Arlington Planners To Review Crystal City Office-To-Apartment Proposal

ARLINGTON, VA — The Arlington County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on May 4 to consider a proposal to convert two vacant office buildings in Crystal City into residential units, a move that would add 315 homes to the area.

The project [SPLA25-00028] submitted by developer JBG SMITH, targets properties at 1800 and 1901 South Bell St. The proposal utilizes the county’s adaptive reuse policy, adopted in late 2024 to address office vacancy rates by streamlining the conversion of outdated commercial spaces.

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Under the plan for 1800 South Bell St., a 203,435-square-foot office building would be transformed into 129 residential units and 5,251 square feet of ground-floor retail. The neighboring building at 1901 South Bell St. would see 289,121 square feet of vacant office space converted into 186 residential units and 4,692 square feet of retail.

While the buildings' heights and footprints would remain unchanged, the developer plans minor exterior updates, including window replacements and the addition of planners.

“This is an exciting opportunity to adapt a long-vacant office building and introduce a new housing typology to the neighborhood,” said Brian Earle, project lead for ZGF, the architecture firm designing the conversion.

The project [SPLA25-00028] has faced scrutiny from the Arlington Park and Recreation Commission. In a letter to the county, Commission Chair Jill Barker expressed concerns that adding density without increasing green space could negatively impact the neighborhood.

The current proposal postpones the expansion of “Center Park” from its current one-acre size to the two-acre park envisioned in the Crystal City Sector Plan.

“Depriving this neighborhood of one acre of park space might be a step too far in the wrong direction, especially combined with increased density under consideration for nearby projects,” Barker said in the commission's report.

Despite these concerns, the commission acknowledged that adaptive reuse is a “laudable goal” because it provides housing with a lower carbon footprint than new construction.

The public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. Suite 307. Residents may attend in person or virtually via live streams on the county website, YouTube, and and on Comcast Xfinity channels 25 (standard definition) and 1073, and on Verizon FiOS channels 39 and 40.

To testify, residents must register at least 24 hours in advance by visiting the county’s Planning Commission website or calling 703-228-0095.