A joint project between the City of Fairfax and the county officially broke ground this week as elected officials and community leaders gathered to mark the start of construction on the Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center. Once completed, the redeveloped site at 3750 Blenheim Blvd. in Fairfax will bring health, wellness and recreation together on one campus.
The joint redevelopment project came about following years-long evaluations conducted by both the city and county. A unique joint redevelopment agreement is now in place to develop a conceptual plan for this campus and both jurisdictions are working closely together to make it happen.
“I value tremendously our relationship with all of the localities around us and within us in so many ways. A project like this is evidence that those relationships matter,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay. “We are taking care of our community, while also cementing the relationship between Fairfax City and Fairfax County.”
About the Project
Planning for the joint project between Fairfax County and Fairfax City began a decade ago when the two jurisdictions began thinking about replacing two aging facilities: the county’s Joseph Willard Health Center and the city’s Green Acres Center. Both buildings are mid-20th-century former schools that have reached the end of their useful life cycle.
The solution is to demolish the existing health center, which is located within the City of Fairfax on land owned by Fairfax County, and replace it with a modern health and community center that integrates health and human services programming with recreational activities that serve residents from both jurisdictions.
The project includes construction of a new LEED Gold certified, 100,000-square-foot facility with all electric building systems and equipment, which will include a health center, child care services, gymnasium, indoor track, fitness center, senior center and multiuse classrooms. The total cost of the project is $127.5 million, with Fairfax County paying 58% and Fairfax City paying 42%.
A Project with Wellness In Mind
At the groundbreaking, Congressman James Walkinshaw noted that feedback from residents showed a need and desire for physical access to modern healthcare services. He noted that more than ever, as people are losing healthcare coverage and finding themselves in need of services, projects like this are bringing more of what the community needs to thrive.
“This facility is going to help us close that gap [of healthcare access] a little bit and make that access more available to people who really need it,” Walkinshaw said.
Braddock District Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer commented on how the project also takes into account that public health needs to include spaces for behavioral health and programs focusing on community building.
“We now acknowledge that health isn’t just about physical health, but behavioral health is an important piece of that,” Heizer said. “This new center will focus on public health access and services that provide connection and community and belonging for all ages from children to seniors. This is a model for the future.”
Amenities and Services
- The Fairfax County Health Department’s Region 5 school health offices will operate in the new center, and the department will provide a health clinic, X-ray services, pharmacy, vital records, dentistry, and services for women, infants, and children. Region 5 school health offices will be relocated to the new facility.
- The Fairfax City Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department will relocate their administrative staff to the center along with a variety of services including preschool and youth programs, indoor fitness programs, and the city’s Young at Heart Senior Center.
- The Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services will offer Infant and Toddler Connection and early childhood education programs.
- Two levels of underground parking will serve the center, and an enclosed pedestrian bridge will connect the new building to the adjacent Sherwood Community Center.
Project Timeline
Construction activities began Aug. 3, and the project is anticipated to be complete by late 2029. Grimm + Parker Architects designed the Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center and the Christman Company is constructing the building. Fairfax County’s Building Design and Construction Division, Department of Public Works, is managing the project in coordination with city’s project management team, The Blue Heron Leadership Group.
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