County plans to help fund new McLean arts center

The McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) could potentially get financial help from Fairfax County for its campaign to transform a long-vacant commercial space into a new arts center.

The Board of Supervisors asked staff Tuesday (June 25) to evaluate whether the MPA Downtown project could be eligible for a public investment from the county’s Economic Opportunity Reserve (EOR), which can be used to support “activities “economic development projects of strategic importance”, as well as investment development projects and real estate purchases.

Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman, who requested the review, stressed that his matter to the board was only a “request for information,” not a commitment to any decision.

“This is a request to the county manager to look at this project and prepare an assessment that we can review,” he said before the unanimous vote. “…I will just say that I really think this is an economic opportunity in central McLean to do something that is really going to help the community, which is why I would like us to look at it.” »

Based at the McLean Community Center at 1234 Ingleside Avenue, the MPA launched a capital campaign last November to raise funds for a new arts and education center that would occupy retail space on the ground floor of The Signet (6910 Fleetwood Road).

The Signet, a seven-story condominium building in downtown McLean, has filled its 123 residential units, but its 5,000 square feet of commercial space has remained empty since its delivery in 2018, according to the board of directors. Bierman administration.

“A vacant store in the heart of downtown McLean is hampering ongoing revitalization efforts,” Bierman said, noting that the space is next to a park that is “often vacant” and near Mars headquarters and McLean’s 130-unit Astoria residential development.

In the works since 2019, MPA’s proposed arts center will feature two galleries that will host five to ten exhibitions per year, a cafe with an outdoor terrace, an education space with a ceramics studio, staff offices and a small retail store selling gifts and art supplies.

The nonprofit hopes to create a “dynamic gathering place” that supports events, including at Signet Park, and complements its existing offerings at the MCC, executive director Lori Carbonneau told FFXnow.

“We are deeply grateful for Supervisor Bierman’s interest in this initiative and his vision of a vibrant community with sustainable growth,” Carbonneau said. “We look forward to working with Fairfax County staff to explore funding opportunities through the Fairfax County Economic Opportunity Reserve.”

MPA signed a contract for the space last fall and hopes to close it in the third quarter of this year, or between July and September. Its fundraising campaign raised nearly $2 million, but fell short of its goal, with the project expected to cost $6 million to purchase and construct the site.

Bierman sees the arts center as a potential hub of activity that could attract visitors and additional investment to downtown McLean.

“While the MPA Arts & Education Center will be a valuable cultural asset to downtown McLean, I believe it has the potential to also serve as a catalyst for economic development in downtown McLean, attracting new businesses and by promoting efforts to revitalize the region. » he told the board.

Established in 2015, the county’s Economic Opportunity Reserve was expanded in 2020 to also allow for investments in projects intended to address the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous recipients included the Tysons Partnership, which received a $1 million grant to establish an anchor organization now known as the Tysons Community Alliance.

In accordance with the board’s direction, county staff will prepare an initial assessment of the project for the Board of Supervisors to consider at a future Economic Initiatives Committee meeting.

Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw suggested the assessment take into account the MPA’s ability to cover the arts centre’s operating costs over the long term.

“If we’re willing to pay $2 million, we want to make sure they can make it work,” Walkinshaw said. “The implementation is one thing, but its long-term operation represents a greater cost. »

Board Chairman Jeff McKay confirmed that staff will take that into account when making its recommendation, and Bierman accepted the suggestion as a “friendly amendment.”

“We definitely want to look at that and look at the current opportunities for the success of this space,” Bierman said.