Arlington Career Center Project

The School Board approved the Arlington Career Center Schematic Design at the Oct. 27 School Board Meeting. The revised base educational specifications for 1,550 students with a cost of $182.42 million was approved, which is the larger of the two proposed building designs. A majority of the funds for this project was incorporated in the 2022 School Bond Referendum. The project will now transition into the Use Permit phase and the new Arlington Career Center will be completed in December 2025.

Arlington Career Center Project Webpage Sections
BLPC Process Goals | BLPC Committee Members | Joint BLPC/PFRC Meetings | Project Schedule | Resources | ACC Concept Phase FAQs | ACC BLPC Schematic Phase FAQs

Overview

Arlington Public Schools reconvened the Arlington Career Center (ACC) Project Building Level Planning Committee (BLPC) in January 2022 to continue planning for the ACC Project. The ACC Project was included in the FY 2023-32 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Direction at the Oct. 28, 2021 School Board Meeting. The Superintendent was directed to begin work immediately on the ACC concept design, which is currently underway. In addition, the ACC project was included in the Superintendent’s Proposed FY 2023-32 CIP.

Additional information is available in the Arlington Career Center Project Overview One-Pager.   

 BLPC Process Goals

The Building Level Planning Committee (BLPC) process invites public feedback on the elements identified in the Public Facilities Review Committee (PFRC) Principles of Civic Design. Adjustments that fit within the maximum total project cost and address the School Board’s Project Requirements for the Arlington Career Center were considered. The resulting plan was incorporated into the Superintendent’s Proposed FY 2023-32 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

This process will not address the long-term use of the Career Center Campus. Opportunities for comment on long-term use will occur within the process for review and adoption of the FY 2023-32 CIP and is outside the purview of the ACC Expansion Project BLPC.

 BLPC Committee Members

BLPC members represent various APS stakeholders and groups. They are responsible for communicating with and obtaining feedback from the stakeholder groups they represent. Members from the 2019 ACC BLPC were invited to continue representing their stakeholder groups and serving on the committee. Replacement members were appointed to the BLPC for the members who did not return. To facilitate collaboration between school and community stakeholders, joint meetings with the BLPC and PFRC will be planned to the greatest extent possible.

View the full list of BLPC Members appointed by the School Board. Information on the Public Facilities Review Committee (PFRC) process and PFRC members is available on the Arlington Career Center PFRC webpage.

 Project Schedule

• April 7, 2022 – School Board Meeting: ACC Concept Design Information
• April 28, 2022 – School Board Meeting: ACC Concept Design Action
• October 13, 2022 – School Board Meeting: ACC Schematic Design Information
• October 27, 2022 – School Board Meeting: ACC Schematic Design Action
• Spring 2023 – Use Permit Review Process
• December 2023 – Construction Begins
• December 2025 – New ACC Building Complete
• April 2027 – All Construction Phases Complete

 Resources

• Arlington Career Center Project Overview One-Pager
• Building Level Planning Committee (BLPC) Charge
• Principles of Civic Design
• School Board’s Project Requirements for the Arlington Career Center
• School Board’s FY 2023-32 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Direction
• Arlington Career Center Project Revised Base Educational Specifications
• Arlington Career Center Project Revised Alternative Educational Specifications
• FY 2023-32 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)

Additional information on the Arlington Career Center Project is available on the Design & Construction website.

For additional information or questions on the Arlington Career Center Project, please email engage@apsva.us.