Phoenix Bikes to Move to Arlington Mill Community Center

Published on September 19, 2017

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  [caption id="attachment_13515" align="alignright" width="300"] Phoenix bikes moving to Arlington Mill[/caption]
  
  5-year lease for homegrown nonprofit


• Filling vacant retail space at popular center

The Arlington County Board today approved a lease with homegrown non-profit Phoenix Bikes for vacant retail space along Columbia Pike in the Arlington Mill Community & Senior Center, 909 S Dinwiddie St. The Board authorized the 5-year lease with an initial annual rent of $8,928. The nonprofit will pay an estimated $170,000 for build-out.

"This is a great location for Phoenix Bikes and a great way for the County to fill vacant retail space at Arlington Mill," County Board Chair Jay Fisette said. "Phoenix Bikes' award-winning program of mentoring youth through bicycle repairs and sales will thrive in this high-visibility location on the west end of the Pike. We're happy to have them."

Phoenix Bikes Executive Director Meg Rapelye welcomed the Board's action. "We are so grateful for Phoenix Bikes' new home at Arlington Mill Community Center," she said. "This move is the most significant event in Phoenix Bikes' 10 years of existence and will dramatically increase our organization's capacity to serve the community. We look forward to augmenting the afterschool and summer teen programming the Center currently provides and helping activate Columbia Pike's West End."

Lease terms

Phoenix Bikes will lease 1,875 square feet of retail space on the community center's first floor, 495 square feet of office space on the fourth floor and 225 square feet of storage space. The organization has a year from lease execution to complete the retail build-out and 21 months to build-out the office space.

The Board voted unanimously to approve the lease. To read the staff report on this item, view the agenda for the September 16, 2017 Regular County Board Meeting. Scroll down to Item No. 30.

Background

The County has searched for an appropriate tenant for the retail space at Arlington Mill Community Center since it opened in 2013. In July 2016, the County sought informal ideas for the space through a Request for Expression of Interest. It explored potential occupants with missions aligned to the center's neighbors.

Criteria for the lease included a retailer providing recreational, educational or arts services. The proposals had to demonstrate capacity to fund build-out costs and to pay for the organization's ongoing operations, including maintenance and utilities. Phoenix Bikes submitted the sole proposal, met all requirements and passed evaluation criteria.

To learn more about Phoenix Bikes, visit their website.