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Vienna advances town-center visioning, explores joint purchase of two properties with NOVA Parks
Summary
Economic development staff outlined a multi-stage plan to connect the W&OD Trail to Vienna's commercial corridor, including an option agreement to buy two adjacent properties, $1 million in federal reimbursement already secured, and a community survey and ULI engagement before a December council vote on acquisition.
Economic development staff presented a plan Feb. 9 to better connect Vienna’s W&OD Trail with the Church Street commercial corridor and to pursue an option to buy two adjacent properties — the Historic Bank Building and the Stilts Building — in partnership with NOVA Parks.
“We’ve already secured $1,000,000 in federal funding for acquisition,” Economic Development Director Nicole Toulouse said, describing a reimbursable federal award routed through Congressman Jerry Connolly’s office. Toulouse told the council the town has entered an exclusive option agreement for both properties and must decide whether to close by April 2027.
Toulouse said the Stilts Building has been vacant for six years and the Bank Building underutilized for roughly 20 years. She said NOVA Parks has committed $4,500,000 toward a visitor center and the proposed partnership would allow shared parking and coordinated uses between the two buildings.
The staff presentation laid out a sequence of community engagement and funding steps: a two-part survey planned for March (one on visioning the area; one on options for the buildings), a possible Urban Land Institute engagement in May, a public feedback round in August, and a December council vote on whether to execute the option and reallocate FY28 CIP funds if approved. “If we so choose to move forward in April, we can choose to close on those buildings in partnership with NOVA Parks,” Toulouse said.
Toulouse summarized a recent facility assessment of the bank building and said the major items (accessibility upgrades, toilet replacements, mold remediation, repainting and sprinkler work) appear manageable within the CIP budget the council previously reviewed. She also noted the town has applied for state Industrial Revenue Fund (IRF) grants for obsolete-building acquisition and improvement; the IRF allows up to $1,000,000 per application and can be applied for twice.
Council members pressed staff on details. One councilor asked who makes up the $21,000,000 in regional trail spending cited in the presentation; Toulouse said that figure covers users along the full W&OD corridor from Shirlington through western Loudoun County and is not Vienna-only. Members urged the survey to include examples or options to avoid confusion, recommended listening sessions with businesses and residents, and emphasized protecting existing parking during trail widening or other engineering work.
Staff said they will circulate a draft of the community survey for council feedback and will coordinate timing and content with NOVA Parks. The presentation included a staff recommendation to pursue due diligence through the option agreement and to return to council with a final recommendation and vote by December.
