Should McLean stick with green and gold or change things up as it pursues a downtown revitalization?
That is one of the questions awaiting responses in a new survey on street banners from Fairfax County and the McLean Revitalization Corporation (MRC), a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the McLean Community Business Center (CBC).
The county, MRC and Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman’s office are designing banners that will be installed over some of McLean’s main streets to give the area a more distinctive identity.
“The plan is to deploy banners along Old Dominion Drive, Chain Bridge Road, Elm Street and Beverly Road with an initial phase focused on the intersection of Old Dominion Drive and Chain Bridge Road,” the survey says.
As noted in the survey, McLean currently uses a green-and-gold color scheme for its gateway signs and bus shelters, but the county and MRC are now looking for feedback on whether they should continue with that style or take a different approach.
In addition to soliciting thoughts on the existing signs and bus shelters, the survey asks about the role that the proposed street banners should play and other elements they could feature, such as a motto or artwork. They could be used to reinforce McLean’s identity, provide directions or highlight community events, rotating like the banner that hangs over Maple Avenue in Vienna.
According to a Fairfax County spokesperson, the survey is currently set to remain open through Aug. 4, but the deadline could be extended “for a few days if needed,” depending on how many people participate.
“The street banner program is part of a larger placemaking effort in McLean that has included helping to bring the McLean Project for the Arts to downtown, refreshing McLean Central Park, and partnering with the McLean Revitalization Corporation,” Bierman said in a statement to FFXnow. “The banners will contribute to the visual identity for downtown and could serve to celebrate local events and seasons, or simply provide wayfinding cues. I look forward to hearing feedback from residents about they would like to see.”
The Board of Supervisors revised the comprehensive plan for the McLean CBC in 2021 in the hopes of encouraging new development that will transform the approximately 230-acre area from an auto-centric series of strip malls into a more walkable, mixed-use center.
The revision has spurred an uptick in development projects, with an expansion of the Mars headquarters building at 6885 Elm Street becoming the first to begin construction under the new plan.
In addition to advocating for the plan’s implementation, the McLean Revitalization Corporation has been highlighting businesses in the area and organizing local events, including a revival last year of the previously annual McLean Winterfest Parade.
