Manassas City Council will revisit a proposal to sell the former DMV property for a housing development when it meets Monday night, following a weather-related postponement last month.
Key Takeaways
Date: Monday, February 9, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
Location: Manassas City Hall
- City Council will reconsider selling the former DMV site on Godwin Drive.
- The proposal would allow the construction of a four-story housing development.
- The site was once expected to anchor a major brewery project that never materialized.
Full Coverage
The Manassas City Council is scheduled to resume discussion Monday, February 9, on a proposed housing development at the former Department of Motor Vehicles site near Godwin Drive and Gateway Boulevard.
The item returns to the agenda after the council’s January meeting was canceled due to winter weather. The city-owned property includes about three acres of land and an approximately 11,000-square-foot office building that has been vacant since city services relocated to other facilities.
A nonprofit developer is proposing to purchase the land for roughly $3 million, demolish the existing structure, and construct a four-story residential building with about 100 apartments. City documents describe the project as affordable, attainable, or workforce housing.
The site is part of the Cannon Branch redevelopment area, a long-planned mixed-use project that was originally pitched as a live-work-play destination. More than a decade ago, the redevelopment vision centered on a large brewery that was expected to serve as the area’s anchor.
That brewery, Heritage Brewing Company, announced plans to build a flagship production facility and gathering space at Cannon Branch, complete with indoor and outdoor seating and space for community events. Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Democrat, attended a ceremonial groundbreaking, and city leaders promoted the project as a regional destination that would spur additional retail and commercial investment.
The brewery project, however, never moved forward. The development agreement ultimately fell through, and the Cannon Branch site remained partially built out, with offices, residences, and hotels added over time but without the brewery that had been central to the original vision.
Residents who spoke at a December public hearing cited history, saying they purchased homes in the area based on the expectation that Cannon Branch would develop into a destination district. Some said replacing the vacant DMV site with housing represents a significant shift from the original promise.
Others voiced support for the housing proposal, citing the need for more housing for teachers, first responders, and other workers within the city rather than commuting from outside Manassas.
City Council previously held a public hearing in December and is expected to take further action on the proposed land sale and development agreement at Monday’s meeting.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Potomac Local News editors for accuracy and clarity.
