The historic property Reeves Farmhouse will be preserved and rehabilitated to convert its residential portion into a shared living home for individuals with developmental disabilities.
The Arlington County Board approved an agreement to convey the Reeves Farmhouse to Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia (Habitat DC-NOVA), concluding a decades-long process. The historic property will be preserved and rehabilitated to convert its residential portion into a shared living home for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Expands Housing for Residents with Developmental Disabilities
Once the renovations are complete, L’Arche Greater Washington, D.C. (L’Arche GWDC), a non-profit residential service provider for adults with intellectual disabilities, will serve as the long-term owner and operator of the home.
Habitat DC-NOVA, in partnership with HomeAid National Capital Region (HomeAid NCR), will complete rehabilitation of the farmhouse, restoring the existing kitchen and living space, reconfiguring the second floor to make it more ADA-accessible, and constructing a first-floor addition to allow for new bedrooms and bathrooms.
The Board also approved the allocation of up to $2.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to support the adaptive reuse of the farmhouse. CDBG is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program that enables localities to provide funding for projects that will address housing and community development needs for low- and moderate-income individuals and families.
“Arlington County’s 2022-2026 Consolidated Plan identifies affordable, permanent supportive housing for people with disabilities as a critical need,” said Housing Division Chief Anne Venezia. “The Reeves Farmhouse adaptive reuse project will enable Arlington to further its Consolidated Plan goals by providing housing to a population that has very few affordable housing options.”
Arlington's Department of Human Services (DHS) has appreciated a longstanding collaborative partnership with L'Arche GWDC for nearly 20 years as a residential provider operating two Arlington-based group homes that support individuals with autism and intellectual disability.
“Acquisition of the Reeves Farmhouse opens up an opportunity for four more adults with developmental disabilities to call L'Arche home, most of whom would be placed outside of the County due to limited group home availability in Arlington,” said Developmental Disabilities Bureau Chief La Voyce Reid. “Simply put, this opportunity means a place called home for some of our most treasured County residents.”
Preserving Parkland
Reevesland, which was the last operating dairy farm in Arlington, remained in the same family for three generations and represents an important era in Arlington’s history. The land for what was once a 160-acre farm was originally purchased in 1863, and the family continued to raise dairy cattle until 1955. The area continued to transform from a rural community into the thriving county it is today – farming operations ceased, and most of the land was subdivided and sold. Eventually, in 2001, the County acquired the remaining 2.45 acres and set out to preserve the residential building while creating public park space.
The parkland, including a beloved sledding hill and the Reevesland Learning Center gardens, will remain open for public use. L'Arche is committed to deepening partnerships between its residents and the Learning Center.
“This project goes a long way in increasing partnerships between affordable housing and historic preservation,” said County Manager Mark Schwartz.
Preserving History
The County is creating public space and a home for individuals with developmental disabilities, and also working with non-profit partners to preserve a historic property in a public park.
HomeAid NCR, a nonprofit general contractor, will be managing the renovation and construction plans with Habitat DC-NOVA, as approved by the Arlington County Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board. The County also worked with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR), the state historic preservation office, and several consulting parties to develop a Memorandum of Agreement to mitigate the alterations to the historic farmhouse.
A historic marker will be created to share information about this project and the property’s history.
Preservation and construction activities are slated to begin in 2024 and continue through 2025.
About Reevesland
The historic Reeves Farmhouse, which is located in the Boulevard Manor neighborhood next to Bluemont Park, became a local historic district (LHD) in 2004. A preservation easement that protects its exterior was also recorded in 2018. Architecturally, the Reeves Farmhouse represents a rural vernacular style incorporating modest Greek Revival and Queen Anne detailing. The farmhouse was expanded multiple times in over a century and is a time capsule into the first half of the 20th century. Learn more: Reevesland.