This annual award program is presented by the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (SFDC) to recognize local businesses for their outstanding contributions to Richmond Highway beautification in the form of landscape improvements.  This annual award was named to honor a long-serving board member, the late Mary Thonen, as a memorial to her life, hard work and dedication she showed in her service to the Mount Vernon and Lee communities.

While SFDC and Fairfax County have improved the highway’s center medians, it is up to individual business owners to landscape in front of their business and along the service drive medians.  Attractive landscaping and aesthetically pleasing facades brings more consumers not only to the individual business who landscape but also more consumer traffic to the highway as a whole.

All types of businesses along the Route One corridor will be considered for recognition for the Mary Thonen Award program. There are five categories in which applicants can select.

•  Large Retail/Shopping Centers
•  Hotels
• Large Apartment Complexes
• Office Buildings and Complexes
• Small, Independent Business

1. Announcement of the Mary Thonen Award program will be made on the SFDC website and in the local newspapers.  Interested organizations and citizens may submit a nomination form to submit a property for consideration.

2. All information must be submitted no later than September 30, 2011 to SFDC. Pictures of the property must be submitted with the nomination form in electronic format. Photos will not be returned.

3. Review of all submissions will be conducted in October and presentations of awards to the recipients will be made in November.

A property can be nominated under the following criteria:

1.    Excellence in Garden Design

• Use of Seasonal Plants

• Use of Materials and Color
• Design Harmony and Maintenance

2.    Community Service Project or Contribution to Neighborhood Beautification

3. Environmental Significance

• Resource-efficient landscapes: No invasive species; plantings are native to Virginia
• Recycled-content materials used
• High-efficiency irrigation systems: Low-flow sprinklers; “Smart” (Weather-based) controlled system

4.    Architectural Building Design and/or Renovation

2011 Award Recipients

2010 Award Recipients