County looking into possibility of promoting Richmond Highway on water towers

The water tower in the Beacon Hill area.

Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay and Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck have asked county to look into the feasibility of painting or wrapping water towers in the Richmond Highway area as a way to compliment the Embark initiative.

McKay formally brought up the issue at the June 5 Board of Supervisors meeting, saying his office has received questions about decorating the towers during meetings about the Embark Richmond Highway initiative. He noted that a water tower in Tysons Corner had been painted a few years ago with the Tysons logo.

“We are aware of the great work done in Tysons, in conjunction with the Tysons Partnership, with water tower there,” McKay said. “We’d like to explore a similar initiative along the corridor.”

McKay and Storck have asked county staff to outline what would be necessary to make such a project happen, including funding estimates and options.

There is one water tower visible from Richmond Highway behind the Target on Beacon Hill. There are also a set of large water tanks near the intersection of Route 1 and Fordson Road.

Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith immediately poured some cold water on the idea at the June 5 meeting, noting that the Tysons Corner tower wrapping wasn’t popular with some in the community.

“Not everything thinks the shrink-wrapped water tower in Tysons in great,”  Smith said. “I’m just warning you, it turns out to be a bigger deal than you might expect.”

“[That’s] one of the reasons we’re asking for information,” McKay responded.