Parking is crucial, more than green space, but a comprehensive plan to have parking and attractive space for a large retail anchor is key to bringing people downtown. No large retailer will ever come to open a store here if an entire block is used for a park, when we only have 5 blocks in the whole downtown.

One thing we absolutely do not need in downtown is more parking. Businesses there are frequented by local residents, not drivers from other parts of the county. The city should encourage more bars and restaurants to move into downtown (I like your brewhouse idea) and then extend the Cue Bus hours to discourage driving, thereby promoting a halfway-decent, walkable nightlife.

I think that a major upgrade to the Safeway shopping center would help the rest of the businesses downtown a lot. I don't do the bulk of my shopping downtown because that Safeway is old and poorly managed. Because I head south to Burke for my grocery shopping, I end up doing a lot of my peripheral shopping down there too. If the downtown Fairfax Safeway were nicer, it would put me downtown at least twice a week and therefore more likely to stick around for lunch or dinner too, etc.

I think the park is a terrible idea. Fairfax already has great parks. But I also don't think that the gravel parking lot is the deal-breaker here. It's really not as big of a deal as people are saying it is to park in the garage and walk. We're only talking two blocks. (And yes, I'm a mother of small children who attends the farmer's market.) What we need are the larger businesses to thrive, and bring the people in the neighborhood so the smaller businesses will do well by proxy.

I think there are things both long term and short term that could be done. Long term strategic planning that puts more residents in close proximity creates more people who WALK downtown rather than drive & park. The city doesn't seem to be very condo friendly and that type of housing underlies thriving urban areas - even little ones like Fairfax.

Having a city center green space provides space for things like concerts. Herndon holds a very successful summer music series that brings people from all over the area there: http://www.herndonrocks.com/ They have no more parking than we do.

Leesburg, which has an historic downtown and one parking garage, has a merchant association that has worked together to establish their First Friday: http://leesburgfirstfriday.com/ and also Girls Night Out on Third Thursdays: http://www.leesburgmag.com/Events/GirlsNightOut.html

Our City has venues that can be used for special events and the Chamber of Commerce or a Merchants Association could host a special event for area wedding and event planners to showcase places like Old Town Hall & Sherwood. Arts Events & Fall for the Book events could also be held all year around downtown.

And that is just scratching the surface . . .

I think there is a chicken & egg dilemma with downtown because merchants will not sign up for leases in an area they think can't support them, and people will not come downtown without a robust mix of restaurants, retail and special events.

That particular lot is needed for parking. Overall however -more restaurants/nightlife is needed - too quiet, too stodgy. And what's with Woody's Ice Cream blocking off lots & lots of parking spots "For Woody's Customers Only" AT ALL TIMES- - WHEN THEY AREN'T EVEN OPEN. Who allowed that to happen? Bad PR for Woody's.

Where to begin? Wish we could start all over again. Downtown Fairfax is uninviting and not at all the charming "destination" they hoped it would be. The new architecture is awful and it's dangerous to walk around with all those cars whizzing by. Too bad that our leaders didn't dare to redirect traffic and establish a pedestrian-friendly area (with aforementioned fountains, clock, lamps, etc) that would incorporate both the historic Main Street section and the redeveloped University Dr/North St intersection. And who designed that clumsy parking garage? I could go on, but instead I go to Fairfax Corner.

Open space, parks, picnic areas all sound very nice, but every time I'm in the city that parking area is in full use. Taking that parking lot away only puts stress on the business owners. One comment that I read said, something about the parking garage and that it's the job of business owners to get people into their respective stores. This is very true, but you're asking owners to run their businesses without an essential tool to their success...parking! It's like asking a baseball player to play without a bat, but telling him it's his job to hit the ball into the outfield. Just doesn't make sense to me.

...And while I'm at it can we PLEASE use some money to hire a traffic cop to direct drivers to use BOTH lanes on Main St. as you cross over University...PLEASE?!? You can't turn left onto Old Lee Hwy people...use both lanes. Thanks!

Green or Open Space needs to be proportionate to the size of the downtown area in which it will sit. If it takes the majority of a block in a very small town, that's too much. Take Pozer Garden and re-work it into a usable space. Nobody is ever in that park. Make it multi functional so people can enjoy it. In the meantime, help support the businesses in downtown in this horrible economy, instead of blaming them or saying they can be replaced easily. Support them by going downtown this weekend and shopping and eating. It's obvious they are all fighting to survive. And take the time to look around and ask yourself what the town needs to be a better place.

I wonder how many people who want a park would ask their clients to walk an extra block or ask them to cruise around to find a parking space. If you run your own business you want to accommodate your customers in every way possible. Removing the parking is making it that much harder for all those businesses surviving in Old Town Fairfax under very difficult conditions to continue to do business. These people feed their families and and raise their children with these businesses and the park without parking is taking that away. Ask the owner of the surf shop whose business had been erased from the downtown until the last outreach meeting. How many more businesses will be erased by converting the parking to a park? Find another way to lock up the funds and spend the 2.8 million dollars in a way that helps the downtown not hurts it. Take the time to include the business community in the design process to arrive at a solution both residents and businesses can live with

Other urban areas are able to thrive with complicated parking, so we could too. Catherine Reed said it best in the descriptions of Herndon and Leesburg. But there is nothing special to bring people to downtown Fairfax. As others have said, we should concentrate our efforts on bringing an anchor, such as a move theater or brewhouse, and encouraging more development to create a critical mass. Once downtown becomes a real destination, then removing 39 spaces won't stop people from coming.

I agree with Stan regarding the chaos of the area and concepts that are likely to attract people. There is so much local history that can be shared with visitors to downtown. The key is to tell those stories in a cool and exciting way, attractive to various age groups and people. Pedestrian friendly with attractions marked and worthy of sharing - proud to take pictures of. The character of a city is often defined by its uniqueness; events and the use of its spaces. I think Asheville, NC is a great example. Currently downtown Fairfax looks like a city without an identity. Planners should have made advances to the historic buildings that existed. It doesn't have to be a planned "town center" with shopping experiences duplicated all over our area. It should stand proudly as the center attraction of Fairfax County. Make it a destination with an exciting calendar of events. Come on! Think art, sports, music, innovation and festivals. Fill those spaces with rare shops, eateries, intimate cafes and beverage spots. I think our visitor center is shameful. In addition to history, it should be full of relocation information, brochures, merchandise (cool tees, mugs, stickers, books, etc.) Significant revenue can be earned at our visitors center. I'm done, but the architecture should have a classic yet progressive theme, then bring on the excitement. See downtown Asheville, NC for reference.

How about something to draw families to eat and shop that looks inviting...put-put golf course.....fountain spouts like Fairfax Corner out door entertainment facility. I agree Safeway (Willard Way) renovation would make a huge improvement

Downtown Fairfax needs more live-in residents to add vitality to the local businesses and to attract new ones. Re-develop the Safeway strip center to mixed-use, tie it into the historic section, and add condominiums above all of the new commercial properties. A brew pub is also an excellent destination idea; perhaps Dominion or Dogfish could put a location in town, or maybe a new Fairfax-based local brew (Lederer Lager?).

If we need parking lots so badly, then why is the parking garage -- the FREE, public, conveniently located one -- always empty?! Yes, the gravel lot is about 1/2 block closer to a few existing places (Firehouse and the old town hall), but that area of the city is fully occupied. What of all the >> vacant << retail space adjacent to the garage and across the street from it?

Providing pedestrians with safer crossing options on North, Main, Sager, and University, perhaps sky walks or mid-block crossings, will provide better economic lift than paving an already congested corner lot.

First, as a business owner I don’t want to bite the hand that feed me, we love our Fairfax residents, I am also one of them, and I met and befriended a lot of you during the 15 years in business in old town. We know, and the customers that frequent our establishments always complain about, it is not enough parking. The so call garage is sitting on a development that is .25 occupied and the businesses on that development already complain b/c the office employees or guests’ park on the unassigned spaces. In addition 40 spaces will go to the townhouses been built next door. What would it happen when the development it is fully occupied?
What we are asking for it is very similar to the other plan. Our plan also calls for creating more park area. The only difference, we are asking to preserve 39 spaces right in front of the busy intersection and our businesses, instead of making approximately 25 sq. ft. of additional park and 12 spaces of parking instead of 39. The plan we support will cost less and it’s more useful. We are in this together, whatever happens to downtown it will affect all of us. The idea of keeping the 39 spaces instead of an additional 25 sq. ft. of park in front of a busy intersection and our business is a step to the right direction. It is a good compromise, we all can live with. Thank you.

The two ideas for a movie theater and a child-friendly attraction are great. While I am not sure where it could go, the Council should try to attract a movie theater. A regular one--not a discount one or an artsy theater. A theater brings people in who will eat before or after (or both!). We have lots of restaurants/bars so we don't need more of that. We need something that will attract people. Some people go to the movies every week. It is common to get tickets and then walk around "window-shopping"-maybe then some of the local shops will get more business. A theater brings business year round. I will go to Fairfax Corner tomorrow and have lunch and stroll around the shops. I'd love to do that in the City. I don't believe that parking is an issue. It is not too much to ask people to walk a couple of blocks and people don't mind if they are walking through a nice area. Walking through town might even encourage people to shop or eat someplace new. Elimination of the small gravel lot should not dramatically impact businesses. The gravel lot has not always been there and it has always been planned that it will be an extension of the park. I support green space but I agree with a previous poster that that Poser garden, if expanded, should include more useful features. I like the idea of a child friendly fountain. A regularly scheduled event (first Friday or concerts) in the Poser park would also help. Events at City Hall or Van Dyke do nothing for the Old Town businesses.

I think we need a public plaza to attract people to downtown for events and as a place to just sit down and enjoy public life. It is certainly not a panacea. We need more residential development near Old Town, we need to bring more employers near downtown, and we need a greater diversity of retail businesses downtown.

I don't think we need more parking. We might need more conveniently placed parking, such as on-street parking, but that is different than giving over more land to surface parking.

I am a new resident in the City of Fairfax. The one thing that would "jump start" the downtown is some type of "central area" however, it may be too late for that. Therefore, I agree with the suggestion regarding a movie theater. Putt-putt is a great idea but realistically it is only used about 6 months out of the year. If you look at Fairfax Corner or the Reston Town Center together the center fountain area and movie theater bring in people of all ages year round. Even a new smaller cinema cafe would bring in a lot of people. The ones in the Newport News/Hampton area are very nice and very popular. I agree adding a movie theater won't fix the parking issue - it will add to the congestion. But the question was... what will "jump start" the downtown. A separate (but related) issue is parking. And yes, parking is a problem - the garage helps BUT I agree with other comments that it is very difficult to access and dark. It's not an easy fix. Good luck to the City planners!

As I agree with alot of the above, I beleive alot of you are missing standard marketing practice info. First, with the councils plan for the park, there are no spaces being lost so I dont get alot of the Hubub, actually gaing a few spots, just 30 yards east, whats missing is CITY support on the whole. Wedsight info is pour, there are also 3 main events a year down there, there should be 10, or more, I reference Herndon live or Old town Alexandria that do many events, you also dont have a strong Restaraunt week that truely brings out thousands of people, lastly, Who runs this Downtown coalition of businesses I hear so much about, why are they not putting together their own marketing and getting involved as a more powerful group to conbat some of these problems? Im on the side of the busineses clearly, I just think everyone needs to life up from the boot straps and stop screaming about something your really not losing, and take a look at your own marketing.

We do not need more parking. There is enough space in the Old Town Plaza garage that lies empty. And expanding the garden is not going to make me visit the city. So how do you draw people back?

The Safeway Courthouse Plaza needs to be gutted. That store is an absolute disgrace and is making the entire area look shoddy. What a disgrace! There is no nightlife so the city MUST work with the GMU community to support businesses that can provide it. Lastly, the city needs to do a better job of attracting better retailers and restaurants b/c until you give people reasons to visit, they will take their spending money elsewhere. Speaking of that, Im heading to Northside Social today! Is that in Fairfax? No. Enough said!

Movie theater and mini-golf/ice rink space could help. Why are all the new restaurants in the Downtown area counter service only? Mama Lucia's could have been a success as a table service restaurant. The buildings are so tall that it's not an inviting space to cruise around. Make it a pedestrian only area and you might get more traction.

Make the downtown Fairfax area into a town center concept...restaurants, movies, shopping of all types and peripheral parking that's close to everything. People need to feel safe walking so it needs to have proper planning for a more friendly and safe pedestrian center. Encourage mass transit with buses too, anything to increase the foot traffic. Also, a theme can be applied to the area...a town center with history! More people = Better economy for the entire downtown area!

Downtown is surrounded by residents, not to mention a massive college population. We don't need more residential space created, we need INTERESTING things to do and nice places to eat. People drive straight through the City to OTHER shops and restaurants. The shopping center does need a major overhaul and, I hate to say it, is becoming quite an attraction to the homeless population... As one writer above said, the City is a city without an identity. A perfect description.

A great point about lack of identity. What places like Asheville, NC and Austin, TX have in common is that they do have an identity. Austin's motto is "Keep it Weird" and in Asheville it's "Where Weird is Normal" (can't see that really working in Fairfax City.) Those cities draw the creative types and there are a lot of young people there. Fairfax City isn't a destination for GMU students (unless there's a band at Auld Shabeen) and I don't think very many people walk here from where they live. I do think we need high density housing closer to the downtown - I live in one of the few condo buildings in Fairfax and we chose it because we can walk everywhere.

3 words: Great American Restaurant.

I say this tongue-in-cheek, but not completely.

The Arties area has historically been even more "dumpy" that downtown Fairfax, yet still draws a crowd. And now Fairfax corner (alone!) can sustain TWO of the establishments?? Is there any way we can draw one to downtown Fairfax? Where there is good, reliable food with nightlife, people will come, and downtown simply hasn't provided that.

Also, *ducking* I don't think we should give up any ground-level parking. I'm sorry, but people hate parking garages. They just do. Rational? No. Realistic? I think so. You can't count on forcing change on people, AND making money at the same time. Usually those happen separately.

Okay, one more thought: there has to be a way to make the area more pedestrian friendly, if the idea is for people to walk around. People drive WAY too fast, and I feel terrified when I walk on the sidewalks--especially on North Street. And cementing those fears, people are forever mowing down the gas street lights from driving up on the sidewalks. I'm scared! That is NOT my idea of fun. Alexandria doesn't feel that way. There, the sidewalks are wider, and people don't drive as fast, plus there are parking lanes adjacent to all the major walkways, so traffic isn't whizzing by you as you walk along. The sidewalks are lined with parked cars, not speeding cars! I'm sorry, but the whole Fx setup doesn't seem organic, and although I hoped it would be wonderful downtown, I now simply avoid it, even though I live in 22030. I have kids, and I find the whole thing harrowing: finding garage parking, getting in/out of the garage, walking down a sidewalk with cars screeching by, trying to be heard by the other adults as I shout above the noise of traffic, hoping that the "new" restaurant will have good food. Not fun.

I drive all the way over to Fairfax Corner and eat at one of the Great American Restaurants, even though it's much farther away. Afterward, we stroll around the plaza there. Sad, but true.