Monday, May 16 — Bob Young, president of the Falls Church Economic Development Authority (EDA), issued a statement praising the momentous event last Friday morning that involved the signing of no less than 66 documents needed to complete the City of F.C.’s lease of about 10 acres at the City’s west end, culminating a multi-year effort to arrange for what promises to be an astounding mixed-use contribution to the City. The following is the text of Young’s letter issued this morning:

By Bob Young

On behalf of the City Council and the Economic Development Authority, this past Friday morning I was extraordinarily pleased to sign my name 66 times to the documents needed to implement the West End Project. This is truly a monumental event for our Little City, and when linked with the prospective development of the adjacent Virginia Tech and Metro sites, will have an enormously beneficial effect on our community for years to come. Among other things, for example, the Project will generate a largescale expansion of places to go and things to do, prompt a significant increase in affordable housing units, and spur a major decrease over time in the tax rate.

 In celebrating this milestone achievement, I think it is important to likewise acknowledge the extraordinary contributions on the part of many, many people over the years of effort it took to bring it about. While it’s not possible to name them all, they were an integral part of literally hundreds of public meetings that included virtually all of our Boards and Commissions, the City Council, and scores of community members. Among these many meetings, the visioning session held by the Urban Land Institute, at the urging of the City’s Community Planning and Economic Development Director, Jim Snyder, needs to be singled out. At this key event, participants laid out the collective vision for how the 10 acre property might be developed, which is about to become a reality.

In addition, great credit should go to City Manager, Wyatt Shields and City Attorney, Carol McCoskrie, and their staffs for their dedicated and tireless efforts over the last two years to help make this all happen. Likewise, I want to acknowledge the role played by Falls Church News Press Owner/Publisher, Nick Benton, who for more than 30 years has advocated for sensible commercial development in the City and, most recently, for this Project in particular.

In closing, let me again express my thanks to everyone mentioned above and the hundreds of others who volunteered their time and effort to bring the West End Project to this important point.