The Arlington County Board has approved three major development projects in Rosslyn, Ballston and Shirlington with nearly 1,250 units of housing.
Before heading into summer break on Tuesday, Board members unanimously approved zoning changes to permit the Penzance’s One Rosslyn and Ballston One redevelopment projects along with new apartments and townhouse units on the Shirlington House site.
The result is expected to be numerous new condos and apartments in three neighborhoods where leaders want to see more housing.
One Rosslyn
One Rosslyn’s three-tower, $600 million compound is planned at 1901 and 1911 Fort Myer Drive, currently occupied by office buildings.
“This is a critical project for us to move forward with,” Board member Matt de Ferranti said during a lengthy discussion that focused not just on the project itself, but environmental and traffic-safety concerns surrounding it.
In the end, Penzance walked away with most of what it was seeking, despite some lingering concerns from the county’s elected leadership.
“We have to make compromises — compromises are very difficult,” Board Chair Takis Karantonis said as the vote approached near midnight. “We are still going to strive for the best.”
The package included just under 1 million square feet of new development — largely apartments and condominiums with a limited amount of retail. The floor area ratio for the project, measuring interior square footage divided by square footage of the lot, is 9.92, close to the typical maximum of 10 for Rosslyn-area development.
The proposal calls for:
- A 23-story, 73-unit condominium building on the northeast portion of the site
- A 27-story, 311-unit apartment building on the northwest portion
- A 29-story, 461-unit apartment building on the southern portion
At the public hearing preceding the vote, speakers argued for and against a proposal to create a new pedestrian skyway across eastbound Langston Blvd. In the end, Board members sided with staff and several advisory commissions that an overhead crossing was less valuable than a broad array of at-grade safety measures.
“The at-grade crossing is likely to improve safety for everyone over time,” Board member Susan Cunningham said. Consideration of a new above-ground crossing “doesn’t work right now,” she said.
Nevertheless, Cunningham remained open to other options if that doesn’t turn out to be the case. She promised a full array of safety improvements in the corridor.
“We’re going to be working up and down Langston Blvd for the next decade to get safety in that road. It’s just not been there,” she said.
As the proposal worked its way through the review process, it picked up support of county staff and — with one major exception — support from the advisory bodies that considered it.
The Planning Commission unanimously supported the project, as did the Housing Commission, which spotlighted the developer’s plan to contribute enough money to the Affordable Housing Investment Fund to create 60-plus new committed-affordable units.
The Transportation Commission voted 11-0 to support the development plan, but the Climate Change, Energy and Environment Commission recommended it be rejected.
“The project is not participating in the Green Building Incentive Program and generally falls short of what is necessary to address the climate crisis and Arlington’s climate goals,” that commission’s chair, Cindy Lewin, said in a letter to Board members.
Penzance anticipates beginning construction in 2026.
Ballston One
The same developer’s Ballston One project, meanwhile, also calls for razing an existing office building at 4601 Fairfax Drive and replacing it with seven-story apartment building with up to 328 units.
When constructed, the new building will be among the first that drivers see when entering Ballston off I-66. Board Chair Takis Karantonis, who liked the design, said it would be an appropriate “visual handshake” to those arriving.
“It’s kind of a gateway,” he said.
The 2.28-acre parcel is bounded by Fairfax Drive to the south; N. Wakefield Street and Marymount University’s Ballston campus to the east; a private street and the Ballston Plaza office building to the north; and the Ballston Wetland Park, Bluemont Junction Trail and I-66 ramps to the west.
The project would be built on top of the existing building’s garage.
Even with zoning approval in hand, Penzance’s ability to move forward on the redevelopment may hinge on the federal government’s decisions. The General Services Administration leases about 40% of the current building.
Penzance officials say they expect the tenant to relocate in late 2026, but there are no guarantees. Based on the terms of the lease, the federal agency involved could extend occupancy indefinitely, in theory.
Echoing conversations throughout the review process in recent months, leaders quizzed the developer on why the building would be seven stories, when zoning rules allow for more.
Penzance repeated past arguments that building higher would be prohibitively expensive, creating expenses that the cost of rent wouldn’t recoup.
As part of the agreement with county officials, Penzance will pay about $2 million into the Affordable Housing Investment Fund, rather than put affordable units on-site.
Shirlington House
Finally, Board members unanimously approved plans from the owner of the Shirlington House Apartments to add 73 new units on an eight-acre site at 4201 31st Street S.
The plan would retain the existing apartments built in the early 1960s while using excess available density to construct 59 units in a seven-story building fronting 31st Street and 14 additional three-bedroom, townhouse-style units.
The existing 10-story, 436-unit apartment building would not change. Once expansion is complete, the property would total 509 units.
The property owner agreed to provide 12 of the new units for committed affordable housing. As part of the plan, a new bicycle lane will be constructed on 31st Street adjacent to the property.
