By Brian Trompeter
Despite some qualms about the number of parking spaces and electric-vehicle (EV) charging stations, Fairfax County supervisors on March 19 unanimously approved the conversion of a Tysons office building into a residential structure.
“As many, many owners of office buildings are doing these days, this applicant is planning for the next chapter in the lifecycle of this building,” said Robert Brant, an attorney for the applicant, 8221 Old Courthouse Road LC.
The developer will convert the existing three-story office building at 8221 Courthouse Road, constructed in 1986, into 55 residential dwellings. Approximately 70 percent of the units will have one bedroom and the remainder two, Brant said. There will be six workforce-dwelling units provided.
No major exterior changes will be made to the approximately 47,000-square-foot building.
The 2-acre site, which now has surface parking around the building, will have a 7,840-square-foot publicly accessible “pocket park” along Old Courthouse Road, featuring benches, a pergola, bicycle racks, 6-foot-wide walkways and other amenities.
The applicant also will provide an 8,400-square-foot private outdoor amenity space for future residents along the site’s eastern side, which will have a grilling area and seating.
The developer will remove 90 existing parking spaces and then provide 66 on the site, in accordance with the minimum required in the Planned Tysons Corner zone, Brant said.
“We are right-sizing the parking for the new use,” he said. “We’ve worked with [county] staff to balance the parking needs for this site with the need for urban park space in Tysons. That’s another of the county’s huge objectives.”
Claudia Stine, who lives across the street at 1932 Lord Fairfax Road, doubted the provided parking would suffice.
“There is always more demand for parking than anticipated,” she told county supervisors. “The apartment residents and guests will be forced to park on the street in the neighborhood, which will take away parking from existing residents.
The proposal “needs to retain at least 30 more parking spaces in the property,” Stine pleaded.
At least two of the spaces will be set aside for electric-vehicle charging, but some supervisors thought that figure was low.
“I think you would do well by your residents to provide more spaces in this plan,” said Supervisor Jimmy Bierman (D-Dranesville).
