Addition of cottages proposed at Mantua independent living facility

A developer is considering the addition of 24 age-restricted cottages to an existing continuing care facility in Mantua.

The Virginian (9229 Arlington Blvd), a building built in 1980 that includes independent living units and assisted living, could see an addition of duplex units for people 55 and older, if Fairfax County approves the application submitted on Oct. 14.

The request would require rezoning the nearly 36-acre property from residential to planned continuing care to accommodate a broad range of senior housing.

Jennifer Garcia — a senior land use planner with DLA Piper, the applicant’s representative — said the rezoning would allow the the applicant “greater flexibility” to use beds and units for independent living, assisted living, memory care or skilled nursing.

“A logical next step to ensure the continued viability of the Property and to best serve County residents is to improve upon the mix of age-restricted housing stock, with additional flexibility to provide a continuum of care to better residents and families,” the application states.

No changes to the structure of the main building are proposed. The private equity firm Focus Healthcare Partners purchased the property in 2019 and has since invested $56 million into the facility, according to the application.

The developer anticipates “minimal impacts” on traffic, including 73 peak-hour a.m. and 108 peak-hour p.m. trips.

Applying under the affiliate name FFI Virginian Owner LLC, Focus Healthcare plans to provide $3 per square foot of new gross floor area for the county’s affordable housing fund. It’s unclear if some portion of the units will be designated as affordable.

So far, the applicant says it “anticipates and requests further discussions with staff regarding the equivalency between the provision of affordable units and the monetary contribution.”