The Fairfax County Parks Authority has paid $3.52 million for three houses at the corner of Ingleside Avenue and Dolly Madison Boulevard adjacent to the McLean Central Park. Demolition of two of the small cottage-like homes has begun.
“We don’t make these purchases often,” said Judith Pedersen, spokesperson for the Parks Authority, and Julie Cline, manager of land acquisitions section of the Department of Planning and Development. FCPA spent $3.52 million to buy the two acres of land that holds three houses. “There’s lots of land we’d like to purchase but pricing and ability to get the space is hard,” she said.
The neighbors have been notified of the demolition.
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The lengthy negotiations ended between the three home owners and FCPA in December 2009. Two of the owners leased their properties from FCPA until July 2010 and May 2011 respectively. Chantilly contractor, J. Roberts, Inc. will demolish the homes that are reminders of a bygone era in McLean.
“The existing structures are of no historic significance and reuse and maintenance are considered too costly,” the Parks Authority press release said.
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Where did the money come from: $2.52 million came from park bonds. The other million from the Board of Supervisors, Cline said. She was unable to give the individual price of each property. The purchase was made with the support of Kevin Fay, the Dranesville representative to the Park Authority Board and Fairfax Country supervisor John Foust.
Although the tearing down of the houses has started, there is no timetable or plans for the land, though its proximity to the McLean Central Park was one of the reasons FCPA was attracted to the properties. The properties are surrounded by the park on three sides.
“We are interested the expansion of village green and improving access to the existing park,” Cline said.
Park uses and facilities are determined through a master planning process that includes significant public participation, the press release said. The original McLean Central Park master plan was adopted in 1979 and amended in 2000. Further amendments to the master plan would include public meetings to discuss future park uses, including these properties, according to the Parks Authority.
