The National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (NALHFA) has selected The Fallstead as its Multifamily Excellence award winner for 2019. The Fallstead is an independent senior living community, which offers 82 units of affordable housing for seniors located on 8.66 acres in McLean, VA. The former Lewinsville Elementary School was transferred from the Fairfax County Public Schools to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 1985.
The original project converted the building to 22 units of affordable senior independent housing, and once completed, the building was called the Lewinsville Senior Residences and was operated by the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA). The use of the former Lewinsville Elementary School addressed the then current need for senior housing but did not fully integrate that housing into the surrounding community. The Fallstead at Lewinsville Center now addresses this need by offering a total of 82 units for seniors earning between 30 percent and 50 percent of the area median income.
The Fallstead is a shining example of how partnering with nonprofit developers in the revitalization of outmoded county facilities results in affordable housing preservation and new production in Fairfax County. Wesley Hamel Lewinsville LLC was the master developer of the infrastructure improvements for the entire 8.66-acre site, while Wesley Lewinsville Limited Partnership is the owner and developer for The Fallstead (senior residences), which will have a 99-year ground lease on approximately 2.66 acres of the site.
A second County building is scheduled to open late this spring, which will include a senior center, adult day care center, and two private child daycare centers. At no cost to the County, Wesley-Hamel designed, developed, constructed, and owns and operates The Fallstead.
The NALHFA 2019 Multifamily Excellence Award will be presented at the Annual Conference award luncheon on Thursday, May 16, 2019 in Denver, CO.