington’s decision in 2015 to relocate St. Paul VI Catholic High School from the City of Fairfax to a new campus in Loudoun County created an exciting opportunity to redevelop the former school building and the surrounding 18 and a half acres. Five years later, the new modern school in Chantilly is open and site work for a new mixed-use community called Boulevard VI, located on the site of the former school, is set to begin.

The property to be redeveloped, located at 10675 Fairfax Boulevard, has been home to educational uses since the building opened as Fairfax High School in 1935. The site served as George Mason University’s northern campus from 1972 to 1983, and then as a Catholic high school until 2019. The Boulevard VI project includes the construction of 266 residential units and 20,000 square feet of retail space planned around a series of small parks. A central feature of the new mixed-use community will be the original school building, which will be adapted and reused. The building’s familiar façade and public courtyard will anchor the development and provide a visual connection to the property’s past.

Beginning in mid-September, the developer’s contractor will begin removing structures and trees on the site, which includes the former school property and two adjacent residential lots. The property is highly visible along Fairfax Boulevard, and the removal of trees and large portions of the former school may be unsettling to people who see the future development in its early stages; however, the developer will plant more trees (574) than are being removed. The canopy will eventually cover approximately two acres – nearly 11 percent of the site!

Boulevard VI will be completed in three phases, constructing housing and new workplaces among open green spaces and pocket parks. The courtyard in front of the original school building will provide a grassy area for public use and activities planned by a future owners association. The mix of distinctive and diverse housing options are designed to blend in with the character of the surrounding neighborhoods. Boulevard VI will attract new families to the city, as well as first-time homebuyers and older adults who want to age in place. Buildings will be no taller than four stories and heights will taper down where the property abuts existing residential properties. Boulevard VI will be connected to public transit and bicycle and pedestrian trails, and the project will improve stormwater management on the site.

The site is the largest single parcel along the boulevard, but it has never generated revenue for the city. Boulevard VI will strengthen the Fairfax Boulevard corridor with a desirable mix of retail, restaurant, and personal service businesses. The new residential and commercial tax revenue will support city services. Internal streets will be open for public access, but will be maintained by the owners association, not the city. The developer is providing money to the school system to support new students and providing parking for Pat Rodio Park.

Background
The property was rezoned to allow a planned development with mixed uses. The developer’s proposal was recommended for approval by the City of Fairfax Planning Commission and the City of Fairfax Board of Architectural Review. Following a public hearing on September 11, 2018, City Council approved the master development plan and certificate of appropriateness.

This press release was produced by the City of Fairfax. The views expressed here are the author’s own.