Highlands Row Next Phase Of Crystal House Apartments Expansion

Press Release: EYA LLC

BETHESDA, MD (August 21, 2025) – EYA LLC, a DC-based leader in urban infill residential development, today announced its closing on the land for Highlands Row, a new townhome community located in the heart of National Landing. Highlands Row marks the next phase of a transformative, mixed-income expansion of the Crystal House Apartments complex. The project is a public-private partnership among Arlington County, Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund, EYA, True Ground Housing Partners and Washington Housing Conservancy. This land closing, and the land value it generates, secures the additional financing subsidy required to support True Ground Housing Partners’ first phase, a 432-unit dedicated affordable apartment building and clears the way for townhome construction to begin later this year, with initial home deliveries expected in late 2026.

Developed through a public-private partnership, Highlands Row is part of a five-phase infill redevelopment plan that will expand the existing 828-unit Crystal House Apartments with 865 additional housing units—including 655 dedicated affordable units. The overall project offers a range of income levels through both the additional development with two phases being fully affordable, and EYA's Crystal House multi-family rental building in a future phase (which will be approximately 200 units), as well as the preservation of the existing Crystal House Apartments. The project aligns with Arlington County’s vision to deliver diverse, attainable housing options in one of the region’s most desirable, transit-connected neighborhoods. The development is located within walking distance of Amazon HQ2, the Crystal City Metro station, and Reagan National Airport, providing residents with unrivaled access to employment, retail and international transportation.

“This deal is a major step forward in delivering on our vision for Highlands Row,” said Jack Lester, EVP of Acquisitions and Development at EYA. “This project represents the kind of opportunity EYA is uniquely positioned to deliver. This milestone is the result of close collaboration with our partners, Arlington County, Amazon’s Housing Fund, and Washington Housing Conservancy, and showcases our team’s strength in managing complex urban redevelopment efforts and getting to the closing table, even in challenging market conditions. Highlands Row will offer residents a unique blend of urban connectivity and neighborhood charm to new residents and honors our commitment to provide new housing options to Arlington County.”

"This milestone represents exactly the type of collaborative approach needed to address our region’s housing challenges," said Michael Chiappa, SVP Real Estate, True Ground Housing Partners. "Through our partnership with EYA, Arlington County, WHC and Amazon's Housing Equity Fund, we're expanding opportunities for families across the income spectrum. The Highlands Row development will serve as a model for innovative public-private partnerships that can create affordability while enhancing an entire community."

EYA’s townhomes at Highlands Row will double the number of housing units planned for this portion of the site from 21 to 42 units through an innovative back-to-back townhome configuration, designed to address site constraints while maximizing value to the County, livability and architectural appeal. Built over a podium garage, these homes will be fee simple, representing a new multifamily structure for Arlington County that is zoned as multi-family but can be sold as fee simple townhomes. Each home will offer approximately 2,000 square feet of interior living space with up to three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and two dedicated parking spaces in the garage below the home’s footprint.

For more information and to follow project updates, visit eya.com.

ABOUT EYA, LLC
For over 30 years, EYA has been a market leader in the development of large-scale, urban infill residential projects. With expertise in the entitlement, development, and construction of for-sale, multi-family, and mixed-income housing, EYA has created over 50 exceptional neighborhoods that are home to more than 10,000 residents across Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. EYA is a privately held company that has completed over $2 billion of projects that have introduced “life within walking distance” throughout the greater DC region. For additional information about EYA, visit www.eyadevelopment.com.