The West Falls Development Project has been under construction since 2022, and, aside from the senior living building, will be completed by the end of 2024. Slated to include over 600 apartments and condominiums, as well as ground-level shops and a public area, the project – located just across the street from Meridian – will undeniably have a major impact on student life going forward.
Many students and staff members have opinions on how the project will impact them and the school when completed.
“After school, they can head over and unwind after a stressful day,” said Trystan Brown, a freshman. “There’ll be more shopping centers, and places for people to live.”
One of the major shops in the West Falls Development is The Fresh Market, a major supermarket across the street from Giant, at the Birch & Broad Shopping Center.
“With a lot more stores nearby, there’ll be more active after-school hanging out; a more student-centric area, instead of having to walk down the street to Lazy Mike’s, there’ll be more immediate spaces,” said junior Kira Pike. “I think it’ll have an overall positive outcome.”
Some of the shops already have tenants selected, with Ice Cream Jubilee, SeoulSpice and Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls being only some of the restaurants confirmed for the development. Furthermore, the public area – akin to that at Founder’s Row – will contain various other businesses, such as Casabella Salon and Perspire Sauna Studio.
However, not everyone is so enthusiastic about the development.
“If there’s gonna be school-aged children living there, people haven’t really thought about school overcrowding. I don’t know what their contingency about that is,” Mr. Recepcion, a permanent substitute teacher said. “This is a brand new high school, but compared to Langley, or Marshall, it’s small. In Fairfax County, you can find some big open spot and build a new high school. We don’t have that option here.”
