(Updated at 6 p.m.) Construction work has moved above ground on a pair of buildings that will bring 300 new apartments for older residents to Tysons.
Vertical construction began earlier this month on The Mather at 7929 Westpark Drive, the senior living provider Mather announced in a news release yesterday (Tuesday).
The milestone comes almost two years after work on the 4-acre site began with the demolition of an existing office building in May 2020.
“We are very excited to bring The Mather to Tysons,” Mather CEO and President Mary Leary said. “‘Going vertical’ is symbolic of the successful effort the team has put forward to obtain financing, exceed sales projections, and break ground — especially at such an unprecedented time these last two years.”
Approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 2019, The Mather will consist of two residential buildings — a 27-story high-rise with 179 apartments and an 18-story building with 114 apartments.
Open to people 62 and older, the units will range in size from 850 to 3,300 square feet, with entrance fee prices starting at $646,700. Residents will have access to assisted living, memory care, and health care services, among other amenities.
The apartment towers will top a five-story “podium” with retail and other public uses on the ground floor, parking, residential amenities on the third level, memory support and skilled nursing on the fourth level, and assisted living on the fifth level, according to the county-approved plan.
According to the press release, Mather has also partnered with Fairfax County to provide “wellness and lifelong learning programs” in a dedicated space on the podium’s first floor, which will have an over 14,000-square-foot commercial space. The programming will be open to people 50 and older in the general community.
After two rounds of pre-sales, The Mather has already sold 80% of its units, exceeding projections, a company spokesperson said.
Located in walking distance of Tysons Galleria, The Mather is part of the 19.4-acre Arbor Row planned along Westpark Drive. The development also has the finished Nouvelle apartment building and The Monarch condominiums, which are under construction.
The $500 million Life Plan Community anticipates move-ins starting in early 2024, with construction on the 27-story tower expected to finish next year.
Fairfax County firefighters have been working for almost two hours now to extinguish a fire at an apartment in the Fair Oaks area.
Units arrived on the scene in the 4200 block of Mozart Brigade Lane before 11 a.m., the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reported on social media.
Videos show responders battling flames that can be seen on the apartment’s roof. The department said that the bulk of the blaze had been knocked down by 11:37 a.m., but crews were continuing to hit hot spots and checking for any extension of the fire at 12:25 p.m.
FCFRD confirmed that the fire had reached a third alarm, and one firefighter was transported to a hospital for a check-up.
UPDATE: garden apartment fire in the 4200 block of Mozart Brigade Lane. Crews working to extinguish large volume of fire. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/rV5GiS35nu
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) April 18, 2022
UPDATE- garden apartment fire in the 4200 block of Mozart Brigade Lane in Fair Oaks area. Fire did reach third alarm. Crews continue to hit hot spots and check for extension. One firefighter transported to hospital for a check-up. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/lQXaIIItGF
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) April 18, 2022
The county’s plan to convert parking lots at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax is nearing fruition.
The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority will hold a public hearing tonight (Thursday) on its agreement with Lincoln Avenue Capital to build roughly 275 units at the parking lot, otherwise known as the Residences at Government Center II.
The meeting, set for 7 p.m., focuses on a proposal to redevelop the 4.5-acre property, which would be located at the intersection of Government Center Parkway and Post Forest Drive.
Units would be spread out across two buildings for individuals earning a low-to-moderate income. A mix of one or two-bedroom units is proposed, with most one-bedroom units at 60% of the Area Median Income. The project has units aimed at 30, 50, and 60% of the AMI, according to the proposed agreement.
“The word that best describes our development plan is ‘connection.’ Our proposal facilitates connection, by creating an environment that brings people together,” the agreement states.
In addition to the two five-story buildings with underground parking, the developer Lincoln Avenue Capital plans to build a 15,000-square-foot hall called Fairfax One. The hall is designed for the community, including a childcare facility that would provide access to reduced prices for on-site residents.
A public plaza with tables and benches is planned near the hall, a nod to the county’s One Fairfax racial and social equity policy.
Once constructed, the residential buildings will be transferred to FCHRA. Lincoln Avenue Capital will be allowed to pursue the land use approvals necessary for the project following the agreement’s finalization.
The developer plans to contribute funds to support the local community.
“Our investment in the local community doesn’t end when construction is completed and families have moved into their new homes,” the report states. “To prove that, LAC is glad to offer an annual contribution of $50,000.00 to resident services programs at this property.”
The development team expects to complete construction in February 2026.
Here’s more on how to take part in the public hearing:
Live audio and public testimony of the meeting may be accessed by dialing 1-877-402- 9757 and entering the code: 1789207. Residents wishing to speak are encouraged to contact Avis Wiley by phone at 703-246-5152, TTY 711, or by email at Avis.Wiley@fairfaxcounty.gov to indicate their desire to participate.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the transfer of the 1,300-space parking lot to the FCRHA in late January last year. The site is within walking distance of the planned future extension of Metro’s Orange Line from Vienna to Centreville.
A Reston woman was shot and killed by a Loudoun County sheriff’s deputy on Friday, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
Faubricia Vitraux Gainer, 36, was shot after she allegedly ignored deputy commands to drop her weapon at the entrance of an apartment on the 46600 block of Ellicott Square shortly after 4 a.m.
According to LCSO, the woman “lunged at the deputies and was shot.”
Authorities arrived on the scene after a report of an argument at the apartment. Following the shooting, deputies found a 38-year-old woman and three juveniles inside the apartment.
The woman and a 15-year-old girl was stabbed “during the initial argument with Gainer,” according to LSCO.
Gainer was transported by ambulance to Reston Hospital Center, where she died from her injuries. The stabbing victim and the 15-year-old juvenile were transported to Inova Lansdowne Campus of Inova Loudoun Hospital with injuries considered not life-threatening.
The results of an autopsy have not yet been made public.
The Loudoun County Sheriff requested that the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Fairfax Field Office investigate the shooting, according to a news release.
“The investigation remains ongoing at this time,” LCSO said. “Once completed, state police will turn its investigative findings over to the Commonwealth’s Attorney for review and final adjudication.”
Photo via Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook
