Affordable Housing Possible At Franconia Governmental Center

FRANCONIA, VA — Last week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized a land transfer to allow affordable housing to be considered for the Franconia Governmental Center site.

Conveying the property to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority allows it to be considered for future affordable housing. Operations and services at the Franconia Governmental Center are planned to be relocated to a new Kingstowne Governmental Center. County staff cited limited parking at the Franconia Governmental Center and an interior poorly suited for operations.

The current Franconia Governmental Center is 25,800 square feet on a 3.25-acre site at 6121 Franconia Road. Built in 1992, the site houses the Lee District Supervisor’s Office, the Franconia Police Station and the Franconia Museum. Lee District Supervisor Rodney Lusk told the board the adjacent Franconia Fire Station is aware of what's being proposed for the site.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for the County, and Lee District in particular, to reinforce our priority for affordable homes as a cornerstone in future development in our communities," said Lusk in a statement. "With its connection to public transportation, employment centers, schools, business and services, the opportunities for this site to provide homes that serve as a firm foundation for economic stability, social connectedness and overall well-being are simply extraordinary."

The Kingstowne Governmental Center is planned to be constructed at a vacant county-owned site between Beulah Street, Silver Lake Boulevard and Interparcel Road in Kingstowne. The 90,000-square-foot site will include 28,000 square feet for the Franconia Police Station, 4,200 square feet for the Lee District Supervisor's Office, 7,200 square feet for the Kingstowne Active Adult Center, 10,000 square feet for a childcare center, 30,000 square feet for a Kingstowne regional library, and Franconia Museum off the lobby.

Design of the facility is happening through 2021, and the county is pursuing permits and completion of the rezoning process. Construction is expected to begin in winter or spring 2022 and occupancy in 2024.

Mike Lambert with Fairfax County Facilities Management said the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority identified the Franconia Governmental Center site as a candidate for redevelopment into an affordable housing complex and is evaluating whether to partnering with a private partner to construct the facility. The land transfer allows the housing affordability to manage construction.

Lusk said he reached out to Tom Fleetwood with the county's Department of Housing and Community Development to look at considering affordable housing for the site. Lusk also wants the county to look into setting aside some units for entry level police, fire, teachers and other county employees.

Public outreach on the redevelopment will begin once a developer is chosen through a procurement process. A request for proposals is expected this year. The public will have several opportunities to comment on the project design and neighborhood impacts during required plan amendment and zoning entitlement processes.

Before the conveyance of the Franconia Governmental Center occures, staff for the board and housing authority will negotiate the terms of a memorandum of agreement to allow the board to continue existing uses until they are relocated to the Kingstowne Governmental Center.

If the housing authority does not move forward with an affordable housing redevelopment, the land will be transferred back to the Board of Supervisors, according to Lambert.