In 2018, the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development Community Revitalization Section (DPD CRS) and the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) embarked on an engagement process to solicit community input on the vision for a new, innovative community gathering space in downtown Annandale. The County wishes to implement this vision by creatively repurposing a portion of the property that it owns at 7200 Columbia Pike—a step toward building a central public space that is consistent with the long-term vision for Annandale.

Project Site and Background

Located in the heart of the Annandale Community Business Center (CBC) and Commercial Revitalization District (CRD), the property is a former elementary school. Presently, the buildings and a portion of the grounds are licensed to a community non-profit. The area proposed for the Annandale Civic Space is under one acre in size, and outlined in green and yellow in the aerial image shown below.

The Annandale Civic Space provides an opportunity for the County and community to achieve elements of Annandale’s long-term vision in the near-term through the creative re-use of an existing asset into a public space that could function as a hybrid of a neighborhood park space and a flexible “pop-up” space capable of hosting programming activities and special events. Communities across the country are exploring the placemaking power of such projects to bring people together and contribute to the vibrancy of an area. 

Annandale is the ideal site for this project for several reasons including the County’s ownership of the property, the long-term community vision for the CBC/CRD, and community support.

Vision

This initiative launched in May 2018 and has evolved with community input and the identification of additional opportunities and/or constraints. In the fall of 2018, community members were given the opportunity to provide input on two draft design concepts. County staff took the preference input provided and refined the design over the winter and spring of 2018/2019 into a final design vision.

The vision consists of approximately four distinct areas:

• Parking Lot Expansion Area for pop-up programming
• Civic Plaza
• Educational Garden
• Great Lawn

The design would take the property’s existing underutilized open space and turn it into a more functional community space for public enjoyment. This would include the installation of a new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible path to the space, while providing a connection from Daniels Avenue to Columbia Pike.

Watch the walk-through video tour to learn more about the space and the vision for the future or read the design briefing to learn more about specific elements of the design.

It is important to note that the design is still subject to change due to budget, phasing, and operational considerations, or on-the-ground site constraints that are identified as the project evolves and moves toward implementation. The design gives you a sense of the overall vision for the space but is intended for illustrative purposes only.

Project Timeline