Mark Antell spoke for NRCA at the County Board during the public comment period this AM. Mark noted that we are receiving credible rumors that planners are actively looking at redevelopment of the Wilson School, Playfield, Firestation and Rosslyn Highlands Park.
Mark requested that county planners involve the affected communities sooner than later.
Jay Fisette, Paul Ferguson (Board Vice-Chair) and Chris Zimmerman (Board Chair) all made substantial and fairly positive verbal responses.
Also, Ron Carlee (County Manager, promised to meet with us soon. More will be posted on this site concerning meeting dates as soon as they are available.
The County Board meeting will be televised for the next two weeks on cable channel 74 on M and Th at 5, and on Saturday at 10:30. The discussion on Wilson School starts with a two minute presentation about 10 minutes in, and then picks up again at around 45 minutes in.
Mark Antell

See posting in Wilson School section (below) containing additional information on NRCA plans to affect planning on the Wilson School.
I've received over a dozen responses to that posting. All but one agreed strongly that our first priority should be green space.
Mark Antell

15 COMMENTS RECEIVED TO DATE (Ordered as received)

1.
I agree entirely that we should try to maintain as much green as possible--I would even welcome a big park with no community center since said center would require parking places, etc.

2.
My wife and I support these principles. They are well stated.

3.
Good work, Mark. I'm still in agreement with your principles. Let me know
if I can be of any help.

4.
Mark, Thank you Very Much for attending this session and for your report. I
have passed the report to the Highgate Homeowners Association for their
info.

Thanks again,

5.
I think your position is exactly right. Let me know if there is
anything I can do to help.

6.
I support very much your approach except that even the school should be used for park development. There should be place for a community center elsewhere.

7.
Mark: Glad you could join us for the RAFOM summer fiesta. And, thanks for including me on your email list. I concur with your ideas and I will be on board for any assistance that is needed.

8.
Hi, Mark,
Amen, and THANK YOU. I'm hoping the Carlee meeting will be sooner than later.

9.
I think you are on the right track, unless Wal-Mart would want to put in a
store there...only kidding. Thanks Mark.

10.
Mark
We have not met but I support the principles listed below.

11.
Mark,

I wanted to publicly reply in support of the details you outline in this email, but can't find the posting on the forum to place my comments.

Do you have a new email address? my-time@earthlink.net? Has your verizon email address gone away? Which do you prefer be used to reach you?

12.
Mark:

I agree with you on your concern for green space. Whenever I am in Ballston, I am upset about the lack of green space. There are just large condo buildings on top of each other with no green space. When Arlington County is permitting high density building, it should think about nearby park land, however small, for its citizens.

Arlington County is proud of the fact that its high density plan means that citizens do not have to have cars. Let's not required cars for people to go out and sit on park bench.

13.
Dear Mr. Antell,

My personal opinion is that the Wilson school should entirely be torn down - it has to architectural or historical merit, and that the entire area from the fire station to Quinn to 18th should all be parkland. The basketball court, playground and an area for soccer or basxeball should be maintained. It was also my understanding that where the building stands next to the Atrium on the west side was to be a park too in whatever masterplan there was for Rosslyn. Where does the gas station on the cornor of Wilson and Quinn fit into all of this?

Thank you for keeping us informed.

14.
I think it would be great if it could be preserved as a green space. Given the real estate pressures, however, I doubt that "green space or nothing" is a credible position. I would object to more residential space unless it is built, as was done in Clarendon, with shops at the street level, living space on top and parking underneath (NO parking lots) -- and everything pedestrian-friendly. Some sort of green space should be preserved. In exchange for not opposing development, we should insist on getting a small branch of the Arlington Public Library.

Just my thoughts.

15,
Mark:

Sorry to be so slow in sending in my thoughts.


>> Here's the draft principles for your review:
>>
>> 1. Green space is a priority. Sophisticated world-class cities and
>> neighborhoods have central parks. In 30 years when all of
>> Rosslyn-Balston is built up, we'll maybe be proud of our world-class
>> Wilson Park.


Given the terrain of this area, so much of it on a slope of one sort of
another, green space should also be realized as an economic savings
to the area in matters such as erosion from heavy rain fall; more open
ground absorbs heavy rains and cuts down on flooded sewers; more
greenery cuts down on air pollution -- and we should all be aware of
that problem after the week just past. Green spaces actually cut down
on the air temperature in a city or town in hot weather.

As I said before, though, multiple parks (or even one) provide physical
and psychological relaxation to people, allow for the expenditure of
excess energy in youths who would otherwise find less savory outlets,
provide very young children a first experience with true nature and the
balance there should be in life.



>> 2. We are quite wary about redeveloping Wilson School to commercial
>> or residential use. Wilson School is now used by several community
>> associations. Shouldn't it be saved as a community center? Do we
>> know we won't need a school structure at that location within two or
>> three decades??


I heartily concur with this. Parts of Arlington have been devastated by
the
philosophy that any prior structure should be destroyed and new, "modern"
ones put in its place (most of which all look alike these days). This
particular
structure has the character of an earlier time in its architecture; it is
a solid
building (unless there are drastic problems we don't hear about), it is
aleady
established; it serves the community already just as it is. The
relatively small
space it occupies will not make that much difference in the number of
commercial outlets that could be put there or on the number of yet more
high-rise condos. Leaving the school building as it is for community use
should be considered a vital part of trying to restore Arlington to a
greater
balance in land use.



>> 3. We are flat opposed to a philosophy that anything with paving or
>> construction must be developed, while current green space is open to
>> negotiation. Perhaps much of the currently paved area could and
>> should be returned to green space.


Amen. I can't see that happening with any ease, though it's a wonderful
idea. Because it CAN'T be done is all the more reason to treasure and
re-create the few green spaces still left.



>> Finally, NRCA and RAFOM will shortly meet with the county school
>> superintendant, Dr. Robert Smith, to initiate similar discussions.
>> We expect to bring the same principles to the table.


In all these negotiations I truly wish the whole emphasis could be
strongly
on the idea of BALANCE. Have your old maps with you and illustrate just
how much of what used to be a balance of commercial, residential, and
recreational has been bulldozed over the past three decades by the
unfettered rush of "development." I'm quite sure you would find maps of
this same area from the 1970s and early 1980s comparied to a map of
today would clearly show how one-sided Arlington has become in its
eageness to satisfy developers.

And in showing this difference, I would wish that the emphasis be on
trying to recapture at least some of that balance. Arlington used to be
known nationwide as a welcoming area to RENTERS, to buyers, to
those with FAMILIES, and those SINGLES who wanted a safe and
pleasant place as a stepping stone in their lives.

It has now become one of the most expensive and EXCLUSIVE living
areas in the country, heavy on CHILDLESS people with very high
incomes, heavy on CONFORMITY and UNIFORMITY of lives and jobs.

Very sad.