Evening star., 1955-02-09

ant employed by the county.
The two largest parcels pro-
posed for the industrial or busi-
Second Of o Series
ness category are the most con-
troversial-some 1000 acres for
Burke Airport and another 1000
acres for a Government agency
dispersal site near Centreville.
The Planning Commission al.
ready has gone on recodd stat
ing that serious consideration"
should be given to dropping these
two items. -
But Mr.. McHugh says he found
the Government had compel
ling" reasons to pick Burke as
the site for q new National Air
port to serve Washington, and he
recommends that the county ac-
cept the idea.
Cites Two Advantages.
Burke as an airport site has
two big advantages-air trafic
would not interfere with existing
airportS-and 1t has quick access
to the District" reports Mr..
McHugh. He adds:
"Inasmuch as Fairfax is an
integral part Of the Washington
Metropolitan Area. it must ex-
pect to play its reasonable part
in fulfilling the sound develop
ment of the area and, in the case
Of Burke. in promoting the safety
and convenience Of the air
travelling public. The site is rela-
lively isolated and In an un-
developed part of the county"
He notes that the airport
could be expected to employ 1000
persons, many of whom would
live and shop in Fairfax County.
He cites real estate transactions
from other areas where airports
were located to show that they
do not have an adverse effect
in land values.
The proposed Government
agency dispersal site recon-
mended by Mr.. McHugh stretches
between Centreville and Chan
tilly. He states that he has no
particular Government agency
in mind, but believes the area
suits the requirements for dis
persal of a nonstrategic agency
and would be an asset to the
western end Of the county.
Other parcels recommended
for light industrial use total
about 2,500 acres, which is 10
times as much industrial land
now in use in the county.
Concurs With Hoyt.
Mr.. McHugh concurs with
the recommendations of Homer
Hoyt, who urged Fairfax County
in his economic survey to en-
courage industrial expansion so
new tax sources could be tapped
to reduce the burden on residen-
tial real estate. But Mr.. McHugh
cautions that the county should
be careful to invite only the
most desirable industries. He
cites the new Melpar plant on
Arlington boulevard as an ex-
ample of the type of industry
the county should look for.
Largest new industrial parcel
proposed by Mr.. McHugh con-
tains 1,470 acres. It stretches
along the east side of Shirley
highway. on either side of the
RF&P Railroad tracks from
F'ranconia road to Pohick road.
Another 302 acres for indus
trial use is proposed along the
Southern Railway tracks be-
tween Edsal road and Back Lick
road, the site of some existing
industrial property. Just north
west Of the town of Vienna, MIR.
McHugh places 167 industrial
acres between Beulah road and
the Washington & Old Domin-
ion Railroad tracks.
Other industrial sites-existing
ana proposed-in the McHugh
report include: Sunset Hills, 81
acres; Melpar, SO acres; south Of
Bren Mar along the Southern
Railway, % acres; south of Alex
andria along the RF&P, 292
acres; north of Huntington
where Holmes Run flows into
Hunting Greek, so acres, and
Beacon Airport, 80 acres.
Shopping Center Plans.
Shopping centers are planned
for the county according to
neighborhoods. Mr.. McHughs
plan divides the suburban Sec
ton Of the county first into So
neighborhoods. About 1900
acres are allocated to each
neighborhood by 1880, when the
county population is expected to
reach $4,000. An eight-acre
shopping center, containing such
stores as a grocery, drugstore,
general merchandise, hardware
store, beauty shop and the like,
is proposed within each neigh
borhood.
For each five neighborhoods.
Mr.. McHugh recommends a COM
munity retail center /. to serve
5000 families. A 53-acre site ID
suggested for the community
type retail center. and such
facilities as department stores,
banks, restaurants and smaller
stores are proposed.
Mr.. McHugh believes these
community retail centers should
be at least two miles apart. Many
Of the community retail centers
proposed are in existing business
districts, but few are as large as
he recommends. The community
retail centers are suggested at
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