Owners of razed Broyhill estate seek new owner-developer for site, touting up to 36 Missing Middle units

In a new twist, the now-razed Broyhill estate in the Donaldson Run neighborhood is again on the market, billed as a development opportunity for anywhere between six and 36 homes.

Less than a year after its last sale, for $2.55 million, the estate near the Washington Golf and Country Club is once more on the market — this time as a 1.43-acre vacant lot, coming in at a cool $10 million asking price.

The agent, Leesburg-based Serafin Real Estate, says in a listing it “is pleased to present what is perhaps the single largest land offering to come available in Northern Virginia’s most desirable North Arlington (22207) within the last two decades.”

A brochure notes this property is ready for “streamline development” with up to six single-family residences — the way of the Febrey-Lothrop estate — or up to 36 Expanded Housing Option housing units, across two parcels, 11,145 square feet and 51,062 square feet in size.

Neither the agent nor the owners responded to a request for comment.

A video tour of the property at 2561 N. Vermont Street shows that construction fencing remains, as do some remnants of the former 10-bedroom home: brick steps, a wrought iron gate, and a small building corner.

It’s a far cry from the home husband-and-wife duo Mustaq Hamza and Amanda Maldonado told ARLnow they would build after buying the property earlier this year.

Shortly into demolition, they were fending off at least one vigilante preservationist who nicked pieces of the home on his way out. They also had had sharp words for neighbors they said alleged the duo would take advantage of the freshly-passed Missing Middle zoning code updates.

“They don’t believe two minorities can buy a lot for $2.5 million and build another single family house,” Maldonado said at the time. “They believe we’re going to flip it and build a bunch of condos.”

Donaldson Run Civic Association President Bill Richardson says a lingering concern for neighbors is how much of the property will be covered with an impervious surface, with elements such as a house or a driveway.

“Members are very concerned about that, generally, and as it relates to this property,” he said. “It applies whether it’s [developed with] single-family or Missing Middle… Nobody really knows. it’s being marketed for either purpose.”

One of the ideas that came out of the Missing Middle conversation was to further regulate lot coverage, as many residents were frustrated with existing standards that allow more trees to be torn out for construction of large homes, either of the single-family variety or otherwise.

This is in part because fewer mature trees, combined with more impervious surfaces, can exacerbate flooding during rain storms, Richardson says.

Arlington County Urban Forest Manager Vincent Verweij says a permit stated 43 trees were to be removed and 59 trees were saved on the property. Some of the trees removed were “stressed,” hollow or decayed, according to records he shared.

“If the project followed the permit, this should be the final number,” he said, noting he would not be able to confirm the final total by deadline. “I do not have any notes from our inspector that there were any discrepancies.”

Richardson says he wants the county to escalate a lot coverage study. Arlington County Board members urged staff to get started on this as soon as they could, though planning staff have several studies on the calendar for the next year.

“One doesn’t know what the future use is going to be,” Richardson said, urging the county to accelerate the process. “It’s basically fiddling while Rome burns.”