The long germinating plans for a One Loudoun-like lifestyle center along Highway 50 in the South Riding area appear to be no more. The developers of the much touted Avonlea project have recently sent entirely new plans to the county for approval and it’s a far cry from what was originally envisioned.
The Washington Business Journal first reported the Avonlea news Wednesday. Gone are the hopes for a movie theater along with a wide array of shops and restaurants. Instead, the plans call for an apartment building, an assisted living facility, some automotive businesses like a car wash and gas station, and two buildings with office space and potentially some retail.
In the map above, you can see how the much smaller Avonlea would be laid out. Landbay 1 is an apartment building. Landbay 2 is the assisted living facility. Landbay 3 is reportedly a car wash, a gas station, and possibly an auto repair center. Finally, Landbay 4 would be two office buildings with an unknown amount of retail space on the ground floor.
The developers, Fairfax-based Peterson Cos., have long struggled to get traction with the Avonlea project, and according to the Business Journal’s reporting, the coronavirus pandemic was the nail in the coffin for the more grandiose, retail focused plans. The company believes the scaled down, reimagined center is much more doable in this new post-COVID business environment.
I’d rather it be an empty lot at this point. Let’s blame Covid for developer inabilities. Pathetic.
Concur, we don’t need more gas stations or auto repair shops or residential, we need retail and restaurants
‘+1 +1 to above comments
What a disaster – there goes our beautiful community! Who thought THIS was the way to go?!?! Bring back businesses, restaurants GROWTH!! Utterly disappointing- disaster
+1 +1 to above comments
This sucks a&%!! I moved to this area for the Fairfax Corner concept. Million dollar homes minutes away and poo poo in terms of restaurant infrastructure. Fords Fish Shack and a few others are great, but not enough. Got to drive to One Loudoun or Fairfax for a steak or other flavors. Foodies stay away from this area. I want my money back from the home investment.
Same here! I’m so over this area and our 1000 gas stations and no places to eat.
Concur with the previous comments. This area needs more retail and restaurants, not this new plan.
You moved out to the “country” and now are finding that you can’t get everything you would get in Fairfax or Falls Church. Too bad – some of us don’t want every single corner of the county paved over so you can drive there in your big gas guzzling SUVs.
SAME
We definitely need restaurants and retail. The developers need to focus on filling the void in this area, and are missing out on a big opportunity to do so. No more gas stations!
Between the lack of development of retail/dining, poor planning for traffic (see Rt 50/Loudoun County Parkway right across from this site), and overall stupidity of LCPS I’m finished with Loudoun. We’ve lived here for 8 years, and besides the addition of Walmart, a bunch of gas stations and fast food there has been nothing but more houses and data centers. We continue to drive 20+ minutes to get to any sort of entertainment or dining. As soon as my kids graduate from the downward spiraling schools in a couple years, we’re gone!
We already have a crap top of gas stations near this intersection! Literally Exxon just opened it a block away… this is beyond ridiculous. The builders convinced us to purchase this home with plans of a town center. Pinebrook and tall cedars is going to get very congested. I’m seriously over this place and plan on moving in the near future.
How do prevent this from happening? Who do we need to speak to? Between this forum and others, it is clear that the residents of Aldie have no desire for this and would rather hold out until developers can gather enough interest from retailers and vendors for a retail and restaurant space. This sucks…
Would a petition work??
As stated by others…this area has the worst restaurant options I have ever lived in. My buddy lives in a Cleveland suburb and they are constantly opening up new restaurants and breweries with real food.
I was hoping a national restaurant brewery chain would open here, like The Yardhouse, but now I see no chance.
I think also it’s the demographics in our area with so many families from other countries and they rather stay at home everyday and eat their own cuisine rather than eat American food. The demand by many others in the community is not there.
What do you mean? Why would people from other countries not want to dine out? Also our motherland may be different countries but we are still Americans.
I work with many people from other countries and they typically bring their own home cooked food. I know this from personal experience and they are my friends at work and we eat together. If your Muslim you must eat halal food and most American restaurants are not halal. We have a large Muslim population here in Loudoun. Many Asian people mostly prefer their own food too, such a noodle dishes, etc. Many first generation people from India prefer their curry home cooked foods. The children born here are different and become more Americanized and their food tastes are more diverse and Americanized. This is not a stunning revelation here and by no means am I being sarcastic or mean spirited. Just pointing out the obvious. Loudoun County’s strength is being extremely diverse with the exception of having no Italian and a Jewish community here.
What kind of ridiculous thinking is this? Just because some people are from other countries, they don’t eat out??? Mind you, most other countries are famous for their street foods and cart foods which is becoming extremely famous here in the US including our local food truck scene (or what used to be before the pandemic). Also, this entire area has more food diversity like any other major metropolitan area so to think that people from other countries don’t eat American food is absurd IMO. Like LT said, they are all still Americans.
You missing a big point. For example, many people here are Muslim, and the must adhere to eating Halal food. If your not aware of that, then it’s like kosher food. My point is most restaurants are not Halal and can’t meet the needs of many of these people. I know this, because I work with them and they are my friends. They must bring their own food from home and won’t eat McDonald’s or Chick Filet, etc. This is one example of only one group of people. This area is very unique. Its extremely diverse which is a strength.
I absolutely hate this plan. I agree with you all. We moved to this area for 2 reasons. Schools and the promise of this town center. Both of which seems to be a disaster. I was hoping to stay here for decades but I might have to start thinking about moving if this project goes through. We should all fight for it. Do petition or some form of protest to make sure the county and developers know where the community stands.
Agreed. Let’s petition! We need retail/dining options. When I say dining … I don’t mean fast food. We have Subway, McDonalds, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, Popeyes … that’s enough. Please give us some quality healthy food!!! Please no more fast food, gas stations, auto repair shops or residential !!!
good – too much development in Loudoun anyway. Wish it would be left as open space.
I’m not sure how the petition process works and who this would need to be submitted to but could definitely get signatures. We need more restaurants and retail. No more gas stations, fast food, Harris teeter grocery stores, or residential space. We also moved here with the expectation of a town center development. This is extremely disappointing. I would rather them sell the land to someone else willing to make this investment.
Also disappointed with the new plan. Not understanding how these businesses don’t see the amazing potential here…
Nothing worth while in this plan for the community of diversity folks living all around this area. We need some nice development like what is being done in Leesburg. Need to get rid of the political team behind this vote in some new blood!!!
I agree we need a mall and better restaurants. No more housing, it is already congested. There was almost no parking at the commuter lot prior to COVID, the last thing we need is a big apartment building driving up crime and making commuting a worse nightmare.
Hope some of you all attended yesterday’s (23rd Feb 2022) meeting on this. It is pretty much decided a scale down version with more housing and apartments. I was there for the meeting but not for the whole time.
I completely agree with you all. Me and family love eating outside on weekends in restaurants that carry various cuisines; American, Thai, Chinese, Arabic, Indian, Japanese, South American. List goes on.
I guess that is the beauty of America. I can enjoy variety of cuisine.
But today we will have to travel minimum till Ashburn or Fairfax for any good restaurants or shopping mall, movies, health care, you name it. That was not what was promised when we were in the process of buying our home here. We were told about a town center that would be as big Reston town center, highway coming through from Prince Williams County etc.
All I see each year is trees cut and cleared for building more homes. I was excited to hear about Avonlea, only to learn that this is another housing project, which means, more traffic on route 50, more schools, more gas satiations, and we will keep going to Fairfax or Ashburn for any shopping needs. That is sad.
We also do not have a good transporting facility. Use your own car or take the bus that is available ONLY during office hours. Oh, yes, there is one bus that takes you to the Metro station, again to Ashburn. Also, we must be careful using your car to DC, they have jacked up the prices on route 66 and Dulles TOLL way. If you travel on the peak time in the morning during rush hours (not during Corona) will cost us at anywhere between $20 to $40 one-way toll via route 66. Hence, you are forced to travel in groups if you want to avoid tolls.
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