Winchester Grove

Winchester Grove | Schedule: TBD | 1955 Valley Avenue, Winchester, VA 22601 |

• Size: Mixed Use Buildings (Commercial, Multi-Family Residential, & Amenities) – 144,858 sq.ft. total, Multi-Family Residential Buildings – 370,800 sq.ft. total
• Use: Apartments, amenities, storage, parking, commercial uses
• Cost: $TBD
• General Contractor: TBD
• Architect: Two Street Studio
• Historic Tax Credit: Sadler & Whitehead, LLC

 
Proposal: The proposed Winchester Grove is a mixed-use, pedestrian friendly development situated on approximately 17.35 acres in Winchester, Virginia, just south of downtown Winchester. The development will have about 550 feet of frontage along Valley Avenue. The existing site consists of 3 parcels, two of which are currently zoned B2 M1. The warehouses for Virginia Apple Blossom Storage are located on these two sites. The third site is zoned B2 and is the location of the Elms Extended Stay Lodge. The desire is to rezone all three parcels to B2 with a PUD overlay to allow for mixed use.  Winchester Grove will consist of 4 multi-family residential apartment buildings, a mixed-use structure, and a plethora of indoor and outdoor recreational amenities and open space for 440 dwelling units (maximum), 19, 467 square feet of commercial space, 13,038 square feet of indoor amenities, and over 7 acres of open space. Two of the existing historic warehouses will be renovated. The large six story warehouse will contain a mix of uses, including multi-family residential industrial loft units, neighborhood amenities, and commercial and restaurant space. The other renovated warehouse will contain multi-family residential units. A shared common space will be provided for use by residents of Winchester Grove and the public. Private neighborhood recreational amenities will include a pool and clubhouse, grilling areas, a dog park, a playground, large courtyard space, and a system of interconnected sidewalks and pedestrian trails throughout the community. The existing wooded area along the northern part of site will be preserved as open space. These woods will also serve as buffer between Winchester Grove and the adjacent residential neighborhoods. The proposed street system will provide connectivity to Valley Avenue and Hillman Drive. This development will be constructed in 2 phases, with the renovations to Buildings 1 & 2 and the construction of Buildings 3 occurring in Phase 1.
 
Relationship to the Comprehensive Plan: The proposed Winchester Grove is situated within the Southwest Geographic Planning Area of the Winchester Comprehensive Plan. The
development conforms to the objectives specified in the Geographic Planning Area of the Comprehensive Plan as well as other objectives noted in
the Plan in the following areas:

• Economic Development – The Comprehensive Plan calls for the proactive redevelopment of properties where needed to achieve maximum
  sustainable potential. A specific action item that is highlighted is the redevelopment of the Virginia Apple Storage and Elms Extended Stay Lodge
  sites as a New Urbanism type mixed use village including the use of historic tax credits for the conversion of the multistory brick warehouse
  into upper-level dwelling units.
• Land Use – Land Use objectives for the Southwest Geographic Planning Area include the construction of compact mixed-use projects as a
  viable reuse of obsolete strip commercial and industrial properties that will introduce higher density residential use near transit along Valley
  Ave while protecting single-family residential areas further to the west.
• Parks & Recreation – The Comprehensive Plan calls for the establishment of a linked system of passive recreational and natural open space
  that provides safe opportunities for walking, jogging, running, and biking while also preserving environmentally sensitive natural areas.
• Southwest Planning Area Site Redevelopment Concept – Virginia Apple Storage – Southwest Geographic Planning Area section of the
  Comprehensive Plan specifically addresses redevelopment of this site, including the adaptive reuse of the “old multi-story brick structure
  near Abrams Creek” into loft condos or apartments on the upper levels with commercial use on the ground floor. The Plan also calls for the
  removal of the Elms Extended Stay Lodge to create space for mixed-use development and the creation of a gridded street system.
• Housing – Housing objectives noted in the Comprehensive Plan include the provision of new mixed-income and mixed dwelling-type
  residential uses in a higher density setting that incorporate the quality design principles of New Urbanism. The plan also calls for the
  promotion of appropriate housing development, particularly to serve targeted populations such as young professionals and empty nesters.
• Historic Preservation & Urban Design – The Comprehensive Plan calls for New Urbanism principles to be employed in new development and
  redevelopment.

 
Team: The Winchester Grove project will be developed via a partnership between Spy Rock Real Estate and Echelon Resources, both experienced developers with a long history of success with adaptive reuse and new construction projects.  This adaptive reuse elements of the Winchester Grove project will utilize both federal and Virginia historic rehabilitation tax credits which require that any significant historic features be preserved and highlighted. The project plans will be reviewed in detail by both the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the National Park Service, with regards to compliance with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.