Land Development Services

Fairfax County, Virginia

CONTACT INFORMATION: Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Friday, 9:15 a.m. - 4 p.m. Please note that visitors may not be added to in-person queues past 3:45 p.m.

703-222-0801
TTY 711

12055 Government Center Pkwy
Fairfax, VA 22035

Bill Hicks,
Director

Adaptive Reuse Program

Need Help with PLUS? Visit the LDS PLUS Support page.

Adaptive reuse is the process of changing the use of an existing building for any purpose other than it was originally designed for.  This change of use requires a building permit and a certificate of occupancy/non-residential use permit to be issued even if no alterations are required.  The Adaptive Reuse Program seeks to promote the reuse of existing buildings by providing incentives, guidance, and reduced review timeframe.

Change of Use and the Virginia Existing Building Code

For a change of use the Virginia Existing Building Code provides an alternative to full compliance with the code for new buildings while ensuring adequate life safety, health, and welfare are provided.  The code defines a change of use as a change in the purpose or level of activity within a building that involves a change in application of the requirements of the code.

Is My Project Eligible for the Program?

The program is available to projects meeting the following criteria:

  • Building was constructed prior to the year 2000.
  • The proposed change of use is to 50 percent or more of the total building area.

What Does the Program Offer?

The program offers the following incentives:

  • Reduced waiting times during the building plan review process.  Skip the backlog of plans in queue.
  • Pre-submission and post-submission meetings.

How Do I Get Started?

Please contact Building Plan Review at 703-631-5101, TTY 711, or via email to verify whether your project is eligible for the Adaptive Reuse Program and to schedule a pre-submission meeting.    

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