Question: Are there any plans for the recently built, but vacant shopping center on Strickland Drive, next to the CVS? It was built just before COVID and has been vacant for over a year. Thanks. — Katie V.
Answer: Hi Katie. The spot you’re asking about is called Brambleton Corner Plaza, on the south side of Ashburn. We’ve written about it several times, but of course, we realize not everyone reads The Burn daily (even if they really should).
The plaza may seem to be moving slowly, but there are a couple of factors possibly at play. Commercial real estate brokers tell us the pandemic definitely set back retail leasing. New tenants seemed to dry up for a year or so. But the good news is things are getting back to normal and we’re told new leases are picking up.
Also, prospective tenants for that center could be waiting until closer to when the Northstar Boulevard extension work begins. Northstar will eventually go all the way from that corner in Brambleton down to Highway 50. This will bring more traffic which, of course, businesses want.
That being said, The Burn has reported that a Tropical Smoothie Cafe is the first tenant announced for the multi-unit retail building at Brambleton Corner Plaza. They are taking the end position with the drive-thru lane.
We have also reported that the third location of The Filling Co. Gas & Grub, a gas station and convenience store, is under construction there. It should be opening sometime this summer. It’s owned by the Rubino family of Rubino’s Pizzeria fame.
Besides the CVS, which has been open since 2019, other future tenants are expected to include an auto repair shop and a drive-thru fast food restaurant. But there are no details on those yet tenants yet or who they might be.
This shopping plaza has a huge flaw: there’s no simple way to turn left onto Evergreen Mills (heading towards Independence HS and Brambleton MS). Strickland Drive is right turn only, forcing you to drive back to Northstar and do a U-turn. Alternatively you can exit onto Northstar, do another U-turn, and then turn left onto Evergreen Mills. Neither option is very good.
Once Northstar to US-50 is completed and traffic in the area picks up, expect cars leaving this plaza to become a bottleneck.
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