Image: Bowman Consulting
The "Ellen Trace" path (in orange) a half block west of N. Glebe Road will include five signs highlighting the community activist's contributions to "Human Rights," "Local Government," "Urban Development," Health & Welfare," and "Affordable Housing."
A pedestrian pathway dedicated to the life of famed Arlingtonian and philanthropist Ellen Bozman got a hearing at the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board meeting last night, Wednesday May 15.
Called “Ellen Trace,” the paved pathway will include plantings, some seating elements and signs to mark Bozman’s life and contributions. It will be built on the site of the former Bob Peck auto dealership, the northwest corner of N. Glebe Road and N. Wilson Blvd.
The walkway will include five steel-and-glass signs highlighting the life of Bozman, who served on the Arlington County Board longer than anyone else, from 1974 to 1997. The signs will highlight her work to desegregate Virginia schools in the 1950s, her work in the schools, her vision for a long-term urban development plan and her work in affordable housing. Bozman died in 2009.
The path is part of the approved site plan for the 800 block of N. Glebe Road. It will only require zoning administrator approval, not county board approval, since it is part of the original site plan, not an amendment to that plan. It was given a hearing at HALRB so that the zoning administrator would have feedback on the plan, officials said.
HALRB members suggested that the signs have “Ellen’s Trace” along the top of each to give a feeling of continuity, and that the signs should be constructed of laminated glass.
They also hesitated a bit at the idea that the path does not lead specifically to a destination such as the front door of a building or a location such as a bus stop. This made the board wonder who would use it.
The path will connect N. Wilson Blvd. to N. 9th Street, running parallel to N. Glebe Road. Plans show that the path will connect to a proposed courtyard at the AHC-owned Jordan apartments adjacent to the path.
It is being built and will be maintained by the developer listed as N. Glebe Residential LLC (JBG Companies) in county documents. However, AHC is listed on the landscape plans from Bowman Consulting. The park is one of the site plan conditions for the property, according to county documents.
Related:
- Mercury coverage of AHC, Inc
- Mercury coverage of parks
- Mercury coverage of development
Comments (1)
Why is HALRB Dealing with This?
willy 79 days ago