When did Falls Church (like around 400 Broad Street) grow up? (Arlington: cul-de-sac, apartments)

[brooklynborndad]

I went for a walk in Falls Church the other day, after not having been in there in several years, and found to my suprise several "neo urban" midrises (4 to 7 stories or so) including one with a commercial "courtyard" that all seemed quite new, like they must have been built in the last 3 or 4 years. Done pretty under the radar AFAICT.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

I went for a walk in Falls Church the other day, after not having been in there in several years, and found to my suprise several "neo urban" midrises (4 to 7 stories or so) including one with a commercial "courtyard" that all seemed quite new, like they must have been built in the last 3 or 4 years. Done pretty under the radar AFAICT.

Compared to the "big dig" that is accompanying construction of the Silver Line, pretty much all the other construction in the area seems "under the radar"!

But, yeah, I think these buildings did go up over the last 3-4 years. I used to stop at the Panera Bread on Broad Street in the AM on the way to work, but the parking lot disappeared. A victory for smart development, if not bagel consumption.

[cdmurphy]

Here are some sites you might find interesting:
City of Falls Church: New Development

and on the opposition side:
Save Our Falls Church

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by cdmurphy

and on the opposition side:
Save Our Falls Church

BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!! Thanks for the laugh! Wow! There are actually some people who'd rather have those hideous strip malls, parking lots, and free-standing structures that house car washes, check-cashing places, fast-food restaurants, etc. than these gorgeous mixed-use developments? MAN! I thought the people in Reston were militantly NIMBY to their own detriment!

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!! Thanks for the laugh! Wow! There are actually some people who'd rather have those hideous strip malls, parking lots, and free-standing structures that house car washes, check-cashing places, fast-food restaurants, etc. than these gorgeous mixed-use developments? MAN! I thought the people in Reston were militantly NIMBY to their own detriment!

Well, one of their arguments is that the school system is being hurt by these larger developments. One of the main reasons that the City of Falls Church became independent was to have control over their schools, which are very highly rated. Here's one article about the issue:

Mixed-Use Projects: Less Tax $$, More Kids Than Planned


The "Save Our Falls Church" people want development, but to an appropriate scale for the community. Here's their position statement (http://www.saveourfallschurch.net/cities_need_centers - broken link). I thought you'd agree with some of their ideas based on some of the things you've posted about what you like and don't like about this area.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by cdmurphy

Well, one of their arguments is that the school system is being hurt by these larger developments. One of the main reasons that the City of Falls Church became independent was to have control over their schools, which are very highly rated. Here's one article about the issue:

Mixed-Use Projects: Less Tax $$, More Kids Than Planned


The "Save Our Falls Church" people want development, but to an appropriate scale for the community. Here's their position statement (http://www.saveourfallschurch.net/cities_need_centers - broken link). I thought you'd agree with some of their ideas based on some of the things you've posted about what you like and don't like about this area.

Essentially if concerns of school overcrowding is their main position, then I suppose I just have a hard time believing that shoebox-sized condos at astronomical "green" pricing are attracting such a high number of children. I toured a unit at Pearson Square (before getting the sticker shock), and judging by the balconies I saw facing the courtyard, the hallways, etc. it didn't appear as if the place was loaded with children. I consider the Spectrum @ Falls Church and Pearson Square to be huge improvements over what was currently situated on those parcels. I also don't see how the argument can be made that concessions aren't being made for retailers when there is ample ground-level retail/restaurant space available in these projects.

Pardon me for being a cynic, but I've listened to the Reston NIMBYs with their own notorious "railing" (pun intended) against Metro's arrival, and most of their objections tend to be rooted in, more or less, "not wanting to look at big buildings" (which I counter and make them get into temper tantrums, but I digress). I'm sure people in the single-family homes in Clarendon, for example, thought the same thing. Now that their property values have EXPLODED I doubt many are complaining about being able to cash in on what turned out to be a good thing for the community after all as they walk to the rail line or to dozens of new businesses. More and more high-rises continue to pop up all over Arlington all the time, and you never hear existing residents decrying school overcrowding. Why is Falls Church different? Why can't we just admit that Fairfax County, in general, is opposed to increasing its density, even though our population continues to explode? We have to house these people somewhere, and stacking more and more vertically near to transit options will REDUCE our gridlock woes in the long-run. Normie and I have a disagreement in another thread, but compare the surface streets in Clarendon or Virginia Square sometime to the surface streets in Reston and tell me you don't see Reston having much higher congestion with a fraction of the population.

Fairfax County will be hitting 1.2 million residents before too long. We can no longer justify being a county replete with cul-de-sacs and stand-alone drive-thru banks and fast-food restaurants.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Essentially if concerns of school overcrowding is their main position, then I suppose I just have a hard time believing that shoebox-sized condos at astronomical "green" pricing are attracting such a high number of children. I toured a unit at Pearson Square (before getting the sticker shock), and judging by the balconies I saw facing the courtyard, the hallways, etc. it didn't appear as if the place was loaded with children. I consider the Spectrum @ Falls Church and Pearson Square to be huge improvements over what was currently situated on those parcels. I also don't see how the argument can be made that concessions aren't being made for retailers when there is ample ground-level retail/restaurant space available in these projects.

Pardon me for being a cynic, but I've listened to the Reston NIMBYs with their own notorious "railing" (pun intended) against Metro's arrival, and most of their objections tend to be rooted in, more or less, "not wanting to look at big buildings" (which I counter and make them get into temper tantrums, but I digress). I'm sure people in the single-family homes in Clarendon, for example, thought the same thing. Now that their property values have EXPLODED I doubt many are complaining about being able to cash in on what turned out to be a good thing for the community after all as they walk to the rail line or to dozens of new businesses. More and more high-rises continue to pop up all over Arlington all the time, and you never hear existing residents decrying school overcrowding. Why is Falls Church different? Why can't we just admit that Fairfax County, in general, is opposed to increasing its density, even though our population continues to explode? We have to house these people somewhere, and stacking more and more vertically near to transit options will REDUCE our gridlock woes in the long-run. Normie and I have a disagreement in another thread, but compare the surface streets in Clarendon or Virginia Square sometime to the surface streets in Reston and tell me you don't see Reston having much higher congestion with a fraction of the population.

Fairfax County will be hitting 1.2 million residents before too long. We can no longer justify being a county replete with cul-de-sacs and stand-alone drive-thru banks and fast-food restaurants.

My understanding is that Fairfax County's projections as to how many students will come from new apartment/condo projects usually over-estimate the number of new students. Families here still vastly prefer SFHs and townhouses over apartments or condos.

Do we have a choice about the 1.2 million residents? Can't we send some of them to other places that desperately need jobs and keep the cul-de-sacs? Perhaps we need another thread on which jobs in NoVa are the best candidates for relocating to other parts of the region or country.

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Essentially if concerns of school overcrowding is their main position, then I suppose I just have a hard time believing that shoebox-sized condos at astronomical "green" pricing are attracting such a high number of children. I toured a unit at Pearson Square (before getting the sticker shock), and judging by the balconies I saw facing the courtyard, the hallways, etc. it didn't appear as if the place was loaded with children.
...

More and more high-rises continue to pop up all over Arlington all the time, and you never hear existing residents decrying school overcrowding. Why is Falls Church different?

Because it is different. The city is only 2.2 square miles. It has four schools: Mt. Daniel (K-1); Thomas Jefferson (2-4); Henderson Middle (5-7); and George Mason High (8-12). Only one of these is physically within the city limits. The schools are becoming overcrowded. Overcrowded schools lead to a decline in school quality, which is unacceptable for a small community with one of the nation's top school districts.

Related articles:
No More Room at Mt. Daniel Elementary - No Money Either
School Superintendent Recommends Trailer to Ease Mt. Daniel Overcrowding

Here's a recent editorial about Pearson Square specifically. Last fall there were almost double the amount of school-aged children living there than originally estimated by the developer.

Oh, and Arlington County schools are overcrowded (http://www.sungazette.net/articles/2010/09/12/arlington/news/nw92g2.txt - broken link), particularly in North Arlington.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by cdmurphy

Because it is different. The city is only 2.2 square miles. It has four schools: Mt. Daniel (K-1); Thomas Jefferson (2-4); Henderson Middle (5-7); and George Mason High (8-12). Only one of these is physically within the city limits. The schools are becoming overcrowded. Overcrowded schools lead to a decline in school quality, which is unacceptable for a small community with one of the nation's top school districts.

Related articles:
No More Room at Mt. Daniel Elementary - No Money Either
School Superintendent Recommends Trailer to Ease Mt. Daniel Overcrowding

Here's a recent editorial about Pearson Square specifically. Last fall there were almost double the amount of school-aged children living there than originally estimated by the developer.

Oh, and Arlington County schools are overcrowded (http://www.sungazette.net/articles/2010/09/12/arlington/news/nw92g2.txt - broken link), particularly in North Arlington.

It's fascinating that so many kids apparently live in Pearson Square. It seems like a high number.

I wonder if people specifically moved there because the schools are so small for the area and have a good reputation; if so, it's a self-defeating exercise if the enrollment then goes through the roof and the schools become over-crowded. You can see a bit of this happening in some of the McLean-area schools now as well (for example, Longfellow MS is considered the most overcrowded MS in the county).

I'm not really surprised, though, that the number exceeded the developer's estimates. I assume the City probably wanted a contribution from the developer for each student who'd be attending the City schools and that the developer therefore had an incentive to low-ball the number.

[movingtodcfromseattle]

I can't comment on the development over time, but will add that Penzey's Spices (right next to Cosi, across from Panera) is one of my favorite stores. I almost did backflips when I realized that there was one in Falls Church. When I lived in Seattle I ordered from them for years via catalog.