The planned Nauck Town Square. Image Contributed
The Arlington County Board approved on Jan. 3 the purchase of the last of three properties needed to build the planned Nauck Town Square, in the heart of the Nauck neighborhood. The county had previously purchased the other two properties for the town square. The purchase paves the way for construction to begin on the town square late in 2017.
The board approved a purchase price of $803,000 for property at 2400 Shirlington Road, home to a plumbing business owned by Leslie J. Engelking, Sr., who owns the property with his son, Leslie J. Engelking, Jr.
The board’s 5-0 vote to approve the purchase followed a closed session held to keep the sale of the property moving forward. The Arlington County Circuit Court in December gave preliminary approval to the sale, pending the board’s approval. The next step will be for the court to ratify the agreement of sale.
Nauck Town Square will cover the block between 24th Road South and South Shirlington Road, and serve as a gathering place for the community, where events can be held and residents and visitors can learn about Nauck’s cultural heritage through planned public art by award-winning landscape architect and artist Walter Hood. Total estimated cost to build the town square is $5 million, with funding coming from a voter-approved Community Conservation Bond.