City Council Approves Pearson Square Waiver
Last night the Falls Church City Council unanimously approved a request from the owners of Pearson Square to broaden the types of retail establishments permitted at the site on South Maple Avenue. The decision was not unexpected as it had been earlier endorsed by the Planning Commission and recommended by the Economic Development Authority.
Pearson Square was developed by Atlantic Realty but now is owned by Transwestern, a nationwide firm with extensive holdings in the DC metropolitan area. Robert Ruffatto, the company’s chief spokesman, described Falls Church as a very desirable location. He stated that the occupancy rate for the building’s residential units will soon reach 90%. However, attracting retail clients has been difficult. The firm thus far has made 173 contacts without success.
The only tenant for the immediate future will be the arts organization currently referred to as Creative Cauldron, but which most likely will be renamed The Arts Place of Falls Church. They are expected to occupy space in the building in June.
After extensive discussion, the Council approved the requested waiver, the text of which reads as follows with revisions to the original document italicized:
The retail space of the first floor of the residential building at 410 S. Maple Avenue (Pearson Square) may include up to 8,000 square feet for retail service uses and/or businesses, professional, medical and/or dental office uses, with the limitation that of this subject 8,000 square feet no more than 2,400 square feet may be for business or professional office use, and no more than an additional 2,400 square feet may be for medical or dental office use. All retail service uses and/or business, professional, medical and or dental office uses shall be limited to lease terms of no more than ten years. Flex-art space as described in the voluntary concessions of Resolution 2008-17 shall not be limited in lease term.
Full text of resolution, revision not included:
http://www.fallschurchva.gov/Content/Government/Council/Meetings/2009/Feb23/PearsonSqSE022309.pdf
Transwestern’s website:
By George Bromley
February 24, 2009
It’s nice to see they worked the 10 year expiration into the exception.
Was there any discussion of parking? That’s a rather tight area, as those of us who eat at Elevation Burger will attest.
Sally,
This is cut and paste from the staff report::
“Parking
Because the first floor commercial space of the 500 S. Maple project met the Code definition of a “shopping center,” the development was parked at the shopping center ratio of 1 space per 250 square feet. Therefore, allowing more variety in the permitted uses does not result in a parking deficit per the Code.”
I believe normal retail is 1 per 300.