Talks of developing a new town center at the George Mason University Science and Technology Campus are getting underway again.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors on July 14 will hold a public hearing on the sale of 24 acres of county-owned land that sits across from the Hylton Performing Arts Center, at 11100 University Boulevard just outside Manassas.
In 2018, to Tysons Corner-based developer Miller & Smith offered to pay the county $5.2 million for the property. Today, a company spokesman told Potomac Local News it is no longer involved in the project.
Prince William County Economic Development Director Christia Winn said supervisors on July 14 will again take up the purchase agreement for the property. Some of the details of the contract are will be amended, she adds. Details on property sale won’t be available for public review until July 8, she adds.
Miller & Smith in 2016 applied to have the property rezoned for mixed-use development, including commercial, retail, and homes, according to county records. As part of a 2018 agreement, the county agreed to pay Miller & Smith up to $5 million to cover the cost of the commercial portion of the mixed-use development, which could include office and wet lab space, or for hotel use, in an effort to attract businesses the county deems as an appropriate use for the property, which is located inside of the Innovation at Prince William science and technology office park.
At least two buildings would have been constructed on the 24 acres of land, as outlined in the 2018 deal. Locally, Miller & Smith has built homes on lots it has purchased at Belmont Bay on the Occoquan River in Woodbridge.
Also on July 14, supervisors will discuss another land deal at Innovation at Prince William, with the sale of about eight and a half acres of land to NCS Technologies. The firm looks to employ as many as 180 people in a new headquarters to be constructed on the land, at 9665 Discovery Boulevard, near 2 Silos brewery.
NCS agreed to pay the county $2 million for the land, according to county records from December 2019.
