Although the final approval is not slated until mid-January, the Falls Church City Council tonight voted to give a “first reading” approval to the Akridge Company’s long-awaited F.C. Gateway mixed use project in the 500 block of N. Washington St. tonight. The vote was a unanimous 7-0.

The project in its current configuration (the fourth modified submission by Akridge) is composed of a Class A all-commercial building and a predominantly residential second building with 200 units for sale or rental. The fact the project is 3/8th of a mile from the East Falls Church Metro station is partly what would contribute to as much as $688,000 annual net revenues to the City, along with a $1.425 million one-time contribution to the City schools and other developer proffers.

The project first same to a joint session of the City Council and Planning Commission in June 2006, and there was virtually no action between June 2008 and April 2010, during the depths of the recession. The developers have more planned meetings with the Gresham Place and East Jefferson residential neighbors to the site, and there will be reviews by many City boards and commissions before it will come to a final vote.