Townhouse Project Proposed for Vacant Parking Lots Near Old Hospital Building
Public can comment on plan, which does not require public hearing or Council approval, at city's website. Plus, local government meetings for the week of January 22.
by Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Sixty-three new townhouses could be coming to 3.87 acres on Fall Hill Avenue across the street from the old Mary Washington Hospital building.
The development—to be called “Mary’s Landing”—is proposed to take the place of parking lots in the 400 block of Hunter Street, Elm Street and Germania Street that have long stood largely vacant.
The buildings at 2215 Fall Hill Avenue, which is a detached single-family house, and 435 Hunter Street, an office building that houses the Rappahannock EMS Council, will be demolished as part of the development.
The Medical Arts building at 2301 Fall Hill Avenue will remain. The City’s planning director, Chuck Johnston, said there will likely be a proposal in the next few months to adapt this building into apartments.
The city’s planning office received the site plan for the development of the vacant lots from Webb and Associates last week, Johnston said. The plan was posted to the city’s website (under Development Review) on Friday after review by staff.
Johnston said that because the project is a re-subdivision of existing lots, it does not go through a public hearing process and can be approved administratively.
The property is zoned as a Creative Maker District.
The public can comment on the plan through February 20 by emailing Marne Sherman, senior development administrator, at mesherman@fredericksburgva.gov.
The vacant lots and the buildings at 2301 Fall Hill and 435 Hunter Street have been for sale along with the old Mary Washington Hospital building at 2300 Fall Hill.
The sale of the old hospital building itself has not yet closed, according to Ben Keddie, vice president and managing broker with Coldwell Banker Commercial Elite.
Johnston said a draft concept for adapting the old hospital building into 219 “market rate” apartments and some ground level commercial space “is being discussed,” but no formal applications have been submitted.
The Medical Arts building would also be adapted into apartments.
“It is likely the density of units for both projects (the old hospital building and the Medical Arts building) would require a ‘special use’ review, with the Planning Commission making a recommendation to City Council,” Johnston said. “Both the Commission and the Council would have public hearings. I believe we will see some sort of plan in the next couple months.”
Local government meetings for the week
Fredericksburg
City Council meets on Tuesday, January 23. There is a work session at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meeting at 7 p.m.
Spotsylvania
The School Board will hold a special meeting on Monday, January 22, at 5:30 p.m. The agenda is here. The superintendent will present the recommended budget for fiscal year 2025. A closed session to discuss personnel matters will follow.
The Board of Supervisors will meet on Tuesday, January 23, at 6 p.m. The agenda is here.
Stafford
There will be a joint work session of the School Board and Board of Supervisors to discuss the budget on Tuesday, January 23, at 5 p.m. The agenda is here.
The joint work session will be immediately followed by a School Board work session to discuss revenue and non-discretionary spending.
Local Obituaries
To view local obituaries or to send a note to family and loved ones, please visit our website at the link that follows.
Support Award-winning, Locally Focused Journalism
In less than a year, FXBG Advance has become the news leader in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and Stafford through its innovative mix of:
Twice-daily newsletter - At 6 AM and 5 PM every Monday through Friday, the Advance brings the most important news directly to your inbox.
Education Reporting - Adele Uphaus has won multiple awards for her coverage of education issues locally and across the state. Now, she brings her experience, insights, and expertise to the Advance, providing our citizens some of the finest education writing and reporting in the commonwealth.
Political Reporting - From council meetings to campaigns, and fundraising to finance, the Advance is returning the Fourth Estate to its rightful place as a government watch dog.
Breaking News - From court cases to high-profile government moves, the Advance is the first to inform residents.
Investigative Journalism - Last year, the Advance broke major stories around improperly filed election documents, misleading sample ballots, disenfranchising Spotsylvania Count School parents, and book bans.
Election Coverage - The Advance offered the most complete coverage of the 2023 election, with in-depth candidate profiles, daily tracking of events, leading debates, and pre-dawn to post-midnight Election Day coverage. And 2024 brings even greater coverage.
Spotlights - From local businesses to nonprofit organizations and regional leaders, the Advance brings the people who make things happen to your attention.
Multi-partisan Commentary - Martin Davis is a 20-plus-year journalist recognized for superior commentary and political writing; Shaun Kenney has his hands on the pulse of political leaders across the Commonwealth. Together, they bring an unparalleled level of analysis and insight into the issues that drive debate in our region.
Political Cartoons - Clay Jones is a nationally recognized talent who draws weekly for CNN. He has returned to Fredericksburg to level his critical eye and razor-sharp drawing at the topics which make us both laugh, and look closer at ourselves.
New Dominion Podcast - Each week, Martin Davis and Shaun Kenney interview guests from across the region and the state. Growing to over 1,000 listeners in just six months, NDP has become a leading force in political, cultural, and social discussion.
We thank each and every one of you who have made the Advance a part of your day, and we’re excited to say that more-exciting announcements are just around the corner as we continue to innovate and expand our coverage of the region.
The donations of individual readers have made this year possible. Please join the hundreds who are supporting excellence in journalism by subscribing for just $8 a month.
Where does your money go?
It goes to support the great journalists we have - like Adele Uphaus - and the ones we look to hire in the year ahead.
If you can spare $8 a month, we’ll be both grateful, and reward your trust in us with more journalism, more stories, and more connections to organizations and people who make our region a great place to live.
If you can’t, thank you for reading the FXBG Advance!, and consider sharing us with your friends.
In 2024, let’s build an even better Advance - together!
Thank you for reading and supporting FXBG Advance.
-Martin Davis, Editor-in-Chief
How do you get 16 townhouses an acre?