ARLINGTON, VA – AHC Inc., a leading developer of affordable housing in Maryland and Virginia, has pioneered its $ 39 million redevelopment project of Arlington View Terrace East, an affordable community on the east end of Columbia Pike. The current municipality comprises 77 apartments, which are spread over seven two- and three-story buildings. The redevelopment of Arlington View Terrace East is destroying the largest of the structures, currently 30 houses, and replacing it with a new Energy Star Certified & EarthCraft Certified Gold structure of 77 apartments. With construction starting later this month, the redevelopment will bring the number of affordable apartments on Arlington View Terrace to 124 and offer residents several new amenities and features.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by local dignitaries including Virginia State Delegate Alfonso Lopez and Arlington County's Board members Matt de Ferranti and Katie Cristol.
"I'm very excited to be here today to create the much-needed affordable housing along Columbia Pike in Arlington," said Alfonso Lopez, Virginia State delegate. But also for the entire Commonwealth. In today's competitive economy, it takes many resources to get an affordable housing project off the ground. I am proud that this project is funded through the Virginia Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which I created in 2013. together with the support of other local and national partners. "
"Maintaining and expanding access to safe, habitable and affordable housing is a priority in our community," said Matt De Ferranti, chairman of Arlington County. “Aside from creating life changing opportunities for dozens of local families, it's also great to see Arlington View Terrace East was designed to contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future by providing access to free WiFi and green design elements like solar panels. ”
Ricky Clark, who has been the service manager at AHC and grew up at AVT for almost 20 years, also attended the event.
"This will always be my home for me," said Clark. “Many of these residents lived here for a long time. People enjoy both the community feel and the convenience of being right in front of Columbia Pike. "
The new building will incorporate sustainable design elements, including a planned 190-panel solar system, AHC's second solar project in Arlington. The solar project is expected to generate 84,000 kWh per year, which is enough to supply almost 8 single-family homes with electricity per year. Arlington View Terrace East is also AHC's first Energy Star-certified building and features an extensive green roof to aid rainwater management. The community qualified for gold-level certification with EarthCraft Multifamily (ECMF), the country's first multi-family green building program.
Residents will also enjoy a new common room, gym, courtyard, leasing office and parking garage. The apartments have attractive wooden floors, larger and more numerous windows, new devices and free WiFi for each apartment.
"We're excited to start redeveloping Arlington View Terrace East to bring higher quality, affordable apartments to Arlington," said John Welsh, vice president of multi-family development for AHC Inc. The vibrant streetscape of Columbia Pike is one much-needed community that gives dozens of local hardworking families the opportunity to build a brighter future. "
AVT's 77 new affordable apartments are expected to be completed in early 2023 and will accommodate families earning between 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and offer 15 three-bedroom apartments. In addition, eight homes have been reserved for Arlington County's Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) program, which allows residents with disabilities to maintain their homes and pay no more than 30% of their income for rent. There will also be eight fully ADA accessible units, and the new building will meet Universal Design standards.
This project was made possible by the local and national partners of AHC Inc. Arlington View Terrace East received competitive tax credits of $ 2.03 million from Virginia Housing (VHDA), generating tax credits of $ 19.5 million. The Arlington County Board provided up to $ 8.23 million in loans and grants, and the project was also selected for a $ 900,000 loan from the Virginia Housing Trust Fund.
Other funding partners include Virginia Housing (VHDA), Capital One, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (VDHCD), Hudson Housing, and NeighborWorks America. AHC Inc. also worked with Cunningham and Quill Architects who designed the renovation, Harkins Builders who will carry out the construction, Walter L. Phillips, AVT's civil engineer, and Klein Hornig, LLC, the finance council.
