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Economic development leaders urge flexibility on adaptive reuse; warn against steep fee hikes
Summary
Nick Gregorious, chair of the Economic Development Commission, told the County Board that Arlington should preserve its business-friendly appeal through flexibility, clear guidance and support for adaptive reuse, and cautioned that proposed fee increases of up to ~50% could deter investment in conversions of obsolete office space.
Nick Gregorious, chair of the Economic Development Commission, urged the County Board to support policies that keep Arlington competitive for investment and accelerate adaptive reuse of obsolete office space.
Gregorious framed the EDC’s priorities as "flexibility, clarity, and transparency," saying adaptive reuse offers an opportunity to convert underused office stock into housing and mixed uses. He recommended continued support for programs that generate return on investment—naming the Arlington Innovation Fund and Catalyst Grants as examples—and for AED to retain capacity for market-facing data and outreach.
He warned that advertised fee increases tied to an adaptive reuse program, which he said could reach roughly 50% year-over-year, risk sending a negative market signal and cited headline risk from abrupt fee spikes. "With this program still in its early stages, fee increases ... have the danger of sending the wrong message," Gregorious said, urging careful calibration.
Why it matters: Arlington is grappling with elevated office vacancy and a need to re‑use existing buildings to stabilize the tax base; board support for targeted grants and predictable fees can accelerate reuse while avoiding deterrents to investment.
Next steps: Board members discussed striking a balance between revenue neutrality and market incentives, continuing support for AED programs, and evaluating communication and marketing approaches to better convey Arlington’s advantages to potential investors.
