A low-rise retail center next to Merrifield's Mosaic District could soon be redeveloped to include hundreds of multifamily units.

Retail Properties of America is planning a $100M redevelopment of the Fairfax Plaza shopping center that could total 1M SF and include 626 multifamily units, plus office and retail, the Washington Business Journal reports.

The 1970s-era shopping center at 2936, 2950 and 2960 Gallows Road includes a CubeSmart self-storage, a Unique thrift store, a Great Wall supermarket and a Gold's Gym. RPAI acquired it for $46M in January 2016 from Uniwest, which, along with Edens, developed the adjacent Mosaic District.

The Mosaic District has transformed the Merrifield area and served as a model for mixed-use development across the region. The 30-acre development features 576K SF of retail including a Target, Mom's Organic Market, Angelika Film Center and Anthropologie, plus two apartment buildings, 112 townhouses and office space.

RPAI's plan continues a trend among Fairfax County developers of transforming low-rise strip malls into large mixed-use developments, a strategy that is taking place on several properties throughout the county.