Two redevelopment proposals, $4.9 million for street improvements and planned renovations at Lacey Woods Park are all on the agenda for an upcoming County Board meeting.
Other agenda items include $365,810 in arts grants, $500,000 for “digital equity grants” and $150,000 in funding for local food security initiatives.
Here’s a look ahead at what awaits County Board members on Saturday, Sept. 13, their first meeting following summer hiatus.
Redevelopment projects
Two redevelopment proposals with 457 units total are scheduled for County Board consideration.
In one case, the project appears to be headed to approval, while in the other, concerns have been raised that may cause it to be rejected.
County staff and the Planning Commission are recommending approval of a proposal to raze an existing five-story office building at 2500 Wilson Blvd in the Courthouse area.
In its place would rise a 14-story mixed-use project with 316 residential units and 14,000 square feet of retail space, totaling about 358,000 square feet overall.
The building would rise just over 156 feet, a reduction from the originally sought 16 stories.
Board members will be asked to amend the General Land Use Plan, rezone the site and approve a site-plan amendment to permit the project, sought by TMG 2500 Wilson Boulevard LLC.
During the review process, concerns were raised about the building’s mass and its impact on an already challenging mass-transit situation in the neighborhood.
“Court House Metro is a dysfunctional Metro stop, because nobody can get on it between 8 and 9 o’clock in the morning because it arrives full,” civic activist June O’Connell said at the Transportation Commission meeting where the proposal was considered.
While not disputing her point, commission members voted 9-0 to recommend approval of the zoning changes being sought.
Planning Commission support for the project also was unanimous, although concerns were raised about a daycare facility in the current building that will need to relocate during construction.
Potentially facing a more uphill battle is the proposal to redevelop 1601 N. Fairfax Drive — the former Inn of Rosslyn hotel — into an eight-story multifamily building with up to 141 residential units on a 0.5-acre lot.
County staff is recommending denial of the request by Monument Realty, saying the design “significantly deviates” from requirements of the Fort Myer Heights North Plan and also is not in accord with the county’s Comprehensive Plan and zoning ordinance.
Several county advisory commissions have also recommended denying the project.
The proposal calls for a floor-area ratio (FAR) of 5.3 on the half-acre parcel. That exceeds the maximum base FAR of 3.24 for the corridor, although in some circumstances more intense development is permitted.
In each rezoning case, public hearings will happen before a vote is taken.
‘Arlington Neighborhoods’ funding
Board members are being asked to allocate $4,867,000 in the latest round of the Arlington Neighborhoods Program grant program.
Four projects are proposed for funding, all for street improvements:
- $1.37 million for N. Pollard Street from 31st Street N. to Roberts Lane in the Bellevue Forest neighborhood
- $1.5 million for N. Carlin Springs Road from N. Galveston Street to 2nd Street N. and N. Jefferson Street in the Bluemont neighborhood
- $1.79 million for 25th Place N. and N. Emerson Street in the Yorktown neighborhood
- $207,000 for 7th Road S. from S. Carlin Springs Road to S. Florida Street and 8th Street S. in the Arlington Mill neighborhood
Funding for the Arlington Neighborhoods initiative was approved by voters in 2022 and 2024 bond referendums, and the projects sought for approval were recommended by the Arlington Neighborhoods Advisory Committee at its spring meeting.
Once those projects are approved, the Neighborhoods Program fund balance will be $4,622,540 — enough for projects to be funded in 2026 before a new bond referendum is required.
Arts grants
Board members are expected to approve $365,810 in direct support to Arlington arts organizations for fiscal year 2026.
Twelve nonprofit arts organizations would receive grants ranging from about $6,200 to about $72,000. They include the following.
- Arlington Artists Alliance
- Arlington Children’s Chorus
- Arlington Chorale
- Arlington Philharmonic
- Avant Bard Theatre
- Educational Theatre Co.
- Encore Stage & Studio
- MoCA Arlington
- National Chamber Ensemble
- Prio Bangla
- Synetic Theater
- Arlington Players
Four individual artists will receive $15,000 grants: Negar Ahkami, Nadia Conyers, Stacey Schwartz and JP Wogaman II.
Requests for funding were vetted by the Arlington Commission for the Arts. All told, 17 arts organizations and 24 individual artists applied for grant funding this round.
‘Digital equity grants’
Board members are expected to approve $500,000 for “digital equity grants” to local organizations.
The majority of the grant funding — $283,000 — will go to Computer CORE, which will provide refurbished computers to and digital-literacy training for those in its program. It will also support up to 40 individuals working toward technology certificates as part of a collaboration with Microsoft.
Additional grants will go to Edu-Futuro, Shirlington Employment and Education Center, True Ground Housing Partners, Alliance for Arlington Seniors, Aspire! Afterschool Learning and Boolean Girls.
A total of 23 organizations with grant requests totaling just over $2.7 million participated in the funding-review process.
Food security grants
Board members are expected to approve $150,000 in mini-grant funding for 13 food security initiatives.
The funding focuses on programs that impact high-risk segments of the community, “including older adults, children and families, immigrants, historically marginalized populations and those returning from incarceration,” county officials said.
Grant funding would go to the following organizations.
- Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC Inc.)
- Arlington Bridge Builders
- Arlington Retirement Housing Corp. (Culpepper Garden)
- Arlington Thrive
- Aspire! Afterschool Learning
- Central United Methodist Church
- Community Association of Resources Education Enrichment & Economics (CARE)
- Ethiopian Community Development Council
- Meals on Wheels of Arlington
- Northern Virginia Family Service
- Offender Aid & Restoration (OAR)
- Randolph Elementary School
- Shirlington Employment and Education Center
Lacey Woods Park renovation project
Board members are expected to award a contract worth up to $1,107,700 to A.P. Construction LLC for renovations to Lacey Woods Park at 1200 N. George Mason Drive.
The work will include replacement of the picnic shelter, restrooms and basketball-court lights, along with improvements for site circulation, stormwater management, drainage and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
The existing playground will remain.
Because all five project bids were higher than the project’s proposed budget, county officials eliminated the planned renovation of the basketball court from the project scope.
Construction work is expected to take about a year.
Funding for Arlington Historical Museum
Board members are expected to distribute $50,000 in state funds to the Arlington Historical Society in support of the renovation of the Arlington Historical Museum.
Funding was included in the state budget and is being provided by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. It will be used to support renovation of the museum, housed in what had been the circa-1891 Hume School on Arlington Ridge Road.
Workforce development grant
Board members are expected to accept a $150,000 grant from the state government to fund a 12-month program, “Facilitating Career Pivots into High-Demand Occupations.”
The grant will fund the hiring of an executive-coaching service to support a minimum of 100 residents in Arlington and Alexandria over the year-long period.
The focus will be on reaching those laid off from positions in the federal government or its contractors. A local match of at least 50% of the grant fund is required.
Revisions to conditions for Goodwill site
Goodwill Industries and AHC are seeking County Board approval to change some energy-efficiency and parking conditions as part of the development plan approved earlier in the year.
The proposed development calls for a six-story building that will include 128 committed-affordable units located above two levels of Goodwill retail space, along with a 40-child daycare facility as part of the six-story mixed-use development.
The parcel is located at 10 S. Glebe Road.
The site-plan amendment, which county staff supports, is needed to make changes required because the development team is taking a different financing route than planned when the project was authorized by Board members.
The revision would result in a net loss of four parking spaces, to 172 overall. The overall project density would be unchanged.
Funding for opioid recovery
Board members are being asked to approve funding of $20,000 annually as part of the government’s efforts to combat drug overdoses and opioid addiction in the community.
The funding comes as part of a settlement between local government and pharmaceutical firms. It will provide patients with Suboxone, a medication to treat serious drug-withdrawal symptoms.
The effort will be administered through the Arlington County Fire Department.
Recessed meeting
As of yesterday (Tuesday), there are no action items on the Board’s Tuesday, Sept. 16 recessed meeting. Items that are pulled from the Sept. 13 consent agenda, if any, will be acted on during the Tuesday meeting no earlier than 6 p.m.
