Updating City of Fairfax Historic District Boundaries
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Consultation has concluded.
Old Town Fairfax is a unique destination in suburban Washington, D.C. The historic downtown area includes buildings that date back to when the city was still known as the Town of Providence. Old Town’s charming architecture and street grid are integral to the vibrant shopping, dining, and entertainment district the area has become.
Beginning in November 2020, the City of Fairfax updated the inventory of historic properties in the city’s downtown. EHT Traceries, Inc., was hired to survey properties in and around the City of Fairfax Historic District. The district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This area encompasses the city’s locally-designated Old Town Fairfax Historic Overlay District. The map on this page shows the boundaries of both districts, which vary slightly. The City also explored aligning the boundaries of the two districts.
The City submitted the updated National Register district nomination to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources in August 2021. The nomination, which can be found under "Documents" at right, recommends updating the period of architectural and cultural significance to 1965 and removing several properties where historic buildings once stood but have since been demolished. Though aligning the National Register district and the Historic Overlay District was a project goal, this was determined to be infeasible.
If the nomination is approved by VDHR, it will be forwarded to the National Park Service for approval. If approved by NPS, the National Register district will be revised to reflect the nomination.
Old Town Fairfax is a unique destination in suburban Washington, D.C. The historic downtown area includes buildings that date back to when the city was still known as the Town of Providence. Old Town’s charming architecture and street grid are integral to the vibrant shopping, dining, and entertainment district the area has become.
Beginning in November 2020, the City of Fairfax updated the inventory of historic properties in the city’s downtown. EHT Traceries, Inc., was hired to survey properties in and around the City of Fairfax Historic District. The district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This area encompasses the city’s locally-designated Old Town Fairfax Historic Overlay District. The map on this page shows the boundaries of both districts, which vary slightly. The City also explored aligning the boundaries of the two districts.
The City submitted the updated National Register district nomination to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources in August 2021. The nomination, which can be found under "Documents" at right, recommends updating the period of architectural and cultural significance to 1965 and removing several properties where historic buildings once stood but have since been demolished. Though aligning the National Register district and the Historic Overlay District was a project goal, this was determined to be infeasible.
If the nomination is approved by VDHR, it will be forwarded to the National Park Service for approval. If approved by NPS, the National Register district will be revised to reflect the nomination.
I live adjacent to Old Town and would like to know about improvement projects and planning.