A 10,500-square-foot commercial building has been proposed to replace the Afghan Restaurant at 2700-2706 Jefferson Davis Highway.
The space in the building will be leased to retail stores, according to Duncan Blair, a lawyer representing the applicant, Christos Sarantis of Sterling, VA.
The proposal needs only site plan approval. The Planning Commission will consider the proposal at its October meeting.
At a meeting I had with city planning staff in July, Planning Director Faroll Hamer characterized the proposed structure as a “building shell,” similar in construction quality to the big-box stores at Potomac Yard. It thus could be considered a “temporary” use and easily demolished if a plan for coordinated redevelopment on the west side of Route 1 is eventually approved. Significant redevelopment of the west side of Route 1 is expected to occur at some point, but staff does not anticipate change for at least the next several years and not until more development occurs across Route 1 at Potomac Yard.