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Commission approves Rosslyn site plan amendment; developer to contribute $6 million to AHIP
Summary
Monday Properties asked to convert vacant office buildings in Rosslyn into two residential towers with 831 units, ground‑floor retail and expanded open space; staff recommended and the commission approved a community benefits package including $6,000,000 to the county affordable housing program (AHIP).
Monday Properties CEO Tim Helmick presented a major Rosslyn site‑plan amendment to the Housing Commission seeking to convert two former office buildings into twin residential towers with expanded open space, ground‑floor retail and a planned urban grocer.
Helmick said the revised plan would deliver about 831 residential units across both buildings, roughly 29,000 square feet of ground‑floor retail (the grocer footprint is about 17,000 square feet), and about 602 parking spaces. The developer said the new configuration increases tower separation and raises the amount of on‑site open space to roughly 52% of the site.
Melissa Danowski (staff) presented the staff recommendation and the affordable housing package. Danowski said the applicant offers a choice between a roughly $3,760,000 base AHIP contribution or on‑site units; in addition, the applicant committed to a $6,000,000 cash contribution to AHIP for earned density. “The staff recommendation is for approval of the affordable housing program, which meets the county's affordable housing policies and includes an own density contribution of $6,000,000,” Danowski said.
Danowski's analysis estimated that if leveraged at an AHIP per‑unit subsidy of about $115,000, the $6,000,000 could create roughly 52 off‑site affordable units affordable to households at or below 60% of AMI and would be held affordable for at least 75 years, compared with the typical 30‑year site‑plan term.
Public commenters generally supported the package. Alice Hogan of the Northern Virginia affordable housing alliance urged the commission to accept the staff recommendation, stressing that the cash contribution would leverage more affordable units countywide than a small number of on‑site units in Rosslyn. A community representative raised concerns about curbside pickup and drop‑off and urged careful traffic and loading planning.
Commissioners asked about accessibility and site design; the developer said accessible routes and a permanent elevator will serve changes in grade and ADA access points will be provided. After discussion the commission moved, seconded and approved the staff recommendation in a roll‑call vote; the action passed for those who were voting.
Next steps: staff will forward the recommendation and the community benefits package to the County Board and coordinate AHIP payment schedule tied to tower construction milestones.
