Another proposal to replace office space with housing has been presented to Fairfax County.
Time Equities, a New York City-based developer, is seeking to replace the High Ridge office building near the I-66 and Route 50 interchange just outside Fairfax City with a residential building featuring up to 400 units and 5,500 square feet of commercial retail space.
Multi-family residential development will be a more productive use of the 6.2-acre site than the existing office building, which is now “effectively vacant” after struggling to attract tenants, a representative for the developer argues in a rezoning application filed on Feb. 10.
“The redevelopment of the Subject Property will enhance the surrounding community by transforming an obsolete suburban office site into a vibrant, high-density residential development,” land use attorney Lynne Strobel wrote.
According to the application, High Ridge faced challenges from the pandemic-fueled rise of remote work and “declining demand” for older, suburban properties — trends that have contributed to elevated vacancy rates across Fairfax County.
Constructed in the early 1980s, the four-story office building at 3877 Fairfax Ridge Road sprawls across three different wings and is accompanied by an above-ground parking garage that will be retained with the proposed redevelopment.
Time Equities acquired the site in 2019 from the Midland National Life Insurance Company for $11.2 million — just one-third of the over $33 million that Midland paid in 2016, according to county property records.
Though the developer’s only other property in Northern Virginia is a Pizza Hut in Manassas, it has “substantial” experience with residential developments, including projects to replace “underutilized” suburban office buildings, the application says.
“Given this expertise, the Applicant is confident that the redevelopment of the Subject Property will provide a significant positive contribution to both the surrounding neighborhood and Fairfax County,” Strobel wrote.
Topping out at 70 feet, the proposed six-story residential building has been designed to “mirror” the arc of Fairfax Ridge Road and complement existing housing in the area, including the four-story Fairfax Ridge condominiums to the west and the five-story Radiant Fairfax Ridge Apartments to the south.
The development will include a 1.4-acre, publicly accessible linear park along Waples Mill Road and Fairfax Ridge with an 8-foot-wide trail, seating areas, pet and fitness stations, and public art installations. New residents will have access to a private outdoor amenity space at the center of the building.
With drivers accessing the site via an existing drive aisle that connects Waples Mill and Fairfax Ridge near the Radiant apartments, the developer says it will remove three vehicular driveways along Fairfax Ridge Road to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety. Five-foot-wide sidewalks will be added on both main roads and the drive aisle.
“The overall design prioritizes a safe and accessible environment for pedestrians, while maintaining adequate and efficient vehicular connections to the surrounding community,” the application said.
Located in the Fairfax Center area, the High Ridge property is just across the street from the Fair Oaks Business Park where two office buildings — including the National Rifle Association’s headquarters — have reportedly been targeted for potential redevelopment.
Fairfax County has spent more than a decade now updating its comprehensive plan for Fairfax Center to allow more mixed-use development. The study’s third phase kicked off last year and focuses on recommendations for the core area that includes Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax Corner and the Fairfax County Government Center.
