MANASSAS, Va. — Over the course of the next year, three new developments will be built in Manassas Van Metre at Old Town, Hastings Marketplace and Gatherings at Wellington. The new housing will bring 46 single-family homes, 139 townhomes and three multi-family buildings with 81 active adult units.
“We want to add to the culture of Manassas,” said Mayor Harry J. Parrish II when asked about the additional housing. “It will add jobs and boost the economy and allow new residents easy access to amenities like the [Virginia Railway Express.”
The Van Metre townhomes in Old Town Manassas will start selling in the low $300,000 range. Most of the homes have three bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms. They are located across from City Hall and the Old Town shopping district. Sales Manager Ernie Kyger says that sales are going well. Only three of the seven buildings have units for sale at this point, but Kyger says since April the town homes have been steadily selling.
“Our meal tax is up 44.4% this year, which means people are spending money in our restaurants,” said Parrish. “The investment we have made in Battle Street is paying off and we have a new steakhouse coming to town soon.”
Hastings Single family homes and condo development will rise near the Harley Dealership. It will have 46 single homes and 61 townhomes. Prices for the homes begin in the low $400,000 range and rise to the mid $400s. Houses will have 2,200-3,000 square feet and the town homes, which will start around $300,000, will have 1,900-2,200 square feet. A Hastings representative said that the about half of the homes and town homes are sold at this point.
While the townhomes are expected to be a boon to the city, the new home will also bring an influx of children to Manassas Public Schools. That has school officials looking what options they have to increase student capacity.
“We cannot deny that the projects will add additional kids to the school system,” said Parrish. “But our hope is that the townhouses won’t affect the number as much as the single family homes.
When asked about the impact of additional housing on the school system, Manassas Schools Superintendent Dr. Cathy Magouryk said in a statement, “Manassas City Public Schools accepts all students ages 5-18 who wish to enroll in its schools. Sometimes adding more children requires additional space such as temporary units, especially for our buildings that are near or at capacity. We will continue to respond to the needs of our students providing whatever is needed to ensure safe schools and a quality education.”
School officials say they do not know exactly how many more students the new housing developments will bring to the city, and adds new students will be dispersed between all of the city’s elementary schools, and then in a new Baldwin Elementary/ Magnet School scheduled to open in Fall 2016.
While adding housing to the community may cause some challenges to the city infrastructure, Mayor Parrish and City Council members said tat the hope was to continue to drive the economy and bring life to the city.
