Founded within the past three weeks, the Herndon Business Association (HBA) has already taken a stand.
At the Tuesday, March 12 Town Council public hearing, members of the 25-member group spoke in favor of the rezoning application for the Citgo site owned by Herndon businessman Steve Mitchell.
"We will come out publicly on issues," said Herndon resident Arthur Nachman, one of the group’s founders.
Nachman said membership in the HBA is incumbent upon fulfilling one of two criteria. The member must be a commercial landowner within the town’s corporate limits or must be doing business within the corporate limits working for or paying a B-POL license to the Town of Herndon, he said.
"If there is a subject in which a member becomes interested in, a meeting is called to discuss the issue with the whole association," said Nachman, noting there are no dues to become a member.
"Information is passed back and forth until a consensus is established, then action is taken," said Nachman. Such action could be presenting views to Town staff, appointed boards, elected officials or speaking out at public hearings.
There is a need for such a group, said Nachman. "Look at other groups where businesses are members — they reach a wider geography. We are more pointed reaching," he said.
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<pc>Contributed
<cl>An artist’s rendering of the future Herndon Commerce Center that will occupy the site of the old Citgo Station located at the corner of Elden and Station streets.
<60hd>Council Breathes Life into Downtown
<sh>Herndon Commerce Center to occupy Citgo site.
<ro>"I support the project in hopes it will become a catalyst for future development."
<ro1>— Elden Street resident Doug Downer of HRI
<1b>By Sanford D. Horn
<2b>The Connection
<bt>
After nearly 20 years as an unoccupied gas station, the old Citgo site on the corner of Elden and Station streets will become home to the newly approved Herndon Commerce Center.
"This is the most important corner in all of Herndon. It announces the downtown," said developer and landowner William H. "Bill" Lauer, owner of the Reston development firm Tetra. "I saw an opportunity that something should go there. Herndon deserves to have some development. Others have tried and failed. If this succeeds, others will come to town," said Lauer, a Vienna resident.
The Herndon Town Council voted, on Tuesday evening, March 12, to approve the rezoning of the Citgo site from a CCD (Central Commercial District) to a PD-MU (Planned Development-Mixed Use) site by a vote of six to one, with vice mayor John De Noyer casting the lone nay vote.
The main difference in the rezoning is the FAR, or Floor Area Ratio — the amount of leasable floor space. Under the CCD, the FAR was .5. Rezoned as a PD-MU, the maximum allowable FAR would be 2.5, or floor space that is two and a half times greater than the square footage of the property.
The Citgo site is .26 of an acre — 11,477 square feet. The approved FAR is 2.2 and the building will be a three-story, 25,255 square foot assemblage with retail on the first floor and offices on the two other floors.
"There will be no residential — it’s too small," said Lauer, confident that he will fill the retail space. He said he expects one to two users on each of the office floors and three to five users on the first floor. A last minute change in the proffer language called for a guarantee by the developer that 100 percent of the ground floor space will be used for retail. As of the council work session the previous Tuesday, March 5, that proffer read "best efforts" regarding the filling of the ground floor with retail establishments.
A DOZEN RESIDENTS and business owners spoke before the council during the public hearing — only one speaking against the project. Of the 11 speakers in favor, 10 identified themselves as members of the newly formed Herndon Business Association.
Herndon resident Rebecca Wood, a graduate student of architecture attending Goucher College in Baltimore raised concerns about the building’s compatibility with the historic buildings in the area. "The building will overshadow historic buildings such as Town Hall and the Depot. Retain the historic integrity of downtown. We need a more sensitive design," said Wood.
"The time has come for the town to step up and allow for this development. This will be the first privately funded PD-MU development in downtown. The developer has proffered a good project," said Vine Street resident and commercial landowner Arthur Nachman, a founder of the HBA.
"I want to see downtown developed," said Earth and Fire Pottery owner Beth Wiley. "If there are more people in the downtown, it’s better for my business," said Wiley, and HBA member, whose business is on Station Street.
"Other than the Fortnightly Library and the HMC [Herndon Municipal Center], there has been no change in the downtown. I support the project in hopes it will become a catalyst for future development," said Elden Street resident Doug Downer of HRI, also a member of the HBA.
"PD-MU is a great concept – but it really hasn’t started yet," said HBA member Joe Wyzkoski, owner of Hands, Inc. "This Town Council has the opportunity to be the Town Council that started the PD-MU."
IN VOTING against the project, De Noyer said, "It dwarfs the Ice House. It’s a bit frightening to me. It’s too much building on too little land.
Mayor Carol Bruce expressed concern about the size of the building, but supported the project because the retail proffer was settled. She, along with councilmen De Noyer and Harlon Reece, raised the issue of parking. "Parking is a good problem to have," said Bruce. If there is a parking problem, people are patronizing the downtown, she said.
"I am supporting this on the merit of the building," said Town Councilman William "Bill" Tirrell. "I certainly hope this does get built. It will bring retail and it will bring people. It will be a destination," he said.
The Citgo site is still owned by Herndon businessman Steve Mitchell, who said settlement is pending. "I’m very satisfied — surprised," he said. "There was deep thought given by a majority of council. They realize the catalyst this can be. The ball can’t stop there. It will be interesting to see what comes next," said Mitchell.