Amid ongoing construction delays, plans have changed for Arlington Community High School’s (ACHS) relocation in 2026.
The high school — currently located in an office building in Ballston — was originally set to relocate to PenPlace, the planned second phase of Amazon’s HQ2 campus in Pentagon City.
But as construction has yet to begin on that much-awaited construction project, Amazon announced today (Friday) that ACHS will actually moving to the company’s headquarters at Metropolitan Park.
“While there are no updates to our timing for PenPlace, we remain committed to the community and to providing a home for ACHS in time for the 2026-2027 school year,” said Holly Sullivan, Amazon’s vice president of worldwide economic development.
The company plans to submit a revised site plan and use permit application to the Arlington County Board for consideration later this year, Sullivan said.
“Once these approvals have been received, we will begin construction,” she said.
Amazon says it plans to carve out a “dedicated learning space” inside its offices, but it’s unclear where, exactly, the new school will be located on the Met Park campus.
“Amazon and ACHS are working closely on design details to ensure the high school maintains a dedicated entrance and space that supports education and learning in a vibrant environment,” Sullivan said. “We are very excited to bring ACHS into our headquarters.”
APS spokesperson Frank Bellavia told ARLnow that the school system plans to make the transition as soon as the space is ready.
“As soon as we are cleared to access the space, we will begin moving the current school over to the new location for students and staff to start on the first day of the 2026-27 school year,” he said.
Established nearly a century ago, ACHS caters to a diverse group of students over age 16 across the county, many of whom work full or part-time jobs while studying. Despite its long history, the school has never had a permanent location and has moved multiple times.
In 2023, the school moved out of the Arlington Career Center and into a multi-story office building near Clarendon. A new facility, meanwhile, is being built for the Career Center.
Durán said in a press release that APS is looking forward to the “new chapter” for the high school.
“Having a new dedicated learning space, custom-built to serve their needs in an accessible location, will make a world of difference for our students as they pursue their academic and professional goals,” he said. “We thank Amazon for their ongoing partnership in serving our students and commitment toward advancing equity and education in Arlington.”
