The County Board has provided a three-year extension to redevelopment plans for a shuttered Days Inn hotel on Arlington Blvd.
In a 5-0 vote last night (Wednesday), County Board members provided more time for the owner — a limited-liability company that has been unable to move forward on redevelopment plans at 2201 Arlington Blvd — to attempt to sell the 2.4-acre parcel with the approved site plan in place.
Absent the extension, the site plan, adopted in 2023, would have lapsed in July. It now runs through mid-2029.
The use permit allows for construction of an 8-story property with 251 residential units, plus 3,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, at the eastern end of Lyon Park across from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. The current property owner selected the name Arva Apartments, although that could change with new ownership.
A future owner would not be obligated to build according to the approved site plan, but significant deviations would require going through the development process anew.
Discussion and a final vote came after midnight at the conclusion of a long agenda. The item had been pulled from the Board’s June 13 consent agenda because of concerns raised by the Lyon Park Citizens Association.
The community association did not object to the extension, but wanted additional conditions added to ensure the existing, largely vacant site will be maintained in good condition until redevelopment takes place.
“The property has been closed and roped off for approximately 8 months and is at risk for rodent infestation, mold growth, delinquency and other unauthorized use,” said civic association president Natalie Roy.
The Lyon Park group asked Board members to add a number of conditions before approving the extension, including weekly monitoring checks by the property owner, addressing any problems and reporting to the neighborhood on a regular basis.
The association also wanted assurances that any new property owner would work with the civic association on the design of a park proposed for a portion of the site.
County staff said concerns about blight could be addressed through existing county ordinances.
“We’re going to go out there on a regular basis,” County Manager Mark Schwartz said.
Matthew Roberts, a land-use attorney representing the property owner, met with the civic association in May. Both sides said the meeting went well.
“I am more than happy to remain a point of contact,” Roberts said at the June 17 meeting. “As things pop up, we’re easy to get ahold of.”
Roberts disputed Roy’s characterization of the site as blighted, but acknowledged challenges.
“If issues are there, they are addressed,” he said.
Roberts said existing site-plan conditions mandate public involvement in the park-planning process. He said other community benefits agreed to as part of the 2023 approval remain intact.
“We don’t plan to change any of those things,” he said.
Board members opted not to incorporate any of the civic association’s requests into development conditions, but Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said he was willing to serve as a liaison between all parties.
“I’ll be on the hook,” he said. “That’s not a promise I can fix all things, just that I’ll listen and engage.”
The 251-unit hotel was built in 1955. Its current owner acquired it for $15 million in 2006.
19-story apartment tower approved
County Board members on Saturday approved replacing an aging Courthouse office building with a new 19-story, 394-unit apartment complex.
The 5-0 vote paved the way for construction of Alexan Courthouse, to be built by a subsidiary of Trammell Crow on a 1.15-acre site at 2000 15th Street N.
The project “reflects the character of the community,” Board member Takis Karantonis said in the lead-up to the vote.
Residents of the nearby Odyssey condominium building raised concerns about traffic and parking issues. The Radnor/Fort Myer Heights Civic Association, while generally supportive of the project, raised similar issues.
Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said county officials would monitor construction to mitigate impacts on the neighborhood.
“If you have concerns, raise them and we’ll be responsive,” he said.
As part of the proposal, the developer has agreed to provide, at its discretion, either nine on-site affordable units or contribute $5 million to the county government’s Affordable Housing Investment Fund.
The project won support from the Planning Commission, Housing Commission and Transportation Commission on its way to County Board consideration.
The office building that currently occupies the site was constructed in the 1980s and sits largely vacant.
County to purchase home for stormwater mitigation
County Board members on Saturday (June 13) agreed to spend $950,000 to purchase another home as part of ongoing stormwater-mitigation efforts.
The property, located at 5862 14th Street N., abuts Interstate 66 and is one of a number of properties in the vicinity the local government has offered to purchase.
Built in 1930, the home sits on a 5,665-square-foot lot. The current owner purchased it in 2023 for $850,000; its 2026 property assessment was $866,000.
In addition to purchase costs, county officials anticipate spending about $400,000 for closing, demolition and stabilization efforts.
