Image courtesy of Fairfax County
The Eleanor Kennedy Shelter could relocate to Beacon Hill Road in the coming years. Relocating the shelter is one of the options for co-location of Fairfax County services with a new fire station.
The Penn Daw Fire Station, currently at 6624 Hulvey Terrace, was the 35th busiest fire station in 2019 according to Firehouse Magazine. The survey represented 206 departments in 43 states and DC.
The station, which was built in 1967 and expanded in the 1980s, does not meet current county standards and there are “significant challenges to expand or rebuild on existing site,” according to the Fairfax County website.
When the site of the Hybla Valley Nursery, only a short distance from the existing station, became available, the County determined it was the perfect spot to build the new station.
The 3.5 acre site, located at 2801 Beacon Hill Road, was also determined to be a good property to co-locate additional county facilities. Fairfax County Supervisor Dan Storck formed an advisory committee to determine the best co-location options for the site.
One of the potential options is relocating the Eleanor Kennedy Shelter, which is currently operating out of a converted pump station on land leased from Fort Belvoir.
According to the Fairfax County project webpage, “Renovating the shelter would require complete modernization of existing interior and building systems, refurbishment of historic exterior materials, roof replacement, a new natural gas connection and the addition of stormwater management facilities. Expansion of the shelter to accommodate a comprehensive program is prohibited due to the building’s location within a 100-year floodplain and resource protection area, and renovations are limited by the building’s historic status.”
Photos of the existing shelter presented at one of the five committee meetings on the topic, show dilapidated and cramped conditions. The county says that co-location of a new, modern shelter at the site of the new fire station will allow the county to better serve people experiencing homelessness in the area. The site could also accommodate affordable housing units as well.
Image courtesy of Fairfax County
Existing Eleanor Kennedy Shelter
A group of residents from Bucknell Manor, Belle Haven Terrace, Springbank and non-profits like Quander Road Ministries, have created their own website, beaconhillshelter.org, to inform the greater community about the proposed project.
“Our mission is to create a clearing house of information to allow the community to gather information and make informed decisions about county planning on this project. If the community at large decides that a shelter is a good fit on Beacon Hill Road, we want to have a voice to make it the best project it can be,” the website reads.
The potential location of a homeless shelter in their backyard has caused concern for a number of residents of nearby neighborhoods. Some residents have expressed concern that the county has not been transparent in its plans for the site. Issues that neighbors have brought up and do not feel have been adequately addressed include concerns that property values will decrease and crime, traffic and trash will increase. Other residents have decried a possible loss of green space and the potential for sex offenders or drug users to shelter so close to family-friendly neighborhoods.
A sixth meeting of the Penn Daw Fire Station and Supportive Housing Committee is scheduled for April 2 at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. The first community outreach meetings are currently scheduled for April 24 at 10 a.m. and April 26 at 7 p.m. A link to the meetings as well as past meeting materials can be found at the project website here.
