While office and retail markets are struggling, a new application could bring more residents and — hopefully — more customers to Kingstowne Towne Center.
On paper, the 35-acre Kingstowne Towne Center is a mixed-use parcel, blending commercial and residential development. In reality, though, housing has yet to materialize at the shopping center, with various projects languishing even after getting Fairfax County’s approval.
That could potentially change with a new proposal from developer BXP.
The company behind Reston Town Center is seeking to convert an office building at 5971 Kingstowne Village Parkway into multifamily housing. BXP would reuse the existing building and add more units on top of a nearby parking deck for a new development called Kingstowne Village Housing.
The development would include a total of 286 new homes, with 162 units in a five-story structure over the parking structure and 124 units in the former office building.
BXP said the new development will feature a variety of amenities for residents, including:
A variety of high-quality indoor and outdoor amenities will be provided for the use and enjoyment of the residents, including but not limited to, lounge areas, private outdoor courtyard, fitness center, co-working space, pet spa, and other various common/club rooms. The existing shuttle service to the Franconia/Springfield Metro Station that currently serves the building will still be provided for the new residents.
The application notes that the property is served by Metrobus and Fairfax Connector routes to the Franconia and Van Dorn Metro stations.
Tenants in the existing office building — designated as Building T in Kingstowne’s overall development plan — would be relocated to another building in the town center at 5911 Kingstowne Village Parkway, which will help with reducing the vacancy rate and “enhancing the viability of that office building,” the application says.
“With office and retail markets struggling, an infusion of residents to this core will further enliven the area, better support the existing office buildings, and fulfill the Comprehensive Plan’s vision for a true mixed-use Town Centre,” the application said.
Originally approved for mixed-use development in 1985, Kingstowne Towne Center currently consists of four office buildings in addition to the main retail strip along Kingstowne Blvd.
After acquiring the town center from Halle Companies in 2022, current property owner Federal Realty Investment Trust filed a rezoning application with Fairfax County last year that would modify previously approved plans for housing by largely replacing retail space with a lobby for the future residents.
That application is being reviewed by county staff and is scheduled to be heard by the Fairfax County Planning Commission on Sept. 17.
BXP’s application hasn’t been officially accepted for review yet, but as a sign of its commitment to the proposed project, the developer is already “actively working to relocate the existing tenants in Building T, which is underutilized.”
