A North Arlington community center may close as soon as next spring for a multimillion-dollar maintenance project.
That’s when the Madison Community Center will begin undergoing $6.7 million in renovations, bringing a new roof, climate control system, windows, better lighting and other improvements to the lower-level fitness center and adjacent restrooms, according to a county webpage.
The changes at 3829 N. Stafford Street are meant to ensure that the community center “remains functional and safe,” Katie O’Brien, a spokesperson for Arlington’s Department of Environmental Services, told ARLnow.
“For the extensive level of improvements being made, the facility will be temporarily closed during construction to expedite the work and for the safety of building users,” O’Brien said. “More information about the timing and duration of the closure will be shared as it gets closer to the start of the project.”
The Fiscal Year 2025-2034 Capital Improvement Plan included $4.7 million for renovations, and the county’s fiscal year 2026 budget includes an additional $2 million.
Upgrades to the air conditioning system are expected to be complete by winter 2026, according to the Capital Improvement Plan. A newsletter from the Old Glebe Civic Association reported that the facility may be closed “for about a year.”
The county plans to conduct a long-term planning study after the maintenance project concludes, informing future capital improvement plans, O’Brien said.
“Analysis should consider near-term improvements to better serve current uses and meet environmental goals and opportunities for the future to expand or combine uses with Gulf Branch Nature Center and Old Glebe Park,” the current plan says.
The county also intends to schedule a public engagement opportunity where staff will share details about the renovations “and how they will sustain the programming and long-term reliability of the community center,” O’Brien said.
As of September, the county was still finalizing the project’s design.
