Join Club

County Board to Review Plans for Apartment Redevelopment on Columbia Pike

This Saturday, the Arlington County Board is slated to review a proposal to convert garden-style apartments on Columbia Pike into a 400-unit development dubbed Pike West.

The redevelopment of what’s currently known as the Greenbrier Apartments will add affordable housing units in a diverse neighborhood of Arlington that has seen an influx of residents, where the county aims to preserve 6,200 affordable housing units.

The five-acre property at 835 S. Greenbrier Street is bordered by Columbia Pike to the south and S. Greenbrier Street to the west. It currently has 117 residential units in 18 garden apartment buildings that were built in the 1940s.

In the first of two phases of the project, local developer Merion Group plans to demolish 14 of the apartment buildings, or 90 units, and build two 6-story apartment buildings and a shared, above-ground parking garage with 418 spaces and topped with a green space. The other 27 units and accompanying 20 parking spaces will remain in this phase.

The developer asked to remove two planned neighborhood streets, and instead turn them into alleys while relocating them within the Greenbrier property.

The new apartment buildings will set aside either 93 or 124 units for people making up to 60% of the average middle income.

“In either event, you will have more units that are affordable than that are out there on the site today,” said Catharine Puskar, an attorney for the developer.

The developer met with the community on Sept. 22 and with impacted tenants on Oct. 29, Puskar said. Tenants will get a requisite 120-day notice of the project next year ahead of construction.

Until then, “they are welcome, and we would like them, to stay inside their units,” she said.

Columbia Pike was the site of a recent affordable housing scuffle between Arlington residents and the County Board. Last month, the County Board voted to shelve a proposal from county staff to change rules governing affordable condos and other for-sale housing along Columbia Pike, InsideNova reported. Critics were vocal in their disapproval of the plan when it first came before the board in June and again in October.

But this project carries less controversy, according to some planning and transportation commission members, who mostly voiced approval of the plans during recent meetings. There is, however, some community opposition, from a group that’s generally skeptical of new development.

Representing Arlingtonians for Our Sustainable Future, economist Jonathan Huntley told the Planning Commission that the group has estimated the development will require up to $23 million in funding to meet new residents’ and students’ needs in the coming years.

The units feed into schools that are already crowded, he said.

“Ultimately, this development will require Arlington to make a fiscal commitment to meet the needs of new residents,” said Huntley. “We predict Pike West will attract more students and generate lower than average real-estate revenues, both of which will lead to deficits.”

Photo (3) via Google Maps

Recent Stories

George Mason University’s new Fuse at Mason Square in Arlington, is poised to become a 345,000-square-foot collaborative and digital innovation space in the heart of the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor. “As Mason expands in…

These tree care companies serve Arlington County and received Washington Consumers’ Checkbook’s top rating for quality (as reported by their customers in Checkbook’s surveys).

Wondering about the mechanics of a green card application? Statutes of Liberty has the do’s and dont’s before application fees go up!

Alexandria might not be getting a pro sports arena, but Arlington and Alexandria might be getting another “premier indoor active entertainment destination.” Specifically: Sky Zone, a kid-friendly trampoline park with…

Award-winning drag queen Tara Hoot is bringing her Family Fun Story Time Brunch to Arlington at Freddie’s Beach Bar! Saturday April 6 at noon! Join Tara for songs, stories, puppets, bubbles and joy! It’s not just stories, it’s a SHOW that’s perfect for kids and kids at heart–fun for everyone! Plus a tasty brunch at Freddie’s! Click the link and make your reservations now! ❤️ 🫧 🌈

Submit your own Announcement here.

The Summer 2024 STEAM (Science/Technology/Engineering/Arts/Math) Fellowship application is now open! Apply by April 15 to be considered!

The STEAM Workforce Development Teacher Fellowship provides Arlington Public Schools (APS) high school, middle school, and elementary school teachers with opportunities to learn about workplace needs in STEAM-related fields and for them to use the experience to enhance student learning to match workplace expectations in a selected industry. STEAM Fellows participate in a three-week summer fellowship, receiving a $4,000 stipend upon completion.

Applicants planning to pursue a fellowship in the arts must demonstrate how they will build connections between the arts and science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

Click the button to learn more, share, apply, and see the variety of fellowships completed in previous years.

Read More

Submit your own Announcement here.

ACFCU’s Homebuying 101: Steps to Getting Pre-Approved

Are you ready to jump into homeownership, or have you started considering it but don’t know where to start?

Financial preparation is key when thinking about purchasing your first home and the first step to getting pre-approved. Join ACFCU for

Free Right-Sizing Workshop – How to Get Rid of Your…

Cody Chance and Dick Nathan of Long & Foster are hosting a free workshop at our office on Cherry Hill Rd. (formerly Lee Highway) on the topic of “down-sizing” Thursday, March 28 from 5:30-7:30. We have created a workbook with

×

Subscribe to our mailing list