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New Development Likely to Be Harmonious With Existing Propertiesby KRISTEN ARMSTRONG, Staff Writer |
| The Middleburg Life office and nearby
buildings and businesses are in for a change - they're getting new
neighbors. The construction of four buildings at the western end of Washington Street recently was given conditional approval, with final approvals due in June. If approvals go through without a hitch, the ground-breaking could be as soon as the end of the month. “There are going to be four distinct and separate buildings, and they're going to be in harmony with the existing streetscape,” said town planner and zoning administrator David Beniamino in a recent interview. “They're basically in a contemporary Middleburg style.” After initial problems with the Historical District Review Committee (HRDC) on the design and style of the buildings, the developer worked with David H. Gleason Associates Inc. Architects “and did a really good job at appeasing the HRDC in getting a look that people liked,” Beniamino said. “Ultimately, at the end, [the buildings] will look like they were developed when the rest of the town developed,” he said. Although a number of trees will have to removed for the construction, replacement street trees will be planted. The parking lot will be behind the buildings and will be accessible from Marshall Street, but not from Washington Street. Beniamino projects that, once it's in the works, the construction should be completed within a year. Though it's still early in the game, and the town does not know who will rent the spaces once they're completed, the four buildings are seen as a positive addition to Middleburg. “It will help the business environment,” Beniamino said. “There will be more retail space and it'll open some second-floor office spaces.” |