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Last week there was an announcement by the county that the proposed demolition of the LAC Studios (formerly known as the Lee Arts Center) has been postponed while the county explores options for the site and community centers in the area.
I’ve visited the LAC Studios and this is a public space worth saving. After speaking to members of the community, I understand their goal and desire is to retain and renovate the building and to make it available as a community center and new public uses, while also continuing to support its current uses. This is a noble goal and one that I fully support.
Located in the Leeway-Overlee neighborhood at the corner of Langston Blvd. and N. Lexington Street, the LAC Studios provides a unique space for artists and community members alike. This building supports a robust talented artist community who produce beautiful and inspiring work. It has kilns for ceramic making, equipment for printmaking, and a dark room for photographers.
Perhaps even more interesting than its current uses is the rich history of this location. In 1925, Arlington built a permanent school on the site—one of the earliest elementary schools built in Arlington. The building was designed by Percy Crowley Adams, who also designed the Longworth House Office Building. The county should not erase this history by destroying this building.
Outside the building is a large butterfly garden that was designed as a natural landscape with Virginia-native plants. Community members—with their own money and efforts—planted this garden and continue to maintain it. It is both vibrant and tranquil. A photo of this beautiful garden can be found on my website.
The park and basketball courts are filled daily with children from the neighborhood and from the nearby Rivendell School. Replacing the LAC Studios building with a larger structure that would eliminate these outdoor, free public spaces would expressly erase a safe space for youth to use. The county has not proposed plans within walking distance of the LAC Studios location that would accommodate the current school children and neighborhood youth.
While continuing to be an oasis for Arlington artists, youth, and native wildlife, the building can and should remain a community space with its uses expanded. When it was a community center, the building housed a cooperative childcare center, something very much needed in Arlington, and it hosted regular senior activities (Arlington Parks and Recreation 55+ programs). While I recognize the upgrades the building needs to thrive into the future, such as a new roof and HVAC system, among other necessary improvements, the Leeway-Overlee neighborhood—as well as the Langston Boulevard Corridor—wants and deserves to preserve their beloved community space. The County Board would be wise to listen.
Learn more about the LAC Studios
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