In May 2018, a total of sixteen demolition permits were applied for in Arlington County. May is usually a busy month for demolition permits and previous years had similar numbers: May 2017 was 22; May 2016 was 17; May 2015 was 18; and, May 2014 was 22.

Single Family: All of the permits are for single-family homes. Two of the permits were in South Arlington. Thirteen of the sixteen permits were for speculative developments. One of the permits was a re-issuance of a 2016 permit for Arlington County to demolish a home for park expansion in the East Falls Church community. Three of the homes are located in a National Register Historic Districts:

• 224 North Nelson Street is in the Ashton Heights National Register Historic District
• 225 North Barton Street is in the Lyon Park National Register Historic District
• 314 North Barton Street is in the Lyon Park National Register Historic District

Totals for 2018
Homes: 65
– 18 are located in National Register Historic Districts
– 43 are speculative developments (owned by developers)
Garden Apartments: 0
Commercial Buildings: 4
Other Structures: 3
Civic Buildings: 0

The pending demolition of these homes and buildings represents a 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.