Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/16/AR2005071600976.html?sub=AR

On July 17, 2005 The Washington Post reported, "Work has begun on Northern Virginia's first regional center for followers of the Baha'i faith... It is intended to serve 18 Bahai communities in Northern Virginia and about 2,500 members of the religion who have been meeting in rented space, private homes and a smaller center in Alexandria... The [Baha'i Spiritual Assembly of Loudoun] has owned the 2 1/2 acres of land since 1989, when it bought the parcel for $128,000 from a local Unitarian group. Only recently, however, has the community grown large enough to merit building on the land, said Michael Izadi, secretary for the center. The group held a groundbreaking in 2002 to indicate to its members that the building would arrive soon, Izadi said. Since then, it has been working to get permits in order and had a ribbon-cutting in May to mark the start of construction. Construction began in the past two weeks and will take about 18 to 24 months, Izadi said."