The Arlington County Board voted unanimously Sept. 13 to approve a major redevelopment at 2500 Wilson Boulevard that will replace a five‑story office building with a 14‑story mixed‑use project.

The approved application includes a General Land Use Plan amendment changing the block designation to Medium Office‑Apartment‑Hotel, rezoning the site from C‑O‑1.5 to C‑O‑2.5, and a site‑plan amendment to permit a roughly 316‑unit residential building with about 14,032 square feet of ground‑floor retail. The applicant committed to 20 committed affordable units (CAFs) at 60% AMI, including family‑sized two‑bedrooms, participation in the county’s Green Building Incentive Program targeting LEED Gold, and on‑ and off‑site transportation improvements valued at about $1.5 million.

Staff presented the project as consistent with the Courthouse West special GLUP guidance extended to the 2500 block; Emma Martin of the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development said the proposal advances multiple county goals including public space and tree canopy commitments. The applicant—TMG (Meridian Group)—said the design emphasizes street activation, a reconfigured open space flush with the sidewalk on Clarendon Boulevard, and a high proportion of bike parking.

During an extended board Q&A, members probed the subdivision of additional density and affordable housing requirements tied to GLUP amendments (transcript references included zoning code sections discussed as 15.5.8 and 15.5.9), the absence of three‑bedroom units and trade‑offs between unit count and family‑sized units, bus‑stop and curb‑extension details, and plans to relocate an existing on‑site childcare provider. Applicant representatives said negotiations with staff had prioritized overall unit yields and a higher share of two‑bedroom family units while committing to relocation assistance per standard site‑plan conditions.

June O’Connell and other residents urged stricter adherence to earlier GLUP study expectations—arguing the community expected more “special” benefits tied to additional height—while civic associations and housing advocates supported the project for adding dense, transit‑oriented housing near Courthouse and Clarendon.

Commissioner Maureen Coffey moved to adopt the county manager’s recommendations; the motion was seconded and the board voted unanimously to approve the GLUP amendment, rezoning, site plan and an encroachment ordinance permitting an underground electrical transformer vault.

Next steps include finalizing site‑plan conditions, coordination on relocation for existing tenants, and follow‑up on detailed public‑art and tree‑planting plans as the project advances to permitting and design review.