Planning Commission reviews revised Quinn mixed‑use senior living plan; sanitary sewer, parking and streetscape remain outstanding

Falls Church City Planning Commission members spent more than two hours on Feb. 5 reviewing revisions to the Quinn family’s proposed 10‑story mixed‑use redevelopment at South Washington Street, a project that would add senior living, medical office and retail space and a new publicly accessible plaza.

The applicant and staff described refinements to the building’s massing and materials, a reconfigured plaza and retail frontage on South Maple Avenue, additional balconies and a relocated loading area and lobby. Laura Arsenault, the city case planner, summarized staff’s outstanding review items, and Andrew Painter, zoning counsel for the applicant, said the team had “refined the architecture” in response to the commission’s November comments.

Why it matters: The project is one of the largest redevelopment proposals in the city center and includes 233 units of human care and continuing care, about 282,000 square feet of building area, roughly 307 parking spaces in a partially underground garage, and commitments for medical office, retail, restaurant space, and a permanent space for the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation. Commissioners said the plan’s final details — especially sewer capacity, the parking‑management approach and pedestrian safety at Maple Avenue crossings — will determine whether the project fits the city center’s small‑area plan and can move to a final vote.

What staff and the applicant told the commission - Arsenault told the commission the application proposes a ten‑story senior living and mixed‑use building on a combined 1.86‑acre site with special exceptions already approved by the City Council for residential use in mixed‑use development and for increased height (up to 115 feet under the bonus provisions). Staff’s checklist still asks for a parking management plan, finalized bike‑lane design on South Maple, sanitary sewer (force main) plans, a second fire department connection, coordinated parklet design and a storefront sign plan. - Andrew Painter, the applicant’s attorney, said the team had moved the lobby to Maple Avenue, relocated loading to South Washington Street, squared the building footprint and reduced ramping and grade changes to create a more continuous, accessible retail experience. He said design changes “respond to some of the suggestions that were made and incorporate them.” - Karen White of Walter R. Phillips and other civil engineers confirmed the submittal shows two sanitary options: a gravity tie toward Fairfax and an alternate force‑main route to Arlington. The applicant has prepared designs for both; the city will decide the preferred connection strategy.

Commissioners pressed on three recurring issues - Sanitary sewer capacity: Commissioners repeatedly said they want a clear sanitary‑sewer approach before a final vote. Karen White said the site plan includes both a gravity solution and a force‑main design; which route is used will determine construction details and inter‑jurisdictional agreements. Several commissioners said they expect the city manager’s office to resolve the choice and that the planning commission should see a resolved design or an explicit contingency before approving the site plan. - Parking and wayfinding: Staff recommended a parking management plan and transportation demand measures. Commissioners asked for firmer commitments instead of a “menu” of options: who pays for wayfinding signage, where accessible parking will be concentrated, and how passengers will be guided from drop‑off points or the garage to the elevator lobby and retail. The applicant said there will be an internal garage drop‑off adjacent to the lobby and a paseo through the retail block that connects the garage, lobby and park, and that the shared‑parking analysis accounted for one car per staff member in a worst‑case scenario. - Pedestrian/bike crossings and streetscape: The applicant proposed shifting a crosswalk east to align better with West Fairfax Linear Park and adding rapid‑flashing beacons and signage, but the raised pedestrian refuge island staff and the commission requested could not be provided because of fire‑access requirements. Commissioners asked staff and the applicant to narrow the apparent bike‑lane area so it is not treated as an informal parking lane and to strengthen visual cues and a comprehensive sign plan so drivers can find drop‑offs and retail entrances without driving into pedestrian zones.

Other notable design and program points - Uses and amenities: The applicant plans a LEED Gold building; roughly 28% of the site will be landscaped and about 70% publicly accessible hardscape/landscape. The project includes an approximately 2,000‑square‑foot permanent Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation space and about 800 square feet of shared public meeting space for civic groups. - Retail and public space: The team moved the primary retail bays to wrap the corner at Maple Avenue and redesigned the south Washington plaza to allow a flexible event space and improved pedestrian flow. Landscaping and an amphitheater pavilion are part of the public plaza design; the pavilion will be covered and the team said electrical service will be provided for occasional events. - Materials and bird safety: Architects removed cementitious siding from the palette and proposed a darker brick base with metal panel accents. Staff recommended bird‑friendly glass treatments up to 36 feet; the applicant has offered voluntary concessions on bird‑safe glass and downward‑directed lighting.

Schedule and next steps - The applicant and staff set a tentative final planning commission action date for March 5, 2025, after the Architectural Advisory Board review scheduled for Feb. 12. Multiple commissioners said they expect to see resolved sanitary‑sewer plans and a firmer parking‑management and signage plan before taking a final vote. - If the city manager finalizes the force‑main versus gravity decision and the applicant supplies the requested design details, staff will present revised materials for DRC and the commission’s March agenda.

What remains unresolved: Commissioners flagged the sanitary‑sewer route and the consistency and enforceability of the parking‑management commitments as the decisive outstanding items.