STAFFORD — Embrey Mill of Newland Communities, a planned community located on 819 acres off of Courthouse Road, is undergoing its second phase of construction. The plan calls for 300 additional lots, and estimates that housing will accommodate 900 families.
It will be completed next summer.
The new development comes just as the new Amazon Headquarters in Arlington County is projected to create 50,000 new jobs according to a report published by Stephen Fuller, Ph.D. at George Mason University.
“A year after Amazon opens its doors here and start bringing people in, demand will likely start trickling down to our location,” said Fred Garnes, director of marketing at Embrey Mill.
Embrey Mill is a young family community, and 60 percent of its residents have children under the age of 12. With a possible influx of 900 new families, space in schools becomes necessary to accommodate the growth.
The public schools these students would be fed into include Winding Creek Elementary School, H.H. Poole Middle School, and either Colonial Forge High School or North Stafford High School. Winding Creek is already 38 students above capacity, and Colonial Forge is 50 students away from reaching max capacity.
To alleviate any potential strain on the public school system, Embrey Mill has reserved land for both a middle school and elementary school to be built. No timeframe has been estimated for when these schools will be built, and that responsibility falls to county officials.
Additionally, Mine Road is undergoing construction to provide the necessary infrastructure for the growing community. It is in its third and last phase of renovation, estimated to be finished in June depending on VDOT’s schedule.
“Councilman Mark Dudenhefer [Garrisonville District] has really helped us get this pushed through,” Garnes said. “We’ve accelerated Mine Road’s phase three to get it open and help alleviate some congestion in the local area.”
The frequently jammed intersection at Courthouse Road is also set to receive a remodel.
“There is a light in the plan with VDOT,” Garnes said. “I don’t know what VDOT’s schedule is, but it is going to happen.”
The entire community at Embrey Mill is estimated to be fully developed in five years. Construction has been broken into different sections to minimize the disturbance of current residents.
“We haven’t gotten any complaints because construction takes place during business hours,” Garnes said.
Many new amenities will be built including the Knight House featuring a community pool and clubhouse. There will also be a new dog park and several new multipurpose fields and parks.
“We are proud of the progression of the neighborhood,” Garnes said. “We try to put trails, parks, and community amenities throughout the community so that it is not based in one area. It’s all spaced out and divied up so that everyone in the community gets a little something.
The amenities cost residents of Embrey Mill $1,500 a year. The cost is included in the overall price.
The area may also be getting a new Publix grocery store at the conjunction of Mine and Courthouse road.
“It is my understanding that there is one being contracted next to us off Courthouse Road,” Garnes said. “That is all the information I can share at this time.”
