Arlington County Chairwoman Barbara Favola spent much of her state of the county address defending some controversial investments Monday, including nearly $7 million to build a new cultural center in Rosslyn.
“I don’t think I’m alone in saying that we want a world-class community,” Favola told a gathering of county board members, government agency representatives and business owners. “You don’t get to be world class if you don’t feed your soul.”
Favola said the cultural center in the “funky” Rosslyn Spectrum would generate $7 in revenue for every $1 invested and couldn’t come at a better time. Sure, many other jurisdictions are scrimping on pennies — but Arlington has a history of bucking trends and coming out on top, she said.
“Arlington is known for being very progressive and wise in investments,” she said.
Meanwhile, some residents are weary of the county’s emphasis on arts when the fire department wants a medic clinic and traffic on Interstate 66 is unbearable.
Arlington County Civic Federation member Larry Mayer said earlier this month that members were evenly split at their most recent meeting on supporting whether to build the cultural center.
“I’m a believer in the arts and supporting the arts if, in the overall picture, we have the fiscal capability to do so,” he said, citing other priorities such as infrastructure and schools in the county. “At the current time, I would question the capacity to do everything.”
When asked whether the county would consider letting residents vote on the new center, Favola wouldn’t budge.
“If we don’t do [a cultural center] now, we won’t have another opportunity,” she said.
Factors working in Arlington’s favor now, according to Favola:
» The county is getting 15 years of free rent on the site in Rosslyn.
» Arlington got a triple-A bond credit rating, giving the county a stellar borrowing rate.
» Arlington has seen a nearly 30 percent drop in construction costs over the past year.
Favola said the county decided against a medic unit because “the fire chief said we can still meet a four- to five-minute response time” without one.
Favola had little to offer disgruntled commuters.
The county rejected $50 million in federal funds to expand I-66 by one lane last year after a study by the Virginia Department of Transportation concluded one extra lane would not “add enough transportation capacity” to be worth it, she said.
