WRAPS Frequently Asked Questions

The purpose of the study is to develop an Area Plan for Western Rosslyn that will balance community needs and guide future development. The County recognizes this is an essential site for Arlington is working with the community and property owners to achieve a comprehensive solution. Urban design, open space, building location and design, and circulation considerations will be addressed. The site’s challenging space limitations will require collaboration and compromise.

A key driver of the process thus far has been achieving the greatest amount of contiguous and usable open space. The School Board’s decision to locate a new school on the Wilson site significantly reduced the County’s ability for a major increase in open space while meeting site goals.

Specific County goals that are built in to the study charge:

• A multi-story secondary school with up to 1,300 seats;
• Shared community recreation and open space that is up to 60,000 square feet in size;
• New fire station;
• Affordable housing;
• Energy efficiency / sustainability;
• Economically viable, urban and vibrant development with a mix of uses, heights and densities that support achieving County goals; and
• Effective multi-modal transportation facilities and services

A key driver of the process thus far has been achieving the greatest amount of contiguous and usable open space. The School Board’s decision to locate a new school on the Wilson site significantly reduced the County’s ability for a major increase in open space while meeting site goals.

Today, the community has access to about 25,000 square feet of usable open space (basketball court, tot lot and passive areas); there is an additional 5,000 square feet of parking. The current draft concept plan provides about 30,000 square feet of open space on a new plaza and County park. The design of that space will be determined through a separate public process with broad community input. The “plaza” could consist predominantly of green space and/or recreational uses.

All scenarios also include a synthetic field and indoor athletic facilities on the school site that would be available for community use much of the time. The County has reinforced the importance of establishing firm commitment from Arlington Public Schools for access to those facilities.

In December 2014, the School Board decided to move the HB-Woodlawn and associated programs, now housed at the Stratford site, to a new facility at the Wilson School site. The new school will consist of up to 775 students and the School Board has budgeted approximately $80 million for new construction at this site. A public process to review the design of the new school, in detail, will be initiated in May 2015 through the Public Facilities Review Committee (PFRC).

The existing Fire Station #10 on site was built in 1961 and is in dire need of replacement. The building has become outdated and is undersized to serve the surrounding Rosslyn neighborhood. A new fire station will provide the modern facilities and equipment storage required.

The cost of building the new fire station has not yet been possible within tight County budget constraints. WRAPS is an opportunity for the County to leverage a public-private partnership that will provide the funds needed for this community need. The County will partner with a private developer, as explained below.

At a work session on March 4th, 2015, the County Board committed to continuing to partner with Penzance on their adjacent site parcels.

The County Board is making every effort to be fiscally responsible and leverage the resources of our private partner. Through this partnership, the private developer would cover the costs of a much-needed new fire station and many of the other site amenities. Penzance has committed to a robust public process with the community and the County to design the plaza and open space. This includes being open to the idea that any “plaza” could consist predominantly of green space and/or recreational uses.

View a letter from the County Board Chair about this partnership and the attached Letter of Intent agreement with Penzance.

Once adopted by the County Board, the conceptual plan will guide future development in western Rosslyn. The Rosslyn Sector Plan Addendum adopted in 1992, does not provide sufficient guidance for this area.  The conceptual plan may include possible zoning and Comprehensive Plan amendments, and general land use (height massing) and urban design principles.

The scope of the Rosslyn Sector Plan Addendum Update (Realize Rosslyn) is primarily on incorporating transportation improvements, establishing an overall urban design vision and developing a functional open space network in the core of the Rosslyn Coordinated Redevelopment District. The Western Rosslyn Area Planning Study has issues, considerations and constraints that require a more focused approach that, if addressed through Realize Rosslyn, would significantly lengthen that process. In order to maintain the planning scope and timeline for the Realize Rosslyn process, this special study was initiated to provide specific guidance for future redevelopment of the identified parcels.  Staff will work to ensure that the recommendations of the Realize Rosslyn and Western Rosslyn Area processes are mutually supportive and compatible.

In 2009, the Historical Affairs and Landmarks Review Board (HALRB) voted to recommend designation of the Wilson School as a Local Historic District, based on the research contained in the Local Historic District Designation Form. The HALRB recommendation was presented to the Arlington County School Board in March 2009, however the School Board did not vote to support the designation.  Based on the School Board’s vote of non-support, no further action was taken by the Arlington County Board on the nomination.

HALRB has received a letter to reconsider the designation. They held hearings in January and February of this year to reconsider recommending designation. HALRB voted to recommend designation of the original 1910 portion of the building. Visit their webpage for more information.

In February 2015, the Arlington School Board voted to not support the designation. Per the Arlington Zoning Ordinance, a County Board public hearing is required to be held on the matter. The public hearing has been scheduled for April 18, 2015. Visit the County Board meetings webpage for more information.