MANASSAS, Va. – The Manassas City Council will decide Monday whether to move forward with a proposal that could reshape downtown with a hotel, apartments, and a new city-owned parking garage.
Council members are set to vote on September 22 on whether to accept an unsolicited redevelopment plan submitted by MLG Construction Management under Virginia’s Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA). The plan calls for redeveloping three downtown properties: the former Olde Towne Inn site, the MIFCO property on Center Street, and the City Hall parking lot.
A hotel, housing, and a 500-space garage
The proposal outlines a four-story boutique hotel with retail and meeting space, a five-story multifamily housing complex, and a structured garage with more than 500 public parking spaces. The parking deck would replace City Hall and Blue Lot permits while expanding access for downtown visitors.
The City would fund and own the parking garage while also managing environmental cleanup at the MIFCO site, which has legacy industrial contamination. MLG would build and operate the apartments and hotel.
MLG Construction Management, based in the Washington, D.C. region, has overseen several large mixed-use projects across Northern Virginia, including Scout on the Circle in Fairfax and South Alex in Alexandria. The company specializes in multifamily housing, retail, and structured parking, often combining apartments, shops, and public infrastructure in walkable developments.
Shockey Construction, formally known as Howard Shockey & Sons, is a Winchester-based builder with more than a century of experience in Virginia. The firm has delivered schools, hospitals, and public facilities across the state and has built major parking structures, including a new deck for VCU Health in Richmond. Shockey is frequently tapped for projects involving public funding and community oversight.
How the PPEA process works
If the Council votes to accept the proposal, the City must open a 45-day window for competing bids from other developers. Officials stress that Monday’s decision is not final approval but rather the first step in the process.
“This is about setting the stage,” City Manager Steve Burke said in a news release. “Council’s acceptance does not mean approval of the project’s specific terms.”
How we got here
In January 2025, the Council voted unanimously to purchase the MIFCO property for $3.1 million as part of its downtown land control strategy. At the time, city leaders said the purchase would prevent unwanted by-right uses such as data centers and could open the door for a future parking garage.
“This purchase ensures that we, as a city, can decide what happens on this key piece of land,” Vice Mayor Wolfe said at the time.
That vision now intersects with MLG’s redevelopment bid, which places the garage at the center of its downtown design.
If the proposal is accepted on Monday, alternative submissions will be accepted until early November. Public input will follow through rezoning hearings and additional Council discussions.
