Arlington family fights to preserve historic home amid eminent domain battle

UPDATE: 

A week after FOX 5 initially published this story on the battle over the 1802 Columbia Pike project in Arlington, the Board directed county staff not to acquire the home by eminent domain but to negotiate the purchase of two easements from the conservator. The decision was relayed to the conservator's lawyer last week. Board Chair Libby Garvey sent FOX 5 the following statement: 

The County Board understands and respects Ms. Forston’s advocacy as a conservator of the property on behalf of the property owner. The Board also acknowledges the long history of family ownership of the 1802 Columbia Pike property. The County Board has directed County staff not to acquire the house by eminent domain. Instead, the Board has directed the County Attorney to negotiate the purchase of two easements from the conservator. These easements will not change ownership or require removal of the home.  

This decision was communicated to the conservator’s lawyer property owner’s lawyers last week. Because negotiations between the owner and the County are ongoing, how much information we can provide is limited.  

The project at the center of this issue has long been requested by the Arlington View community to provide a safer intersection and another signalized route out of their neighborhood. Realigning this intersection would have improved access for the adjacent neighborhoods, increase safe connectivity for people walking and biking, and create a more predictable intersection of Rolfe Street and Columbia Pike—all of which are goals of the County’s Vision Zero effort, which seeks to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries. This realignment would have also supported the goal of the Columbia Pike Multimodal Project, which seeks to turn this major road into a complete street that balances all modes of travel and supports high-quality, high-frequency transit service in one of Arlington’s most diverse neighborhoods.  

These improvements cannot be achieved without using at least some of the property this home sits on. However, the County Board heard testimony from the property's conservator, and others, and therefore decided not to pursue eminent domain to acquire the home. Under the circumstances, the County will instead pursue negotiations to purchase two easements from the conservator and continue to work on the Multimodal Project to improve this intersection as much as it can.    

ORIGINAL STORY BELOW: 

1802 Columbia Pike in Arlington, Virginia is a home with a storied history - one that's been in Sandra Fortson's family since the 1950s.

Sandra's cousin, Karen Newman, owns the property. It was handed down to her by her parents.

Karen is currently in a nursing home after a carbon monoxide leak at the home several years ago left her brain damaged and took her sister's life.

Sandra is the home's conservator.

"She can't fight for herself, so I'm fighting for her," Sandra said. "There are very few African-American-owned properties in the neighborhood, and they're trying to take this one."

At issue here is Arlington County wanting to employ eminent domain to tear down the house for what officials are calling traffic and safety improvements at the intersection of S. Rolfe St. and Columbia Pike. The conversations have been underway for several years.

Fortson says the County offered her just over $620,0000 for the land - what she calls, well below fair market value.

Still, money doesn't matter here, she added.

"If they offered me a million dollars, I still wouldn't want to take the money. I want the house to remain in the family," she said.

Dr. Scott Taylor is the president of the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington. He said he hopes the entire process slows down.

"Let's just talk about it because if you've got a plan A, there's got to be a plan B somewhere where everybody can be satisfied," Dr. Taylor said.

Taylor said demolition is a painful thought in this historically Black neighborhood.

"This is repeating history because every time it feels like a project comes through, and they have to demolish something, it happens to Black residents," Taylor said.

Fortson says thousands of dollars of renovations have been underway inside the house, and the fight to save their family home is far from over. 

Her attorney is planning legal steps next, prior to the June 8 date she was given by the county for a title change.

Neighbors in the Arlington View community sent a letter to the county in support of keeping the home.

Natalie Roy is an Arlington County Board candidate who has been vocal about her opposition to the home being torn down.

"This is outrageous," Roy said. "This is a situation where - think about it - where else in the county would this be happening? I think the county should reassess quickly, regroup, and say we've come up with a better plan."

In a statement sent to FOX 5, Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey said: 

"The County Board understands and respects Ms. Fortson’s advocacy as a conservator of the property on behalf of the property owner. The Board also acknowledges the long history of family ownership of the 1802 Columbia Pike property. Because negotiations between the owner and the County are ongoing, how much information we can provide is limited. I hope the information below is helpful.

The resolution and offer are the procedural steps the County needed to take to keep the possibility of the realigned intersection in play while we continued negotiations with the property owner; it was not meant to signal the end of all negotiations and conversations.

The project at the center of this issue has long been requested by the Arlington View community as a way to provide a safer intersection and another signalized route out of their neighborhood. It will improve access for the adjacent neighborhoods, increase safe connectivity for people walking and biking, and create a more predictable intersection of Rolfe Street and Columbia Pike—all of which are goals of the County’s Vision Zero effort, which seeks to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries. This realignment also supports the goal of the Columbia Pike Multimodal Project, which seeks to turn this major road into a complete street that balances all modes of travel and supports high-quality, high-frequency transit service in one of Arlington’s most diverse neighborhoods.

Unfortunately, an easement alone is not enough to build this new intersection in a way that would provide the entire community with all of these increased safety benefits. Currently, no one is living in the home, and no one has lived in it for years. The County has been attempting to engage in discussions with the property owner’s conservator since January 2023 and has provided a bona fide offer to purchase the home above appraised value, based on two separate appraisals.  The County has communicated a willingness to consider other appraisals to resolve any dispute as to value, but to date, it has not received a counter appraisal or any other objective basis upon which it can offer a higher price.

The County is committed to exploring as many options as possible to come to a mutually agreeable solution."