The Arlington YMCA is still pursuing redevelopment plans, but the loss of a developer and tough market conditions have pushed back the timeline.
Facing concerns from some patrons about ongoing maintenance issues, the YMCA told ARLnow that it is working on improvements to the Virginia Square facility and hoping to receive county approval for redevelopment in early 2027.
“We appreciate the community’s patience as we work to redevelop our much-needed YMCA facility, which we believe will serve Arlington for years to come and continue our mission to strengthen community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility,” the Y said in a statement.
The most recent site plans for the facility at 3422 13th Street N. — calling for an 88,000-square-foot recreation center alongside a seven-story, 374-unit apartment building — were filed in August 2022. A Site Plan Review Committee meeting happened in July 2023, but the project has gone quiet since then.
In February 2024, project attorney David Tarter told ARLnow that the Y was continuing to address comments from county staff while facing challenges from “increased interest rates and other economic headwinds.”
In the meantime, Y regulars say that maintenance problems like a leaky roof and potholes in the parking lot have been going unresolved.
The property’s assessed improvement value has fallen by about $336,000 since 2023, when it was listed at $1,713,700.
“The Y is aware of the deferred maintenance needs of our current facility, which is more than 60 years old,” the organization said. “While it has served the community well for decades, the building’s aging infrastructure can no longer fully support the range and quality of programs that today’s members and future generations deserve.”
The Y noted that it is still recovering from the impacts of the pandemic and listed further issues with “construction costs, tariffs and other market dynamics.”
The organization said it is currently “in a final selection process for a new developer” after the previous developer backed out.
“We have spent substantial time and money working through the replacement YMCA process including submission of multiple concept plans, detailed proposals, community outreach, and staff negotiations as we move through Arlington County’s 4.1 site plan approval process,” the Y said. “We are hopeful and looking forward to further discussions and identifying solutions with the County staff to make our new YMCA a reality.”
While redevelopment plans move forward, the organization said it intends to keep the existing facility open “for as long as possible.”
The YMCA’s complete statement is below.
The YMCA understands and appreciates community interest in our current and proposed YMCA Arlington facility in the Virginia Square area.
The Y is aware of the deferred maintenance needs of our current facility, which is more than 60 years old. While it has served the community well for decades, the building’s aging infrastructure can no longer fully support the range and quality of programs that today’s members and future generations deserve.
Though the Y has made the decision to re-develop the property, we have chosen to keep the doors open at the existing facility for as long as possible for the continued use of our dedicated long- term members.
Market conditions, however, including a rise in interest rates and construction costs, tariffs, and other market dynamics have caused many projects including our own to be paused and reevaluated.
As a non-profit, the YMCA was particularly hard hit by the Covid pandemic, from which we are still recovering. This downturn and other market conditions resulted in the loss of the YMCA’s original development partner. We are now in a final selection process for a new developer.
We have spent substantial time and money working through the replacement YMCA process including submission of multiple concept plans, detailed proposals, community outreach, and staff negotiations as we move through Arlington County’s 4.1 site plan approval process. We are hopeful and looking forward to further discussions and identifying solutions with the County staff to make our new YMCA a reality.
We hope that final approvals—including planning commission and County Board review—will be secured in the first quarter of 2027. In the meantime, the YMCA will be working on necessary improvements and maintenance issues including the removal of the Y’s adjacent property next to the branch which is part of the redevelopment project and ongoing facility repairs and maintenance that will not take away from funds needed for the future redevelopment.
We appreciate the community’s patience as we work to redevelop our much-needed YMCA facility, which we believe will serve Arlington for years to come and continue our mission to strengthen community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. For generations, the Arlington Y has been a cornerstone for residents of all ages—allowing them to connect and achieve their health and wellness goals and a sense of wellbeing.
