The OCR and the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) are seeking community input on the vision for a new, innovative community gathering space in downtown Annandale.

The County is interested in repurposing a portion of the property that it owns at 7200 Columbia Pike to create a park/civic space for community use by creatively leveraging an existing asset. The proposed space would consist of a dedicated community gathering area that could also be expanded into the nearby parking lot for intermittent or “pop-up” programming and special events during weekends and/or evenings when available. The County also wishes to explore the potential for future expansion and enhancement of the concept beyond the initial phase by integrating the adjacent, underutilized open space of the property into a holistic design.

Communities all across the country are exploring the placemaking power of such projects in an effort to bring people together and contribute to the vibrancy of an area. This project supports the long-term community vision for the Commercial Revitalization District (CRD), and is connected to recommendations in the 2016 Revitalization Strategies for Annandale study.