Submitted By: Federal Realty| www.federalrealty.com
Above photo: Unique design features in the Mount Vernon parklet include bench swings and Soma Stones alongside café seating to provide an experiential atmosphere.
Our history in Mount Vernon
Federal Realty has been a part of the Mount Vernon community since 2003, when we acquired two adjacent properties – Mount Vernon Plaza and South Valley Shopping Center. Three years later, these properties were combined and renovated to operate as one cohesive property to be known as Mount Vernon Plaza.
Art and creative placemaking
Visitors to Mount Vernon Plaza may have noticed the murals of birds and paint life at the shopping center. We recently contracted with BCT Design Group to create the murals, which provide a unique photo background for guests to Mount Vernon Plaza and add to the community-focused environment of the property. The art was inspired by the notion of living outside the hustle and bustle of everyday life, with birds and florals serving as the underlying theme.
This project expanded on the 3,200 square-foot outdoor parklet which opened last fall providing the opportunity to add creative placemaking and provide shoppers a place to gather with outdoor seating, green space and landscaping. The parklet was created in partnership with the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (SFDC), a non-profit whose mission is to develop, implement and support projects designed to stimulate economic growth in the Richmond Highway corridor by working closely with business owners, developers and local residents. The SFDC activated the parklet on Saturday, March 20 with ‘Chalkful of Flowers’. This event brought artists and the community together to teach participants how to create upcycled flowers that will be used to turn the place into a mini-flower garden.
Sustainability
Sustainability is a core value of Federal Realty and can be seen throughout our properties, from LED lights to an EVgo fast charging stations. The station allows guests to fast charge their electric vehicles while shopping or dining. Over the past 2 years, Federal Realty has converted 534 light fixtures to LED fixtures saving enough power to 95 homes for a year.
Our Mount Vernon shopping centers also use green certified products in common areas and maintain green cleaning practices throughout the property. Federal Realty works with our tenants to provide recommendations on how to build and operate spaces sustainably and offers recycling services. Both properties are operated to reduce energy and water consumption in landlord-controlled areas.
Local merchants
We’re proud that our shopping centers are made up of a mix of local, regional and national retailers. In Mount Vernon, we’re honored that several locally owned businesses call Mount Vernon Plaza home, including Della J’s Delectables, Java Loco and Skrimp Shack. Did you know Della J’s was named one of Yelp’s Black-Owned Businesses to Watch in 2021 and the Mount Vernon location of Skrimp Shack is veteran-owned? On Tuesdays, active duty and retired military receive 10 percent off their meals as a “thank you” gesture from the Skrimp Shack owners and staff.
In addition to retail, The Offices at Mount Vernon, located between Michael’s and Old Navy, recently completed a façade renovation and is home to several local merchants including The Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Studio One of Alexandria, a ballroom and Latin dance school as well as Alexandria Dental Smiles, where your entire family can be treated in one convenient location offering a variety of preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dental services to meet the needs of the whole family.
Our local team
Of course, our Mount Vernon properties wouldn’t be complete without our local property management team, Christina Cisneros and Francisco Juarez. Christina Cisneros joined Federal in April of 2022 and she brings over a decade of experience in property management. She oversees the daily operations of the Mount Vernon Plaza property and maintains great relationships with our tenants and vendors. Francisco Juarez joined as property engineer in May of 2021. He is the friendly face recognized by merchants and customers alike often seen maneuvering his way through the Mount Vernon Plaza shopping center on his golf cart providing an array of expertise to keep things running smoothly.