Development continues apace in all corners of Northern Virginia, including in the Town of Leesburg, where the Town Council approved an exciting infill residential project known as “Brickyard” on January 9, 2018. Located on approximately eight acres behind the Leesburg Plaza Shopping Center, with frontage along Catoctin Circle, Brickyard will feature 59 rear-load townhomes in a neo-traditional layout.
A unique aspect of the project is the developer’s commitment to designing 20 of the townhomes as “live/work” spaces, with ground-floor offices and residential uses above. The architecture of the live-work units will include varied brick elements in a commercial form, with a predominance of windows to create the appearance of a storefront and a separate street entrance for the work space. The work space within the units may not be used for bedrooms or storage, and access to the rear of the units will be provided through a rear garage and separate private entry.
Proposed by Brad Durga of Andre, Inc., Brickyard necessitated seven zoning ordinance modifications as well as a rezoning from the Town’s CD-MUR (Crescent District-Mixed Use Residential) and R-6 (Moderate Density Residential) district to the PRN (Planned Residential Neighborhood) district.
The project was designed to meet the Town’s Crescent Design District criteria. With a goal of integrating residential activity and street activity, the project includes a unified streetscape with street trees, street lamps, crosswalks, on-street parking, and walking trails. Open space will comprise 35 percent of the project area. To enhance pedestrian safety, the project’s design treats streets as complex public spaces that are an integral part of the community’s visual panorama.
Open spaces also figure prominently in the project, and includes four key elements: (1) a central community green that will serve as the focal point of the community; (2) an outdoor plaza that will provide social interaction space, a communal mailbox area, and a pedestrian-friendly area in front of the live-work units; (3) a play area with a tot lot and picnic tables; and (4) an active recreation playing field.
Brickyard provides important pedestrian and vehicular connections to Catoctin Circle, the Leesburg Plaza Shopping Center, and the public safety center to the east. These connections will help to complete the street grid in this area of the Town and will provide a safe and efficient way to access neighborhood conveniences, such as groceries, restaurants, retail, and more.
Walsh Colucci attorney Andrew Painter and Senior Land Use Planner Christine Gleckner represented Mr. Durga and Andre, Inc., on the project. During the process, the project team worked with Town staff to resolve issues related to the provision of amenities for residents, commitment to the live-work units and a mix of uses, tree canopy and tree save areas, and overall design considerations, as well as an underground stormwater management facility.
