development | ARLnow.com

New plans to redevelop abandoned strip mall bring hope to Columbia Pike advocates

Published May 6, 2025 at 10:00AM

New redevelopment plans for 2601 Columbia Pike (via Arlington County)

Newly resurrected redevelopment plans for an abandoned Columbia Pike strip mall have leaders optimistic that an end to a long and embarrassing saga is in sight.

Developer Toll Brothers filed plans last week to rebuild the 2600 block of Columbia Pike as a mixed-use project with 262 housing units and 16,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. It’s the successor to The Elliot, a planned development at the Fillmore Gardens Shopping Center that fell through last year after a ground-floor grocery tenant backed out.

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Plans for 309-unit development in Clarendon head to County Board

By Scott McCaffrey

Published May 5, 2025 at 3:45PM

Renderings of the planned redevelopment at 3033 Wilson Blvd (via Arlington County)

Plans to rebuild a Clarendon office building as an eight-story, 309-unit multifamily building are about to reach the Arlington County Board.

Developer Carr Properties aims to raze a nearly 40-year-old office building at 3033 Wilson Blvd and replace it with a development called Clarendon Square.

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Plans to add 73 units at Shirlington House cruise through initial review meeting

By Scott McCaffrey

Published April 25, 2025 at 8:15AM | Updated April 25, 2025 at 8:57AM

Architectural rendering of proposed new apartment building on Shirlington House parcel (via Snell Properties)

A developer’s plans to add 73 units while retaining the existing Shirlington House apartment building have cruised relatively unscathed through the county’s site-plan review process.

“It’s a good project,” James Lantelme, a member of the Planning Commission who serves on the panel evaluating the proposal, said on Monday.

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Developer announces plans for 302-unit tower to replace Ballston office building

By Dan Egitto

Published April 23, 2025 at 2:30PM

Renderings of a planned residential tower at 4420 Fairfax Drive (courtesy of Aria)

Another developer is setting its sights on redeveloping a Ballston office building as a residential high-rise.

Aria Development Group filed plans last week to replace a five-story structure at 4420 Fairfax Drive with a 22-story tower. The new building would have 302 residential units, 5,017 square feet of retail and 86 parking spaces.

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New markers honor historic Rouse estate, controversially demolished in 2021

By ARLnow.com

Published April 23, 2025 at 9:45AM | Updated April 25, 2025 at 3:50PM

Signage at site of Febrey-Lothrop estate (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

New interpretive panels have been installed honoring the Rouse estate, a historic home torn down in 2021 to the dismay of many preservationists.

The new signs, a collaborative effort between the Dominion Hills Civic Association, Toll Brothers and county government, highlight the Dominion Hills community and the building also known as the Febrey-Lothrop House. Funding came through the county’s Historic Preservation Fund.

Around Town

Dance studio and daycare open at West Falls in F.C., with more businesses on the way

By Katie Taranto

Published April 18, 2025 at 1:15PM | Updated April 21, 2025 at 9:10AM

Ribbon cutting at the new West Falls Tierra Encantada daycare (via Tierra Encantada West Falls Church/Facebook)

A full slate of new businesses have opened in recent weeks and months at the West Falls development in Falls Church.

A daycare, dance studio, Chase Bank and Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls are just some of the project’s newest retailers — and even more restaurants, including an ice cream parlor and a ramen bar, are on their way this spring and summer.

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New accessory dwelling policy approved in unanimous Falls Church vote

By Scott McCaffrey

Published April 17, 2025 at 2:45PM

An accessory dwelling unit by Backyard Homes in North Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Falls Church City Council has reached a compromise on accessory dwelling units, allowing for by-right development on most single-family parcels.

The unanimous 7-0 vote followed public discussions with the public last summer and nearly a year of further deliberation. Most public speakers showed up in support of the decision, although some controversy remains on issues such as setbacks.

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With Missing Middle up in the air, developers turn to single-family homes

By Dan Egitto

Published April 17, 2025 at 9:00AM

An approved EHO project at 5041 25th Street S. in the Claremont neighborhood in October 2024 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

In the months since a circuit court judge struck down Arlington’s Missing Middle zoning changes, one of the initiative’s core goals appears to have backfired.

Beyond increasing the county’s overall housing stock, one of the main stated intentions of Missing Middle was to address a trend of developers tearing down existing single-family homes to replace them with larger, more expensive single-family homes.

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Green Valley redevelopment plan wins approval despite community opposition

By Scott McCaffrey

Published April 10, 2025 at 1:15PM

Rendering of 2480 S. Glebe Road project (via Arlington County)

A divided County Board on Wednesday (April 9) approved development of a 531-unit residential project despite ongoing concerns from residents in the Green Valley neighborhood.

The 4-0 vote, with one abstention, paves the way for construction a mix of residential uses at the 5.52 acre site.

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Falls Church leaders still divided over who should pay for trash collection

By Scott McCaffrey

Published April 10, 2025 at 8:15AM

An American Disposal truck in Northern Virginia (staff photo by Matt Blitz)

Falls Church City Council members appear as divided as ever on how costs for trash collection in single-family neighborhoods should be funded.

At a Monday work session, Council members split almost down the middle on whether to shift to a fee-for-service model or to stick with funding weekly trash services through the city. More specifically, they are still debating whether they can work out details in the few weeks remaining before the city’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget is due for adoption.

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VHC Health soon plans to submit proposal for 146-bed facility on S. Carlin Springs

By Scott McCaffrey

Published April 9, 2025 at 9:00AM | Updated April 9, 2025 at 9:54AM

VHC Health's Adrian Stanton (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

VHC Health is getting close to submitting its plans for a new 146-bed facility along S. Carlin Springs Road.

The health care organization has received approval from state regulators for a facility with 96 behavioral health beds and 50 in-patient rehabilitation beds at 601 S. Carlin Springs Road.

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County Board defers action on Green Valley redevelopment plan

By Scott McCaffrey

Published April 7, 2025 at 2:45PM

Rendering of 2480 S. Glebe Road project (via Arlington County)

The Arlington County Board has delayed making a final decision on a controversial Green Valley redevelopment proposal.

Board members voted 5-0 on Saturday to defer consideration of the 531-unit project that developer CC Rock Arlington Owner, LLC wants to put at 2480 S. Glebe Road — the current site of Hotel Pentagon and Comfort Inn Pentagon City.