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A long-familiar red barn in Mount Vernon could be transformed into a family restaurant, event space and outdoor entertainment venue under a private redevelopment proposal submitted to the Fairfax County Park Authority.

Real estate agents Mark and Michael White proposed the project under Virginia’s Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act. The brothers envision the Grist Mill Park barn as the centerpiece of a community gathering place along Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, with the park’s improved bike trail helping provide local access.

“My brother and I got the idea; the county needs a hub like that,” Mark White said.

The Whites are partnering with restaurateur Noe Landini and developer Victor Bonomi. Landini has been involved with several restaurants in Old Town Alexandria, while Bonomi is CEO of Tech24 Construction and has worked on area breweries and restaurants.

Mark and Michael White work with their father, Chris White, at Long & Foster Real Estate in Alexandria.

The proposed hub would include a full-service restaurant, event space, outdoor music and entertainment, a bicycle rest stop and public restrooms. Plans also call for infrastructure that could support future lighting at the park’s playing fields.

The partnership would own the businesses operating at the site, while the Park Authority would retain ownership of the barn.

The county formally acknowledged the unsolicited proposal on Feb. 6. The Park Authority then opened a request for competing proposals, with an April 25 deadline. It was not immediately clear whether other groups had expressed interest in the barn or surrounding property.

A firm construction or opening schedule has not been established. Mark White said the project involves many issues that must be addressed, making a timeline difficult to predict. After the proposal period closes, the team expects to work through the details with the Park Authority.

Park Authority Executive Director Jai Cole said residents expressed strong interest in finding creative uses for the barn during the planning process for Grist Mill Park. She said public-private partnerships can bring new amenities and outside resources into county parks, which collectively receive more than 16 million visitors annually.

Grist Mill Park, at 4710 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway in Alexandria, covers more than 75 acres. Its amenities include athletic fields, garden plots, an off-leash dog area, a playground, trails, woodlands and the historic barn.