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Falls Church is seeking an owner, ground lessee or developer to help shape the future of Virginia Village, a city Economic Development Authority-owned housing property where the stated goal is to preserve and potentially expand access to affordable housing.
The city issued the Virginia Village Affordable Housing Opportunity request for proposals on June 30. Proposals are due Thursday, Aug. 6, and the city plans to evaluate submissions during August and September.
“The goal is to preserve and expand access to affordable housing in alignment with the vision for this neighborhood set forth in the Comprehensive Plan,” the city said in announcing the opportunity.
The Virginia Village site covers approximately 4.5 acres. The property is described in the source material as containing 20 fourplexes and housing 80 families or households. The fourplexes were originally constructed in 1941.
The sources do not agree on the RFP’s exact scope. The News-Press reports that the procurement covers nine of the 20 fourplex properties. The Falls Church Independent describes Virginia Village as a 20-fourplex, city-controlled property, while the city’s official release does not state a property count. The scope should be confirmed against the procurement documents.
The City Council authorized issuance of the RFP on June 22 in a reported 6-1 vote. The procurement followed months of public input about Virginia Village’s future and access to affordable housing.
The city says it expects responses from a broad range of firms. “The City expects a broad spectrum of firms to respond to the RFP by offering creative solutions to help achieve the City’s affordable housing objectives,” the official announcement states.
The RFP asks respondents to address issues including green building and sustainability, neighborhood context, public-space access, urban design, environmental and climate impacts, resilience, accessibility and inclusive design. It also asks plans to identify targets for universal-design and fully accessible units.
“To the degree possible, the plan should specify the planned green building certifications, targets for the number of universal design units and number of fully accessible units,” the RFP says.
The procurement schedule included a July 13 deadline for prospective respondents to submit questions, a virtual pre-proposal conference scheduled for July 21 and a weather-dependent guided site tour scheduled for July 22.
An evaluation committee supported by the city’s real-estate consultant, Jones Lang LaSalle, is expected to recommend a team in early September. The City Council is anticipated to decide on a preferred team in the fall.
Procurement communications and submissions were directed to Purchasing@fallschurchva.gov. RFP materials are available through the city’s bids webpage.