Diamond, Hilton proposals move forward
By Gregg MacDonald
Two hotel developments that could radically alter the landscape of Herndon both moved a step closer to reality last week.
Representatives for the proposed five-story “Element” extended-stay hotel by Starwood at the intersection of Monroe and Elden streets, went before the planning commission for a public hearing May 5.
“This is the first time the planning commission has seen this proposal in public session,” chairman Carl Sivertsen told the Herndon Town Council on May 13. “It may be the beginning of a new downtown.”
Sivertsen also told the council that he appreciated the attitude of representatives of the project. “Diamond Properties has done a good job working with the community on this,” he said.
“We resubmitted plans and proffers to the Town on Monday [May 12], and we are working on a 'consensus architecture' in terms of the building’s height,” Mark Looney, an attorney with Cooley Godward Kronish, told The Times on Friday.
“We had 10-12 speakers who spoke up for the project and no one who spoke against it,” Looney said of the planning commission public hearing on May 5.
Sivertsen and his fellow commissioners deferred a decision on the proposal until July 7 and will now form four committees to address the project's issues before that date.
“The idea is to have four elements – no pun intended – looked at,” he said. “Traffic, streetscape, retail uses and overall impact.
“These four groups will meet a few times and then everyone will come back together and we will have a meeting of all the groups to discuss the issues,” Sivertsen said. “If they build this, it is a major investment and it will change the landscape. It is a big one. It is not like a daycare center at someone’s house. This is pretty much forever in terms of its impact on the public.”
The Planning Commission is currently seeking residents to join the ad hoc groups and plans an initial June 17 meeting of the four groups.
On Monday, May 19, the Herndon Architectural Review Board unanimously approved a permit for new construction of a five-story, 85,562-square-foot full-service Hilton Garden Inn hotel with a parking deck within the Fairbrook Business Park, off the Herndon Parkway, adjacent to the Sunset Business Park in Herndon. The site will be accessed from Fairbrook Drive.
The site plan for the construction was approved by the planning commission at its May 5 meeting. “We appreciate your taking to heart the recommendations of the board,” board member Kevin Moses told representatives of the project.