Represented by the firm’s Leesburg office, Knutson Companies will build 64 multi-family dwelling units and Lansdowne Development Group will combine commercial mixed-use and multi-family residential development to promote a more vibrant downtown experience.
The Knutson Companies application is a special exception to permit 64 multi-family dwelling units in the B-1 (downtown business) and H-1 (Old and Historic) overlay districts. The prominent site is located between South King Street and Church Street along the NOVA Parks property containing the W&OD Trail and the Town Branch Creek. This southern gateway property to downtown Leesburg will provide a 4,000-square-foot commercial building and outdoor plaza area adjacent to South King Street with the four multi-family residential buildings behind. Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh assisted Knutson Companies with obtaining demolition permits and general concept plan approval from the Board of Architectural Review in addition to the special exception approval for the residential units. Knutson Companies is continuing to work with NOVA Parks to obtain approval for improvements to the creek and open space located on the NOVA Parks property. The new dwelling units will provide badly needed residential living in downtown Leesburg to support the businesses and provide after-hours activity to promote a more vibrant downtown experience.
The Lansdowne Development Group (LDG) application was for rezoning in Leesburg’s Crescent Design District known as Crescent Parke. Crescent Parke will provide a mix of commercial, office, retail, restaurant uses, and possibly a hotel in the future, along with 344 multi-family, two-over-two and townhouse residential, including 70 age-restricted units. Crescent Parke first sought a town plan amendment to change a land bay from a commercial use designation to a residential use designation as well as re-sizing the Davis Avenue Extension connection between South King Street and Gateway Drive from a planned four-lane roadway to a two-lane roadway, which they received one year ago. LDG spent the last year on the rezoning application to change the zoning district boundaries on the property to the Crescent Design District Commercial (CD-C), Mixed Use Optional (CD-MUO), and Residential High Density (CD-RH) subdistricts. Crescent Parke also required rezoning approval for the four- and five-story buildings proposed for the project. The town received a generous proffer package as part of this rezoning, which includes construction of the Davis Avenue Extension including the bridge across Tuscarora Creek, the dedication of the 21-acre Olde Izaak Walton Park property, which the town has been leasing, plus contributions of funds for schools, park improvements, and transportation improvements. With the inclusion of the park property, the project will provide more than 50% of the total land area as open space. Crescent Parke represents the second major project for LDG in Leesburg’s Crescent Design District, a district intended to revitalize and redevelop the town’s area east of the Old and Historic downtown district. Crescent Place, LDG’s first project with residences and businesses already occupied, is considered a great success and a boost to downtown Leesburg.
