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A nearly 6,000-square-foot arts center featuring three galleries, a ceramics studio and an all-day restaurant is nearing completion in downtown McLean.
McLean Project for the Arts has passed the required electrical, plumbing, structural and mechanical inspections for its new Berlage Arts & Education Center. A final review by Fairfax County authorities was expected during the week following an April 2 preview tour.
If the remaining work and review proceed smoothly, the nonprofit hopes to celebrate the center’s opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the end of April.
The facility occupies the ground floor of The Signet condominium building at 6910 Fleetwood Road. It will supplement MPA’s two existing galleries and offices at the McLean Community Center on Ingleside Avenue.
Executive Director Lori Carbonneau said the expansion will allow MPA to operate five contemporary galleries showcasing working Mid-Atlantic artists while attracting more residents and visitors to downtown McLean.
The organization had sought a larger home designed specifically for exhibitions and arts programming. It initially considered building at Clemyjontri Park, prompting the Fairfax County Park Authority to revise the park’s master plan in 2022 to accommodate a possible arts center.
MPA ultimately chose The Signet, where a commercial condominium originally intended for a restaurant or retailer had never been occupied. The unfinished space gave the nonprofit an opportunity to customize the property while establishing an independent identity in a central location.
Carbonneau said owning the site also gives MPA long-term stability and greater freedom to develop its programs. The nonprofit officially purchased the $6.25 million property on Sept. 13, 2024.
Galleries, clay and flexible event space
The Berlage Center will contain three galleries, including a black-box installation space equipped for digital and media exhibits, films and concerts.
A folding partition will separate that room from an approximately 900-square-foot main gallery intended for solo and two-artist exhibitions. Opening the partition will create one larger venue.
Other spaces include classrooms, offices and a meeting room that can accommodate conferences, private dining and events. A ceramics studio called MPA Clay will have dedicated glazing and kiln rooms.
The expansion also gives MPA more room to distinguish its work from that of the McLean Community Center, which remains a partner. Carbonneau said some residents have mistakenly assumed programs such as the annual MPAartfest at McLean Central Park were community center events.
Cafe Monet planned for breakfast through dinner
Cafe Monet, a restaurant with a full-service bar, will operate inside the arts center and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The concept is being developed by D.C.-based Knead Hospitality and Design, a James Beard-nominated restaurant group associated with Mi Vida, Succotash, Gatsby and Bistro Du Jour. Its menu was still being finalized, though Knead’s website described the restaurant as pan-European.
Local vendors supplied elements ranging from chairs to light fixtures. The dining room will seat 46 people, while a 1,700-square-foot patio will provide another 48 seats. The patio will also be accessible from the ceramics studio.
MPA leaders hope the combination of art, food and nearby Elm Street Park will encourage visitors to spend more time in an area that currently draws limited foot traffic despite its downtown location.
Potential programs include outdoor exhibitions and concerts. Organizers have also discussed offering snack-and-wine “movie boxes” from Cafe Monet during film screenings in the galleries.
Community Engagement Director Elizabeth Murphy said programming will be designed for neighborhood families as well as people interested in art and food. Residents will be invited to submit ideas through MPA’s website.
Community campaign closes in on its goal
MPA leaders credited residents, county employees and donors with helping the project advance. That support has ranged from Signet residents enduring months of construction to county staff assisting with permits.
Major contributors to the fundraising campaign, launched in 2023, include board member and center namesake Bruce L. Berlage, the McLean Community Center and Fairfax County. The county provided $500,000 in hopes that the project would support efforts to revitalize downtown McLean.
By early April, MPA had secured more than 90% of the money needed for the center. Its annual Spring Benefit, the nonprofit’s largest fundraiser of the year, was scheduled for May 7.
Carbonneau said local support has become especially important as federal arts funding has receded and some of MPA’s grants have been cut. Revenue generated through the new facility could help offset the decline in grant funding.