BREAKING NEWS: The permit to begin grading of the property on the Madison Street lots has been approved and work will likely begin the week of June 13 or June 20. See more below.
The sale of the property at 6407 Wilson Boulevard, often known as the Febrey-Lothrop property or the Rouse property, and subsequent demolition of the buildings on that property has long been a topic of discussion throughout Dominion Hills. At the Neighborhood Meeting on May 4, 2022, representatives from the development firm Toll Brothers presented information about their plans for development of that 9.5 acre piece of land.
They began, after introducing their team members, by sharing with attendees that they are pursuing "by right" development, which means they will not be attempting to modify the existing zoning. The parcel of land has long been zoned "R-6" which is the same zoning setup as the rest of the homes in Dominion Hills and a designation for a single-family dwelling. They indicated that their current site plan will allow them to build 40 single family homes.
The first lots to be developed are those facing Madison Street. These lots, which had already been subdivided many years ago, will be built into the relatively steep hillside and thus will each have its own stormwater retention system as per county policies. Each will also have additional stormwater control measures such as permeable driveway pavers.
In the photo below, taken along Madison Street, the blue pipes that allow for measurement of the permeability of the soil can be seen.
Additionally, the remaining houses on the parcel will have a large stormwater management system, all of which requires approval by the county.
Many of those in attendance were interested in seeing the style of houses that would be built on the property. While the below image is just a current draft and not final, the style seems predominantly modern farmhouse, and the homes built into the hillside will make use of a "tuck-under" garage.
Toll Brothers indicated most homes would be about 45 feet wide on lots around 60 feet wide; however, lots will vary in size, most around 8000 square ft. Homes would be customized to the buyer with a variety of colors available for exteriors as well as options for interiors.
The audience was also eager to know the timeline for construction. At the time of the meeting, the Toll Brothers representatives indicated that grading work on the Madison Street home sites could begin as soon as six weeks from early May, which would be in about mid-June, 2022. However, all is dependent on the Arlington County approval processes. If the timeline continued as plans, construction on homes is projected for late July and as the representative put it, "you could have new neighbors by February."
The home prices are anticipated to start around $2 million.
Some other questions and points raised in the meeting and ensuing discussion:
- New sewer work will be done along Wilson Blvd as part of the process
- The grading work will involve the removal of many if not most trees; more trees will be planted
- The culdesac design for the streets of the main parcel has been approved by the fire department, and is designed to avoid having entrances on busy Wilson Blvd.
- Street names have yet to be determined
- New homes will have underground utilities - no electric or phone wires
- Construction plans include provisions for regular street cleaning and water will be used to control dust as necessary
The Dominion Hills Civic Association will continue to monitor the progress on the site and provide updates as more information becomes available. If any resident has any question or concerns, please email dominionhillscivic@gmail.com.
