During a June 16, 2025, City Council work session, members reviewed draft guidelines that would formally enable the city to consider proposals under Virginiaâs Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act. The move is seen as key to advancing the stalled transformation of the 9400 block of Main Street, where the city has acquired several key parcels but has yet to break ground on new development.
City Manager Steve Burke told the council the guidelines provide flexibility for developers to work with the city on projects that involve publicly owned land or infrastructureâespecially the anticipated parking garage and municipal annex.
âThis gives the development community more tools to bring creative solutions to the table,â said Burke. âItâs not a requirement, but it creates options that didnât exist before.â
The City Council is expected to vote on the adoption of the P3 guidelines at its June 23, 2025, regular meeting.
The initiative centers on three properties:
- The former Olde Towne Inn, purchased by the cityâs Economic Development Authority in February 2023 for $5.75 million
- The Manassas Ice and Fuel Company (MIFCO) site, acquired in January 2025 for $3.1 million
- An adjacent city-owned parking lot
In October 2023, the city demolished the aging Olde Towne Inn building, and in the months since, it has converted the lot into a temporary public parking area to support downtown businesses.
Last fall, the city unveiled plans for a 110-room Hilton Tapestry Collection hotel, featuring a rooftop bar and ground-floor retail. However, progress has stalled, in part due to a lack of structured parking to support hotel guests and other anticipated users.
In April, the city announced it had secured a $700,000 state grant to help clean up petroleum-contaminated soil at the MIFCO site to prepare it for a multi-level parking garage.
The newly proposed P3 guidelines are intended to invite proposals that would allow developers to integrate public and private usesâsuch as building and managing a hotel, leasing parking spaces, or redeveloping civic facilitiesâall while ensuring the city retains public benefit and long-term control over key assets.
During the work session, Councilwoman Theresa Coates Ellis called the document âwell done,â and emphasized the importance of protecting the long-term vision of downtown for future councils.
Councilman Tom Osina asked whether a P3 model could enable the city to maintain ownership of the parking garage while giving developers enough incentive to build on adjacent parcels. Burke confirmed that was the intent, noting such models could also enhance developers’ access to financing by demonstrating city commitment.
Councilwoman Sonia Vasquez Luna expressed optimism but urged caution. âWe want to make sure this improves Old Town, not hurts our small businesses,â she said.
Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger voiced support: âWe need to use every tool in the toolbox to make this project a reality.â
If the guidelines are adopted, the city will issue a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) inviting developers to submit comprehensive plans. Proposals could include hotel, residential, retail, or civic components and must clearly identify benefits to the public.
City officials emphasized that the guidelines do not bind the city to accept any proposalâit merely opens the legal pathway to negotiate if a promising concept is submitted.
The Council agreed the process will offer more flexibility and transparency, particularly as the city retains ownership of the annex and parking areas that are central to downtownâs long-term success.
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