In March 2017, a total of thirteen (13) demolition permits were applied for in Arlington County. In comparison, March 2016 was 16; March 2015 was 19; and March 2014 was 13.

Single Family: Eleven were for single-family homes in North Arlington and one was for a single family home in South Arlington. At least seven of the projects are speculative developments. Four are located in National Register Historic Districts:

• 606 19th Street South, Aurora Highland National Register Historic District
• 1523 McKinleyStreet, Westover National Register Historic District
• 3604 17th Street North, Cherrydale National Register Historic District
• 235 North Edgewood Street, Lyon Park National Register Historic District

Commercial: There were no commercial demolition permits.

Other: The only additional demolition permit was for the Wilson School at 1601 Wilson Boulevard. This marks the end of a regretful saga in which the building was three times listed on Preservation Arlington’s “Most Endangered Places List” and was nominated for historic designation in 2014. Both the school board and county board chose to reject the history of the property and the designation was denied and now this civic building will be demolished.

Totals for 2017
Homes: 32
– 12 are located in National Register Historic Districts
– 19 are speculative developments (owned by developers)
Garden Apartments: 0
Commercial Buildings: 0
Other Structures: 1
Civic Buildings: 1

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.

updated May 5, 2017