Fairfax County supervisors have directed staff to return in coming weeks with information on the physical conditions of the local government’s more than 200 buildings.
The request for information was made Tuesday (Feb. 17) by Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, who contends maintenance of older buildings constructed between the 1960s and 1980s has been “consistently deferred in favor of new projects.”
“Anecdotally, we hear from County employees and residents about instances of dilapidated recreation centers, heat and air conditioning issues in county buildings, leaks, and mold,” Herrity said.
He specifically singled out the Historic Fairfax Courthouse and other buildings in the judicial complex within Fairfax City as needing attention.
The historic courthouse at 4110 Chain Bridge Road was closed indefinitely on Dec. 18 of last year by Fairfax County Circuit Court Chief Judge Penney Azcarate after a breakdown of the HVAC system raised safety and health concerns. The historic records center and other programs in the building have been relocated until repairs are completed.
In a Jan. 13 letter to the board, Azcarate reported that “escalating infrastructure issues” have also affected the county’s main courthouse and jail. Over the past year and a half, the judicial complex has experienced “recurring” rodent infestations, sewage and water leaks, power and elevator outages, mold in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center’s holding cells, and fluctuating temperatures and humidity that threaten courtroom technology.
“These conditions have resulted in courtroom and courthouse closures, relocation of staff, disruption of court proceedings, damage to equipment, and repeated accessibility concerns for employees and members of the public,” Azcarate wrote, requesting that the county conduct an independent, comprehensive inspection and allocating funding needed for both immediate and long-term improvements.
The Fairfax County History Commission also sent a letter to Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay calling for the county to renovate and preserve the historic courthouse now instead of waiting for a long-planned redevelopment of the judicial complex.
Because of the closure, all activities at the historic building have been suspended, including scholarly research and planned events to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary, Subhi Mehdi, the commission’s acting chair, said in the Jan. 15 letter.
“We urge the county to make every effort to maintain the safety of and access to the invaluable historical records, and ensure preservation of the Fairfax County Historic Courthouse, the county’s historic jewel,” Mehdi wrote.
Herrity said the issues at the court buildings were “extremely disappointing given the celebration of the Semiquincentennial this year and the fact that we have known about the need for a new HVAC system as well as other repairs” since the consultant WRA completed a study of the historic courthouse in 2019.
He suggested that the county government should emulate Fairfax County Public Schools, which has a renovation queue for facilities based largely on need.
Herrity’s colleagues on the Board of Supervisors raised no objections to the request, and County Executive Bryan Hill said the information will be made available.
“We already have a listing of our facilities’ needs — if you want to see the list, we can provide it,” he said.
Herrity praised Hill for including significant renovation funding in the fiscal year 2027 budget plan proposed earlier that morning. He also praised the work of maintenance staff.
“They’re incredible,” he said, but have to contend daily with renovations that in many cases are “long past due.”
Board Chair Jeff McKay, a frequent sparring partner with Herrity on the board dais, said he did not concur with some of the characterizations Herrity made, but he agreed having the information at hand would allow for broader discussions down the road.
According to Hill, the ongoing closure of the Penning Building, which houses the county government’s human services operations, is not due to deferred maintenance but to a failure of equipment well within its expected lifespan.
The building, located at 12011 Government Center Parkway, was closed on Feb. 6 due to flooding from a water line break and remained shuttered as of the Feb. 17 meeting.
“We’re trying to figure things out,” Hill said of conditions in the building.
The county executive said the county is responsible for 214 buildings and all the challenges that come with them.
Like Herrity, Hill praised maintenance staff.
“When we need something done, we get them done,” he said.
Legacy of former human-services leader honored
At their meeting on Feb. 17, Fairfax County supervisors honored the life and legacy of Verdia Haywood, who served for three decades as deputy county executive for human services.
Haywood, who died Feb. 6 at age 77, was “a giant, literally but also in human services,” McKay said.
“The way he approached things was built on compassion,” McKay said. “He knew there were a lot of people counting on him.”
A native of Mississippi, Haywood joined the county as an assistant to the county executive in 1978. In 1981, he was appointed deputy county executive for human services, a position he held until his retirement in January 2010.
Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk called Haywood a driving force in providing services efficiently, so more people could be reached.
“He was so passionate about things that he did,” he said.
Lusk noted that Haywood was behind an effort to consolidate the county’s myriad human services program into a more manageable structure.
“He was right,” Lusk said. “That model still works today.”
McKay noted that even during challenging times, Haywood brought positivity to the discussion.
“The laugh that he had was something you’d never forget,” the board chairman said.
Outside of his government service, Haywood was active in a host of community affairs, including service as board chair of the Northern Virginia Health Foundation.
On the Facebook page of Leadership Fairfax, tributes poured in saluting his service.
“Great man, honest and caring and a true public servant,” wrote Seema Ajrawat. “He had no ego and inspired so much respect. His work in human services, for those that needed help the most, was his passion.
Haywood is survived by his wife, Billie, whom he married in 1974, as well as a number of brothers and a host of other extended family members.
A memorial service was held Feb. 17. Memorial donations can be made to Leadership Fairfax in honor of Haywood.
