In July 2014 a total of six (6) demolition permits were applied for in Arlington County, and all were for single-family homes.

North Arlington accounted for all of the permits. One of the homes is in the Lyon Village National Register Historic District Neighborhood (3610 17th Street North). All but one of the permits are for speculative developments on homes which are owned by developers.

Mid-Year Report for 2014:

Homes: 115
– 22 are located in National Register Historic Districts
– 74 are speculative developments (owned by developers)

Commercial buildings: 7

Our National Register Historic Districts are losing almost one house, on average, per week up to this point in 2014. This impacts the integrity of these neighborhoods and could put the designations at risk.

It is also interesting to note that just about two-thirds of the homes being demolished so far in 2014 are speculative developments in which home builders have bought properties solely for redevelopment. The remaining properties were purchased by individual homeowners who were undertaking the redevelopment of their own homes.

Mid-Year Reports Summary
(these numbers reflect the midpoint of respective years)
2014: 122 total permits, 115 for single family homes
2013: 92 total permits, 85 for single family homes, 2 for garden apartments
2012: 67 total permits, 41 for single family homes, 6 for garden apartments
2011: 59 total permits, 52 for single family homes
2010: 64 total permits, 51 for single family homes, 10 for garden apartments
2009: 58 total permits, 37 for single family homes, 1 for a garden apartment

The looming demolition of these houses and buildings represents an incredible loss of history, architecture, time, energy, and materials. Many had the potential for renovation and additions or, at a bare minimum, reclamation/reuse of building materials. These buildings are often replaced with new construction that is out of scale and proportion to the community. Preservation Arlington urges citizens to adopt Local Historic District designations for their communities, with standards for design, height, and placement that could be customized to reflect community needs while still allowing reinvestment to occur.

Similarly, if you are a property owner and are contemplating a change to your property, Preservation Arlington encourages you to work with your architect or builder to consider how some or all of your house or building could be incorporated into a renovation, or the materials reused.