From Parking to Purpose: Fairlington Presbyterian Church’s Affordable Housing Partnership
- VEREP
- Aug 2
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 2
By transforming part of their parking lot into 81 units of affordable housing, Fairlington Presbyterian Church in Alexandria discovered how reimagining unused space can meet pressing community needs while maintaining their campus and mission presence.
Case Study provided by Rev.. Juli Wilson-Black, Fairlington Presbyterian Church
Seeing the Need Beyond the Parking Lot
Fairlington Presbyterian Church was built in the 1950s in Alexandria. The dream was to expand and grow, so the church building itself could accommodate hundreds of people. The church grounds included a large yard and parking lot. Over the years, the neighborhood came to appreciate the green space provided by the church, even as attendance was shrinking.
As members reflected on their surroundings, they realized there was an unmet human need. Taking the first step to consider how to address this was the hardest part for the community.
Guidance and Discernment Through Expertise
To move forward, Fairlington Presbyterian hired a consultant with church redevelopment experience. This consultant explained the redevelopment process in layman’s terms, guided conversations, and helped assess developers with transparency and without vested interest. Congregants noted this outside expertise was essential for building trust and clarity during early discussions.
Reaching Consensus and Taking Action
There was not universal agreement within the congregation at first. However, facilitated conversations and consensus-building strategies helped the community move forward. In 2017, the congregation voted to sell a portion of its parking lot to Wesley Housing Development Corporation, launching their redevelopment journey.
Creative Ownership Solutions: The Land Condominium Model
To navigate zoning and ownership hurdles, Fairlington Presbyterian and Wesley Housing established a Land Condominium agreement, making them joint owners of a single parcel.
This arrangement allowed open space from the church property to count toward rezoning requirements, which might otherwise have blocked the density needed for affordable housing. The rezoning process proceeded smoothly, with unanimous approval from both the planning commission and city council.
“The City of Alexandria was supportive. Not all places are as supportive,” notes Rev. Juli Wilson-Black.
Building The Waypoint: Affordable Housing Success
Through their partnership, Reaching Consensus and Taking Action
There was not universal agreement within the congregation at first. However, facilitated conversations and consensus-building strategies helped the community move forward. In 2017, the congregation voted to sell a portion of its parking lot to Wesley Housing Development Corporation, launching their redevelopment journey.
Creative Ownership Solutions: The Land Condominium Model
To navigate zoning and ownership hurdles, Fairlington Presbyterian and Wesley Housing established a Land Condominium agreement, making them joint owners of a single parcel.
This arrangement allowed open space from the church property to count toward rezoning requirements, which might otherwise have blocked the density needed for affordable housing. The rezoning process proceeded smoothly, with unanimous approval from both the planning commission and city council.
“The City of Alexandria was supportive. Not all places are as supportive,” notes Rev. Juli Wilson-Black.
Building The Waypoint: Affordable Housing Success
Through their partnership, Fairlington Presbyterian and Wesley Housing built 81 units of affordable housing with underground parking. The church retained its original building, 60 surface parking spots, and a portion of green space for congregation and community use.
One added benefit of the Land Condominium model was Fairlington’s ongoing relationship with building management and residents, fostering stronger connections and community dialogue.
Lessons Learned in Property Management
Church leaders reflected that while they focused heavily on redevelopment logistics, they wished they had spent more time learning about post-construction property management.
Their advice: when interviewing development partners, also consider how the property will be managed after construction, especially if your church will remain a co-owner or neighbor.
A Recommendation for Other Congregations
“I would absolutely recommend the experience to congregations that have some capacity for managing change.”— Rev. Juli Wilson-Black
The project transformed both Fairlington Presbyterian Church and the surrounding neighborhood, demonstrating how even a small shift in land use can spark mission-driven impact.
Learn More
Is your congregation sitting on underused property?
Redevelopment can open doors for mission and meet real community needs. Contact VEREP to start a conversation about how your church can take the first step.
