I received a phone call this morning from a commercial real estate colleague, Jim Farrell. Jim had called to discuss some site options for one of our clients, but first we discussed what was going on with the former Gateway School on Route 108 in Clarksville. Although Jim works in Tysons Corner, he actually lives in Clarksville.
He told me his neighbors had been asking him what was going on with former junior high school. They figured that since he works in commercial real estate he should know these things. The fact of the matter is that he knows more about what is going on with Northern Virginia commercial real estate than what is happening his own backyard. That is often the case with those who commute in and out of Howard County everyday.
Truth be told, I only knew what was going on because of this story by Larry Carson in The Sun last week. Previously I had posted about the six development teams that were competing for the right to develop the county owned property. It now appears that a local couple, George and Holly Stone, have come out on top of that process.
“George Stone's desire in building what he calls Clarksville Commons, he said in a statement, is to create a "mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly, sustainable, signature destination for Clarksville and the region," using the latest in green technology and people-friendly public spaces to produce a sense of community absent in the cluttered commercial crossroads.”
The Stones have also assembled a development team that includes other familiar local names like Joe Rutter with Land Design and Development and Jared Spahn with Old Town Construction.
The planned development will also include a green “boutique hotel.”
I would have never guessed that there was a pent up demand for hotel rooms in Clarksville.
Shh. Don’t Tell Anyone
7 hours ago
