Just Neighbors moves, on short notice, to Annandale office building
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| Just Neighbors new home, in the building at the rear. |
Just Neighbors, a nonprofit organization that serves low-income immigrants andrefugees throughout Northern Virginia, is moving this weekend from Bailey’s Crossroads to an
office building at 7630 Little River Turnpike in Annandale.
In
March 2016, the organization announced plans to relocate to the Heritage Drive campus of the Annandale United Methodist Church. “As we began to move toward
beginning construction of the new offices, the church discovered significant
zoning issues that would take 18-24 months to resolve,” Just Neighbors states
in an email to supporters. That was not a problem, however, as “we were fine in our
current space and we could afford to wait.”
March 2016, the organization announced plans to relocate to the Heritage Drive campus of the Annandale United Methodist Church. “As we began to move toward
beginning construction of the new offices, the church discovered significant
zoning issues that would take 18-24 months to resolve,” Just Neighbors states
in an email to supporters. That was not a problem, however, as “we were fine in our
current space and we could afford to wait.”
But
then on May 3, Just Neighbors was informed it had to vacate its current office space in
the Bailey’s International Center (the Landmark Building) at 5827 Columbia Pike
by June 15 due to the upcoming redevelopment of the Southeast Quadrant. [That building
is slated to be demolished next winter. More on that later.]
“Of
course, this was totally unexpected and a very short turnaround,” Just
Neighbors states. “After picking our jaws off the floor, we went into action
mode,” searching for a new location and figuring out the logistics of moving
while continuing business as usual.
course, this was totally unexpected and a very short turnaround,” Just
Neighbors states. “After picking our jaws off the floor, we went into action
mode,” searching for a new location and figuring out the logistics of moving
while continuing business as usual.
Just
Neighbors plans to reopen for clients on July 18 in 7630 Little River
Turnpike. It will be in temporary offices in that building until the buildout
of the permanent space is completed.
Neighbors plans to reopen for clients on July 18 in 7630 Little River
Turnpike. It will be in temporary offices in that building until the buildout
of the permanent space is completed.
“As frustrating as it is to have
to move on such short notice, there is a silver lining,” Just Neighbors notes. “Since
the election, our number of volunteer attorneys has increased, but we had to
turn away some of them due to lack of space in our current offices. We began to
realize that the planned space at the Heritage Drive site was going to leave us
in the same situation.”
to move on such short notice, there is a silver lining,” Just Neighbors notes. “Since
the election, our number of volunteer attorneys has increased, but we had to
turn away some of them due to lack of space in our current offices. We began to
realize that the planned space at the Heritage Drive site was going to leave us
in the same situation.”
The new space is significantly
larger, allowing the organization to have more staff and volunteers and serve
more clients.
larger, allowing the organization to have more staff and volunteers and serve
more clients.
One of Just Neighbors’ partners, National
Justice for Our Neighbors, is also moving to the same building, from its
current location on Braddock Road near the beltway.
