December 12, 2012 Press Release Contact: Shelley Castle 703-568-0188 Save Woodlawn Stables Signs Route 1 Widening Project Programmatic Agreement That Includes Design of New Barn Facility on Woodlawn Plantation PropertySave Woodlawn Stables joined fellow consulting parties, including Fairfax County and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in signing the final Programmatic Agreement (PA) on the Route 1 widening. Included in this PA is compromise language to design a new barn facility on the remaining portion of the property. The new barn will replace the existing structure (known as the schooling barn and indoor arena) that will be demolished to make way for the new commuter bypass, which will run through the property. The preliminary design plans show that a new facility will be constructed on the far end of the property near where the outdoor arena is now. The signing of this Programmatic Agreement allows the Federal Highways Administration to begin the design build process to construct the new portion of Route 1 from Telegraph Road to Route 235. Like most residents and supporters of Save Woodlawn Stables, we are devastated with the decision to choose a road design that forever changes the landscape of Woodlawn Plantation and the home of one of the area’s most popular and cherished equestrian facilities in Northern Virginia: Woodlawn Stables. We are encouraged by the NTHP’s August 31, 2012, press release pledging to work with the local community to ensure the protection of the Woodlawn Historic District and its future potential uses. Thousands of citizens have followed the NTHP’s leadership by publicly participating and advocating for the preservation of our beloved Woodlawn and its history in our area. We believe the community has made it exceedingly clear that it would like to see the meadows and pastures of Woodlawn to remain a symbol of its equestrian heritage that has served it’s neighbors for a century. Save Woodlawn Stables looks forward to continuing to work within the process and carrying out our mission to preserve a place for horses and riding at Woodlawn. We will move forward in forging a working relationship with the NTHP in hopes of further developing their understanding of the uniqueness of an equestrian focused property in our area and the potential it can provide in bringing more people and visitors to the Woodlawn site in general. SWS has no doubt that the entire Woodlawn property could be a promising multi-use property where a riding facility can successfully co-exist and greatly contribute to the sustainable future of Woodlawn Plantation and the needs of the NTHP. Save Woodlawn Stables will keep the public updated through our website, Facebook page, and our blog on the Mt. Vernon Patch website. We again thank the thousands of supporters, community groups, elected officials and business owners for their activism. We will continue to depend on that support as we take our next steps in the process. Download a copy of the press release at the bottom of the page. Write your senator! More information on the Call to Action Page. We are still participating in the This Place Matters Campaign. See the link for details. We have entered the second phase of the fight to save Woodlawn Stables, although it seems the bypass will be built, the FHWA will build a new facility on part of the remaining land. We need the National Trust for HIstoric Preservation to renew the stable's lease, we are petitioning them to do so. Sign the petition for phase two now! Contact savewoodlawnstablesva@gmail.com to order your t-shirt and Say Neigh to the Bypass! |
