Should East Falls Church have a waterfront?

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Should East Falls Church have a waterfront?

by Dan Malouff • June 11, 2010 12:19 pm

As Arlington County prepares a redevelopment plan for East Falls Church, the City of Falls Church is considering its own options. One is to use Four Mile Run as the centerpiece of an East Falls Church Waterfront District.

Yes that's right, a waterfront district. Falls Church may be 6 miles from the Potomac, but why let that stop them?

The waterfront plan was prepared by Virginia Tech students as an academic exercise, but the idea so intrigued Falls Church city leaders that they are seriously considering it as a vision for future planning.

Rendering of a possible East Falls Church waterfront at Four Mile Run.

The idea is to redevelop the low-density industrial block between West Jefferson Street and Four Mile Run (see map) as a series of mid-rise mixed-use buildings, with a park along the side of the creek.

In truth, it will take years for the City of agree to a plan, convince the landowners, find a developer, get financing, and construct the project. This is an idea, not an action proposal. But it's a really good idea that seems to have legs. It meshes well with other likely redevelopment around the East Falls Church Metro, and could in the long term be a real winner.

It's definitely something to keep an eye on.

Cross-posted at BeyondDC.

9 comments

Tags: East Falls Church, Falls Church, parks, Virginia, waterfront

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Dan Malouff is a professional transportation planner for the Arlington County Department of Transportation. He has a degree in Urban Planning from the University of Colorado, and lives a car-free lifestyle in Northwest Washington. His posts are his own opinions and do not represent the views of his employer in any way. He runs the blog BeyondDC and also contributes to the Washington Post Local Opinions blog.

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Umm, Ok. They certainly need to redevelop parts of that area, but no matter how many blue pixels you put in a rendering, Four Mile Run at that point is not much more than a trickle. Until it rains hard I guess. I don't think it's ever flooded up there either since it's essentially the beginning of the stream. You can't build over it though, so it's going to be a factor in anybody's plan.

by Lou on Jun 11, 2010 12:32 pm

It depends on how much they keep it a stream and how much they make it a park with a water feature. If they make it a park around a stream and restore the bed to some degree of natural, it might be worthwhile. Otherwise it's just a glorified condo development.

by OctaviusIII on Jun 11, 2010 1:08 pm

Cherry Creek in Denver Colorado would seem to be a good analog. There is a bike path there, and a fair amount of high quality development within a mile of the confluence to the Platte river, with many different access points and ramps from surrounding streets. It's enjoyable for residents, joggers, runners, shoppers and visitors alike. Oh, and Cherry Creek isn't much more than a trickle until it rains.

Great idea.

by will on Jun 11, 2010 2:00 pm

Here's a link to a map of that area - http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=6906+Jefferson+Ave,+Falls+Church,+Fairfax,+Virginia+22042&ll=38.884886,-77.159235&spn=0.006297,0.013733&t=h&z=17

Note that the W&OD takes a right turn around Falls Church park to head to EFC metro. I've biked that area dozens of times and always go along the trail right by 66 and made the semi-dangerous crossing of Rt 29 (it is pedestrian lighted, but the cars in that area are mostly commuters who are impatient and looking to make turns at all times).

Also not in the image above all the green at the bottom of the plan, on the opposite side of that nice mixed use building is a parking lot... that belongs to a gross 70s or 80s era red brick building. This needs to be a part of the plan so that entire stream area ("stream valley park" is what it is called in the PG County parks system) is part of the "waterfront".

by ckstevenson on Jun 11, 2010 3:12 pm

The land use in that neighborhood is terrible. For a location with access to 66, Route 29, the Metro, the W&OD, and the bike lanes of Arlington County... that land is being wasted on a body shop, framing shop, used cars lots, and other light industrial uses. I lived in Falls Church and the city seems to have an aversion to density and apartment people. Then again, I lived in an apartment in Falls Church, so the snobbery could be all in my imagination.

by bikermark on Jun 12, 2010 10:59 am

The VA Tech students who did this, was this for an architecture class or an urban planning class?

by Zac on Jun 13, 2010 3:47 pm

Clearly would be much better than what is there now. I like it a lot.

by Josh S on Jun 14, 2010 9:21 am

@ Zac: It was an urban planning class.

by Serge on Jun 14, 2010 10:16 am

I think its not required.

by school financing on Jun 18, 2010 9:44 pm