Plan for Nonprofit to Take Over Reeves Farmhouse to Go to County Board

Three years after Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia (HabitatNOVA) first reached out to Arlington County with a plan to reuse the Reeves Farmhouse, the plan is scheduled for review by the Arlington County Board tonight.

The home, built in 1900, is a historic property that is currently vacant and owned by Arlington County. The Reevesland property it sits on is notable for being the last operating dairy farm in Arlington, operating through the Great Depression and World War II until 1955.

HabitatNOVA’s plan is to convert the house into a group home for developmentally disabled individuals. The organization would partner with a group called L’Arche Greater Washington, a group in D.C. that serves people with disabilities, as a fundraising partner and to provide residential support for four to five individuals.

Under the agreement between HabitatNOVA and Arlington County, the farmhouse would be preserved, operated and maintained with private funding, according to a staff presentation. The two-acres of parkland around it would remain a public use, including the historic milk shed, the sledding hill, and the Reevesland Learning Center gardens.

At the meeting tonight, the County Board is scheduled to decide whether or not to authorize County Manager Mark Schwartz to go forward with a letter of intent. If approved, the county would host two public meetings about the plan. HabitatNOVA would also start fundraising with the aim of reaching 25% of the $2.3 million required for the project.

Photo via Arlington County