The Observer Newspapers | Downtown Development is Town's Future

April 17, 2008

Downtown Development is Town's Future
To the editor:
The downtown Herndon development plan presented by Diamond Properties for the hotel and retail space is the crucial next step in ensuring a vibrant and successful future for the town. I implore the current and future community leaders of Herndon to consider all of the positive implications of downtown development sooner than later.
After returning from my tour in Iraq in 2004, I received a transfer to the Washington, D.C., area. I found a home here in Herndon for my young family. We were drawn to the small town feel amongst the hectic sprawl of Northern Virginia. The excellent schools, the positive family environment, and strong sense of community convinced us to plant roots here and move forward with our lives after the military.
We also see the great potential for Herndon to grow and thrive from within. Economic and cultural development of our unique downtown area will keep Herndon a proactive and enticing destination. The marketing power of the hotel and new retail will not only bring visitors, but it will also create jobs. The economic stimulus will not only help current downtown businesses, but also create many more homegrown opportunities for our youth in the form of employment, sponsorships, and mentorship. Not to mention the increased tax revenue that the town will reap.
Many other families in our neighborhood see the development of downtown Herndon as instrumental in improving the lives of all town residents and the next step in realizing a complete downtown plan including the cultural arts center and more.
PAUL OLSEN
HERNDON