The gateway to one of Loudoun’s longest running projects will be opening to traffic after a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Innovation Avenue today.

Innovation Avenue connects Rt. 28 and the site of the Hub, known until last year as the Dulles World Center, which will stand prominently at the intersection of the Dulles Toll Road and Rt. 28, sandwiched between Dulles Airport and the Town of Herndon.

“The Hub is happening,” said Supervisor Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R-Broad Run). “It’s going to happen, and I know that there’s many other people who have been wondering if there’s going to be movement on this project. This road shows that this is going to be happening.”

David Bennion, the ownership representative for DWC Holdings LLC, the owner and developer, pointed out that the property lays in two special real estate tax districts: both the Rt. 28 Tax District, and the Metrorail Service District, adding up to an additional 38 cents per $100 of assessed value. He also pointed out that the developer has invested $23 million in infrastructure in the road and interchange with Rt. 28.

“We’re on this beautiful road today, we can’t wait to have beautiful buildings and to bring about, really, the vision for this project,” Bennion said.

“The model that we have here, for investing in infrastructure first before development, is something that we always talk about, it’s something that we always say we wish would happen,” Meyer said. “$23 million have already been invested in this project—not in residential housing, not in townhouses, in road for Loudoun County, for the Town for Herndon, and for Fairfax County.”

Loudoun County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) also mentioned that the new road and development will benefit three jurisdictions, as well as feeding into Metro. She recognized previous Loudoun Boards of Supervisors, including previous chairman Scott K. York, who was in attendance.

“When you have a perpetual political body, the vision of something that happens was often on the body before you,” Randall said. “So although I get to cut the ribbon, and I’m very grateful for that, there are boards before us that had this vision.”

rgreene@loudounnow.com

@RenssGreene