Finally, Prince William County will get a Whole Foods Market after years of pining.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors unanimously agreed to rezone 145 acres of land that SKW VA, Inc. and Southern Knolls, LLC will develop into the Quartz District. Whole Foods Market will anchor the mixed-use development, including more than 1,000 homes and nearly 375,000 square feet of office space.
The new buildings will crop up on land previously zoned for agriculture and suburban homes, mainly tree-lined.
Key to the project is a $70 million Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) that will replace traffic lights at the parkway and Minnieville Road. The SPUI would carry Minnieville Road traffic over the parkway. The interchange will replace the massive 21-lane intersection now controlled by a signal light.
To speed up construction, the Quartz District developer agreed to design the interchange, conduct a land survey and geotechnical work, and handle the stormwater management portion of the construction project. Final designs for the project are expected next year.
Neabsco District Supervisor Victor Angry worked to bring the project to the finish line and called it his “final obligation to the [late Supervisor] John D. Jenkins, whom he replaced after his death in 2019. Jenkins, who died while in office, was the longest-serving Supervisor in Prince William County history and took office in 1982.
“The Quartz District is an exciting opportunity for Dale City and the Neabsco District to grow in unique and innovative ways. Not only does this proposal benefit Dale City, but it provides multiple benefits to all County residents that travel Prince William Parkway to the eastern areas of the county,” said Angry.
Occoquan District Supervisor Kenny Boddye echoed his excitement, noting the project will provide more walking trails that will be used in a larger, county-wide system of trails. It will also “change the community in ways we can’t even think of right now,” added Boddye.
The developer will also give the county 12 acres of land on which to build an elementary school and six acres to build an urban adventure park, as approved by voters in a second bond referendum in 2019, focused on park improvements.
According to proffer documents, The Quartz District will be built in phases. The first will be to construct the Whole Foods market and neighborhood streets and make improvements to Minnieville Road and the parkway to handle incoming traffic.
The second phase will be 350 homes. Once occupied, it will build an additional 100,000 square feet of commercial space.
The third phase includes building 800 more homes. Once they’re occupied, then the developer will build 150,000 more square feet of commercial space.
The project will have about 374,000 square feet of commercial space when complete. Additionally, the developer will build a public green with a pavilion, three playgrounds, five small passive landscaped parks, two dog parks, and eight walking trails.
The project’s affordable housing component will reserve 90 homes. The developer will dedicate the first 30 to those making only 60% of the area median income, another 30 to those making 80% of the area median income, and a final 30 to those making the entire area median income.
The developer agreed to leave the restrictions in place for 30 years.
Angry motioned to approve the project, and Potomac District Supervisor Andrea Bailey seconded the motion. Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega, who is running for a seat to represent Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, was absent from the vote.
