The Arlington County Board on March 18 approved 5-0 a use permit request from Arlington Public Schools for a 40,000-square-foot addition to the existing Stratford School at 4100 Vacation Lane. The board also approved a related Certificate of Appropriateness that ensures that the new construction and alterations to the existing building, named a local historic district in 2016 for its role in desegregation, keep with preservation design guidelines.
Stratford is currently home to two APS programs, the H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program and Stratford program. APS plans to relocate these programs to a new school on Wilson Boulevard and convert this location to a neighborhood middle school that would seat up to 1,000 students.
The major addition, which will include a new library, an auxiliary gym, core classrooms, science labs and other teaching spaces, and a new student commons area, is part of the School Board’s 2015-2024 Capital Improvements Plan. As part of the redevelopment plan, a private driveway for drop-off and pick-up will extend across the site and a new traffic signal will be installed at Old Dominion Drive. The existing athletic field will be re-graded and rebuilt. At the request of the County Board, APS agreed during the public hearing to examine the feasibility of redesigning the field to meet Ultimate Frisbee requirement. A total of 144 parking spaces will be provided on- and-off-site. APS is committed to obtaining a LEED Silver green building certification for the addition.