Time is running out to weigh in early on the future of Fairfax County’s Mount Vernon District facilities.
County staff and Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck’s office are soliciting input on potential improvements to the governmental center, fire and police stations, and public library through a community survey that’s scheduled to close after tomorrow (Friday).
“Within the next few years these buildings will be up for County renewal and we’re exploring how to revitalize the site with improved facilities and added community amenities that reflect what is important to you,” Storck said in a newsletter last week.
Constructed in 1965, the Mount Vernon Governmental Center currently shares a building with the district’s police station at 2511 Parkers Lane in Hybla Valley. Paired with a fueling site, Fire Station 9 is located just to the north at 2601 Sherwood Hall Lane and was built in the same year, per county property records.
On the east side of Parkers Lane is Sherwood Regional Library, which was originally built at 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane in Fort Hunt in 1971.
With the facilities all nearing the age when they’ll need to be replaced, the county has embarked on a master planning process to identify ways to modernize its Mount Vernon campus — including by possibly combining more services on the same site to free up space for other uses.
The existing Mount Vernon master plan, which was last amended in 2023, recommends prioritizing the preservation of green space and the creation of a “pedestrian realm” with well-lit trails, bike paths, sidewalks and plazas on the Mount Vernon District Campus. It also anticipates a renovation and expansion of the governmental center and police station but doesn’t mention specific improvements.
Originally convened in December 2024, a steering committee developed an initial draft vision statement that reflects a desire for the campus to become a “signature center of activity” for the local community, according to a presentation from a June 24 public meeting on the project:
The Mount Vernon Center will serve as a vibrant hub of civic life that reflects the community’s identity, delivers essential public services, and brings all residents together through inclusive spaces and engaging multigenerational public programming – creating a lasting place of pride, safety, and opportunity for all.
The survey currently underway will help county staff, the steering committee and design consultants hired for the master plan process refine that vision, asking community members to share their experiences with the existing facilities as well as their priorities for the future.
One question suggests potential new uses that could be added to the campus, including housing, additional county facilities, child care or a preschool facility, and retail or mixed-use development. Options for “none” and write-in responses are provided.
Storck stressed that the planning process is still in its early stages.
“Your feedback will help directly shape the future design, services and amenities of the Mount Vernon Governmental Center,” he said in the newsletter.
The survey is available online, or community members can visit Storck’s office in the governmental center to fill it out in person.
After the survey closes, the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services will analyze the results and “collaborate with the steering committee to update the planning principles that will guide the masterplan design,” Storck’s office says.
