The Arlington County Board is considering a proposal for a childcare center on the third floor of the newly constructed Saint Timothy and Saint Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church (STSA) in Green Valley.
However, the proposal, introduced by the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) in April, has raised concerns among nearby residents worried that the childcare center’s size and rooftop playground will create traffic and noise issues.
Located between the 251-townhome Shirlington Crest community and the ABC Imaging print shop at 2640 Shirlington Road, construction on the church started in 2021 and wrapped up last fall. The building features a parking garage on the first two floors, church facilities on the fourth floor, and an empty third floor.
Although the church is busy on weeknights and weekends, it remains mostly unused during weekdays, particularly the third floor, Fr. Anthony Messeh, the church’s priest, told ARLnow. To address this, the church hired a broker to find a new tenant, leading them to ASYMCA.
“It was a perfect match because they needed during the space during the daytime. We needed it in the evening,” Messeh said.
According to a county staff report, the childcare center would serve up to 268 children of military families Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., while employing 75 staff members. In addition to renovating the third floor, ASYMCA plans to transform the roof into a 4,726-square-foot outdoor play area.
But not everyone is keen on the new arrangement. Several residents whose back windows and patios are within feet of the building’s rooftop have expressed concerns about the noise generated by children playing on the roof.
“Given the topography of Green Valley (a valley where noise reverberates up), the close proximity of the roof top/exterior locations to residences, and the sheer volume of children and staff, makes the noise impactful on the community. This is a significant public health and safety concern,” residents wrote in a letter to the county.
ASYMCA has proposed planting trees, building a ten-foot fence, and limiting the roof to 12 children at any given time, per the letter. However, residents argue this will not be enough to abate noise.
The letter also claims that the building’s 105-space parking garage is too small to accommodate hundreds of cars dropping off and picking up children during peak rush hour will cause “significant disruptions.”
In addition, the Green Valley Civic Association wrote a separate letter to county staff, sharing similar concerns.
Portia Clark, president of the civic association, told ARLnow that while she wants to be sensitive to residents’ concerns, the community also needs to be realistic about STSA’s right to lease the space and the need for childcare services in Arlington.
“[ASYMCA] expressed that they are very willing to work with us, and we’re going to continue to work with them.,” Clark said. “And as this gets built out, we’ll go back in for another tour and see if that helps with some of the mediation of what needs to be done.”
In a statement to ARLnow, ASYMCA said it intends to continue engaging with nearby residents and civic associations to address their concerns, and the organization aims to ensure the center meets community needs “while providing high-quality child care tailored to the unique challenges of military life.”
“Together, with the community, we can support the families to ensure they have the resources needed to thrive,” ASYMCA said.
County staff have recommended that the County Board approve a use permit for the childcare center, which is on the agenda for the Board’s Monday meeting.
