Most of Mosaic Park in Ballston has stayed open while the county waited to implement a plan for the site. (Photo: TBD Staff)

After several years of planning, Ballston's getting a little closer to its vision for Mosaic Park. The Arlington County Board is expected to vote on the next step of the process Saturday.

A concept for the park, which is sandwiched behind Gold's Gym in Ballston and across the street from where the Shooshan Company is building the Founders Square development, was approved in 2009. But the park has been largely comprised of an open field and a couple of jungle gyms since then, while the county looked to finance improvements to and secure more space for the park.

Now, the board is about to approve a deal in which the Shooshans would provide more than $6 million in exchange for the development rights for the existing park along with two adjacent parcels at Founders Square.

The Shooshan Company is requesting an amendment to its site plan for Founders Square — which includes the new offices for DARPA currently under construction — that would increase the size of the commercial office building to be built next to the DARPA building.

The company is also looking for approval to build a Marriott Residence Inn hotel on the site instead of a previously approved residential building. Construction on the DARPA building is already underway, and is expected to be complete by the first quarter of 2012.

As for Mosaic Park, an affirmative vote from the county board Saturday would mean the design phase could finally begin, according to Arlington County Parks development division chief Lisa Grandle. A number of civic association and other community members were involved in a planning group for the park in 2008 and 2009, and Grandle told the Ashton Heights Civic Association Wednesday night that the parks department may need the group's services again shortly.

The County Board will hold a public hearing and then vote on the proposal at its regular meeting on Saturday, Jan. 22.