The City of Falls Church had a long-standing commitment to education and urgently needed a modern middle school to serve its growing community, but needed assistance in identifying a site and managing the development and construction process. 

 

Edgemoor stepped in with a groundbreaking approach, delivering Virginia’s first educational facility under the Public-Private Educational Facilities Infrastructure Act (PPEA). By structuring an integrated entitlement, design, build, finance, and delivery plan, we enabled the city to complete the project two years faster and millions under budget. 

 

The 131,000-square-foot school was strategically placed on existing city property to maximize efficiency and minimize costs. Today, Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School stands as a testament to forward-thinking partnerships — a facility that not only supports flexible, technology-rich learning but also reflects a community’s commitment to investing wisely in its future.

​

Two decades after opening, the school continues to serve as one of the most important civic facilities in Falls Church, educating roughly 600 students each year and anchoring an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. Beyond the school day, the building hosts community events and weekend gatherings of every kind, performing exactly as it was designed to and serving as a foundational part of life in Falls Church.