In July 2015, a total of thirty-one (31) demolition permits were applied for in Arlington County. Twenty-three (23) were for single-family homes; seven were for commercial propreties; and one was for a detached garage. South Arlington had three of the residential demolition permits and North Arlington accounted for the remaining 20 permits. At least 14 of the 23 single-family demolition permits were for speculative developments.

Seven of the properties are in National Register Historic Districts, two each in the Lyon Park National Register Historic District, (3108 4th Street North and 824 North Danville Street) and the Lyon Village National Register Historic District (1313 North Herndon Street and 1818 North Wayne Street); and, one each in Waverly Hills National Register Historic District (4429 16th Street North); Ashton Heights National Register Historic District (803 North Lincoln Street); and, Cherrydale National Register Historic District (1702 North Nelson Street).

The commercial buildings slated for demolition are a series of buildings in the 3100 block of 10th Street North. On the southern edge of the Clarendon business district, the site is being redeveloped under a County approved siteplan.

Totals for 2015
Homes: 137
– 34 are located in National Register Historic Districts
– 81 are speculative developments (owned by developers)

Commercial buildings: 9

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.