City leaders review Manassas Shopping Center redevelopment concepts; council urges bolder, higher-density options

The Manassas City Council and the Manassas Economic Development Authority on Wednesday reviewed draft redevelopment concepts for the Manassas Shopping Center and heard council members press for a bolder, higher-density vision while balancing existing tenant leases and a multistep timeline.

Denise Harover, chair of the Economic Development Authority, introduced consultants and said the work reflects community feedback gathered in summer “community conversations.” Sukriti Ghosh, principal with RHI, told the joint session the site is “approximately 15 acres” and that consultants used input from more than 100 in-person participants and 67 online respondents to shape two alternative concepts.

The alternatives show a transition from higher-intensity uses along Mathis Avenue to lower-intensity housing near Portner Avenue, with proposals for a linear buffer, a central plaza and a mix of townhomes, multifamily and street‑front retail. Concept A sketches about 50,000 square feet of commercial space, roughly 122 multifamily units and 338 off‑street parking spaces (excluding on‑street parking). Concept B increases commercial to about 58,000 square feet with roughly 129 multifamily units and 371 required off‑street spaces; both concepts include about 42 townhome/multiplex units at the rear.

Why it matters: the shopping center sits at a gateway into Downtown Manassas and abuts two historic districts, making reuse consequential for adjacent neighborhoods, traffic patterns and the city’s long‑range…