In March 2016, a total of sixteen (16) demolition permits were applied for in Arlington County. Ten (10) were for single-family homes; four were for garden style apartments; one was a commercial building; and one was an accessory building to one of the garden apartments. All but one of the homes were in North Arlington. Six of the projects are speculative developments. Two of the homes and all four of the garden apartments are located in National Register Historic Districts:

• 3508 18th Street North, Cherrydale National Register Historic District
• 1600 North Edgewood Street, Lyon Village National Register Historic District
• 5701 11th Street North, Westover National Register Historic District
• 5708 11th Street North, Westover National Register Historic District
• 5711 11th Street North, Westover National Register Historic District
• 1120 North Kensington Street, Westover National Register Historic District

A County Board-approved siteplan for the redevelopment of the 600 block of North Glebe Road resulted in the single commercial demolition permit.

Totals for 2016
Homes: 44
– 9 are located in National Register Historic Districts
– 23 are speculative developments (owned by developers)
Garden Apartments: 5
Commercial Buildings: 2

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.