~Joint project between Fairfax City and Fairfax County~
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - A groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction on the Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Sept. 30 at the former Joseph Willard Health Center (3750 Blenheim Blvd.) Elected officials and staff involved with the project will deliver brief remarks. The public is invited to attend the ceremony.
Planning for this 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 which 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 public health center, childcare 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%.
“Investing in our community means making sure the facilities our residents depend on are ready to serve them for generations to come. This project reflects that commitment, and it demonstrates what Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax can accomplish through a strong partnership,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said.
Amenities and Services
- Fairfax County Health Department’s public health center will provide a wide array of services including immunizations, pregnancy testing and maternity intake, tuberculosis (TB) testing and treatment, HIV and STI testing, newcomer health screenings, and referral assistance. Other services will include issuance of vital records (birth, death, and marriage certificates) and enrollment into the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) supplemental nutrition program. Additionally, the Region 5 school health offices will operate in the new center.
- 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 & Toddler Connection and early childhood 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.
“This new community center is the culmination of years of work by so many people in both Fairfax City and Fairfax County,” Fairfax City Mayor Catherine Read said. “Long-term projects like this are not always completed, and I join Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay in celebrating what this groundbreaking event heralds for our residents. From childcare to the senior center, the health center to the basketball court, every generation will be served by this collaboration. It is a great investment for the future of our community.”
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.
To learn more, visit Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Health and Community Center.