The original master plan called for a significant amount of light industrial development on the 550-acre site, but in 2007, Lerner asked us to revisit the plan. They wanted to reconsider the suburban separation of uses and the auto-dominant land use plan and instead create a vibrant, mixed-use urban district that would appeal to corporations and more residents. As we began strategizing with the Lerner team, we all recognized that the best way to accomplish this was to draw people in and engender a strong sense of community.

Lerner challenged us to generate a new concept for the master plan, creating a pedestrian-friendly sense of place together with a premier setting for corporate use. Sustainability was an important goal. We focused on open spaces, including a civic plaza, a town green, and a linear park. We also explored the creation of meaningful spaces between buildings, pedestrian links, and the visual appeal of practical environmental measures such as bioretention areas and stream buffers.

Exploring the Possibilities

The ability to refine this master plan and plan a new urban center has been an exciting process. The use of 3D modeling enabled us to explore these spaces and details carefully. Shifting the focal point of the development away from the mall to more civic-oriented public spaces to the north will generate many new opportunities for this urban center. Already, the refinement of the master plan has succeeded in bringing in a major new office building—the recently completed LEED^® Gold headquarters for the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation. Our next steps include the development of Windmill Parc, a new multi-family community on the southeastern corner of the property.

Dewberry has been fortunate to work with Lerner on this important transformation. They brought a clear sense of purpose to this process. Dulles Town Center is now a much more appealing and lively urban environment as a result.