There used to be about 65 single family homes immediately south of the Vienna metro station, next to the Circle Woods townhome community. They were still standing about 2006 or so before they were torn down for the still incomplete MetroWest project.

Curious if the owners were forced out and whether eminent domain was used. Can't find anything in the news archives. Figure this was a big deal at the time and wonder what our local politicians did about it.

That’s what it looks like.
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just for kicks, here it is in 1980
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I'm not sure, but I know that the neighborhood nearby (I think the houses to the left in that picture) was going to have the same thing happen to it. A lot of people were eager to sell their homes to the developer but too many people weren't on board so it didn't happen.

I think I remember going in there about the time of the 2007 aerial photo. All the houses had been torn down save for 2-3, some had huge "keep off my property" signs and seemed to be holding out for something.

I can imagine there was bitterness over this on the part of those who had to sell/move.

Will the same thing happen everywhere in FFX county? Who's going to stop growth for the sake of growth?

In the past developers would make above market purchase offers contingent upon the entire neighborhood selling out in a block. If one neighbor held out the developer could rely on the rest to pressure the hold out to sell. By the early 2000s some had switched to simply making market offers for older, well located neighborhoods, but getting local politicians to lean on neighbors to sell. I know of one unsuccessful attempt in 2003. I have not heard of any neighborhood wide eminent domain threats, but would not rule out them doing it for a few holdouts.

It is criminal to wipe out neighborhoods for private interest development.
1953 image:
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I'm vaguely remembering that the neighborhood was sold to developers by the home owners for "big" bucks -- whatever that is when you have to move, leave a place you love.

If it had been eminent domain "Mr. Blanche" -- the constitutionalist -- would have been in an uproar, and I know that didn't happen.

what was the name of the street? anyone know?

Fairlee Drive and Maple Avenue.

A cool article from Wapo back in 1985. Sounds like there was pressure even then.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/realestate/1985/07/27/fairlee-residents-working-to-sell-homes-as-group/f092f220-ded4-43f5-b1b0-728c4f7145ca/?utm_term=.ee71cca50d05

Good thing they mowed down all those houses and trees for some cookie cutter townhomes/condos and an empty field for the crows to hang out.

Farmer11 Wrote:
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> Fairlee Drive and Maple Avenue.
>
> A cool article from Wapo back in 1985. Sounds
> like there was pressure even then.
>
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/realestate/
> 1985/07/27/fairlee-residents-working-to-sell-homes
> -as-group/f092f220-ded4-43f5-b1b0-728c4f7145ca/?ut
> m_term=.ee71cca50d05
>
> Good thing they mowed down all those houses and
> trees for some cookie cutter townhomes/condos and
> an empty field for the crows to hang out.


Great article. Thanks for posting. Sucks to have been one of he owners not interested in selling. Wonder what the Church of God ended up doing.

I knew several families that lived in that neighborhood - no eminent domain whatsoever. It took a while to get rid of the last two or three residents who were determined to hold out for close to $1 million, but they ended up in the $500k range or so. Most of the homeowners got in the $300k to $350k range if memory serves. It was kinda eerie driving down those streets after everyone was out save for the couple houses. The rest of the place stood vacant for years before demolition occurred. I think the original buyer flipped the property to Pulte when the rezoning process dragged on.

Very interesting. Thanks for the info.

And wasn't that property supposed to have more density but former Rep. Tom Davis put a stop to that?

"Lawmaker Steps In on Va. Growth - April 21, 2005"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6031-2005Apr20.html

"Metro Postpones Vienna Land Sale - October 21, 2005"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/20/AR2005102002106.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/16/2017 02:39PM by Joke Insurance.

I used to own a house not to far from Metrowest. Was a big proponent of the development through the zoning process and ultimate Board Approval. Mixed-used was promised - as you can tell it never came to fruition. I feel bad for all those people who bought town homes with the promise of a future town center. PUlte came in built residential and Clark was supposed to be in charge of the retail. Clark couldn't find an anchor tenant for he zoned Grocery Store and that has held up the retail/office portion of the development for over 8 years (the 2008 market recession was also a factor). The irony of it all - when the project was being zoned/approved a critical issue was the reduction of vehicular traffic. the County and social groups such as Coalition for Smart Growth were adamant about keeping the volume of cars low. Years later, when asked why Clark was having such a hard time finding an anchor tenant - the lack of vehicular traffic and difficult access from major arteries was pointed as the most critical issue. What a mess.

FairfaxFool Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I used to own a house not to far from Metrowest.
> Was a big proponent of the development through the
> zoning process and ultimate Board Approval.
> Mixed-used was promised - as you can tell it never
> came to fruition. I feel bad for all those people
> who bought town homes with the promise of a future
> town center. PUlte came in built residential and
> Clark was supposed to be in charge of the retail.
> Clark couldn't find an anchor tenant for he zoned
> Grocery Store and that has held up the
> retail/office portion of the development for over
> 8 years (the 2008 market recession was also a
> factor). The irony of it all - when the project
> was being zoned/approved a critical issue was the
> reduction of vehicular traffic. the County and
> social groups such as Coalition for Smart Growth
> were adamant about keeping the volume of cars low.
> Years later, when asked why Clark was having such
> a hard time finding an anchor tenant - the lack of
> vehicular traffic and difficult access from major
> arteries was pointed as the most critical issue.
> What a mess.

The complex built south of Mclearen and west of Centreville was supposed to be mixed-use, but they also can't find tenants, and last I heard had applied for zoning change. Don't get me started.

The mixed-use aspects of MetroWest have so far fallen short because -- whether residents or office workers -- there simply have not been enough day-time customers around to support retail. Surveys meanwhile showed that with Pan Am just down the road, few people were likely to come from surrounding areas. Without retail of course, it's hard to attract business tenants, so it's all a negative feedback loop.

Personally, I blame Pulte for adopting the clear-cut, "prison barracks" model of development with little to no landscaping ever put back in place. Bad job all the way around. Meanwhile, a couple of miles away, the contemporary Mosaic District project has been a thriving success. Go figure.

Like Midgetville, the Fairlee neighborhood was doomed the moment the Vienna Metro station opened in 1986. Property values were such that maintaining any sort of low-density, non-developed parcel was simply not in the cards.

Perhaps, but County officials greased the skids by letting developers know they did not intend to maintain low density. Low density housing does coexist with Metro, East Falls Church for example. However County officials saw the arrival of Metro near Vienna as an opportunity to create a new high density area, much as they are currently hoping to do when/if Metro is extended to Route 1.

Just put more luxury condos there and make Pan Am nice like Mosaic. You're just going to have to drive sorry, unless it's nice out and you feel like playing frogger. Though a walk way over 29 and Nutley diagonally would take care of that problem.

There are no big-time roads between Metro West and the train station.

Those homes are being removed to make way for a public housing complex.
Last I heard several 12 story buildings are going up to house those in need of housing. Fairfax county administrators are showing the love from Fairfax County Taxpayers by providing over 8 thousand low income homes in that area.