Manassas Park dreams up big plans for City Center

City leaders envision a large retailer to be the anchor of its long-talked-about City Center development.

 A joint public hearing held on November 6 was the first step in amending the city’s Comprehensive Plan, and officials hoping this clears the way to landing their dream store. 

• “…a retail anchor is needed, along with a total footprint of 100,000 square feet of successful retail,” city manager Laslo Palko to me.
• The city is also pinning its hopes on City Center becoming a new gathering place for residents, similar to the way Manassas has transformed its downtown. 

According to Mr. Palko, an anchor tenant is a business that attracts people and more restaurants and retail to be built around it.  

• Palko adds the city expects a new four-story office building, public parking to support retail stores, and a place downtown events such as concerts, farmers markets, beer fests is what’s needed to attract a crowd. 
• A new city library, a hotel, and a sports complex could also be right for the area, he told me.

City Center is located next to city hall, and that building is in need of significant repairs.

• I’m told the city could also build a new government center along with developing City Center. 

The development could come by way of help from the private sector. 

• Palko said an expected proposal for a public-private partnership for downtown is expected in the next few weeks.
• The city will issue a request for proposals for private firms that want to invest in City Center, and the city’s Governing Body is expected to vote on them by late January or early February 2020.

The City Center is mostly vacant- right now, it has a bank and a bridal shop, with the rest of the retail space vacant. 

• Palko credits that to a parking shortage, lack of a retail anchor, and issues with the previous owner. 
• But, Palko says, “The steps we are taking now will dramatically transform the downtown and allow for a successful retail strategy.”

A Virginia Railway Express parking garage with 550 parking spaces is expected to be completed by 2022. 

• The garage is still in the design phase and is being funded by money from the Interstate 66 E-ZPass Express Lanes Outside the Beltway Project.
• The new parking deck must be opened by the time the new toll lanes on I-66 open in 2022.
• “That’s a huge win for the city, and given our current debt load we really can’t afford to borrow money at this point,” Shuemaker said. 

A series of town hall meetings on City Center is expected, in English and Spanish, is expected early next year. 

• “…we need to have the citizen input on a project this big,” Shuemaker said.