Fairfax County Announces Big Investment In Downtown Herndon

HERNDON, VA -- Fairfax County will invest $1.2 million in an economic development project for downtown Herndon, the largest investment to date from the $5 million fund for stimulating economic growth in the county.

The money will go toward a new mixed-use project that includes a signature arts center. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the funding agreement on Tuesday, according to a statement from the county.

The project will involve creating a town center with an 18,000 square foot arts center as the centerpiece. It will include three buildings and 281 apartments, 17,600 square feet of ground floor retail, and a 761-space parking garage.

“I am pleased that funding from the County’s Economic Development Support Fund will help make the Herndon Arts Center a reality,” said Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, who chairs the Fairfax County Economic Advisory Commission, according to the statement. “Activities around the arts create thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity in Fairfax County. The Herndon Arts Center will also contribute to the success of a redevelopment project that will significantly increase the tax base of the town and the county. Projects like the Herndon Arts Center also contribute to the county’s economic success by creating a community that will attract a 21st century workforce.”

County officials hope to recoup the funds in the first two years following the project's completion. They argue that the project will pay for itself and then some over the long term.

“Allocation of this grant funding to the town is a tangible, impactful demonstration of Fairfax County’s commitment to economic development in Herndon,” said Mayor Lisa Merkel in the statement. “Redevelopment of Herndon’s downtown creates a new and exciting destination at the county’s western edge, and we greatly appreciate the spirit of partnership symbolized by this grant.”

Image via Fairfax County