For years now, residents in Ashburn have wondered what new business would come in and take over the vacant Bloom supermarket space in the Belmont Greene community. The 38,000 s.f. space has sat like a dead weight in the Village Center at Belmont Greene, with a few small businesses alongside it (such as Ledo Pizza). There are other empty smaller storefronts as well.
Now, we have a possible answer — it may never be a new supermarket or other business, because the developers are exploring tearing down the entire shopping center and putting residential housing there instead.
Under plans filed with Loudoun County, the entire center would be razed. The space — along with much of the current parking lot and space to the south of it — would be turned into approximately 211 single-family and multi-family residences.
(If you’re having trouble orienting yourself with the map, the spot marked No. 2 is roughly where the vacant Bloom store sits today.)
A convenience store and gas station would go on the corner lot where Portsmouth Boulevard meets Belmont Ridge Road, and some new smaller retail buildings would be built along Portsmouth.
Last October, The Burn told you about some proposed plans to add the gas station and new residential units to the property, but that plan appeared to maintain the main shopping center intact. This new proposal goes much further.
Called the “Belmont Greene Revitalization” plan, it’s slowly working its way through various steps and agencies with Loudoun County. No word yet if all the approvals will go through and this plan will come to fruition. Remember, lots of proposals don’t. But it certainly is an eye-opening idea for a spot in Ashburn that has needed some new ideas for a long time.
(Image at top: Google Maps)
i think it’s stupid – the neighborhood/county should of built a full scale swimming pool and tennis club or pavilion type thing there instead.
Terrible idea. Very selfish money making move that will hurt property values and the majority of community members DO NOT want
So community members want a vacant grocery store, Ledo’s, Chinese place, karate and a few hair places? Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Ledo’s, but this was poorly planned from the beginning.
Stop it with all the town homes. The new apartments across from Harris Teeter are way out of scale, ugly and should have never been allowed to be built. Housing in Ashburn is way over priced and frankly not worth what is being asked. Poor value for the dollar.
Nobody wants more townhomes in Belmont Greene.
It’s a ridiculous money grab of a plan. The Belmont Greene community cannot support that density. It will ruin the neighborhood. To answer the poster above, yes, a survey of the community overwhelmingly prefers to leave the shopping center as is than to have 211 new residences with the majority of them being the 2 over 2 condo style town-homes.
At some point, we’re all going to ‘age out’ of this area. Climbing up a 5 story townhouse isn’t something I’m interested in as I get older. I love Ashburn and Loudoun but it’s time to start looking west before there are more stairs than I am years old. Now, give me a solid 2 story townhouse and I’ll pay the higher price for.
What a great county. Tearing down an empty retail shopping center all while they’re building more retail with a grocery store, Lidl, in front of another grocery store, Harris Teeter. And even more retail being built across Rt 7 from this.
How many failed restaurants does Loudoun County need?
The plaza needs revitalized, no question. But, good lord, the last thing Belmont Ridge needs is more townhomes. Currently, there is nothing in that plaza to bring in people.
Develop mid-range restaurants like Joe’s Crab Shack, Olive Garden, Madeline’s… stand-alone retail like a jewelry store, pet store… and essentials like a bank, drug store and gas station. These are conveniences that people living in and around Belmont Ridge would frequent without driving far or spending a lot.
It’s worth trying versus losing the land to even more townhouses.
more housing, more cops. Its on their agenda
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