West Falls Church Mixed-Use Development Clears Another Hurdle

FALLS CHURCH, VA—The Falls Church City Council unanimously approved a special exception entitlement for the future West Falls Church mixed-use development on Monday, July 8.

The special exception entitlement sets a building height up to 15 stories as well as permitted uses and style layouts. The council previously moved a vote on the special exception entitlement to July after a revised application was submitted. The development can move forward once the city approves a special exception site plan.

The 9.45-acre site of the current George Mason High School will be redeveloped once the new high school campus is completed. It will happen in two phases. The first phase will include 7-story office and 7-story hotel space, 14-story senior housing, 7-story condominiums, 7-story apartments, grocery and other retail, entertainment and a central open space. The remaining retail, 12-story office space and 14-story condominiums will be part of the second phase.

The changes in the revised application include moving the tallest building, the senior housing building, to block D and away from the schools. The plans also split Block A is split into two smaller blocks, creating a street between the future "Street A" and Leesburg Pike. The grocery store was relocated to the corner of Leesburg Pike and Haycock Road.

In May, the city council approved a comprehensive agreement with the developer, Gateway Partners. The development team is comprised of EYA, PN Hoffman, and Regency.

The West Falls Church development is intended to offset some costs of the new high school. A referendum for $120 million in bonds to finance the new high school was approved by voters in 2017. Construction on the new George Mason High School is beginning over the summer.