March 20, 2021

• Building of 423 apartments
• Commerce on the ground floor
• Extended community benefits

The Arlington County Board of Directors today approved Greystar Real Estate Partners’ plan to redevelop seven lots that make up the Courthouse Landmark Block with a 423 unit apartment building. The developer is committed to providing many benefits to the community.

Landmark Block Residential Buildings Rendering

The project will demolish the site’s seven commercial buildings while preserving the facades of the investment building and the first federal savings and loan building, listed in the county’s inventory of historic resources. The 20-storey building will include retail on the ground floor and underground parking. The nearly one acre site is bounded by 15th Street North, Clarendon Boulevard, North Courthouse Road, and N. Uhle Street.

“This redevelopment will transform an aging commercial block of buildings while adding housing, including affordable housing, to a site adjacent to the Courthouse metro station,” said county board chairman Matt de Ferranti. “The project largely responds to what the community envisioned for this area, providing a segment of the pedestrian promenade, contributing to future civic plaza and affordable housing, and achieving a high standard of sustainable design and construction. . It is a development focused on public transport. right with broad community support – we can’t wait to see this plan come to life. “

The council voted unanimously to approve several actions related to the project, including a rezoning of the seven plots, a new site plan, vacancies for part of N. Uhle Street and the county cession of the investment building to the developer.

Pedestrian promenade

The project will provide part of the courthouse plaza promenade that the courthouse plaza addendum to the courthouse area plan envisioned between Wilson Boulevard and 14th Street N. along the street. N. Uhle.

The walk was one of the main addendum recommendations for the area around Landmark Block. The N. Uhle Street promenade, from Wilson Boulevard to 15th Street N., will be tree lined and will provide retail stores and plenty of space for community gatherings. This will help realize the courthouse sector plan’s vision of a network of interconnected open spaces to serve as a civic plaza with plenty of open space at Courthouse Plaza and the main gate from Clarendon Boulevard to Courthouse Square.

Landmark Block Drive Render

Affordable housing

The developer will contribute $ 1.33 million to the County Affordable Housing Investment Fund to meet the county’s basic affordable housing requirements. In addition, the developer will provide four one-bedroom and four two-bedroom units on-site that will commit to remaining affordable for 30 years to households earning up to 60% of the region’s median income.

The community benefits package accepted by the developer includes:

• Pedestrian walk along rue N. Uhle, directly adjacent to the site, between boulevard Clarendon and 15th rue N.
• Shared street on 15th Street N.
• Significant improvements to streetscape and transportation along Wilson and Clarendon boulevards and N. Courthouse Road
• Preservation and reincorporation of two historic facades as well as other historic preservation commitments
• LEED Gold certification for green buildings
• 22% energy savings
• Energy Star energy efficiency score for the whole building of 80 out of 100
• Electric vehicle charging stations for 4% of garage parking lots, infrastructure ready for electric vehicles ready for 15% of parking spaces
• Eight affordable housing units hired locally
• Contribution to the future development of the civic square of the courthouse
• Contribution to a new public art installation in the area of ​​the courthouse sector plan

To read the staff report on this project, visit the county website. Scroll down to item 33 on the agenda for Saturday, March 20, 2021 Regular meeting of the county administrative boardg.

Renovation of Crystal City water park

In another action, the council voted unanimously to approve a plan to renovate the Crystal City Water Park at 1601 and 1505 Crystal Drive. The approved plan includes adding retail stores, cafes and restaurants along the edges of the park, upgrading the existing water wall and adding a new water feature, adding public art and outdoor bar; and improved connections to the planned Virginia Railway Express station and the Mount Vernon Trail connector. Accessibility and visibility in the park, especially the upper terrace area, will be improved, performance space added. Landscaping, seating and restrooms at the trailhead will also be added.

To read the staff report, scroll to item 32 of the agenda for the regular meeting on Saturday March 20.

April public hearings scheduled on proposed changes to the affordable housing zoning ordinance

The council voted unanimously to announce public hearings in April before the planning commission and county council on proposed changes to the zoning ordinance which, if passed, would allow the board of directors to consider an increase in building heights for site plan projects in three multi-family residential neighborhoods. to achieve affordable housing. The proposed changes announced would allow the Commission, through its Special Site Development Authority, to consider up to 60 feet more building height beyond the maximum allowed in the three districts if 100 percent units in a project were affordable to low-income households. Neighborhoods are typically found between transit station areas and low density neighborhoods. To read the staff report, scroll to item 35 on the Saturday March 20 agenda Regular meeting of the county council.

Videos of all Board meetings are archived on the county site, and on Arlington Television Youtube channel.

This press release was produced by Arlington County Government. The opinions expressed here are those of the author.