750 23rd Street South – Melwood Site

Location

The 1.73 acre (75,496 sf) site is located at 750 23rd Street South in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood. The site is currently occupied by the Melwood Horticultural Training Center, which is housed in the former Nelly Custis School building originally constructed in 1923 and subsequently added to, and its associated surface parking area. The site is bordered by a low-density commercial building to the west, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a low-density commercial building to the north, Calvary United Methodist Church to the east, and Nelly Custis Park to the south., Arlington, VA 22202  View Map

38.8529429,-77.05797539999999

The 1.73 acre (75,496 sf) site is located at 750 23rd Street South in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood. The site is currently occupied by the Melwood Horticultural Training Center, which is housed in the former Nelly Custis School building originally constructed in 1923 and subsequently added to, and its associated surface parking area. The site is bordered by a low-density commercial building to the west, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a low-density commercial building to the north, Calvary United Methodist Church to the east, and Nelly Custis Park to the south. , Arlington, VA 22202

The 1.73 acre (75,496 sf) site is located at 750 23rd Street South in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood. The site is currently occupied by the Melwood Horticultural Training Center, which is housed in the former Nelly Custis School building originally constructed in 1923 and subsequently added to, and its associated surface parking area. The site is bordered by a low-density commercial building to the west, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a low-density commercial building to the north, Calvary United Methodist Church to the east, and Nelly Custis Park to the south. , Arlington, VA 22202

750 23rd Street South – Melwood Site

Status

Under Review

This reports the status related to the Site Plan Review Process only (Administrative Regulation 4.1).

About the Project

SPLN24-00002 (New Site Plan)

GPLA24-00002 (GLUP Amendment)

REZN24-00002 (Rezoning)

UPER24-00021 (Use Permit)

Virtual Walking Tour

Project Description

The applicant, 23^rd Redevelopment Owner LLC, proposes the construction of a new 5-story mixed-use building consisting of 100% affordable housing and ground floor institutional space for a nonprofit providing job training and support programs for people with disabilities. A partnership between Wesley Housing Development Corporation and Melwood Horticultural Training Center Inc. ("Melwood"), the proposal consists of 105 committed affordable units and approximately 17,033 sf of institutional space for Melwood's workforce development and day services programs for people with disabilities. The proposal has a maximum building height of up to 60 ft (5 stories) and incorporates stepbacks on the second and fourth floors. The proposed density is approximately 148,769 sf of total gross floor area (GFA).

The site is located in the Melwood Special Land Use Study area and subject to the Melwood Special GLUP Study, accepted by the County Board in May 2024.

Applications:

• New Site Plan request for the construction of a new 5-story mixed-use development
• General Land Use Plan (GLUP) Amendment request from "Public" to “Low-Medium” Residential
• Rezoning request from “C-1” Local Commercial District and “R-6” One-Family Dwelling District to “RA8-18” Multiple-family Dwelling District
• Use Permit request to allow community service use for a nonprofit providing job training and support programs for people with disabilities
  
  

Additional project details include:

• 105 affordable units
• 17,033 sf of institutional GFA
• 94 total parking spaces in a below-grade parking garage 
  • 74 residential parking spaces
  • 20 Melwood parking spaces
    
    

Proposed modifications for:

• Additional density
• Reduced residential parking ratio (0.7 spaces/unit)
• Density exclusions (below-grade mechanical rooms and air shafts)
  
  

Application Materials

Public Process

• This project also will undergo public review via a Site Plan Review Process. Learn more.
• The SPRC Chairs for this project are Eric Berkey and Jim Lantelme.

• SPRC Membership Roster(PDF, 395KB) (Re-adopted by the Planning Commission on December 4, 2024)

*Process timelines are subject to change as needs arise. Check back for updates.

Community Correspondence

• Comments from Aurora Highlands Civic Association(PDF, 3MB) (11/12/2024)
• Comments from Aurora Highlands Civic Association(PDF, 3MB) (12/18/2024)
• Comments from Aurora Highlands Civic Association(PDF, 167KB) (1/4/2025)

Related Plans & Processes

• Melwood Special Land Use Study Process