A campaign to bring an arts center to downtown McLean will get a sizable contribution from Fairfax County.
The county’s Board of Supervisors voted 9-0 yesterday (Tuesday) to invest $500,000 from its Economic Opportunity Reserve (EOR) in the future arts and education center proposed by the nonprofit McLean Project for the Arts (MPA).
Based in the McLean Community Center since 1990, MPA is looking to expand its operations to the downtown area with a new, 6,000-square-foot facility at The Signet (6910 Fleetwood Road), taking over a ground-floor retail condominium that has been vacant since the building finished construction in 2018.
With about 5,000 square feet of interior space, plus a 1,700-square-foot outdoor patio, the MPA Arts & Education Center will include two new exhibition galleries, teaching spaces, a ceramics studio, a cafe with event space, and a retail shop to sell gifts, artwork and art supplies.
The nonprofit launched a fundraising campaign for the facility last fall, estimating that it will cost $7.2 million, including $5 million to build out the space. So far, MPA has raised about $1.8 million, not including Fairfax County’s newly authorized contribution, according to a summary by county staff.
MPA announced today (Wednesday) that it has officially secured the space in The Signet and anticipates opening in September 2025.
“This new arts and education center will greatly enhance McLean’s cultural and economic landscape,” MPA Executive Director Lori Carbonneau said. “The facility will serve as a vibrant hub for community engagement, offering expanded exhibition and educational opportunities for residents and visitors alike. It will also create a dynamic and essential new platform for the region’s artists and art community, providing increased visibility and opportunities for artistic expression.”
She thanked the county for supporting the project and recognizing “the importance of the arts in fostering community spirit and growth.”
The nonprofit will continue providing exhibits, outreach and education programs at the McLean Community Center after the new downtown facility opens.
Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman, who requested that the board consider providing EOR funds, said before yesterday’s vote that he’s “very excited about this project.”
“When a property sits vacant for six months, that’s the property owner’s problem. When it sits vacant for six years, that’s the community’s problem,” Bierman said, quoting comments that Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn made during a committee meeting in July. “This could be a real catalyst in downtown McLean.”
The EOR funding was authorized with Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity away from the table. The board will get annual updates on its “return on investment” from the county’s Department of Economic Initiatives staff.
Established in 2015, the EOR fund is intended for “strategic investment opportunities” that could foster economic growth in the county. Among other projects, the fund was previously used to help the Tysons Partnership turn into the Tysons Community Alliance and create the Fairfax Founders Fund, which provides grants to local technology startups.
According to county staff, the MPA arts center will provide an economic boost by increasing tax revenue from the property, creating three to five new jobs, and adding to the “vibrancy of the corridor,” making the area more attractive for other investments.
The project joins a growing list of developments that have emerged since the Board of Supervisors adopted an updated comprehensive plan for the McLean Community Business Center, a 230-acre area centered around the intersection of Chain Bridge Road and Old Dominion Drive.
Coupled with new design guidelines that envisioned a “neighborhood village” feel, the plan seeks to revitalize downtown McLean by encouraging mixed-use, less-auto-centric development. The county approved the first projects under the new plan last fall, including a renovation of Mars’ headquarters that’s expected to finish in 2026.
