Maria Hegstad, The Examiner
2007-07-28 07:00:00.0
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Washington DC -

Construction is scheduled to begin on Arlington's long-awaited athletic complex north of Crystal City next spring. The project has been delayed by complications in swapping land with a developer and by the real estate downturn that caused the loss of $25 million in funding from that developer.

County staff plan to move forward on the first phase of the complex while continuing to work on financing for the more expensive stages.

Construction will begin in the spring on two of the facility's four synthetic soccer fields, said Jeff Marin, assistant parks and recreation director. This phase also includes building an elevated walkway stretching from north to south across the site, a rain garden to control water runoff, and 150 parking spaces. Construction is expected to take about a year, Marin said.

The first phase is budgeted for about $13.9 million. That figure does not include the necessary costs of relocating Jefferson Davis Highway and leveling the ground. Money from the $50 million bond voters approved for the North Tract property in 2004 will cover the cost of the first phase, Marin said.

"There's no reason not to go forward on this outdoor (phase)," said Toby Smith, co-chair of the north tract design committee. "It will be fully useable."

The initial construction will be on land the county already owns. The second phase of construction is set for land that a developer, Monument, agreed to give the county in a swap for a nearby but not adjacent piece of county property.

While Monument and the county agreed to the trade in January, the titles exchange is dependent on county approval of Monument's plans for the property it will receive. Monument's site plan is expected to go before the County Board next spring, county spokeswoman Mary Curtius said.

Meanwhile, the design committee and county staff are trying to find financing for the rest of the project. As originally planned, it includes swimming and therapeutic pools, exercise rooms and two more soccer fields.

"We're evaluating options at this point in time, investigating public/private options to develop the facility," Marin said.

mhegstad@dcexaminer.com