Do tall buildings really belong here?

How much open space will Metro West provide?

What kind of transportation improvements have been worked out?

How will Metro handle new transit passengers?

Why are so many housing units necessary?

How will the project accommodate parking for new residents, shoppers and workers?

What about new students at public schools?

Q: Do tall buildings really belong here?
A: A number of high rise buildings already exist in the vicinity of the project at Hunters Branch to the east and Circle Towers to the south. The 8 to 14 story buildings in Metro West will be in the immediate vicinity of the Metro Station. They provide the architectural focal point for the community and Town Center . Resident and worker populations in those buildings make retail shops and services economically viable. Building heights step down quickly to smaller elevations as the project moves away from Metro, so building heights at our borders closely match those of our neighbors.

Q: How much open space will Metro West provide?
A: For a redevelopment project of its size, Metro West is required to provide over 10 acres of open space. Instead, Metro West is exceeding that requirement and devoting 17 acres to open space, approximately 35 percent of the total project area. These open areas include both formal and informal park spaces, and a town center activity area that may include an in-season skating rink, cultural opportunities, fountains and other attractions.

Metro West is also contributing the land for and constructing a new, public community and recreation center that will welcome residents of other communities and neighborhoods.

Q: What kind of transportation improvements have been worked out?
A: More than anything else, Metro West is designed to be a community for walking and biking for both new residents and for residents of other neighborhoods coming to shop, use recreational features or travel on Metro. New and enhanced pedestrian connections will link communities from the south and west, Circle Woods, Hunters Branch and Blake Tree Manor to and through Metro West.

The project will create a more pedestrian-friendly interface with the Metro Station, improvements to Saintsbury Drive along the station frontage and the extension of Vaden Drive south as a boulevard to Route 29/Lee Highway. Metro West also provides new pedestrian and vehicular traffic signals, traffic calming measures, contributions for off-site access improvements to the station area, signal timing enhancements and off-site intersection improvements.

Q: How will Metro handle new transit passengers?
A: Metro is considering increased rail car passenger capacity and improved feeder bus service to the Vienna-Fairfax-GMU Metro Station, but those decisions will made by Fairfax County government and WMATA, not by Metro West. WMATA representatives have demonstrated unequivocally that adequate capacity exists at the Vienna Station. The WMATA board approved in October 2004 on adding another 120 cars to the system. Fairfax County voters will have the opportunity to approve transportation bonds on the November 2, 2004 ballot that include $110 million for the county’s share of the WMATA capital program, including purchasing new railcars and buses.

Q: Why are so many housing units necessary?
A: The number of housing units is related directly to important Metro West features. Adjoining units increase Metro use, decrease vehicular trips and support retail space. A variety of units provides potential residents a range of lifestyle choices, price points and buy or lease options. Concentrating housing development also allows larger green space and common area commitments. Housing units are concentrated within a quarter-mile of the Metro Station (a five-minute walk), then taper off as the project moves south toward existing townhouse, apartment and commercial buildings along Route 29/Lee Highway.

Regionally, Northern Virginia is under-building the number of housing units it needs by 20,000 a year even as it leads the nation in creation of new jobs. Redevelopment of scarce land near Metro stations at higher densities and with mixed-use helps alleviate the housing shortage without adding to sprawl and traffic congestion.

Q: How will the project accommodate parking for new residents, shoppers and workers?
A: At the current level of housing units, retail and commercial space proposed, Metro West will provide a minimum of 5,288 parking spaces. Parking will be contained within decks below or among the buildings served, within individual garages and to a minimum degree at-grade interior to the project. Street parking will be available for shoppers and for visitors to the public use community center.

It is difficult to find a consensus about parking. Many encourage more parking to discourage spillover parking in existing neighborhoods. Many others encourage less parking as a theoretical way to force use of mass transit.

Q: What about new students at public schools?
A: Student yields from multi-family and condominium units are usually lower than averages from single family homes, but Metro West will more than offset actual school impacts pursuant to established County policy as it phases new housing units over the period of project buildout.

As requested by the Fairfax County Public Schools Board, Pulte will contribute $1,770,000, or a mutually agreed upon like-kind contibution for capital improvements, to the Fairfax County School Board."