What do a Fairfax County public library, bowling alley and the Dulles family home have in common?
They’re all examples of modernism, an architectural style that exploded onto the scene in Fairfax County after World War II, according to a new survey that could help preserve some key remnants of the movement.
The survey, prepared by Dovetail Cultural Resources Group, presents notable examples of Modern architecture in a variety of styles around Fairfax, along with an assessment of the property’s eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
Adriana Moss, supervisor and cultural resource specialist with Dovetail, said the threat of demolition and redevelopment spurred on the modernist architecture survey.
“The county has a uniquely high concentration of modern architecture, some of which has already been lost or is under threat of redevelopment before being documented or studied for potential historic significance,” Moss said.
Moss cited the American Press Institute Conference Center as one example. The building was designed by modernist architect Marcel Breuer and built in 1974, then razed in 2016 for a new development.
Fairfax County was selected to participate in the survey back in 2022 as part of an effort to help identify cultural and historic resources.
“While much of this construction adopted traditional architectural styles, Fairfax County is also home to a high concentration of modern architecture dating to this period of development,” the county said on the survey website. “This historic resource survey will enable preservation planners to better evaluate Fairfax’s modern places for architectural or historic significance.”
The survey covered a variety of locations around Fairfax County. Mostly constructed between 1950 and 1985, the residential and commercial buildings, government facilities, schools and houses of worship are all linked by their unique Modern architecture.
Residential properties included the home of Eleanor Dulles, built on Spring Hill Road in McLean in 1953. Eleanor Dulles was an economic specialist who helped develop the Marshall Plan and hosted parties there with her brothers, CIA Director Allen Dulles and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles.
As with some of the other private properties on the list, the site is described as “inaccessible.” Some details could be derived from the public right-of-way and aerial photos, but further study would be required to make an eligibility recommendation, the survey said.
Examples of commercial properties included Annandale’s Bowlero, which was originally built as the Annandale Bowling Alley in 1960. According to the report, the building contains “elements of New Formalism and Googie style” — a futurist Atomic Age style popular throughout the mid-20th century. The survey called the building notable as “one of the only Googie-inspired resources” in Fairfax.
Another site noted for its unique Shed style is a Popeyes at 11850 Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston. Formerly home to a chain called Burger Chef, the fast-food building was constructed in 1972 and designed by Lyles, Bissett, Carlisle, and Wolf, a regional firm that operated from 1938 to 1975.
“The building is a unique example of a chain restaurant such as Burger Chef utilizing a nationally renowned architecture firm to create a high-style restaurant to match its immediate surroundings instead of following the Corporate Commercial styles typical of chain commercial enterprises,” the survey said, noting that the Reston location was the chain’s first to deviate from its cookie-cutter style.
Among the government buildings listed is the Culmore Community Library — formerly known as the Woodrow Wilson Library — in Bailey’s Crossroads. Built in 1965, the library “exhibits some high artistic value as the work of a master and could potentially be an outstanding example of its style or property type,” the survey says.
Some of the properties were clustered close enough together that the survey suggested they could be eligible as a historic district. Lake Barcroft was cited as one example as an area where Modern architecture is prevalent enough to be considered.
In total, the survey reviewed eight historic districts and 143 individual properties.
“Of those, 43 are recommended as potentially eligible for listing in the NRHP,” the survey concluded. “Additionally, 37 are recommended as requiring further study in order to make an eligibility recommendation under all criteria and 71 are recommended not eligible for listing in the NRHP.”
Moss said most historic preservation efforts focus on more traditional building styles like Federal, Georgian, Greek revival and Queen Anne with more traditional materials like wood, stone and brick.
“As modern architecture is from the more recent past, it is not as thoroughly studied overall,” Moss said. “Some people have driven by or walked through these buildings on a daily basis without giving their architectural style a second thought as it may just feel common.”
