The special working group tasked to produce a redevelopment proposal for the Sears site at Seven Corners concluded their work on 4 March.  Gross’s Seven Corners task force had proposed to put 719,000 sq ft of floor area on the site, all of it for residences.  The community surrounding the site, with the support of HRVCA, opposed that proposal because (1) the density seemed excessive for the site, and (2) the community wanted replacement of some of the retail services and office space (doctors’ offices) now on the site. Currently, there are 161,000 sq ft of retail and 105,000 sq ft of office space on the site for a total of 266,000 sq ft.

The special working group agreed to 85,000 sq ft retail, 50,000 office, and 395,000 residential (60 townhouses plus 275 apartments) for a total of 530,000 sq ft, 75% of the floor area in the task force proposal. Ellie Ashford provided a summary of the meeting on the Annandale blog.

The Sears site is one of three areas proposed for redevelopment at Seven Corners.  The Sears site recommendation will be combined with the proposals for the other two areas in an integrated Comprehensive Plan amendment and sent to the Mason District Land Use Committee, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Supervisors for approval.  Once approved, developers would be able to propose redevelopment of any of the three areas. A proposal for the Sears site could come in the near future.

HRVCA agreed at our 28 Jan meeting to oppose the integrated redevelopment plan based on the excessive densities proposed for the other two areas. An update will be provided at the HRVC spring meeting in April.