A new chapter is unfolding in the story of an Arlington property that made headlines around the world three years ago.
In December 2023, onlookers witnessed the ground-shaking explosion of a duplex on North Burlington Street after police and SWAT teams surrounded the property and a standoff with one of the building’s occupants ended in catastrophe. Arlington real estate agent and developer Alex Wilson captured a video of the incident from his condo across the street. It became the media’s defining footage as the event made national and international news.
“They had been shouting at [the house], saying, ‘Back away from the window. We’re gonna come through the window.’ And that’s when I started the video,” says Wilson, who watched the event unfold live with his neighbors.
Police say 56-year-old James Yoo, who lived in one half of the duplex, intentionally triggered the explosion after trying to lure law enforcement inside. Three officers suffered injuries. The owners of the adjoining unit were unharmed, but lost their home.
What Happened Next
The properties were demolished and the site sat empty for about a year—a somber reminder of what had transpired there—until Wilson contacted the property owners, purchased both lots and redeveloped the parcel into three luxury townhomes. Two are on the market now.
“This project has always been bigger than building homes,” he says. “I witnessed one of Arlington’s most unforgettable moments from across the street. To later have the opportunity to help shape what came next has been incredibly meaningful. It’s a reminder that every property has the potential for a new beginning.”
Each of the three townhomes (one of which will become Wilson’s new residence) is about 4,000 square feet and priced at about $1.8 million. Occupying a cul-de-sac between the Ballston and Bluemont neighborhoods, the units will be close to a new entrance planned for the Ballston Metro Station.
Wilson says the homes are designed to feel like single family homes. Each unit includes a private office, laundry room and three bedrooms, including a top-floor primary suite with a private bath, walk-in closet and roof deck.
The Missing Middle Connection
This isn’t Wilson’s first foray as a property developer. He made headlines in June of 2025 when his appeal in the Virginia courts put so-called “missing middle” housing projects back in play in Arlington after a controversial zoning ordinance was met with local opposition.
In 2023, the Arlington County board adopted an Expanded Housing Option (EHO) ordinance in an attempt to bolster the county’s supply of moderately priced homes for middle-class buyers. The EHO measure, colloquially known as “missing middle” zoning, allows the construction of townhouses, duplexes and multifamily buildings of up to six units anywhere in the county, including in neighborhoods historically limited to single-family homes.
Wilson’s company, Wilson’s Ventures, started building an EHO duplex in Claremont shortly after the ordinance took effect. When an October 2024 circuit court ruling voided the ordinance and effectively cancelled any permits issued under it, his project was stalled. Wilson’s appeal was pivotal in getting the ruling overturned and putting missing middle projects back in the pipeline.
Wilson has since completed and sold the Claremont units, located on 25th Street South, for about $1.2 million each.
