Two development proposals in the Seven Corners area ran into community opposition at a recent Fairfax County Planning Commission meeting, but they’re likely to clear initial procedural hurdles in June.
In contrast, a plan to put more than 1,300 apartments augmented by retail use on the Food Star site further east on Route 7 drew no community pushback.
The May 22 meeting was the final workshop held by the planning commission on the 2025-2026 site-specific plan amendment (SSPAs) nominations submitted to the county by property owners and developers who are seeking future zoning and land-use changes.
Two previous workshops focused on proposed changes in Reston, McLean, the Falls Church area and more.
Commissioners are expected to take a final vote on more than 40 proposals on June 4, with the Board of Supervisors formally authorizing an updated work plan for staff to review on June 10.
Two proposals just east of Seven Corners drew concerns of neighbors:
- Redevelopment of the Sears site and potential an adjacent office building, in the 6200 block of Leesburg Pike
- New residential development at The Jefferson apartment complex in the 6100 block of Leesburg Pike
Though not presented as a single proposal, the two SSPAs share a land-use attorney and sit just blocks from one another across Leesburg Pike (Route 7).
“They are in close proximity and they seem to have some of the same issues,” Hunter Mill District Commissioner John Carter said.
The former Sears redevelopment
Redevelopment of the Sears site at 6211 Leesburg Pike and, potentially, an adjacent office building could result in a project totaling about 600 multi-family and townhouse residential units. There would be auxiliary residential uses and the option to add an office building.
“There’s an opportunity here to create a residential village with community-serving retail that serves the needs of the surrounding community,” said Scott Adams, an attorney representing the property owner.
While long associated with the 8-acre site, Sears has only been a tenant, not the property owner. The department store closed in 2020.
At the planning commission meeting, residents living nearby expressed concern about the proposal’s emphasis on housing — a departure from previous planning efforts that anticipated more mixed-use development with an entertainment component.
The new proposal “is totally inconsistent” with expectations, Clyde Miller said. He lamented that the project would have 70% more density than anticipated but deliver limited community benefits.
Martin Machowsky served on a task force studying use of the site about a decade ago.
“We spent three years — three years — looking at the site to come up with the plan,” he said. “It’s a good plan. We did a lot of work.”
Debbie Smith, representing the Mason District Council of Community Associations, said her organization opposes a mostly-residential plan with few community amenities. Instead of being torn down, the Sears building should be considered for historic designation owing to its unique architecture, she told the commission.
In a straw poll, the commissioners unanimously agreed with a staff recommendation that the proposal be added to the work program, with Tier 1 (highest) priority.
The Jefferson apartments
Neighbors of the Jefferson apartments at 6166 Leesburg Pike voiced similar skepticism about a development plan that would add up to 101 townhouse-type units around the existing 310-unit apartment building.
To make room for the new homes, the 13-acre site’s existing parking lot would be replaced by a multi-story garage on the west boundary of the parcel.
Eagle Rock Properties purchased the apartment complex last year and has been working to make improvements, according to Adams, the attorney also representing this SSPA application.
The development presents “an opportunity to really create a more modern vision” for the site, Adams said, noting that it would include publicly accessible park spaces.
Sabren Wahdan, who lived nearby, cited concerns about flooding. The project “poses serious dangers to our community,” she said.
“If this project goes through, it will only get worse,” Wahdan said.
Concerns were also raised about traffic congestion and tree preservation.
The parcel is located just west of Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center and is across the street from First Christian Church. Bailey’s Upper Elementary School and the Sears site are a block further west.
One speaker, Casey Waesche, said county officials needed to take a broad look at the impacts of a host of new development, much of it residential, coming to the Seven Corners area.
“Until we clean up the Seven Corners intersection, how can we in good conscience keep forcing density?” she asked. “The Seven Corners intersection can’t even handle the current traffic flow.”
In a preliminary vote, commissioners agreed to support the staff recommendation that the project move forward as a Tier 2 endeavor, meaning it wouldn’t be a top priority but could be reviewed if a related rezoning application comes in based on the availability of staff resources.
Food Star redevelopment
Receiving no community opposition was a plan to raze the existing Food Star supermarket at 5521 Leesburg Pike in Bailey’s Crossroads, replacing it with a four-building complex rising up to 20 stories tall.
The package would include more than 1,300 residential units and 37,000 square feet of retail space, including a new supermarket. There would also be a public park and private courtyard on the 3.7-acre site.
The SSPA proposing additional residential or independent living uses on the side expands on previous redevelopment discussions, including a plan amendment approved in 2023 that envisioned up to 1,390 residential units with community-serving retail and a maximum building height of 14 stories.
Because there was no public comment or other perceived controversy, the plan was added to the commission’s consent agenda, which was approved unanimously in a preliminary vote.
Staff recommended the proposal be added to the work plan as a Tier 1 project.
