County seeks developer for affordable housing project at Franconia government center

County officials are moving one step forward in redeveloping the Franconia Governmental Center (6121 Franconia Road) into affordable housing.

Earlier this month, the county issued a formal request for proposals — known in planning jargon as an RFP — for the site, which is home to the 25,800-square-foot center.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized a land transfer in early March to allow the project to proceed. The property was conveyed to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCHRA).

The entity is currently seeking a qualified developer to design, construct, and own the affordable housing site under the terms of a “long-term, nominal fee ground lease” from FCHRA.

While specifics of the development are not yet known, the site cannot host more than 120 residential units. A county spokesperson told FFXnow that the scope, cost, and nature of the project will depend on the selected developer.

All proposals are due by April 14. The county plans to select a developer in the summer.

“Once a developer is selected, they would begin a comprehensive community engagement process in tandem with initial land use actions required as part of the county’s land development process,” said Ben Boxer, a spokesperson for the Fairfax County’s Department of Housing and Community Development.

Built in 1992, the building is home to Franconia District Police Station, the Lee District supervisor’s offices, and the Franconia Museum. County officials have stated that the site is “functionally obsolete” due to limited parking and lack of suitability for modern-day police operations.

The center’s services will be relocated to a new Kingstowne Governmental Center, which will be built on a parcel between Beulah Street and Silver Lake Boulevard in Kingstowne.

This is not the first time that the county has contemplated redeveloping county-owned land into affordable housing.

In late January, the board transferred its 1,300-space surfacing parking lot at the Government Center Campus to FCHRA for affordable housing. The county is also exploring the possibility of permanently dedicating public land to affordable housing.

Image via Google Maps