New Health Center, Senior Space And Gym Coming To Fairfax City

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Fairfax City and Fairfax County officials broke ground Wednesday morning on the Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center, a joint project approved at $127.1 million that will combine public health services with senior programs and recreation facilities.

The 100,000-square-foot building at 3750 Blenheim Blvd. will replace the 30,000-square-foot Joseph Willard Health Center, built in 1954. Completion and move-in are scheduled for fall 2029.

“This is such a momentous day for our city,” Mayor Catherine Read said during Wednesday's ceremony, crediting generations of elected officials and city and county employees with bringing the project to construction.

Health Services, Senior Center And A Gym

The center will bring together county health and human services and city recreation programs. County services listed in a Sept. 3 project presentation include public health clinics, a pharmacy, dentistry, vital records and the Women, Infants and Children program.

Plans also include Region 5 school health offices, the Infant & Toddler Connection program and early childhood education.

On the city side, Parks and Recreation Director Stacey Sommerfield said the Young at Heart Senior Center will move from Green Acres into the new building, where older adults will have a rooftop patio.

The city also plans a fitness center, a full-size gym, a walking track, classrooms and dedicated youth program space with an attached playground.

“We are so excited to bring all of our services under one roof,” Sommerfield said.

The project includes two levels of underground parking and a bridge connection to the existing Sherwood Community Center.

Supervisor Rachna Sizemore-Heizer, who represents the Braddock District, said combining public health services with places for residents of different ages to gather recognizes the importance of social connection.

“Health isn’t just physical health,” she said. “An important piece of that is feeling that mental wellness, that feeling you belong in a community, you have that connection.”

Years Of Planning And A Unanimous Vote

Read and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay credited former Mayor David Meyer and former county board Chairman Sharon Bulova, both at the ceremony, with helping move the project forward.

McKay said the new facility is intended to improve not only services for residents but also working conditions for the public health employees who serve them.

“It’s about the welfare of our employees. It’s about supporting our community,” he said.

RELATED: $127M Willard-Sherwood Center Unanimously Approved By Fairfax City Council

U.S. Rep. James Walkinshaw, who previously represented the Braddock District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, recalled working with city and county leaders to build agreement on the project’s design and services.

He said a survey of low-income residents through the county’s Opportunity Neighborhoods program showed that health care challenges included not just paying for services but also physically reaching them. The new center will help address that need, he said.

The groundbreaking follows the City Council’s 6-0 vote April 28 to authorize a construction contract with The Christman Company, as Patch previously reported.

Council members Tom Peterson, Stacy Hall and Rachel McQuillen supported the decision after opposing land-use requests in October 2025 due to cost concerns. They cited revisions to the project’s financial approach and cost-recovery plans.

At the time of the April approval, the city’s share of the $127.1 million project was $53.7 million. The council also approved $22 million in revenue bonds to help finance its portion.

The council opted not to proceed at that time with a $4 million optional renovation of the performing arts space at the existing Sherwood Community Center.

Demolition Scheduled This Fall

The September construction presentation schedules utility relocation from September through December, with demolition of existing buildings in October and November.

Excavation is scheduled to extend into spring 2027, followed by construction of the new structure from summer 2027 through spring 2028. Facade, roofing and interior work is scheduled from winter 2028 through summer 2029, ahead of the fall 2029 completion and move-in target.

The building’s design calls for all-electric systems, net-zero energy performance and LEED Gold certification.

The presentation identifies traffic, pedestrian and bicycle safety, parking, noise, dust and stormwater runoff as construction impacts the project team will need to manage. Its construction-impact map also outlines a walking route around the work zone.

Residents with construction questions can contact county project staff at Willard-SherwoodProject@fairfaxcounty.gov or the city at we.care@fairfaxva.gov. Residents can also use Fairfax City Resolve, the city’s 311 system, for construction inquiries.